Pruelpo Shares: President Nixon’s Riddle

Image via Wikipedia Pres. Nixon, the first President to visit China in 1972.

At the time President Nixon arrived in China, he met a certain man named Mr. Yu – a smart and clever person. The president asked the man the riddle said, “There are 12 items you can give to 1.2 billion Chinese. Do you know what they are?”

Mr. Yu immediately answered, “Yes. They are the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals Mr. President, Sir .” And he named them one by one: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Mr. Yu gave a perfect and very correct answer because those 1.2 billion Chinese in that time were all born under the 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals. 

Among the 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals, the Rat was found as the most smart and clever – the reason why the Cat and the Rat had become great enemies until now. There are many versions of stories why the Cat hated the Rat for the rest of his life and also they answered why the Rat had become the first among the twelve Chinese Zodiac Animals.

First version of the story was said: Cat and Rat were the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom. Although they were poor swimmers, they were both quite intelligent. To get to the meeting called by the Jade Emperor, they had to cross a river to reach the meeting place. The Jade Emperor had also decreed that the years on the calendar would be named for each animal as they arrived to the meeting. Cat and Rat decided that the best and fastest way to cross the river was to hop on the back of Ox. Ox, being naïve and good-natured, agreed to carry them both across. Midway across the river, Rat pushed Cat into the water. Then as Ox neared the other side of the river, Rat jumped ahead and reached the shore first. So he claimed first place in the competition and the zodiac.

Image via Wikipedia

Second version of the story was said: During the registration day, Rat met up with the Ox. He thought to himself “Ox is the fastest, strongest animal!” So the little Rat played a trick on the Ox. He asked the Ox if he would like to listen to him sing. The Rat opened his mouth but said nothing. “How was that?” he asked the Ox and of course he replied “Sorry little Rat, I didn’t hear you.” The Rat told the Ox to let him jump onto his back so that he could sing it more clearly, and the Ox agreed. Soon without knowing, the Ox was walking to the signing post, forgetting the Rat on his back. When they reached there, the Rat jumped off and claimed first place. The Ox following and the rest.

Third version of the story was said: God called the animals to a banquet that night. The Rat, who loved to play tricks on his neighbor, told the cat that the banquet was on the day after tomorrow. The Cat believed his neighbor the Rat and slept while dreaming of the banquet. The next day, the rat arrived first followed by the ox, the tiger and the rest of the animals. The order of the animals was decided by the order that they arrived. The Cat was devastated and vowed that he would always hate the Rat. Those were the reasons why the two had become enemies: First the Rat pushed the Cat into the river, second the Rat lied. 

Animals are smart and clever. They also feel pains that sometimes push them to hurt others!

To read my previous article visit Pruelpo and The Migrante Middle East are Appealing to 11 Million + OFWs to Scrap PhilHealth Circular No. 022

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