While hunting for prey, the tiger caught a fox.
”You can’t eat me,” said the fox. “The Emperor of Heaven has appointed me king of the beasts. If you eat me, you’ll be disobeying his orders. If you don’t believe me, follow me. You’ll soon see whether the other animals run away at the sight of me or not.”
Agreeing to this, the tiger accompanied; and when all the beasts saw them coming they dashed away. Not realizing that they were afraid of him, the tiger thought they were afraid of the fox.
Allegorical Meaning
This fable originates from the Warring States Strategies, where a fox tricks a tiger into walking behind it to intimidate other animals and thus convinces the tiger he is the envoy of the ‘heaven’ or ‘god’.
Illusion of Authority
The fox’s survival strategy hinges on borrowed credibility — demonstrating how hierarchies can be manipulated through association rather than actual strength. This mirrors human societies where titles, uniforms, or affiliations (corporate, political) create false hierarchies.
The Vulnerability of the “Tiger”
The tiger, though supreme, becomes an unwitting tool. This critiques systems where genuine strength is exploited by cunning intermediaries (e.g., corrupt officials leveraging leaders’ authority).
Systemic Blindness
The forest creatures’ automatic fear of the tiger (without verifying the fox’s role) critiques unquestioned obedience to symbols of power.
The Fox’s Precarious Victory
The fox’s triumph is temporary. Once the tiger awakens to the deception, the fox’s power evaporates — a warning against building influence on borrowed capital.
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