Not Kipling, But tickling

And Old (but) All time favourite

Rangaswamy and the Tiger

Deep in jungle I am went,
On shooting Tiger I am bent;
Bugger Tiger has eaten wife,
Avenger I am for poor darling's life.

Too much quiet, snakes and leeches,
But am not fearing these sons of beeches;
Hearing loud noise I jump with start,
But noise coming from jittery heart.

Taking care not to be fright,
Clutching rifle with eye to sight,
Should Tiger come I will fall him down,
Then like hero return to native town.

Then through trees I am spying one cave,
I am telling self - "Rangaswamy be brave";
I now proceed with too much care,
From nonsense smell of this Tiger's lair.

My leg is shake, I start to pray,
I think I shoot Tiger some other day;
Turning round I am going to go,
But Tiger giving bloody big roar.

He bounding from cave like shooting star,
I commend my soul to Narayana;
Through the jungle I am went,
Like bullet with Tiger hot on scent.

Mighty Tiger rave and rant,
Rangaswamy shit in pant !
Must therefore leave the jungle,
Killing Tiger one big bungle !!
I am telling that never in life,
I will risk again for damn fool wife !!!


photo courtesy (filched from): annaelizabethpoole / From Bali with Love

A World Wildlife Fund (WWF) activist with his body painted as a Sumatran tiger crouch near large poster during a campaign for Sumatran tiger protection in Jakarta, Friday, 22/08/2008

Reminds me of the folk art "Puli Vesham" used to be performed in southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.  Haven't come across these performers recently.  But immortalized in the song 'annathe aduran' by Kamal Hasan in the film 'Appu Raja'

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