A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

Unlike the ox and horse who misdirect their companion, the buffalo takes pity on the burning tiger and offers refuge in a river. The tiger holds tightly to the buffalo’s throat while the buffalo keeps him submerged until the fire passes. The grip leaves the buffalo’s neck and throat white, which the tale extends to later buffaloes. The tiger’s vow not to harm his rescuer’s kind is a narrative covenant rather than a zoological rule, and the source does not name an exact buffalo species or grant a change of human form.

Speaking rescuer whose grip-mark explains a pale throatHistorical animal-origin tale
01

Origins & earliest records

Shan traditions of the hill and water country, Burma/Myanmar

02

Records & interpretation

Full relevant tale and introduction directly read; historical spellings preserved.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Shan Folk Lore Stories from the Hill and Water Country

    William C. Griggs, collector/reteller

    Introduction dated Bhamo,1902; How the Hare Deceived the Tiger, pp. 58–66

  2. 02

    Shan Folk Lore Stories, in The Red Miriok / Shan Folk Lore Stories (combined edition)

    W. C. Griggs; combined volume published by American Baptist Publication Society · 1903

    Bibliographic witness only: unpaginated title and copyright pages independently inspected in original scan; publication line says January1903, copyright1901and1902. This does not establish the date of the separately transcribed Gutenberg witness or of first publication.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

Direct primary record

William C. Griggs, Shan Folk Lore Stories from the Hill and Water Country

Shan traditions; introduction dated Bhamo1902. How the Hare Deceived the Tiger, pp. 58–66

Whole hare/tiger narrative read through the tiger’s death. Actual story effects, etiological assertions and hare’s false claims distinguished. Historical missionary mediation, unnamed individual narrator and dated-introduction/publication distinction retained. Original combined-volume title/copyright pages independently viewed: archive item redmiriokshanfol0000anna, cached griggs-redmiriok-6.jpg and-7.jpg in public/assets/credited/_audit; publishedJanuary1903. Separate bibliographic witness, not a claim that full original scan text was collated.

Inspect the digitized plate · Source collection manifest

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Historical folktale collectionGriggs, Shan Folk Lore Stories, How the Hare Deceived the Tiger, pp. 58–66Research access: 2026-10-05
  2. Primary bibliographic scanCombined volume title and copyright pages, published January1903Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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