Soft rays of sun beat on me as I walk out of the hut. The day was young and the clouds lie overhead. Birds were chirping their melodious songs and butterflies were fluttering everywhere. That vacationing morning seemed to be tranquil and just about perfect.


Since nobody was awake and I was bored, I decided to take a stroll in the bright, but at the same time dull green jungle. From a distance, I heard the animals awake with excitement ready for the new refreshing day. When I stepped into the jungle, I had realized that I had entered a place of total happiness, but at the same time, was very chaotic. Monkeys were jumping everywhere, birds were swooping around, and there were insects everywhere in sight. For some reason, seeing how those monkeys and animals had interacted filled my heart with pure joy. Strolling around, I observed the animals and all of the noise started to decrease slowly. All of the monkeys were now hidden and the rest of the animals that lived in that habitat. Just a minute ago everything was lively and loud. As I peered around again, all of the animals were out of sight and it was dead silent. I looked around cautiously and I saw something so shocking, I felt paralyzed.


My heart was racing and about to jump out of my chest as I looked at it. I have never made eye contact with something so fierce and strong. There, staring at me from about fifty feet away was hungry male tiger. He started walking toward me but I was not in such shock that I didn’t know what to do. I knew that if I tried to make a run for it, it would pounce on me and possibly devour me. As it got closer, I started hearing drums, but I wasn’t sure if I was just hearing things or if the neighboring village tribe was playing. That was the least of my concerns though because the tiger was trotting towards me. He stopped about ten feet away from me and seemed like he was observing me. I have never seen such an animal do so. The tiger was about five feet away from me now and I knew at that moment that anything could happen, and I wasn’t ready for it at all.


The tiger was about to make a move and pounce on me. I closed my eyes because I knew he was coming, but I did not want see it happen before my own eyes. Right as he was about to jump, the neighboring tribal people had come from behind me and somehow stopped him. I was amazed and I felt like my heart had stopped instantly dropped. They had fire torches grasped in their hands and others with bongo drums tucked in their arms. Immediately, the tiger ran away in fright. I was so thankful for what the tribal people had done for me. I asked them in complete shock how they did it and they said it had been a tribal secret that has been passed on for many generations. They had told me that the chant they had said to the tiger has never failed and that was the first time they have ever rehearsed it in many years. I thanked them again and they kindly escorted me back to the hut.


I walked into the hut and saw my family on the couch. They all stood up and held me so tightly I couldn’t breathe. I told them the whole story and they were so shocked that my mother was in tears. She was so grateful that they had come to rescued me. A week later, we returned back home and I told everyone the experience I had had when I was in Africa. Even though that was the most terrifying thing I had ever experienced in my life, it was a great one and I know that I will never forget it.