Textual Note:
Our story, entitled “The Tiger King/Cross in the Jungle,” was originally published in 1867. It first appeared in Volume 1 of the Boys Sunday Journal, a collection written for the delight of young male readers. It is full of short stories, illustrations, and even some longer stories all set up in a newspaper-like structure. Within the pages of the original publication, ads for old products have been inserted, as well as many pictures and other things to grab the attention of the young audience. This story in particular was part of the illustrative short story section of the Boys Sunday Reader. Within the text, there is an illustration centered on the page that depicts the events and characters in the story. The text itself was written in old English, during Great Britain’s colonial era. It tells the tale of a far away land (India) where British troops were stationed, and the author (undisclosed) seemed to have a very imperialistic attitude towards the Indian civilians. Despite bearing this attitude, it attempts to deliver a moral message to readers on the qualities of right and wrong, true friendship and camaraderie. Additionally, the story suggests the importance of understanding another culture that may seem strange or unfamiliar, although various instances in the text reflect an attitude that treats Indians less than equally.
This story can now be seen republished and modernized within the pages of our magazine. We have left the original illustrations but have also added new and intriguing graphics. It is our pleasure to retell the tale so that it can be pleasurable for a modern day American audience. Lastly, we have altered its presentation to assimilate with modern texts by extracting it from the old worn-down pages of the Boys Sunday Reader. Putting it in this new light, we present the eye-catching pages of our magazine. A new American audience can now read the story in its original form with a modern day spin, and be delighted as young boys had been in the British Empire centuries ago.
JW
