Open Letter to Jade Emperor: Cat vs. Rat

[Taiwan_Student]

Dear Jade Emperor,

As the Chinese New Year approaches, we are obligated to teach your story on how you requested all the animals who wanted to have a year in the Zodiac named after the should race across a river.
We know that the cat and the rat are not very good swimmers asked a kindly ox to help them cross the river. As the ox neared the opposite bank of the river, the rat pushed the poor cat into the water where he got carried away with current and had to struggle to get back to the bank. Furthermore, just as the ox was about to step out of the water, the rat jumped off the ox's head on to the bank to "win" the race.

Upon seeing all this unfold, you were reported to have said "Well done" to the rat and gave him his place at the first year in the Chinese Zodiac cycle.

As a teacher, if we see our students acting an a way similar as the rat did in the story, we would have to scold our students and tell our students that they acted unfairly. Please channel yourself through the minds of our fellow forumosan and explain the correct moral lesson we are to gain from you tale.
See link below for the version of the story cited.
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/ChineseNewYea ... Story.aspx

[adikarmika]

Rat was right to push Cat into the water. He was following his instincts. He knew Cat was a false friend who would have murdered and eaten him as soon as no one was looking.

As far as Ox is concerned, he should realize that he was the real, albeit unrecognized, winner. After all, it was he who had done the hard work.
But he should not simply take quiet personal satisfaction in that.
He should rise up and overthrow the foolish emperor who is so easily conned by opportunist types such as Rat.
Then, having replaced the monarchy with a republic having a democratically elected president, he should run for the top position, while emphasizing his ox-like qualities such as strength, stamina and dependability.

[urodacus]

Push hard and shove others out of the way or the bus will have no seats left for fatties like you. Suckers.

[Taiwan_Student]

Rat was right to push Cat into the water. He was following his instincts. He knew Cat was a false friend who would have murdered and eaten him as soon as no one was looking.

As far as Ox is concerned, he should realize that he was the real, albeit unrecognized, winner. After all, it was he who had done the hard work.
But he should not simply take quiet personal satisfaction in that.
He should rise up and overthrow the foolish emperor who is so easily conned by opportunist types such as Rat.
Then, having replaced the monarchy with a republic having a democratically elected president, he should run for the top position, while emphasizing his ox-like qualities such as strength, stamina and dependability.

According to the legend, the cat and the rat had always been good friends. The "Zodiac Incident" was the very thing that spoiled the friendship and started the age old feud between the rats and the cats.
The Jade Emperor, I believe was the creator of the universe. Why he did not use his omnipotent powers is beyond me. But then again, I really think the Jade Emperor saw everything and thought it was correct and admiral behavior And, I'd think that if the ox spoke up, the Jade Emperor would remember his powers and they'd all have Ox barbecue.

[heimuoshu]

We could always tell our students to not base their entire life on the legends, but that would give the non-religious, or anti-religious sufficient grounds to ridicule a religious person like myself. We could also tell them that the king felt lonely and asked all the animals to wrestle so that the winner could be chosen as the kings pet. If an animal threw another onto his back he won. The cat won because he never landed on his back and thus eventually got justice. Therefore, if you do the right thing, wait and you'll be rewarded and now you can live in the King's house and catch rats.

[Zla'od]

Once the four blood types--O, B, A, and AB--came to a river. And O said...

(I can't go on, I just can't.)

[urodacus]

My only question is, who carved the jade Emperor?