Long ago, a poor couple, Amir and Anahita, lived with Amir's parents on a tiny plot of land in southern India.

As time passed, life became harder. Amir's mother's sight was failing, so she was unable to help her daughter-in-law with the cooking, mending and washing. His aging father was too weak to work in the fields. Anahita was sad, for she and Amir had been married for many years, but they still had no children.

One year the monsoons did not come, and so, after a while, nothing grew anywhere. The family worried that they would starve.

One day, Amir walked past a wealthy lord's estate. There, above the protective walls, Amir could see bananas, mangoes and pomegranates growing in abundance.

"I must climb the wall and bring back something for my family," Amir said to himself.

So, Amir scrambled over the wall, and went hunting in the lush lands of the lord. As night approached, a magnificent golden tiger appeared before him.

Amir raised his spear, but before he could hurl it, the tiger turned and spoke. "Please," he said, "spare my life, and I will grant you one wish. Return tomorrow and tell me what your wish is.

"Amir decided to ask his father, his mother, and his wife what they thought he ought to wish for.

His father smiled at him. "Ask for enough gold to bring us comfort for the rest of our lives."

His mother said: "Wish for my eyesight to be restored. Then I will help to take care of this family."

His wife advised, "We have always prayed for children. Ask the tiger to grant us a child."

The next day, he climbed the wall and walked over to the tiger.

"What is your wish?" the tiger asked.

Amir smiled. "I wish that my mother could see my wife rocking our beautiful child in a cradle made of solid gold," he said.

This wish was granted, and for the rest of their lives, the family lived in comfort and happiness, and always praised Amir for his patience and wisdom.