The Tale of a Tiger

The Tale of a Tiger
The Tale of a Tiger
Written by	Dario Fo
Original language	Italian

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The Tale of a Tiger (Italian: La storia della tigre)^[1] is a dramatic monologue by Dario Fo. Fo collected material for it during a June 1975 visit to China with his wife Franca Rame and other members of their theatre company, and he toured around Italy with it in 1978.^[1]^[2]

Plot summary

During Mao's Long March across China, a revolutionary soldier is wounded. His comrades leave him behind. Gangrene sets in, and he believes that he is about to die. He drags himself into a cave and falls into a deep sleep. When he awakens, he is confronted by the sight of a tiger and her cub. What follows is a comic narrative about their domestic life together, as the tiger nurses him back to health.^[3]

Translations

Ed Emery has carried out an authorised English translation.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Mitchell 1999, p. 157
^ Mitchell 1999, pp. 142–143
^ Tony Mitchell, The People's Court Jester, Methuen Books, London, 1999
^ English translation: http://www.geocities.ws/dariofoarchive/tiger.html

[mitchell-157-1] Mitchell 1999, p. 157

[2] Mitchell 1999, pp. 142–143

[3] Tony Mitchell, The People's Court Jester, Methuen Books, London, 1999

[4] English translation: http://www.geocities.ws/dariofoarchive/tiger.html

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v t e Works by Dario Fo
1950s	Corpse for Sale (1958) The Virtuous Burglar (1958) Archangels Don't Play Pinball (1959)
1960s	He Had Two Pistols with White and Black Eyes (1960) He Who Steals a Foot is Lucky in Love (1961) Isabella, Three Sailing Ships and a Con Man (1963) Throw the Lady Out (1967) Grand Pantomime with Flags and Small and Middle-sized Puppets (1968) Mistero Buffo (1969) The Worker Knows 300 Words, the Boss Knows 1000, That's Why He's the Boss (1969) Chain Me Up and I'll Still Smash Everything (1969)
1970s	I'd Rather Die Tonight If I Had To Think It Had All Been In Vain (1970) Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1970) United We Stand! All Together Now! Oops, Isn't That the Boss? (1971) Fedayn (1972) Mamma Togni (1973) The People's War in Chile (1973) Porta and Belli Against the Authorities (1974) Can't Pay? Won't Pay! (1974) Fanfani Kidnapped (1975) Mother's Marijuana is the Best (1976) Let's Talk About Women (1977) All House, Bed and Church (1977) The Tale of a Tiger (1978)
1980s	Trumpets and Raspberries (1981) The Open Couple (1983) Elizabeth: Almost by Chance a Woman (1984) The Tricks of the Trade (TV, 1985) Hellequin, Harlekin, Arlecchino (1985) Abducting Francesca (1986) The First Miracle of the Infant Jesus (TV, 1987) Letter from China (1989) The Story of Qu (1989) The Wanted Man (1989) The Pope and the Witch (1989)
1990s	Hush! We're Falling! (1990) Johan Padan and the Discovery of the Americas (1992) Seventh Commandment: Steal a Bit Less No. 2 (1992) Mummy! The Sans-culottes! (1993) Sex? Thanks, Don't Mind If I Do! (1994) Leonardo: The Flight, the Count and the Amours (1995) The Devil with Boobs (1997) The Two-Headed Anomaly (2003)
Undated	Michele Lu Lanzone The Tumult of Bologna The Butterfly Mouse The Birth of the Jongleur One was Nude and One wore Tails
Related	"An Arab Woman Speaks"—monologue from Fedayn

Plot summary

Translations

Further reading

References