The Tiger in the Tunnel

-Ruskin Bond

Twelve-year-old Tembu lives with his father Baldeo, mother, and young sister in a tribal village on the outskirts of a jungle forest in India. They rely on the produce from a small rice field for subsistence, but the land's paltry yield provides them with little more than a bare living. 
To supplement their income, Baldeo works as a watchman at a nearby way station for the railroad. Every night, he stays in a bare hut near a tunnel cut into the rock; his duty is to keep the signal lamp burning and make sure that the tunnel is clear of obstruction so that the overland mail can pass through safely.
 
When he does not have to help his mother and little sister at home, Tembu accompanies his father to his job at the railroad, sleeping with him in the hut. On this particular night, he awakens close to midnight to find his father preparing to leave to check the signal lamp and the tunnel. Tembu asks if he should go with Baldeo, but his father responds that it is cold outside and that the boy should stay in the shelter of the hut.
 
As Baldeo stumbles alone through the darkness, he thinks about the wild animals he might encounter. He has heard tales of a famous man-eating tiger who is known to frequent the area, but he has neither seen nor heard it so far during his nightly treks.
 
Despite the dangers in the forest, Baldeo walks with confidence. He is used to the ways of the jungle and carries a weapon, a small axe that is "fragile to look at but deadly when in use." The axe, which his father made for him, is an extension of himself, and he is capable of wielding it with great skill against wild animals.
 
When Baldeo reaches the tunnel, he finds that the signal light is out. Hauling the lamp down by its rope, he relights it and hoists it back into position. When this task is done, he walks quickly down the length of the tunnel to make sure it is clear, then returns to the entrance. The train is late, but soon the trembling of the ground gives notice of its imminent approach. Back at the hut, Tembu also feels the low, distant rumble; wide awake now, he waits for the train to pass and for his father to return.
 
In the moments before the train's arrival, a tiger suddenly springs into the area before the tunnel and heads straight towards Baldeo, who sojourns there unprotected. Knowing that flight is useless, the watchman stands firmly with his back to the signal-post, and when the tiger attacks, he leaps to the side and brings his axe down on the animal's shoulder. 


Enraged, the tiger strikes again, and again Baldeo dodges and drives his axe through its shoulder, almost severing the leg. This time, though, the axe remains embedded in the bone, and Baldeo is left without a weapon. Roaring with pain, the tiger springs once more upon the man, bringing him down and tearing him apart.  
 
The tiger sits down to lick his wounded leg; so engrossed is he in his agony that by the time he realizes that the train is bearing down on him, he has no avenue of escape. Trapped, he runs into the tunnel as fast as his wounded leg will carry him. The noise is deafening as the train follows, but when the train exits on the other side, there is only silence. 

At the next station, the driver stops his train. When he examines his head-lamps, he is astonished to discover, trapped just above the vehicle's cow-catcher, a large portion of the tiger's body, cut in half by the engine. The excitement engendered by the find is a sharp contrast to the scene back at the entrance to the tunnel. There, young Tembu sobs quietly as he sits beside the body of his father, guarding it from the jackals and hyenas until the breaking of dawn. 

Tembu and his mother and sister grieve for Baldeo for two whole days, but after that time, the boy takes his father's post at the tunnel, lighting the signal-lamp for the overland mail. Responsibility for the family now falls on him, but Tembu is not afraid—he has his father's axe and he knows to use it.  
 The Tiger in the Tunnel by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of tradition, strength, responsibility, determination, acceptance and pride. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Bond may be exploring the theme of tradition. After Baldeo has been killed it is left to Tembu to continue doing Baldeo’s job as a night watchman. He also has to look after his mother and sister just as Baldeo did. This could be important as it suggests that Tembu is following on the traditions of his father. He even uses the same axe that his father had used for protection. It might also be important that Bond sets the story at night time. There is very little light except the light that is coming from the lamp. In many ways the setting acts as foreshadowing to the dark events that occur in the story. The fact that Tembu is only twelve when he takes on his father’s responsibilities could also be important as Bond could be using Tembu’s young age to highlight an inner strength within Tembu. It is as though he accepts the new role he has had to take on. When many might not wish to take on the responsibilities of looking after their family. Tembu does not back down.


It might also be significant that Baldeo never gives up when he is fighting the tiger. Though he knows it is pointless to try and run away from the tiger he bravely tries to defend himself. Which would suggest that just as Tembu is showing strength so too did Baldeo. If anything both Baldeo and Tembu show determination. They will not be beaten. Though sadly Baldeo loses his life in his fight with the tiger. It is also possible that Bond is highlighting the hazards that existed at the time for night watchmen. In reality Baldeo’s workplace is the jungle. An unforgiving environment for any man. It could also be important that Tembu is allowed to stay with his father in the hut. Despite his young age it is most likely that Baldeo deems Tembu to be of an appropriate age to help him with his work. Though most readers might suggest that Baldeo’s job is more suitable for a man than a young twelve year old boy. However such is the life that Baldeo and Tembu live a young boy does not have the luxury of having an easy life.
 
The fact that Tembu’s mother and sister do not speak in the story could also be significant as Bond could be highlighting the fact that the world that Baldeo and Tembu live in is male dominated. With both Tembu’s mother and sister having roles at home in the village. It is for this reason that the reader suspects that Tembu replaced his father as night watchman. With it being up to the oldest male in the family to provide for the rest of the family. The practices of those in authority may also be questionable considering that Tembu is allowed to take over from his father despite his young age. Though times may have dictated that this was the course of action that was taken. Baldeo’s death would have only been significant to the members of his family. For those in authority Baldeo’s death was part of the hazards of the job. It is for this reason that Baldeo would have carried his axe. He knew how dangerous his job could be and if anything appears to have accepted the dangers.

The end of the story is also interesting as it becomes clear to the reader that Tembu is proud of his father. Even though Tembu thinks that Baldeo killed the tiger when he hasn’t. It is better that Tembu believes that Baldeo killed the tiger. For in believing that his father killed the tiger Tembu in many ways is strengthened. Though the reader knows that Tembu is as vulnerable as his father there is a sense that like his father Tembu will show the same bravery should he encounter difficulty while working. The impetus for Tembu’s strength being the pride he has in Baldeo. It is also interesting to see just how resilient Tembu, his mother and his sister are. After they have grieved the loss of Baldeo they carry on with their lives. Though they remain in pain they also know that they must persevere. Life has to go on. The reader also doesn’t get any sense that Tembu is afraid while he is working. This too could be important as it would further play on the theme of strength. Tembu knows that he has a responsibility to his family and regardless of how dangerous his job may be he will honour that responsibility. Knowing that he has his father beside him at all times. Symbolically represented by the axe.