Nine-In-One, Grr! Grr!

A Hmong folktale about Tiger and the clever Bird who tricks her and restores nature's balance.

"Nine-in-one, Grr! Grr!" sings Tiger happily as she returns from the kingdom of the great god Shao. Shao has told her she will have nine baby tigers every year as long as she remembers his words: "Nine-in-one." Bird is worried about the prospect of a world full of tigers (tigers who would eat birds!) and sets out to trick Tiger into forgetting her all-important song. Before long, poor Tiger has her song backward-"One-in-nine, Grr! Grr!"-and the balance of nature is ensured.