Hello.
Welcome to Chinese Folk Tales.
I'm Paul Osborne and I have a fascinating story for you.
Of course, all the best stories have lessons to teach us, and this one is all about the importance of honesty and working together.
Tell me, have you ever seen what happens when a dog meets a cat?
They don't really get on very well, do they?
They're certainly not friends, but they used to be a long time ago.
This story is about how that friendship came to an end.
First, we need to meet a husband and his wife.
They lived together happily, even though they didn't have a lot of money.
We're down to our last few coins now.
I don't know how we're going to pay for all the things we need.
His wife, though, had an idea.
We can sell my gold ring.
That'll help.
But it's such a beautiful ring.
And you love it so much.
That doesn't matter, have enough money.
But what the wife and her husband didn't know was that golden ring that had been in their home for many years was actually a lucky ring, and whoever owned it would always have enough to live on.
And because they didn't know that, when they came to sell it it didn't make them very much money.
Without the lucky ring to help them, the husband and his wife grew poorer and poorer.
I'm so hungry.
How can I go to work when I haven't had a proper meal in so many days?
I don't understand it.
Everything's gone wrong since we sold that ring.
And others were going hungry as well.
Because the couple had a dog and a cat who were also trying to figure out what had gone wrong.
I'm sure that was a lucky ring, said the cat to the dog.
Ever since they sold it, we've had to make do with less and less.
Go and catch a bird to eat instead, suggested the dog.
But the cat was too exhausted from lack of food.
So the dog had another idea.
Okay, we'll get the ring back.
Then our luck will return and our bellies will be full again.
So the dog and the cat started to work together on a plan.
They knew that the man who had bought the ring had locked it away in a chest in his home.
How are we going to open the chest to get the ring?
The dog thought he knew how to solve that problem.
First you need to catch a mouse.
So the cat Even though she was very tired, went out, caught a mouse and brought it to the dog.
What's going on?
What do you think you're doing? said the mouse, who wasn't happy about the situation.
The dog explained the plan.
We're going to take you to another house where there is a wooden chest and you're going to gnaw a hole in that chest.
Go inside and find a golden ring.
When you do, you're going to bring it to us.
And why would I do that for you? asked the mouse.
And the cat, who was not used to asking mice for favours, leaned in very close to the mouse's whiskers and said Because Mouse, I am very hungry.
And if you don't do it, I will eat you.
If you put it like that, I'd be happy to help.
Eat!
So the dog, the cat and the mouse headed off to the house where the ring was locked in a chest.
But standing in their way was a river.
Now what do we do?
I can't swim.
I'm a cat.
I can swim, said the dog.
Jump on my back and I'll take you across the river.
So the cat and the mouse climbed on the dog's back and the dog swam across the broad road.
The dog was tired when they got to the other side.
You stay here and rest.
Me and my new friend will go and get the ring.
So the cat carried the mouse to the home of the ring's new owner. crept inside and found the chest.
Right.
Time for you to find your way inside this chest and get that ring, said the cat to the mouse.
So the mouse set to work, knowing a hole in the chest and scurrying inside.
Soon enough, he returned with the shiny golden ring.
One gold ring as requested.
Well done.
It occurred to the cat that she didn't really need the mouse anymore.
And it also occurred to the cat that she was still very, very hungry.
I think I'll be off.
It had also occurred to the mouse as well, who ran off as fast as he could.
The cat was too tired to chase after him again.
And besides, she had more important things to do.
How am I going to get this ring back to our home?
The cat popped the ring in its mouth and ran as fast as it could back to the riverbank where the dog was waiting.
Did you get it? asked the dog.
And the cat nodded because it had a golden ring in its mouth.
Jump on my back and I'll take you across the river.
So the cat climbed on the dog's back once again and the dog swam across the river.
Once they reached the other side they raced for home to give the ring to their master and mistress.
They're going to be so happy when they get the ring back and we're going to be so well rewarded for restoring their good fortune.
Soon the dog and cat came to a large building which stood in their way.
The dog started to run around the building, but the cat had other ideas.
Where are you going?
The cat, who could leap high in the air and climb trees and buildings, quickly moved over all the obstacles in their way.
But the dog, who couldn't climb very well, had to run around them.
Eventually the dog arrived home exhausted but excited to show his owner what he and the cat had done for them and sure they'd be well rewarded.
But when he came through the door Such a good girl.
Such a good girl.
The cat, who could leap and climb over obstacles, had arrived home long before the dog and returned the ring to its master and mistress.
You've saved our family by finding that ring.
No sooner had you brought it back, we had bread and meat and cheese.
And look, plenty of money too.
You'll never want for anything again, beautiful girl.
We shall care for you as if you were our very own daughter.
Then the couple saw that the dog had returned home wet and dirty, after carrying the cat through the river twice and running home as fast as he could.
Useless creature, where have you been?
Out causing trouble while our beautiful cat was finding the gold ring and restoring our good fortune.
Why can't you be more like the cat?
The dog, bewildered and upset, looked at the cat and waited for her to explain how they had worked together, come up with a plan, travelled across the city and brought home the ring.
But the cat sitting proudly by the roaring fire continued to purr and said get out lazy, useless dog, you can sleep outside from now on.
So the dog spent the night outside in the cold and the rain, while the cat was warm and cozy inside by the fire, eating as much as she could.
She slept soundly that night with a full belly, while the hungry dog hid under a bush from the storm.
Stupid cat, taking my reward.
The next morning the cat came outside yawning and stretching in the sunlight and the dog was waiting for her.
You would never have got that ring back without my help.
You would have drowned in that river and no one would have saved you.
I was hungry.
If I'd shared my reward with you, I would have had less food.
There was enough food for both of us.
But you lied to the master and mistress and took it all.
What?
Well, if you could climb over tall buildings like me, you would have been rewarded as well.
Suddenly it occurred to the dog that there was a solution to his hunger.
I suppose if there's nothing else to eat, I could just eat.
And with that, the dog chased after the cat, snapping at her tail.
The cat escaped up a tree, but from that day on, its speed and agility was the only thing that kept that cat out of the dog's jaws.
Such a pity!
The dog and cat had worked so well together and could have shared that reward and lived a happy, contented life with their master and mistress.
Their good fortune restored.
But instead, the cat's greed and the dog's jealousy destroyed their friendship.
And ever since then, dog and cat have been enemies.
Don't believe me?
Just spend a few minutes in your local park.
If we work together, share what we have and tell the truth, maybe we can avoid the fate of the dog and the cat.
Well, that's my story.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Until next time, goodbye.
With that, we conclude this episode of Chinese Folk Tales.
Thanks for listening.
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We'll see you next time.
Bye for now.
