THE GRASS EATING TIGER
The young tiger was walking up and down with nervous and fast steps in his cage, behind the railings Somehow somebody was squeezing his heart with a barbed wire rope today The sun had risen and set a lot of times since he had been locked up in this cage He was about one month old The hunters had caught him when had gone for a walk in the forest one day and they had sold him to this zoo He was as tall as a fairly large cat He grew up and got srong as time passed His cage wasnt tiny but he didnt want to live here He would like to be free and to reach the forest, whose name he started to forget and where he longed for, and he would like to direct his life People were crowding into there, were standing in front of the cage and were watching him for a lot of minutes with full of admiration
When the visitors lessened that night fall, the keeper cleaned and washed the cage He left a half sheep as dinner into the cage He locked the door and went away While his keeper was locking the door and going away, there was a flash of lightning in the young tigers mind The locks fitting into its hole and the keys voice while locking was unusual If his quite sensitive ears werent misleading him, the door hadnt been locked properly After eating the meat left into the cage, he started his turns again The visitors started to increase again The people had eaten their dinner and they were going to parks and gardens to enjoy and relax The trouble in the young tigers heart had gone away and away and it had trapped into the keys hole At midnight, if he also was lucky, he would try to run away from the cage and would try running towards his freedom
It had completely got dark; it had been a long time after the midnight had passed There was nobody around The young tiger pulled hard quickly the door with his strong paws The door, which hadnt bee locked properly, opened easily He went out of the cage quickly He took the road on the right This road was ending in the wood further Walking up and down in the cage wasnt similar to running outside He had got quite tired After he stopped to have a rest, he jumped over the zoos wall He disappeared in the darkness by running towards the forest
The young tiger passed mountains, hills and he drank cold water After three days and three nights, while the sun was rising in the morning, he arrived at the big forest, where he was caught and taken when he was too young He was free now, he was bubbling over with joy He realized that he was hungry while he was walking joyfully He hadnt eaten anything since the day he had run away He had only drunk water His keeper used to bring him meat day and night Before the hunters had caught him, his mother used to feed him However, life was too different in this immense forest There was neither his mother nor his keeper now This was something that he couldnt think before he ran away from the cage: How would he feed himself?
He saw a deer in the grassy place further while he was thinking like this and walking The deer sometimes looked around him and then started eating grass again The deer started running immediately Two tigers jumped from the bush nearby at the same time The deer had been covered from four sides when two more tigers stood before him soon It was obvious that the tigers had laid a trap to catch the deer The best defense was attack The brave deer rushed forward with a last effort He butted terribly the nearest tiger with his sharp horns The tiger tumbled down within blood He turned to right a little He wanted to but the second tiger in front of him too However, he couldnt hit The tigers coming after him had reached It was impossible to fight with three tigers although the deer was strong The tigers tumbled the deer down by hitting with their strong paws, they killed and ate him Then they went away The young tiger was petrified at his place He was looking with unbelievable eyes What he saw was brutality but the rules of the forest were like this The weak became food for the stronger Namely he said, the tigers feed themselves like this Because I am a tiger too, I should hunt and eat the living things I cant kill the other animals to feed myself No one made me get used to kill I dont know killing and I dont believe in the necessity of killing The deer used to feed himself by eating grass It was strong enough The animals eating grass had been strong I have no other choice; I will either stay hungry or eat grass Let the others say does a tiger eat grass let them say is it possible to be a grass eating tiger
One month passed The grass eating tiger couldnt find the peace he looked for in the forest The tigers accepted him but the life in the forest was completely inappropriate for the grass eating tiger Why were they suddenly getting attacker when they saw a deer, a roe or a rabbit? They had been programmed to kill; they had to kill to live At this sight there was a tiger living by eating grass, this also had to be thought While the grass eating tiger was wandering in the forest one day, he met a rabbit He was surprised with the rabbits not running away when he saw the tiger Amazing! The rabbit was coming towards him He wanted to step aside but he couldnt His feet had become stiff The rabbit hit the grass eating tiger and fell onto his back Then he stood up from where he fell and touched the tigers face, caressed his cheeks He asked: Are you the grass eating tiger The grass eating tiger couldnt say a word He was shocked
After the rabbit said You are surely the grass eating tiger Your mouth doesnt smell of bload like the other tigers Look, grass eater, I have heard your reputation You cant get used to the forest, you should return to the zoo As I heard, the tigers had killed some animals in front of your eyes and they had wanted to make you get used to killing If you cant get used to killing, the tigers will kill you Listen to me and go away from here he wanted to go away but he fell off a hole, which was a little further The grass eating tiger took the rabbit out of the hole and when he scrutinized his face, he saw that his eye sockets were empty This rabbit didnt have eyes He considered a blind rabbit He took him on his back, took and left him to his hole
The grass eating tiger couldnt help crying when he found the blind rabbit dead in his hole the following day The tigers, which havent touched the blind rabbit so far, had envied him when they saw him going on the grass eating tigers back and had killed him The grass eating tigers heart was full of hatred That was too much now What had they wanted from the poor rabbit? The grass eating tiger plunging into the tigers by running at the last speed, staked more than thirty tigers Its easy to kill a blind rabbit, come and kill me if its easy What the tigers wanted was already this They would infuriate the grass eating tiger and make him attack them and then they would pull him to pieces There was always many a slip twixt the cup and the lip It suddenly got dark and started to rain heavily There were flashes of lightning and thunderbolts were falling The tigers dispersed but the grass eating tiger didnt run away He waited until he got soaked After half an hour the rain stopped The sun shone, and the land brightened up The grass eating tiger wandered there until midnight When he saw that there were no passersby, he got bored and went away The matter of forest was over He was determined to return to the zoo now
After a few days, his keeper found him waiting in front of the cage The grass eating tiger would enter the cage a few minutes later and would reply the keeper from inside here is my home, Im a cage tiger I cant go to the forest even if you wanted There hadnt been a place for me while he was locking him in and said the lock has just been changed, you cant try to run away again, because its impossible The young tigers heart got full of pleasure when a female tiger was brought to his cage two months later They immediately became partners and close friends The day and days passed, time passed and they had two babies He became cheerful, happy and his heart was full of peace and the young tiger was walking up and down quietly and slowly behind the iron railings
Written by: Serdar YILDIRIM
OT YİYEN KAPLAN
Genc kaplan kafesinde, demir parmaklıklar ardında, sinirli ve hızlı adımlarla gidip geliyordu Nedense bugun yureğini sanki dikenli tel halatıyla sıkıyorlardı Bu kafese kapatıldığından beri guneş bircok kereler doğup batmıştı Bir aylık ya vardı ya yoktu Ormanda gezintiye cıktığı gun avcılar yakalayıp bu hayvanat bahcesine satmışlardı Daha o zamanlar boyu irice bir kedi boyu kadardı Zamanla gelişip guclendi Kafesi dar değildi, ama o burada yaşamak istemiyordu Ozgur olmak, adını bile unutmaya başladığı, hayali gozlerinin onunden gitmeyen ormana kavuşmak, hayatına kendisi yon vermek istiyordu İnsanlar akın akın geliyorlar, kafesin onunde durup dakikalarca, hayranlık dolu bakışlarla kendisini seyrediyorlardı
O akşamustu ziyaretcilerin azaldığı zamanda bakıcı kafesi temizleyip, yıkadı Akşam yemeği olarak yarım koyunu kafesin icine bıraktı Kapıyı kilitledi, gitti Bakıcısı kapıyı kilitleyip giderken, genc kaplanın beyninde bir şimşek caktı Kilidin yuvasına oturuşu ve anahtarın cevrilirken cıkardığı ses alışılmışın dışındaydı Oldukca hassas kulakları onu yanıltmıyorsa, kapı tam olarak kilitlenmemişti Kafese bırakılan eti yedikten sonra, her zamanki voltalarına başladı Ziyaretciler tekrar coğalmaya başladılar İnsanlar, akşam yemeklerini yemişler, eğlenmek, dinlenmek icin parklara, bahcelere gidiyorlardı Genc kaplanın yureğini saran sıkıntı gitmiş, gitmiş kilidin anahtar deliğinde sıkışmış kalmıştı Gece yarısı, biraz da şansı yardım ederse, kafesten kacıp ormanına, ozgurluğune koşmayı deneyecekti
Hava iyice kararmış, vakit gece yarısını geceli cok olmuştu Gorunurde kimseler yoktu Genc kaplan guclu penceleriyle kapıya hızla asıldı Tam olarak kilitlenmemiş kapı acılıverdi Kafesten suratle dışarı fırladı Sağ yola saptı Bu yol ilerdeki ağaclıkta son buluyordu Kafeste gidip gelmek, dışarıda koşmaya benzemiyordu Oldukca yorulmuştu Durup dinlendikten sonra hayvanat bahcesi duvarından atladı Ormana doğru koşarak karanlıklarda kayboldu
Genc kaplan dağlar, tepeler aştı, soğuk sulardan icti Uc gun uc gece sonra, sabah guneş doğarken, daha cok kucukken yakalanıp goturulduğu buyuk ormana vardı Ozgurdu artık, ici icine sığmıyordu Neşeli neşeli yururken karnının acıktığını hissetti Kactığından beri heyecandan uc gundur bir şey yememişti Sadece su icmişti Kafeste sabah akşam bakıcısı et getirirdi Avcılar yakalamadan once annesi beslerdi Fakat bu ucsuz bucaksız ormanda yaşam cok farklıydı Şimdi ne annesi vardı, ne bakıcısı vardı Kafesten kacmadan once duşunemediği bir şeydi bu: Ne ile karnını doyuracaktı?
Boyle duşunup yururken, ilerdeki otlukta bir geyik gordu Geyik, arada sırada etrafına bakınıp tekrar ot yemeğe başlıyordu Geyik, aniden koşmaya başladı Aynı anda yan taraftaki calılıktan iki kaplan fırladı Biraz sonra geyiğin onune iki kaplan daha cıkınca geyik dort yandan sarılmıştı Belli kaplanlar geyiği yakalamak icin tuzak kurmuşlardı En iyi savunma hucumdu Cesur geyik, son bir gayretle ileri atıldı Kendisine en yakın kaplana sivri boynuzlarıyla muthiş bir kesme vurdu Kaplan kanlar icinde sırtustu yuvarlandı Hafif yana dondu Onundeki ikinci kaplana da aynı şekilde vurmak istedi Fakat tutturamadı Peşinden gelen diğer kaplanlar da yetişmişti Geyik, ne kadar kuvvetli olursa olsun, uc tane kaplanla baş etmesi olanaksızdı Kaplanlar, guclu penceleriyle vurarak geyiği yere yuvarladılar ve oldurup yediler Daha sonra cekilip gittiler
Genc kaplan, olduğu yerde donmuş kalmıştı İnanılmaz gozlerle bakıyordu Gorduğu bir vahşetti Fakat orman kanunları boyleydi Zayıf daha kuvvetliye yem oluyordu Demek ki dedi, kaplanlar boyle karınlarını doyuruyorlarmış Ben de kaplan olduğuma gore benim de canlıları avlayıp yemem lazım Ben karnımı doyurmak icin diğer hayvanları olduremem Kimse beni oldurmeye alıştırmadı Oldurmeyi bilmiyorum ve oldurmenin gerekliliğine inanmıyorum Geyik ot yiyerek besleniyordu Gucu kuvveti yerindeydi Ot yiyen hayvanlar guclu oluyormuş Başka carem yok, ya ac kalacağım ya da ot yiyeceğim Varsın kaplan ot yer mi varsın ot yiyen kaplan olur mu desinler
Aradan bir ay gecti Ot yiyen kaplan ormanda aradığı huzuru bir turlu bulamadı Kaplanlar onu aralarına kabul etmişlerdi ama ormandaki yaşam ot yiyen kaplana ters geliyordu Neden geyik, karaca, tavşan gorduklerinde aniden saldırganlaşıyorlardı Onlar oldurmek icin programlanmışlardı, yaşamak icin oldurmek zorundaydılar Bu tarafta bir kaplan ot yiyerek yaşıyordu, bunu da duşunmek lazımdı
Ot yiyen kaplan bir gun ormanda gezerken karşısına bir tavşan cıktı Tavşanın kendisini gorup de kacmamasına şaşırdı Hayret, tavşan ustune doğru geliyordu Kenara cekilmek istedi, cekilemedi Ayakları tutulmuştu Tavşan, ot yiyen kaplana carpıp sırtustu duştu Daha sonra yattığı yerden doğrulup onun yuzunu elledi, yanaklarını okşadı Sen ot yiyen kaplan mısın? diye sordu Ot yiyen kaplan gık diyemedi Dili damağına yapışmıştı
Tavşan:
Tabii canım, sen ot yiyen kaplansın Ağzın oteki kaplanlar gibi kan kokmuyor Bak ot yiyen, şohretin kulağıma kadar geldi Sen ormana alışamazsın, hayvanat bahcesine donmelisin Duyduğuma gore, kaplanlar senin gozlerinin onunde bazı hayvanları oldurup, seni de oldurmeye alıştırmak isterlermiş Eğer oldurmeye alışamazsan kaplanlar seni oldururler Sen beni dinle ve cek git buralardan dedikten sonra yuruyup gitmek isterken az ilerdeki bir cukura duştu Ot yiyen kaplan tavşanı cukurdan cıkardı ve onun yuzune dikkatle bakınca goz cukurlarının boş olduğunu gordu Gozleri yoktu bu tavşanın Kor bir tavşan diye gecirdi icinden Onu sırtına bindirdi ve yuvasına goturup bıraktı
Ertesi gun kor tavşanı yuvasında olu olarak bulan ot yiyen kaplan gozyaşlarını tutamadı Şimdiye kadar kor tavşana dokunmayan kaplanlar onu ot yiyen kaplanın sırtında giderken gorunce kıskanmışlar ve oldurmuşlerdi Ot yiyen kaplanın yureği nefretle doldu Bu kadarı da fazlaydı artık Ne istemişlerdi garip bir tavşandan Son surat koşarak kaplanların arasına dalan ot yiyen kaplan otuzdan fazla kaplana rest cekti
Kor tavşanı oldurmek kolay, sıkıysa gelin beni de oldurun
Kaplanların beklediği buydu zaten Ot yiyen kaplanı cileden cıkarıp ustlerine saldırtacaklar sonra parca parca edeceklerdi Evdeki hesap her zaman carşıya uymazdı Aniden ortalık karardı ve şiddetli bir yağmur başladı Şimşekler cakıyor, yıldırımlar duşuyordu Kaplanlar sağa sola kacıştılar ama ot yiyen kaplan kacmadı Sırılsıklam oluncaya kadar bekledi Yarım saat sonra yağmur dindi Guneş actı, ortalık aydınlandı Ot yiyen kaplan gece yarısına kadar oralarda gezindi Gelen giden olmadığını gorunce beklemekten bıkıp uzaklaştı gitti Orman işi buraya kadardı O, şimdi hayvanat bahcesine donmeye kararlıydı
Birkac gun sonra sabaha karşı bakıcısı onu kafesin onunde beklerken buldu Ot yiyen kaplan biraz sonra kafese girecek ve bakıcısı kapıyı ustune kilitlerken, Kilit yeni değişti, bir daha kacma numarasına kalkışamazsın, cunku artık imkansız demesine karşılık, icinden Yuvam burası, ben kafes kaplanıyım Hem istesem de ormana gidemem Bana gore değilmiş orası dedi
İki ay sonra kafesine dişi bir kaplan getirilince yureği kıvancla doldu genc kaplanın Eş oldular birbirlerine ve kaynaşıverdiler Gun dondu, gunler dondu, zaman gecti ve iki tane yavruları oldu Neşelendi, mutlandı, huzur doldu yureği ve genc kaplan artık kafesinde, demir parmaklıklar ardında sakin ve yavaş adımlarla gidip geliyordu
Yazan: Serdar Yıldırım
The young tiger was walking up and down with nervous and fast steps in his cage, behind the railings Somehow somebody was squeezing his heart with a barbed wire rope today The sun had risen and set a lot of times since he had been locked up in this cage He was about one month old The hunters had caught him when had gone for a walk in the forest one day and they had sold him to this zoo He was as tall as a fairly large cat He grew up and got srong as time passed His cage wasnt tiny but he didnt want to live here He would like to be free and to reach the forest, whose name he started to forget and where he longed for, and he would like to direct his life People were crowding into there, were standing in front of the cage and were watching him for a lot of minutes with full of admiration
When the visitors lessened that night fall, the keeper cleaned and washed the cage He left a half sheep as dinner into the cage He locked the door and went away While his keeper was locking the door and going away, there was a flash of lightning in the young tigers mind The locks fitting into its hole and the keys voice while locking was unusual If his quite sensitive ears werent misleading him, the door hadnt been locked properly After eating the meat left into the cage, he started his turns again The visitors started to increase again The people had eaten their dinner and they were going to parks and gardens to enjoy and relax The trouble in the young tigers heart had gone away and away and it had trapped into the keys hole At midnight, if he also was lucky, he would try to run away from the cage and would try running towards his freedom
It had completely got dark; it had been a long time after the midnight had passed There was nobody around The young tiger pulled hard quickly the door with his strong paws The door, which hadnt bee locked properly, opened easily He went out of the cage quickly He took the road on the right This road was ending in the wood further Walking up and down in the cage wasnt similar to running outside He had got quite tired After he stopped to have a rest, he jumped over the zoos wall He disappeared in the darkness by running towards the forest
The young tiger passed mountains, hills and he drank cold water After three days and three nights, while the sun was rising in the morning, he arrived at the big forest, where he was caught and taken when he was too young He was free now, he was bubbling over with joy He realized that he was hungry while he was walking joyfully He hadnt eaten anything since the day he had run away He had only drunk water His keeper used to bring him meat day and night Before the hunters had caught him, his mother used to feed him However, life was too different in this immense forest There was neither his mother nor his keeper now This was something that he couldnt think before he ran away from the cage: How would he feed himself?
He saw a deer in the grassy place further while he was thinking like this and walking The deer sometimes looked around him and then started eating grass again The deer started running immediately Two tigers jumped from the bush nearby at the same time The deer had been covered from four sides when two more tigers stood before him soon It was obvious that the tigers had laid a trap to catch the deer The best defense was attack The brave deer rushed forward with a last effort He butted terribly the nearest tiger with his sharp horns The tiger tumbled down within blood He turned to right a little He wanted to but the second tiger in front of him too However, he couldnt hit The tigers coming after him had reached It was impossible to fight with three tigers although the deer was strong The tigers tumbled the deer down by hitting with their strong paws, they killed and ate him Then they went away The young tiger was petrified at his place He was looking with unbelievable eyes What he saw was brutality but the rules of the forest were like this The weak became food for the stronger Namely he said, the tigers feed themselves like this Because I am a tiger too, I should hunt and eat the living things I cant kill the other animals to feed myself No one made me get used to kill I dont know killing and I dont believe in the necessity of killing The deer used to feed himself by eating grass It was strong enough The animals eating grass had been strong I have no other choice; I will either stay hungry or eat grass Let the others say does a tiger eat grass let them say is it possible to be a grass eating tiger
One month passed The grass eating tiger couldnt find the peace he looked for in the forest The tigers accepted him but the life in the forest was completely inappropriate for the grass eating tiger Why were they suddenly getting attacker when they saw a deer, a roe or a rabbit? They had been programmed to kill; they had to kill to live At this sight there was a tiger living by eating grass, this also had to be thought While the grass eating tiger was wandering in the forest one day, he met a rabbit He was surprised with the rabbits not running away when he saw the tiger Amazing! The rabbit was coming towards him He wanted to step aside but he couldnt His feet had become stiff The rabbit hit the grass eating tiger and fell onto his back Then he stood up from where he fell and touched the tigers face, caressed his cheeks He asked: Are you the grass eating tiger The grass eating tiger couldnt say a word He was shocked
After the rabbit said You are surely the grass eating tiger Your mouth doesnt smell of bload like the other tigers Look, grass eater, I have heard your reputation You cant get used to the forest, you should return to the zoo As I heard, the tigers had killed some animals in front of your eyes and they had wanted to make you get used to killing If you cant get used to killing, the tigers will kill you Listen to me and go away from here he wanted to go away but he fell off a hole, which was a little further The grass eating tiger took the rabbit out of the hole and when he scrutinized his face, he saw that his eye sockets were empty This rabbit didnt have eyes He considered a blind rabbit He took him on his back, took and left him to his hole
The grass eating tiger couldnt help crying when he found the blind rabbit dead in his hole the following day The tigers, which havent touched the blind rabbit so far, had envied him when they saw him going on the grass eating tigers back and had killed him The grass eating tigers heart was full of hatred That was too much now What had they wanted from the poor rabbit? The grass eating tiger plunging into the tigers by running at the last speed, staked more than thirty tigers Its easy to kill a blind rabbit, come and kill me if its easy What the tigers wanted was already this They would infuriate the grass eating tiger and make him attack them and then they would pull him to pieces There was always many a slip twixt the cup and the lip It suddenly got dark and started to rain heavily There were flashes of lightning and thunderbolts were falling The tigers dispersed but the grass eating tiger didnt run away He waited until he got soaked After half an hour the rain stopped The sun shone, and the land brightened up The grass eating tiger wandered there until midnight When he saw that there were no passersby, he got bored and went away The matter of forest was over He was determined to return to the zoo now
After a few days, his keeper found him waiting in front of the cage The grass eating tiger would enter the cage a few minutes later and would reply the keeper from inside here is my home, Im a cage tiger I cant go to the forest even if you wanted There hadnt been a place for me while he was locking him in and said the lock has just been changed, you cant try to run away again, because its impossible The young tigers heart got full of pleasure when a female tiger was brought to his cage two months later They immediately became partners and close friends The day and days passed, time passed and they had two babies He became cheerful, happy and his heart was full of peace and the young tiger was walking up and down quietly and slowly behind the iron railings
Written by: Serdar YILDIRIM
OT YİYEN KAPLAN
Genc kaplan kafesinde, demir parmaklıklar ardında, sinirli ve hızlı adımlarla gidip geliyordu Nedense bugun yureğini sanki dikenli tel halatıyla sıkıyorlardı Bu kafese kapatıldığından beri guneş bircok kereler doğup batmıştı Bir aylık ya vardı ya yoktu Ormanda gezintiye cıktığı gun avcılar yakalayıp bu hayvanat bahcesine satmışlardı Daha o zamanlar boyu irice bir kedi boyu kadardı Zamanla gelişip guclendi Kafesi dar değildi, ama o burada yaşamak istemiyordu Ozgur olmak, adını bile unutmaya başladığı, hayali gozlerinin onunden gitmeyen ormana kavuşmak, hayatına kendisi yon vermek istiyordu İnsanlar akın akın geliyorlar, kafesin onunde durup dakikalarca, hayranlık dolu bakışlarla kendisini seyrediyorlardı
O akşamustu ziyaretcilerin azaldığı zamanda bakıcı kafesi temizleyip, yıkadı Akşam yemeği olarak yarım koyunu kafesin icine bıraktı Kapıyı kilitledi, gitti Bakıcısı kapıyı kilitleyip giderken, genc kaplanın beyninde bir şimşek caktı Kilidin yuvasına oturuşu ve anahtarın cevrilirken cıkardığı ses alışılmışın dışındaydı Oldukca hassas kulakları onu yanıltmıyorsa, kapı tam olarak kilitlenmemişti Kafese bırakılan eti yedikten sonra, her zamanki voltalarına başladı Ziyaretciler tekrar coğalmaya başladılar İnsanlar, akşam yemeklerini yemişler, eğlenmek, dinlenmek icin parklara, bahcelere gidiyorlardı Genc kaplanın yureğini saran sıkıntı gitmiş, gitmiş kilidin anahtar deliğinde sıkışmış kalmıştı Gece yarısı, biraz da şansı yardım ederse, kafesten kacıp ormanına, ozgurluğune koşmayı deneyecekti
Hava iyice kararmış, vakit gece yarısını geceli cok olmuştu Gorunurde kimseler yoktu Genc kaplan guclu penceleriyle kapıya hızla asıldı Tam olarak kilitlenmemiş kapı acılıverdi Kafesten suratle dışarı fırladı Sağ yola saptı Bu yol ilerdeki ağaclıkta son buluyordu Kafeste gidip gelmek, dışarıda koşmaya benzemiyordu Oldukca yorulmuştu Durup dinlendikten sonra hayvanat bahcesi duvarından atladı Ormana doğru koşarak karanlıklarda kayboldu
Genc kaplan dağlar, tepeler aştı, soğuk sulardan icti Uc gun uc gece sonra, sabah guneş doğarken, daha cok kucukken yakalanıp goturulduğu buyuk ormana vardı Ozgurdu artık, ici icine sığmıyordu Neşeli neşeli yururken karnının acıktığını hissetti Kactığından beri heyecandan uc gundur bir şey yememişti Sadece su icmişti Kafeste sabah akşam bakıcısı et getirirdi Avcılar yakalamadan once annesi beslerdi Fakat bu ucsuz bucaksız ormanda yaşam cok farklıydı Şimdi ne annesi vardı, ne bakıcısı vardı Kafesten kacmadan once duşunemediği bir şeydi bu: Ne ile karnını doyuracaktı?
Boyle duşunup yururken, ilerdeki otlukta bir geyik gordu Geyik, arada sırada etrafına bakınıp tekrar ot yemeğe başlıyordu Geyik, aniden koşmaya başladı Aynı anda yan taraftaki calılıktan iki kaplan fırladı Biraz sonra geyiğin onune iki kaplan daha cıkınca geyik dort yandan sarılmıştı Belli kaplanlar geyiği yakalamak icin tuzak kurmuşlardı En iyi savunma hucumdu Cesur geyik, son bir gayretle ileri atıldı Kendisine en yakın kaplana sivri boynuzlarıyla muthiş bir kesme vurdu Kaplan kanlar icinde sırtustu yuvarlandı Hafif yana dondu Onundeki ikinci kaplana da aynı şekilde vurmak istedi Fakat tutturamadı Peşinden gelen diğer kaplanlar da yetişmişti Geyik, ne kadar kuvvetli olursa olsun, uc tane kaplanla baş etmesi olanaksızdı Kaplanlar, guclu penceleriyle vurarak geyiği yere yuvarladılar ve oldurup yediler Daha sonra cekilip gittiler
Genc kaplan, olduğu yerde donmuş kalmıştı İnanılmaz gozlerle bakıyordu Gorduğu bir vahşetti Fakat orman kanunları boyleydi Zayıf daha kuvvetliye yem oluyordu Demek ki dedi, kaplanlar boyle karınlarını doyuruyorlarmış Ben de kaplan olduğuma gore benim de canlıları avlayıp yemem lazım Ben karnımı doyurmak icin diğer hayvanları olduremem Kimse beni oldurmeye alıştırmadı Oldurmeyi bilmiyorum ve oldurmenin gerekliliğine inanmıyorum Geyik ot yiyerek besleniyordu Gucu kuvveti yerindeydi Ot yiyen hayvanlar guclu oluyormuş Başka carem yok, ya ac kalacağım ya da ot yiyeceğim Varsın kaplan ot yer mi varsın ot yiyen kaplan olur mu desinler
Aradan bir ay gecti Ot yiyen kaplan ormanda aradığı huzuru bir turlu bulamadı Kaplanlar onu aralarına kabul etmişlerdi ama ormandaki yaşam ot yiyen kaplana ters geliyordu Neden geyik, karaca, tavşan gorduklerinde aniden saldırganlaşıyorlardı Onlar oldurmek icin programlanmışlardı, yaşamak icin oldurmek zorundaydılar Bu tarafta bir kaplan ot yiyerek yaşıyordu, bunu da duşunmek lazımdı
Ot yiyen kaplan bir gun ormanda gezerken karşısına bir tavşan cıktı Tavşanın kendisini gorup de kacmamasına şaşırdı Hayret, tavşan ustune doğru geliyordu Kenara cekilmek istedi, cekilemedi Ayakları tutulmuştu Tavşan, ot yiyen kaplana carpıp sırtustu duştu Daha sonra yattığı yerden doğrulup onun yuzunu elledi, yanaklarını okşadı Sen ot yiyen kaplan mısın? diye sordu Ot yiyen kaplan gık diyemedi Dili damağına yapışmıştı
Tavşan:
Tabii canım, sen ot yiyen kaplansın Ağzın oteki kaplanlar gibi kan kokmuyor Bak ot yiyen, şohretin kulağıma kadar geldi Sen ormana alışamazsın, hayvanat bahcesine donmelisin Duyduğuma gore, kaplanlar senin gozlerinin onunde bazı hayvanları oldurup, seni de oldurmeye alıştırmak isterlermiş Eğer oldurmeye alışamazsan kaplanlar seni oldururler Sen beni dinle ve cek git buralardan dedikten sonra yuruyup gitmek isterken az ilerdeki bir cukura duştu Ot yiyen kaplan tavşanı cukurdan cıkardı ve onun yuzune dikkatle bakınca goz cukurlarının boş olduğunu gordu Gozleri yoktu bu tavşanın Kor bir tavşan diye gecirdi icinden Onu sırtına bindirdi ve yuvasına goturup bıraktı
Ertesi gun kor tavşanı yuvasında olu olarak bulan ot yiyen kaplan gozyaşlarını tutamadı Şimdiye kadar kor tavşana dokunmayan kaplanlar onu ot yiyen kaplanın sırtında giderken gorunce kıskanmışlar ve oldurmuşlerdi Ot yiyen kaplanın yureği nefretle doldu Bu kadarı da fazlaydı artık Ne istemişlerdi garip bir tavşandan Son surat koşarak kaplanların arasına dalan ot yiyen kaplan otuzdan fazla kaplana rest cekti
Kor tavşanı oldurmek kolay, sıkıysa gelin beni de oldurun
Kaplanların beklediği buydu zaten Ot yiyen kaplanı cileden cıkarıp ustlerine saldırtacaklar sonra parca parca edeceklerdi Evdeki hesap her zaman carşıya uymazdı Aniden ortalık karardı ve şiddetli bir yağmur başladı Şimşekler cakıyor, yıldırımlar duşuyordu Kaplanlar sağa sola kacıştılar ama ot yiyen kaplan kacmadı Sırılsıklam oluncaya kadar bekledi Yarım saat sonra yağmur dindi Guneş actı, ortalık aydınlandı Ot yiyen kaplan gece yarısına kadar oralarda gezindi Gelen giden olmadığını gorunce beklemekten bıkıp uzaklaştı gitti Orman işi buraya kadardı O, şimdi hayvanat bahcesine donmeye kararlıydı
Birkac gun sonra sabaha karşı bakıcısı onu kafesin onunde beklerken buldu Ot yiyen kaplan biraz sonra kafese girecek ve bakıcısı kapıyı ustune kilitlerken, Kilit yeni değişti, bir daha kacma numarasına kalkışamazsın, cunku artık imkansız demesine karşılık, icinden Yuvam burası, ben kafes kaplanıyım Hem istesem de ormana gidemem Bana gore değilmiş orası dedi
İki ay sonra kafesine dişi bir kaplan getirilince yureği kıvancla doldu genc kaplanın Eş oldular birbirlerine ve kaynaşıverdiler Gun dondu, gunler dondu, zaman gecti ve iki tane yavruları oldu Neşelendi, mutlandı, huzur doldu yureği ve genc kaplan artık kafesinde, demir parmaklıklar ardında sakin ve yavaş adımlarla gidip geliyordu
Yazan: Serdar Yıldırım