10 Feb Rat, The Master Of Science
Rat, The Master of Science
Rat was a graduate of Tortoise University. He had his Masters’s Degree in Physical Sciences and was called the Master of Science.
Meanwhile, Rat and Cat were very good friends, but Cat was not academically sound like his friend Rat.
The two of them got married at the same time and the Cat’s wife was more beautiful than Mrs. Rat.
One day, Rat and Cat were invited to an event as Master of Ceremony and Chief Launcher, respectively. Before they left, Rat turned to Cat and said, “my friend, since you are the Chief Launcher of the occasion, I will introduce you as ‘Husband and Wife’ to the high table. This is known as ‘Noble the Great’ in science.” After hearing the mention of the word, science, Cat accepted joyfully.
Rat and Cat went with their wives. When they got there, Rat saw a lot of important dignitaries, and since his wife was not so charming and beautiful, he became ashamed to introduce her to his friends. He recalled a trick, so he called his friend, Cat, aside.
He said to Cat, “please, I have forgotten something at home, and you know I am the Master of the Ceremony. It will be very rude for me to go home when the event is still going on. So please, take my wife and go to my house, she will show you where the thing is, and you can bring it for me.”
Cat couldn’t see the game that he was playing, so he left with Rat’s wife. When Cat and Rat’s wife were gone, Rat called Cat’s wife aside and said, “I hope you have seen these dignitaries and your husband has gone home with my wife. So I will introduce you to them as my wife so they will not trouble you. You can also tell anyone that comes to you that you are my wife.” Cat’s wife agreed. Rat used this opportunity to introduce Cat’s wife as his wife to everyone. His friends all told him how beautiful and charming his wife truly was. Rat felt so proud and happy.
Soon, Rat mounted the pulpit and started introducing dignitaries to the high table. When it was time to introduce the Chief Launcher he said, “Mr. Cat has gone home briefly. He will be back soon.”
Just then, Cat and Rat’s wife arrived, and Rat announced, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Cat has finally arrived. Everyone, please stand up as we welcome the Honorable Chief Launcher, husband and wife, to the high table.” Everyone gave Cat and Rat’s wife a standing ovation. The ushers quickly rushed and led them to the high table.
After Cat took his seat, he was given an opportunity to launch. He picked up the microphone and spoke into it. “My dear wife and I” he turned to his wife, who was sitting by Rat’s side, and gestured for her to stand up, and she stood up, “we are ready to launch now!”
The people were confused. One looked at the other in amazement. They unanimously and simultaneously said, “No! No!! No!!! You said your wife, but that is Rat’s wife.”
Cat said, “N-o! She is my dear wife.” A great confusion and argument arose in the room. Soon, it was discovered that Rat was a liar. They gave him a name, “Rat-a wife stealer “
This unfortunate situation brought the event to a halt and it greatly pained Leopard. who organised the event. He cursed Rat and said, “from today onward, since Rat has done this shameful act to stop the progress and success of my launching, disgracing all my guests, he is cursed. He will remain a thief throughout his life. Everybody will forever pursue him to kill him.” And all the people said, “Amen.”
Rat was woefully embarrassed by what happened, and he thought of so many evil plans against Cat and his wife. However, he pretended to love Cat more.
One day, he called Cat aside and told him. “I want you to be called Master of Science like I am, I will even help you get a degree from my mentor, Tortoise. But before that happens, you would need to conduct a few experiments and know some things about science.”
“Of course, I will do all that you say,” Cat told him.
“You promise that you won’t doubt a word that I say?”
“I promise that I won’t,” Cat replied.
“Okay, to know more scientific facts and have much scientific knowledge, you shall perform a lot of scientific experiments. Generally, you know that kerosene is highly inflammable, right?” Cat nodded his head. “Okay, I will teach you wonders. When you get home, pour four litres of kerosene into a basin. Then light up a match stick and put it inside the basin containing the kerosene. Certainly, you will discover that it will not catch fire as people believed. Rather, the fire will quench immediately giving off only the effervescence of carbon dioxide, which will bubble excitedly into the surrounding atmosphere. This process is known as combustion conversion in science.”
Cat couldn’t believe his ears. Surely, his friend was lying to him. Still, he went home and experimented. To his astonishment, the kerosene did not catch fire and everything happened the way Rat told him. Cat was very happy that he ran to his friend’s place to inform him of the success of the experiment. “I am now the Scientist of the Modern Days,” he said.
“Yes! You are!” Rat answered. “But I want you to be called Master of Science, just like I am. We are going to do another experiment. You know that your wife is very beautiful, right?” Again, Cat nodded his head. “You can make her more beautiful, you know. Again, Cat nodded excitedly.
Okay, this is what you will do. When she is fast asleep, you will take half a bottle of kerosene and pour it gently on her head till her hair gets soaked. Then, light a matchstick and put it gently on her hair to perm. It will surely burn but do not quench the flame. This process is known as Scientific Hair-do. Say it with me,’
Both echoed – “Scientific Hair-do.”
“Scientific Hair-do!” Cat repeated with so much joy.
“Good, after this experiment, I will teach you many more things. I will teach you Neturalization Effect and Chemical Equilibrium. These are the most interesting parts of science. I will teach you a lot of things like the Bragg Chemical Formula, Forward and Backward Reactions, and Heat-Cold-Neutralization Effect. You will discover lots of things.”
Cat was so blown away by all the scientific terms and the desire to be called Master of Science that he willingly accepted to do as Rat told him. He went back home, and when his wife was sound asleep, he poured kerosene on her hair and set it ablaze.
It burnt, but Cat didn’t move an inch. The heat woke Cat’s wife up, and immediately she saw that she was burning, she screamed at the top of her voice and started running. It was at that point that Cat realized that Rat lied to him. He tried his best to put the fire out. Cat’s wife had a lot of burns, but she did not die.
When she recovered from the shock, she swore to never live with her husband again and quit the marriage. She never forgave Cat, and she also left the house. Cat got very angry and swore, “as the Lord lives. I am going to eat Rat, his wife, and his children. Their flesh, bones, and blood shall never remain. I shall never spare them in this life.”
Cat furiously went to Rat, but he already ran away to a nearby bush. Cat set his house ablaze and then went into the bush to search for him. Everyone sympathized with Cat and joined the crusades in search of Rat.
That is why up till today, the cat and his sympathizer are always seen chasing the rat and his family.
Moral Lesson
Be careful of the friends you keep.
Writer: Daramfon Etim
Editor and Reviewer: Chinyere Nwosu
No Comments