How the puny beat the mighty

By OH TEIK THEAM

THE Jade Emperor had a court official organise a fighting competition to choose 12 animals as emblems to represent the 12 years in each calendrical cycle. A sizeable number of animals expressed their interest to flaunt their physical prowess.

The official appointed the Elephant as the sole judge of the competition, for the gargantuan creature, known for his good morals, was an upstanding member of the animal community.

“Are you sure you are bold enough to fight with me?” the Ox said to the Rat. “You don’t have any chance of beating me.” “Don’t be overconfident, Ox,” the Rat said. “You may have to eat your words.”

The Rat put his thinking cap on and muttered to himself, “The only way I can beat Ox is with artifice.”

When the competition started, the strong Ox strutted menacingly on the platform and shook his imposing curved horns, taunting the Rat, “Come and get me, you teeny-weeny rodent!”

The agile Rat managed to sidestep his opponent’s stamping and jump onto the bovine creature’s back. Straining every sinew, the little murine creature gnawed away at his adversary’s skin, so that the big animal screamed in pain and shouted, “You have defeated me!”

The other animals in the fray also battled bravely for glory. The competitors and spectators were all ears when the Elephant announced the results: “The runner- up is the Ox! And the undisputed champion, for his inventiveness, is the Rat!”

The third to 12th places went to the Tiger, the Hare, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Ram, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog, and the Boar.

As the Ox slunk back to his home with his tail between his legs, the Rat’s good friend, the Hare, said to the champion, “Congratulations, Rat. This victory is a feather in your cap. You’ll be the talk of the town!” “Thank you, Hare,” said the Rat unpretentiously.

“I have an idea, Rat. Why don’t we paint the town red?” (Ref: http://www.cozychinese.com/storyof- the-chinese-zodiac)

Eat one’s words: To retract one’s words humiliatingly.

Put one’s thinking cap on: To think seriously about a problem, difficulty, etc.

All ears: Listening attentively.

With one’s tail between one’s legs: In a state of defeat or humiliation.

A feather in one’s cap: An achievement that one can be justly proud of.

The talk of the town: The subject of everyone’s conversation in the town.

Paint the town red: To go out and have a boisterous time in celebration of something