The Hungry Tiger is a massive beast who lives in the magical Land of Oz and is a dear friend of the Cowardly Lion of Oz.
Baum's Description[]
The Hungry Tiger is a large and ferocious tiger who lives in the magical Land of Oz. He (or a reasonably similar tiger) first appears in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz[1], but is not properly introduced until Baum's third Oz book titled Ozma of Oz published in 1907. He has powerful limbs and dark purple stripes. His eyes burn like coals of fire. He is always hungry, no matter how much he eats, and he longs to devour a "fat baby," though he never would because his conscience will not allow him to do so. He always wears a ribbon at the end of his long tail that is of red velvet.
The Hungry Tiger as appears in 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the forest of Wild Beasts. By W. W. Denslow 1900.
History[]
The Hungry Tiger
When the Hungry Tiger and the Cowardly Lion heard of Princess Ozma's ascension to the throne of Oz, they left the forest to visit the Emerald City. There they joined Ozma's party, pulling her royal chariot, and set out on a mission to save the Royal Family of Ev from the Nome King. During the journey, the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger bravely carried most of the party under the deadly hammer of the iron giant. When the adventure ended successfully, the Hungry Tiger stayed with his friend in the Emerald City. (Ozma of Oz)
The Hungry Tiger of Oz
The Hungry Tiger joins Dorothy, the Wizard, and the Cowardly Lion on their journey to find monkeys for their present to Ozma for her birthday. (The Magic of Oz)
The two beasts are Ozma's chief guardians, and they keep guard in her Royal Throne Room. However, because everyone loves Ozma, there has never been a disturbance and there is nothing for the guardians to do. ("The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger")
According to Thy Fearful Symmetry from Oziana #38, the reason the Hungry Tiger is always hungry is due to a curse from the wicked witch, Mombi, whom was angered that the Tiger refused to work for her.
Book appearances[]
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (first appearance)
- Ozma of Oz
- Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
- The Road to Oz
- Little Wizard Stories of Oz: "The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger"
- The Scarecrow of Oz
- Rinkitink in Oz
- The Magic of Oz
- The Royal Book of Oz
- Kabumpo in Oz
- The Hungry Tiger of Oz
- The Wonder City of Oz
- The Scalawagons of Oz
Adaptations[]
In Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz he appears in the episode "Lost Appetite", voiced by Bill Fagerbakke.
In Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz, the Hungry Tiger is reimagined as a humanoid female tiger voiced by Andrea Martin. She wears a purple sweater with a blue skirt.
Background[]
- ↑ Royal Historian Jack Snow and others believe the Hungry Tiger may be "the largest of the tigers" mentioned in the first book.