By: Julia Aidan
Submitted: 2011-11-08 23:58:56 | Word Count: 1119
Once upon a time, to make it convenient for the people to keep track of the time, the ruler of China, Jade the Emperor thought to make some changes to the zodiac cycle. He sent a message to all the animals requiring them to turn up together so that he could delegate a year to each of them. As the legend goes, the Cat and the Rat were good friends. Upon getting the communication they agreed to travel together to meet up the Emperor. Cats as we all know tend to be a bit of sleepyheads. They were exactly the same centuries ago as well. So in the morning when it was time to go, the Cat was still sleeping and the clever Rat ignoring all their plans from yesterday decided to leave quietly and alone. He eventually left his sleeping friend behind and was the first to reach in the Emperor's palace. Later on when the cat woke up he found the rat has already left. After this incident the Cats could in no way be Rats' friends.
This folk story has been written in many versions. Another fascinating version tells that Emperor Jade invited animals to a discussion. He made an announcement to name the calendar years after the animals and according to their order of arrival. The setting for the meeting was across the river. Rat and Cat were not the best of the swimmers but they were clever, the Rat being cleverer of the two. Together they decided to ask the Ox for help in traversing the river. Ox was sturdy and thus he agreed. He consented to help. Midway across the river the Rat got rid of the Cat by pushing it into the river and as soon as they came close to the river bank, he jumped off the Ox's back and hence received the honor of being the first animal on the zodiac calendar. Ox was not further behind and was granted the second place right away. Ox was followed by the Tiger. Tiger came up huffing and puffing. He explained about the current in the river and his strength by which he overcame the obstacle.
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He gained the honor to become the third animal to have a place in the calendar.
Not long after the Tiger hopped the Rabbit into the emperor's palace. He had was able to cross the river by jumping from one rock to a new one and then got a clutch of a log that made it easier for him get to the bank securely. He was awarded the fourth place in the calendar. The awesome Dragon was the other to arrive on the scene. The Emperor asked the dragon about his late arrival. The Dragon said that he was overdue as he was busy making rain for human beings and furthermore he saw a little Rabbit having difficulties to get to the bank, so he thought to help him. He puffed the air so that the rabbit which was holding the log could reach the river bank. These were good enough reasons for the Emperor and he happily allocated the fifth place to the Dragon. Not long after the Dragon had taken his spot, a galloping sound was heard and a Horse appeared on the scene. Immediately after he arrived he figured out that a Snake had been concealing under its hoof, which scared him. The Snake could not have a better opportunity to move in and secure the sixth spot for himself. Horse had to resign to the seventh place.
When emperor decided to leave he saw the goat, monkey and the rooster arriving. They were friends and had helped each other to get across the river. The rooster got a raft and the other two rowed it in the river current. Their attempts bore fruit and they were able to obtain eighth, ninth and tenth positions respectively. Next to secure the eleventh spot was the Dog. He had spent quite a bit of time period playing in the river so he was overdue in spite of his skills as a swimmer. The last spot was allotted to the pig as he could not avoid eating and sleeping in the way. But acceptable for him as he was late and still picked up the only left spot in the calendar. The cat was the last animal to arrive at the spot and since all the places have been alloted he could not find a place in the calendar.
Another exciting twist is added to the folk story in the variant which tells that the Rat noticed that the Ox was reliable and perhaps its most suitable choice for crossing the river. So it decided to trick him into taking him across. He questioned the Ox if it would be concerned in listening to a song. The Ox with its born simplicity gave the consent. Reacting the rat moved his lips but uttered no sound. The Ox said he could not hear it, to which the Rat responded by saying that he would be able to hear him if he was closer to his ear. The Ox still lacking the knowledge of Rat's true motive granted him to ride his back. Before the Ox could sense that it has reahed the river bank the rat jumped from his back and rushed to claim the first position. The Ox followed and the remaining animals came in eventually.
Buddhism has another explanation of the story. According to them, before departing the Earth, Buddha invited all animals to meet him. Only twelve came and in order to recognise their loyalty, Buddha assigned them each one year in the order they had arrived to meet him.
Last but not the least is a version that explains that the God had requested animals to a banquet. The ever clever Rat loved to make a fool of the Cat. He notified the Cat that the supper was not that night but the night after. He left the sleeping cat, securing a spot for himself in the calendar and leaving the Cat with nothing. This enormously angered the Cat and he could never be Rat's friend yet again.
The existing version of the zodiac calendar is ceturies old. It`s real reference is not possible to find. Historians typically agree that the reason for the absence of the Cat in the calendar is because Cat was only added into China later on by the Buddhists, who had brought it along with them from India.
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