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Any urban children growing up in today’s China would be familiar with the Big Big Wolf and the Pleasant Goat (喜羊羊与灰太狼), an animation series broadcast, merchandized and publicized almost anytime, everywhere. The 7-year-old son of the protagnist is no exception.

The boy, born in the Year of Goat and also nicknamed Yangyang (synonym to goat), had always been lovingly called “Pleasant Goat” by his friends. Seeing his son taking such pride in his deep connections with this adorable comic figure of big eyes and bright ideas,  his father decided to take him to see a real goat in the suburbs of Beijing.

On their way to the farm the boy was very excited. For seven years he has never seen a real goat, will it look exactly like the furry friend he’s so familiar with? After all this is what he “belongs to”!

In Chinese language the expression for “born in a zodiac year” is simplified as “What animal do you belong to?” (你属什么的？)

When the father and son finally arrived at the farmers’ house, they were greeted by a herd of deeply soiled animals with almost unrecognizable eyes and not much expression other than dozing and chewing grass. This is the GOAT, says the farmer, very mild and easy to herd, and helps the family to make money.

Many of the goats were not even showing their faces to our little protagonist. Their fleece were totally smeared by mud. And they were squeezed together in a small stinky barn.

“So… this is the REAL goat. Is this the animal that I belong to?” the boy’s eyes started to moisten.

“Well,” struggled his father, “that’s the real goat in life, they are the inspiration for your animation…”

As if quite shocked, the boy sank into deep thought, after a while, he turned to his father again, this time with sparkles of hope.

“Dad, can I see the wolf please? The Big Big Wolf, I think I’ll consider belonging to the wolf instead of the goat now.” 

source from hutong stories, Beijing News (京华时报), with a little readaptation.