I had a tiny little dream

Where I was being followed

By a tiger, gray and black

Hiding in my shadow



At first I thought – ignore him. 

That ghastly looming sight

Of a silent tiger

Trailing me by night.



But as we rambled onward

I hastened up my pace –

First a walk and then a jog –

A run and then a race!



He never ran, my tiger,

But he never fell behind

And so we rushed together

In a single little line.



And while I raced on, panicked,

A big hawk swooped down low

A great rock in its talons

Which at me it did throw



With a cry, I threw myself

Deep within the ground

When beside me came a roar

With a most amazing sound.



The tiger sprang up at the rock, and

With a mighty padded paw,

The rock burst into a million stars – 

The tiger opened up his jaw… 



He leapt up higher, higher still

And swallowed up the hawk –

Feathers tumbling from his mouth –

He smiled and then he dropped.



Out of the sky and onto the land –

I was very much afraid

Still, I crept close to the tiger

And saw him where he lay:



His eyes pulled shut, his paws outstretched

His body gleaming red

And as I walked up closer still,

I thought that he was dead.



My heart felt sick, my body shook

And as I began to weep

His yellow eyes blinked open,

And with a tigery creep:



He stood up and winked at me

Before running in the night

And the last thing I saw of him

Was his tail holding high.