Children adore stories because stories transport them to a magical realm of imagination and wonder. This is precisely what our two expert storytellers from the Storytelling Association Singapore (SAS) offer in every oral storytelling session in Storytime Saturday.

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Events in Singapore & Around the World

Free Online Oral Storytelling Event 

‘Light in the Dark’ is a storytelling session about the moments—small or blazing—that guide us when the way isn’t clear. Through folktales, myths, and lived experience, we explore how light appears not only as flame or stars, but as insight, courage, memory, and connection.

You’ll hear stories of literal light: a single lantern on a forest path, a hearth fire in winter, moonlit journeys, dawn after a long night. And metaphorical light: a kind stranger in an unfamiliar place, a truth revealed too late—or just in time, humor breaking through grief, wisdom found in failure, or hope sparked in the most unusual situations.

This is a free online event organised by the Australian Storytelling Guild (NSW) Come as a listener or teller. All welcome.

If you would like to tell a prepared story in 5-6 minutes, email Christine Carlton at storyaus@gmail.com  to be put on the list to tell a short story on the theme ‘Light in the Dark’.  The stories are told, not read.

This is a free online event organised by the Australian Storytelling Guild (NSW) Come as a listener or teller. All welcome. 

• Wednesday, 18th March 2026
• 4.20 – 7.00 pm Singapore time 

Register on Humanitix to receive the Zoom link to attend the session.

Thursday, 12th March 2026, 8:30 am Singapore time 

• • • • Our Celebrations and Legends

        Boom Boom Clang

        Boom Boom Bang

        Boom Boom Rang

        Boom Boom Jang 

        Boom Boom Sprang

        With the clanging and clashing of cymbals and the beating of drums, Singapore welcomed the lunar new year of the fire horse.

        This Lunar New Year, may life hold as much variety as the animals of the Chinese zodiac!

        Wisdom Ventures, Might Exhibits

        The Jade Emperor sat on his elevated dragon chair facing South and was deep in thought. He was concerned.

        In front of him on a low stool sat Chen Xiang, a demigod with magical powers.  He was half-human and half-god. A rat sat upright to his left and an ox stood to his right. 

        “What is the matter now? You have chosen the twelve animals for the new zodiac,” asked the emperor.

        Chen Xiang bowed low and said, “All the animals are concerned.  They wish all disagreements that may arise to be settled by the first animal of the zodiac. They do not wish to go to war and want disputes settled by arbitration, hence we must decide on an Animal of the First Year.”

        “A very sensible thought,” exclaimed the emperor. “Which one should be the first animal of the zodiac?”

        Ox rushed forward nearly knocking down a vase with his horns, bowed and said, “I am big and strong; hence I think the other animals will listen to me. I should be the first animal of the zodiac.”

        Rat stayed next to the demigod, bowed low, tried to touch his head to the ground and squeaked, “Lord of our Zodiac! The other animals will listen to me because I am so wise and clever.”

        The emperor stretched out his arms, looked at Chen Xiang and asked, “Are the other animals’ content with their places in the zodiac?”

        The demigod said, “Well, none of them have complained and hence it looks like they are satisfied.”

        “Then let the other ten animals decide who should be first; rat or ox?”, said the emperor.

        Chen Xiang set out to do his job. As he stepped out, he met Scrappy, a friendly goldendoodle from the estate and asked her, “You are the 11^th animal in the zodiac, are you satisfied in that position?” “Aww! Bow! Wow!”, barked Scrappy and said, “I am delighted to be anywhere at all. I heard only twelve animals have been chosen.”

        “Thank you! Which animal do you think should be first, ox for his strength or rat for his wisdom?” asked the demigod. 

        Dog was small and worried Ox might be a bully. “Rat, indeed,” she told Chen Xiang.

        He made a note of it. As he walked down the path, he met Rooster with his beautiful bevy of ladies. “Good morning,” said the demigod. “You are the 10^th animal of the zodiac. Are you alright with it?”

        “My job is to crow, wake up the neighbourhood, and ensure people have enough eggs to eat. I am happy to have been considered at all. Cock-a-doodle-doo!” he crowed.

        “Then tell me this. Should Ox be first or Rat be first?”  Now, once upon a time, Rooster had beautiful horns, but he took up advocacy for free range eggs and in that fight, he had lost his horns. Though it was for a good cause, he missed them and lived vicariously admiring the horns of the Ox, and so he said, “Ox, without a doubt.  The first animal of the zodiac should be strong.”

        Chen Xiang made a note of it, and he reached the rail corridor along Beauty World. At the green corridor, something dashed past that startled him! Then he saw a boar with her three young ones. He called out, “Boar, you are the last animal in the new zodiac, do you mind that?”

        “Oink! Oink! Not in the least, glad to make the list,” said Boar.

        “Well, Ox and Rat are quarrelling, both want to be the first animal of the zodiac,” said the demigod. 

        “Rat thinks too much of himself!” cried Boar. “What is wise, after all? Do you know? Do I know? Can you tell? Can I tell? Ox should be first.”

        Chen Xiang thanked the Boar, made a note of her vote and walked on. Now Snake was listening to the conversation coiled high up on a branch, she uncoiled herself and rolled her eyes at the demigod. “I am the sixth beast, which doesn’t matter in the least to me, but my vote is for the Rat. A wise First Beast is better than a strong First Beast,” so saying she coiled herself back up. Chen Xiang made a note of it.

        “Anyone can see that Ox is strong, but who can tell Rat is wise?” It was the voice of Monkey, who was listening as he was feasting on rambutans high up on a tree, “My vote is for the Ox,” so saying, kili-wili, kili-wili, Monkey continued gorging on rambutans.

        The demigod had covered the stretch of the rail corridor from Beauty World to Bukit Panjang.  He made his way out to the bus stop, boarded a bus and headed to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.

        At the reserve, the Singapore Zoo was the first stop, and he headed to the KidzWorld there. Sheep was resting in the shade of trees.

        Chen Xiang went up to her and said, “You have been placed at the eighth position in the Chinese zodiac, are you ok with that?” 

        “Baaa! What kind of a question is that? Do I look so ungrateful to you? Only 12 animals were chosen, and I am honoured to make the list.”

        “One more question, please. Rat and Ox are competing for the first place. Rat with his clever brain and Ox with his muscular body.”

        Sheep cared a hoot for the constant hurrying and scurrying which Rat was wont to do. Ox on the other hand, just like her, sat under the shade of trees, watching the world go by and chewing cud. “Ox,” said Sheep.

        Horse trotted up to the demigod and neighed, “Do not heed Sheep’s words. Don’t misunderstand me, Ox could be as smart as Rat but oftentimes he is too emotional and lazy to use his brain. My vote is for the Rat.” 

        Just then, Rabbit leapt over Sheep and landed atop the Horse and said, “Rat uses his brain every single living minute. Ox dislikes thinking, he is just big and beefy. My vote is for the Rat.” 

        “One more thing, Rabbit, you have no objection being the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac and Horse you are content being the seventh animal, I hope. Both of you have chosen Rat.”

        “No objection whatsoever!”, rose a chorus. The Demigod noted this down.

        Rat had four votes and Ox had four. Only Tiger and Dragon were yet to vote.

        Chen Xiang rested for a while, enjoyed a refreshing cup of tea at the Ah Meng Restaurant, watching the yellow-cheeked gibbons rhythmic swinging and the Sumatran and Bornean orangutans at play. He then made his way to Rainforest Wild Asia.

        He passed by the tigers, looked into their home and called out, “Friend Tiger, you are the third animal in the zodiac, do you have any objection to that?”

        “That’s the silliest question I have heard in a long while. I am honoured to be one of the animals in the zodiac.”, roared the tiger.

        “Well then,” said the demigod. “Rat thinks he should be first for he is wise, and Ox is convinced he should be the first for his strength. Your thoughts, please?”

        Tiger was a clever beast and smart. He thought, “How clever Rat must be to challenge Ox who must be nearly 200 times Rat’s size! Rat, of course,” was Tiger’s reply.

        After thanking Tiger, Chen Xiang headed to The Cavern, a 220-metre, 3D recreated feature inspired by Sarawak’s Mulu Caves limestone formation.

        Dragon lived beneath the cavern, and the demigod called out to him. The cave rumbled.  With a flash of fire and a thunderous roar Dragon surfaced, towering over the demigod. Chen Xiang was awestruck by the sight of the creature! It took him time to regain his composure and he then asked Dragon, “You are the fifth animal of the zodiac, do you mind that?” 

        “Mind, did you ask? Why should I mind? To most, I don’t exist. In the Western folklore I am made out to be a fire-breathing monster, in the Eastern folklore, I am at least considered a benevolent creature. I feel privileged to be considered as one of the animals for the zodiac.”

        “Tell me this, Rat and Ox want to lead the others, one for his wisdom while the other for his strength. Your vote please.”

        Dragon pondered. Ox had once done him a big favour by saving his life.  He was enjoying a swim in the river when a crocodile caught hold of his tail and wouldn’t let go, Ox butted the crocodile with his horns and flung him 30 feet away. Ever since then Dragon felt indebted to Ox. Recalling that incident, Dragon said, “A strong Ox is more important than a wise Rat.”

        After thanking Dragon, the demigod sat down and looked into his notes and counted the votes. Five votes to Rat and five votes to Ox! The answer that they sought was still elusive.

        Chen Xiang headed back to the emperor’s court with his report.

        Tiger, Rabbit, Snake, had chosen Rat and so had Horse and Dog. Sheep, Dragon, Monkey, Rooster, and Boar wanted Ox. They were equally divided.

        The emperor sighed! “Is might best or is reason best? The people can never decide, and it looks like neither can the beasts! This is so difficult!”

        “How can we have two first animals?” sighed the emperor.

        Ox and Rat listened to the report in silence. Then Ox came forward, bowed before the emperor and said, “You can see that I am big and strong. Rat, weighs less than a kilogram, can he keep the animals from quarrelling?” 

        Then Rat came forward, bowed so low that his whiskers brushed the emperor’s feet, and said, “It is true that I am just a rat, but all think their own talents and size ideal. I am willing, God forbid the need doesn’t arise, to show that brains can sometimes accomplish what size cannot.”

        The emperor turned to Chen Xiang and said, “How do we resolve this? Why don’t you cast a vote? That would solve the matter.”

        The demigod bowed low and said, “I shall recuse myself, your majesty! I have my biases too. My suggestion is to put it to the people. While it is true that the Beast of the First Year will rule the other beasts of the zodiac, the zodiac does belong to the people.”

        “It will be so! Ox and Rat must show themselves around the city.”, said the emperor.

        Ox agreed. His head bobbed up and down and he was certain what people would say.

        Rat on the other hand, fell to his knees, buried his head in his paws and wept. “Of course, your wish is my command, and I shall go into the city, but unless I am a little bigger, no one will even see me in Ox’s shadow. Only if I were a demigod, I would use my magic power to make myself larger.”

        “I can triple Rat’s size, then everyone could see him,” said the demigod.

        Ox did not object. He would still be much bigger, almost 200 times bigger than the rat.

        “Abracadabra! Gilli Gilli Gabra,” the magic words were uttered by the demigod and Rat grew larger. They went out to the city.

        “Look,” shouted a little girl. “A huge rat!” She rushed home to alert her family. 

        “See the humungous rat!” screamed another boy. Soon the whole city was alerted, and they poured out on to the streets. Everywhere they went, people couldn’t take their eyes off the Rat!

        No one paid any attention to the Ox for he seemed a normal ox. 

        A rat as big as three rats! Never had they seen such a rat! 

        Chen Xiang, the demigod, then asked the people, “Should the Rat be the first animal of the zodiac, or the Ox?”

        The people looked perplexed! “What ox?” they chorused. “We only saw a rat. A huge rat!”

        That’s how Rat became the first animal of the Chinese zodiac. Ox took the second position. Rat won it with his wisdom and wit.

        References

        The Rat, the Ox, and the Zodiac by Dorothy Van Woerkom