What is the author's indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to the wilfulness of human beings?
In this lesson we do not find any direct comment about the indiscriminate killing of the innocent animals for our pleasure or sport. If we deeply peep into the lesson one can get his hidden sympathy for the animals. The Maharaja has killed ninety-nine tigers to ensure his safety but it is ironical that merely a wooden tiger becomes the cause of his death.
The author highlights that both the states of the Maharaja and his father-in-law have become extinct due to killing of tigers. Thus he has killed ninety-nine tigers but he is restless for the hundredth tiger. At last his dewan arranges for an old tiger that stands dumbly before the king. He takes a careful aim and fires. The tiger faints and falls but it has not died. Thus the author brings out the cruelty and heartlessness on the part of human beings. His wild behaviour stands exposed towards the innocent animals though none of the tigers has done any harm either to the king or any other person in his kingdom. But the king chooses to kill the tigers mercilessly.
