How the Ox Came to live on the Earth
In china the Ox has been a beat of under for thousands of years
It has elped with all the heavy work on the arm the story that follows is an old Chinese folktale it tells how to the Ox came to live on the earth
Long long ago there was no such animals as the Ox on the earth there was only the Ox star it twinkled high up in the sky
In those times people led difficult lives indeed they worked long long and hard to grow their food
But they grew very little of it. So little was it that they were lucky to have one meal very five or six days. So they were always hungry
The emperor of heaven looked down on the earth he felt great pity for the people yet he felt sure that they could do better for themselves
Perhaps people would work harder if I gave them some sort of hope he thought so he decided to send them a message he chose the Ox star to be his messenger
The emperor said to the Ox star I want you to go down to the earth tell the people that they should work harder and longer then they will be able to eat a meal at least once every three days
The Ox star was rather stupid so the emperor made him repeat the message
They will be able to eat a meal at least once every three days
Now the Ox star felt proud and happy to be the messenger of the heavenly emperor he had never before been asked to do such a grand task
The Ox star made his way down to earth he called the peple of the earth to him to hear words
The emperor of heaven sends you amessage “he cried” “he asked me to tell you this. If you work harder and longer you will…er…um…be able to eat three meals a day
You can guess how glad the hungry people were to hear these words they would be well fed at least
When the Ox STAR returned to heaven the emperor was quite angry
How stupidyou are cried the emperor I asked you to tell the people that if they worked longer and harder they would be able to eat a meal every three days but you have told them that they will eat three meals a day the people on earth are small and weak how can they grow that much food
Yet I must keep my word
Therefore you must now go down to earth and stay you must use your strength to help these poor creatures work their fields. With your help they will be able to eat three meals a day
And so the Ox star became the ox.he came down to earth to help people grow their food.ever since that time with oxen to help them people have been able to eat three meals a days