MANY YEARS AGO, the cock had a pair of strong and beautiful horns on his head.
At that time there was a dragon who was prevented from ascending
to heaven by his lack of pair of horns, and so he offered the
millepede as guarantor and borrowed the horns from the cock.
When the millepede came for the horns, he said to the
cock, "When you want your horns back, you must call out at dawn,
'Give me back my horns," and they will be returned to you at once.
You need not worry." The cock knew how difficult it was to ascend
to heaven, and re-assured by the good security, he lent his horns
withour any more trouble. He also thought he would ask the dragon
when he returned, how things were in heaven; and if it was very
beautiful, he himself might think of going there one day.
Next morning, at the break of day, the cock called out
loudly: "Give me back my horns," but although he repeated it
ten times, there was no sign of either the dragon or the horns.
The cock went off and complained tothe millepede, who quieted
him saying, "If he does not return them this morning, he will
certainly do so tomorrow or the next day. Just be a little patient,
and you will certainly get them back."
The cock waited several days, but although he called out
every morning: "Give me back my horns," they never re-appeared.
The cock was extremely annoyed at this and ordered all his descendants
to eat the millepedes on sight. But he has not yet given up hope
of getting his horns back. Even today he orders his children
to call out at the break of day: "Give me back my horns," because
he hopes that the dragon will hear him someday.