“No, you must have ridden on that Tiger,” said his wife.
Soon the news spread all over the village that the Chattee-maker had captured a great Tiger and had ridden home on his back, and that he had tied him to his hitching-post and trained him to be as meek as a lamb.
The report was even carried to the Rajah of the country, and he came, with his lords and attendants, to see this astonishing sight.
Now the Tiger was a very large one and had long been the terror of the whole country, and the Rajah was so pleased to have this terrible Tiger captured that he conferred all possible honor on the valiant Chattee-maker.
“You are a very brave man, my friend,” said the Rajah. “I will give you a new house and lands. You shall be a lord in my court and you shall be commander of a thousand horsemen.”
So the Chattee-maker gave up making pots and clay earthenware and he and his wife lived in the beautiful house given him by the Rajah, and they wore gorgeous raiment. And the Chattee-maker did, indeed, look like a lord of the court.
Wherever he went, people pointed him out and said, “There is the brave man who captured a hungry tiger and rode on his back.”
Now, not long after this, a Rajah from a neighboring country sent word that he was bringing a mighty army to wage war. When the people heard this, they were terrified; all the generals came to the Rajah and said, “We are not prepared for war! Who will be the Chief Commander?”
Then some of the people said, “You have just given the Chattee-maker command over a thousand horsemen. He is a brave and fearless man. Why do you not put him in command of your army?”
“That is a very good idea,” answered the Rajah. “I will make him Commander-in-Chief.”