The proverb, there’s always a way out even from a tiger’s den if you pull yourself together, means no matter how dangerous or critical a situation is, one can escape the crisis only if one manages to stay focused and alert.

Can we really escape danger only if we manage to keep our heads on straight? How is this possible?

A girl named Yakji will explain how. Yakji was in the mountains in search of medicinal herb. All of a sudden, she finds herself snatched away by a tiger and dragged to a tiger’s cave where she is on the verge of becoming eaten by the tiger and its cubs. Even when locked up in the tiger’s cave and surrounded by the cubs smacking their lips in anticipation of a good meal, Yakji believes that there would be a way out. She just couldn’t end her life like that. So, she thinks and thinks of a plan that would get her out of this life-threatening crisis.

First idea – appeal to sympathy. First thing Yakji does is to sob uncontrollably to get the tiger’s attention. Once she has the tiger’s eyes on her, she begins to explain how she is the only family to her mother and how her mother would be left alone back home with no one to take care of her. Upon hearing about Yakji’s mother, the tiger hesitates.

Second step – threaten the tiger. Yakji stops the crying and then, begins to threaten the tiger. She says to the tiger that if the tiger really eats her up, the hunter would track down the tiger and kill him. Once again, the tiger hesitates.

Final plan – give a helping hand. When the tiger becomes sick, Yakji does not turn her back on the tiger, but instead, stays by his side to help him get better. Yakji even helps the tiger hunt a deer. Tiger is truly thankful for all that Yakji does for him.

Did Yakji’s plan work? Was she able to get out of the tiger’s cave? Of course! It may seem as if Yakji used her wits to escape danger. Maybe, but perhaps it was because Yakji and the tiger truly understood each other. Lesson learned from this story – wits are not all that it takes to escape danger, but efforts made to truly understand another person are what can really get one out of problems.

속담 “호랑이에게 물려가도 정신만 차리면 산다”는 “아무리 위급한 경우를 당하더라도 정신만 똑똑히 차리면 위기를 벗어날 수 있다”는 말입니다. 도대체 어떻게 하면 그런 위급한 상황에서 정신을 똑바로 차릴 수가 있다는 걸까요?
여기 이야기의 주인공 약지가 있습니다. ‘약다’라는 말은 “어려운 일이나 난처한 일을 잘 피하는 꾀가 많고 눈치가 빠르다”는 우리말입니다. 이름에서부터 약지가 얼마나 약았는지 짐작이 가죠? 약초를 캐러 산에 오른 약지는 그만 호랑이에게 덥석 물려 호랑이 굴로 끌려가고 말았어요. 호랑이 새끼들의 밥이 될 처지였죠. 하지만 약지는 정신을 바짝 차렸어요. 그대로 죽을 수는 없어서 위기를 벗어날 방법을 궁리하고 궁리했죠.
첫 번째, 호랑이의 동정심을 유발하라. 약지는 먼저 엉엉 울며 호랑이의 시선을 끌었어요. 그리고 자기가 죽으면 얼마나 억울하고, 하나뿐인 가족 엄마가 얼마나 불쌍한지를 이야기했죠. 호랑이는 잡아먹기를 머뭇거릴 수밖에 없었어요.
두 번째, 호랑이에게 위협을 가해라. 이번에 약지는 울음을 그치고 호랑이에게 위협의 되는 말을 했어요. 자기가 죽으면 사냥꾼들이 반드시 호랑이를 죽일 거라고요. 호랑이는 멈칫할 수밖에 없었죠.
세 번째, 호랑이에게 도움을 줘라. 호랑이가 아플 때 약지는 외면하지 않고 치료해 줬어요. 그리고 노루를 잡아먹을 수 있게 해주기도 하고요. 호랑이는 약지가 고마웠죠.
자, 그럼 이제 약지는 호랑이 굴에서 빠져나올 수 있을까요? 위기를 벗어난 건 약지가 기지를 발휘한 덕분처럼 보이지만, 어쩌면 약지와 호랑이 서로에 대한 이해 덕분인지도 몰라요.