A hardworking farmer decides to give his aging, wise buffalo his well-deserved freedom in the wild. But when the buffalo moves into a cozy jungle cave, he realizes he has unknowingly stepped into the territory of dangerous predators.
Once upon a time, a hardworking farmer lived in a small village. He was an ordinary man who lived in a small house, but his life changed for the better because of a very special animal. The farmer owned a buffalo, which was his sole asset and companion. Together, they spent days and nights plowing the entire field. The buffalo was incredibly helpful with various chores around the farm. Thanks to the massive harvests brought in by this partnership, the farmer gained a lot of respect and prestige in his neighborhood. Grateful for his prosperity, the farmer named his reliable companion Baoji.
Baoji was no ordinary buffalo. He was highly intelligent and always filled with energy. He knew his worth, but he was also a creature of habit who enjoyed roaming around after his chores were done, returning home every evening. As time passed, the farmer's affection for his loyal animal grew deeper. Eventually, the farmer realized that Baoji had worked hard enough and deserved to rest. One day, while they were out, the buffalo sat down on the path, breathing heavily from exhaustion.
The farmer brought his animals back home that evening, but he could not sleep a wink. He knew in his heart that the time had come to let Baoji go. The very next day, the farmer led Baoji deep into the forest. With a heavy but determined heart, he untied the bell from the buffalo's collar. Baoji happily shook his head, feeling the sudden lightness. "Baoji, you have been an excellent buffalo," the farmer said emotionally. "I can never repay my debt to you. You don't need to work anymore. You are a free soul now, and I will always remember you, my friend. Go forth and explore the earth."
The farmer told Baoji that he was always welcome to come back to the village whenever he wished, as he knew the way. Though Baoji felt sad leaving his human friend, he was also filled with excitement about what lay ahead. He began his journey into the wild with a joyful stride, enjoying the fresh air. Fearlessly, he roamed through the vast forest, drinking water from pristine ponds and grazing on the lush green grass along the way. As the sun began to set and darkness crept in, Baoji looked around for a safe and secure place to spend the night. Soon, he discovered a large, cozy cave located right next to a pond.
Baoji stepped inside and looked around. The space was grand and provided plenty of warmth, making it absolutely perfect for him. Tired from his long day of exploring, he settled down to rest, realizing that his wandering days had led him to a comfortable sanctuary. Baoji made the cave his new home. For many days, he lived peacefully, drinking fresh water from the pond and grazing in the nearby fields. He grew to love his independent jungle life. Being naturally intelligent, however, Baoji remained aware that the forest was home to many other wild animals, and not all of them were innocent or friendly.
While Baoji went about his peaceful routine, someone was watching him closely. A cunning fox named Simi had been keeping an eye on the cave. Every single day, whenever Baoji stepped out to graze or wander, Simi would quietly track his movements, walking on tiptoe. Baoji was usually so engrossed in his daily activities that he never actually noticed Simi’s stealthy presence. Simi watched the buffalo in amazement, thinking to himself how brave or perhaps foolish this lone buffalo was to openly roam the entire jungle. Most importantly, Simi knew something Baoji did not: the true identity of the cave's owner. Deciding it was time to have some fun, Simi finally approached the buffalo.
"Hello there! How are you? Are you new to this place?" Simi asked slyly. Baoji, remaining perfectly composed, replied, "Well, I come here every day to graze, so I wouldn’t exactly call myself new." Simi laughed mockingly. "You certainly have a sense of humor! A small animal like you calling a fox small? How amusing. How dare you mock me! I am the king of this jungle, and that cave you are living in belongs to me. All the animals here depend on my mercy. If you want to live, you must bow down to me right this instant!" Baoji looked at the fox calmly and countered, "You are right about one thing—I am new to the ways of this forest. But that doesn't mean I will blindly believe everything you say. Listen to me, fox, I know very well that you are not the king of this jungle. In fact, I am certain you don't even know how deep this forest goes. My advice to you is to stop wasting my time."
Simi was furious. He trembled with rage, silently vowing that he would find a way to take revenge on this arrogant buffalo. On the other hand, the interaction made Baoji realize that he needed to be far more cautious. He realized the cave definitely belonged to someone else, and he wondered what he would do when the real, dangerous owner returned. That very night, while the bright moon cast its glow across the sky, Baoji was resting inside the cave. Peering through a small opening, he noticed a strange silhouette approaching. At first, he thought the fox had returned to annoy him again. But as the figure drew closer, Baoji began to tremble with absolute terror. It was a massive tiger.
Panic gripped the buffalo as he realized the true owner of the cave had returned and would likely eat him. As the tiger stepped closer and closer, Baoji forced himself to stop shaking. He commanded himself to calm down, relax, and think logically. He realized that while he could clearly see the tiger from the dark shadows of the cave, the tiger could not see him yet. Recognizing this advantage, Baoji quickly devised a clever plan. He began crushing some old bones he found in the cave, making loud, intimidating chewing noises. Then, altering his voice to sound like two distinct, monstrous creatures, he began a fake conversation with himself.
"Hey, pass me that bone. Wow, this tiger meat is absolutely delicious!" Baoji yelled in a deep, booming voice. Then, changing his tone, he replied to himself, "Keep it down! What is wrong with you? If you make too much noise, the tiger outside will hear us!" The first voice boomed back, "Oh, my bad! But look at this feast, it's just so savory. Didn't I tell you that the creature living in this cave is massive enough to satisfy both of our appetites? Our dinner for tonight is perfectly set!" Hearing these terrifying voices echoing from his own home, the tiger froze in his tracks and began to shake with fear.
Inside the cave, Baoji kept up the act, pretending the two monsters were getting impatient. "Why has the tiger stopped outside? He's taking too long, and I am starving! Why don't we just rush out there and ambush him together? He can't possibly fight both of us at once!" This was the final straw for the terrified tiger. Without thinking twice, the tiger turned around and sprinted away into the jungle as fast as his legs could carry him. Baoji took a deep breath of relief. He had just learned the immense value of staying completely calm and collected, regardless of how terrifying the situation might be.
The next day, as Simi the fox was strolling through the forest, he accidentally ran straight into the panicked tiger. The tiger gasped, "You completely startled me!" Simi looked at him in confusion. "I startled you? But you are the tiger!" The tiger, still shaken, replied, "I may be a tiger, but you are a fool if you think there aren't bigger and scarier monsters in this jungle. Just last night, I came face-to-face with two of them. They have completely taken over my cave, and now I have to find a brand new home." Simi scoffed, "Are you telling me that whatever is living in your cave is bigger and scarier than you? Are you joking? It’s just a buffalo! What do you mean by 'two' creatures? Only a single buffalo lives there. Do you think I am foolish enough to believe your story?"
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