Anthropologist/archivist Chih is traveling through the countryside when they happen upon a trio of tigers at the way station where they had hoped to stay the night. In a desperate attempt at survival, Chih offers up the human version of a traditional story concerning the marriage of a young scholar and a vicious tiger. As Chih tells the story, the tigers continually interrupt, correcting them with the "true" version of the tale. Chih can only hope that their story will last long enough for help to arrive... or that the tigers find them intriguing enough to not make a meal of them.
The second book in Vo's Singing Hills cycle (though it certainly stands alone), this again finds Chih learning about their cultural history in a deceptively simple story. There's a lot to think about with this short book, including how stories, and the lessons to be learned from them, change depending on who's doing the telling. An excellent quick read.
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