subject: Chinese Horoscope Animals [print this page] 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 almost all the animals demanding them to show up together so that he could allocate a year to each of them. As the legend goes, the Cat and the Rat were good friends. Upon discovering the information they thought 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. Hence when the rat found the cat was asleep in the morning he decided to leave, ignoring their previous understanding. He quit his sleeping friend behind and was the first to arrive in the Emperor's palace. Later on when the cat woke up he found the rat has already left. After this experience the Cats could in no way be Rats' friends.
There are many versions of the folk story. Another fascinating variant tells that Emperor Jade invited animals to a conference. He made an announcement to name the calendar years after the animals and according to their order of arrival. The spot for the gathering 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 wanted to ask the Ox for help with spanning the river. Ox was kind and strong. He chose to help. When they crossed half way in the river the rat cunningly pushed the cat into the river and rushed to the Emperor to become the first animal in the zodiac calendar. Ox was not very far behind and was granted the second place right away. Ox was followed by the Tiger. Tiger showed up huffing and puffing. He explained about the current in the river and his strength by which he overcame the obstacle.
He was given the honor of being the third animal to have a place in the calendar.
Immediately after the tiger the rabbit hopped into the palace. He had managed to cross the river by leaping from one rock to a new one and then got a hold of a log that helped him get to the bank in a safe manner. He automatically was appointed to the fourth spot. The mighty Dragon was the next to turn up on the scene. The Emperor could not stop himself from inquiring the Dragon as to why he was not there sooner. The Dragon explained that he was detained as he was busy creating rain for human beings and also he saw a smaller Rabbit having difficulties to get to the bank, so he wanted to help him. He gently puffed air in the Rabbit's direction until the log it was hanging onto reached the river bank. These were adequate reasons for the Emperor and he happily issued the fifth position 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 realized that a Snake had been hanging out under its hoof, which terrified 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.
The emperor had not much time to spare before he saw the Goat, the Monkey and the Rooster coming his way. They were comrades and had been very helpful to each other to get across the river. The Rooster had found a raft for themselves and the other two helped row it across the river. Their attempts bore fruit and they were able to get eighth, ninth and tenth places respectively. Next to secure the eleventh spot was the Dog. He had used up quite a bit of free time playing in the river so he was overdue in spite of his skills as a swimmer. Only remaining spot was taken by the Pig, which stopped to eat and then fell asleep. But beneficial to him as he was late and still offered the only kept 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 significant twist is included to the folk story in the variant which tells that the Rat knew that the Ox was strong and perhaps its smartest choice for crossing the river. He cunningly persuaded him to take him across the river. He asked over the Ox if it would be interested in listening to a song. The Ox with its born simplicity gave the consent. In response the rat moved his mouth area but uttered no sound. The Ox could not hear any song and asked the rat, who said that if he can reach near his ear, he will hear the song. The Ox still with no knowledge of Rat's true purpose let him to ride his back. Before he realized they had crossed the river and the Rat jumped off his back and ran to claim the first spot for himself. The Ox followed and the remaining animals came in subsequently.
There is another version to the folk story found in Buddhism. According to them, before leaving the Earth, Buddha invited almost 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 variety that conveys that the God had invited animals to a food. The rat was always happy to make a fool of the cat. He notified the Cat that the dinner party 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 tremendously angered the Cat and he could by no means be Rat's friend ever again.
The existing version of the zodiac calendar is ceturies old. It's real reference is inconceivable to find. Historians often agree that the justification for the absence of the Cat in the calendar happens because Cat was only delivered into China later on by the Buddhists, who had brought it together with them from India.
