Wheel-of-time

Alone amidst the Jade temple, the emperor is getting bored. He thus decides to invite all animals to feast and celebrate Chinese New Year.

KOTORI-the-green-bird, his favourite messenger, is endorsed with delivering his invitation to all of them.

« AN INVITATION TO THE CELESTIAL PALACE – THE JADE EMPEROR »

NEZUMI-the-rat succeeds in convincing his friend NEKO-the-cat, to join him once he's fisnished his nap.

But during the night, NEZUMI-the-rat is awakened by the noise of heavy regular footsteps on the road.

Here is USHI-the-ox. USHI-the-ox tells NEZUMI-the-rat he started early in order to arrive on time. NEZUMI-the-rat decides to join him because he's so slow as well.

USHI-the-ox offers NEZUMI-the-rat a seat between his horns in order to cross the lotus river.

Guess who's getting sea-sick !

They slowly cross the river.

Early in the morning, in the Upper World, everybody is awakened by UMA-the-horse's neighing, that is to say HEBI-the-snake, USABI-the-rabbit and TORI-the-rooster.

In the Underworld, TORA-the-tiger roars with excitement. In his trail, RYU-the-dragon, SARU-the-monkey and even YAGI-the-goat set off to the Palace.

Both FUTA-the-pig and INU-the-dog join them for the trip : they all look forward the evening party in the Jade Palace and they merrily tread along the path all together in a joyful caravan.

STOOOOOOP !!!

What a jump ! TORA-the-tiger, the most fearless in the group, misses the opposite bank...

... and goes on swimming down to the bank.

What a jump ! USAGI-the-rabbit lands down... on a tree-trunk quickly floating down.

Fortunately, RYU-the-dragon blows him up to the bank.

What a jump ! RYU-the-dragon flies off to him and dries his water-soaked fur.

What a jump ! UMA-the-horse takes a spring – obstacle jumping is his speciality after all – and does land on the other bank... loaded with an unnoticed and clandestine passenger.

YAGI-the-goat and TORI-the-rooster go up to a place where crossing-fording is possible and they prudently leap from stone to stone. What a jump ! Look, SARU-the-monkey and his double somersault.

Saru-the-monkey does succeed in clinging to the end of the goat's tail.

SARU-the-monkey comforts YAGI-the-goat and encourages TORI-the-rooster who is still leaping and trying to keep his feather smooth and dry...

... in spite of INU-the-dog, splashing around, while playing with dragonflies.

– Come on, we're going to be late for New Year's Day ! FUTA-the-pig, who was still relaxing in a pool of mud close to the river, is being thrown over with water by INU-the-dog.

Why not ? Since he's already soaked, FUTA-the-pig joins his friend INU-the-dog into the river and glides along on his back.

Meanwhile, slowly and steadily, USHI-the-ox has finally reached the end of their trip and walks upon the bridge over the Jade river.

TORA-the-tiger swiftly swims across the river. They are welcome by an old man with thick white eyebrows.

Great ! Here is the emperor ! NEZUMI-the-rat is so disturbed that he jumps over to shake hands and falls down.

The emperor tells them about the reason of his invitation : each of them will be endorsed with a year-long mission ; each of them will be a tutor for one year, each in turn, NEZUMI-the-rat first of all.

Look ! More beasts are rushing in, so excited by the idea of partying at the end of their long trip.

Finally everybody's arrived, latecomers as well ;

everybody finds his place on the great time-wheel and stands in his proper cell. Each of them will transfer his qualities to the babies born during his year.

Now, NEZUMI-the-rat is back home and he meets his friend NEKO-the-cat who's just been awakening from his long long nap.

How to tell him that the feast is over and that he won't see the emperor's Asian carps ?

Suddenly, NEKO-the-cat notices the crown upon NEZUMI-the-rat's head and realizes that he's been pushed out of the competition by his friend.

In a rage, he starts chasing him. And ever since, cats do chase rats, night and day.

Cyril's receipe : her love for chinese legends about Zodiac ; a passion for Japanese language ; an urge to draw a rat travelling on top of an ox's head ; and here's her story. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as she did when drawing and writing it. Thanks a lot Cyril.

Wheel-of-time

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