The Origin of Ants

From my perspective, the ancient Chinese folklore The Origin of Ants is undoubtedly extraordinary. It's mainly about a man with an unnaturally sharp sense of smell. At the beginning of the story, the man got kicked out of his home by his wife since he could not earn enough to support the family. However, after he proved that he indeed had a special sense of smell, everyone began to worship him. The whole story is full of metaphors and implications, which educate people to behave in certain ways.

The man's wife, who turned him out of the house, despised the man at the beginning, and she even made him went abroad. However, she immediately accepted his return and acted as if nothing happened only because the man proved that he had a special sense of smell. This contrast is used as an irony, satirizing those who vary greatly in behavior and mind. This is one of my favorites. 

As for the ending of the story, the implication is greatly impressive. The man offered numerous proofs of his power of smell, and everyone began to worship him. Those higher-ups, who should have despised an ordinary man like him, raised him as a god. They took hold of him and tossed him into the heavens. However, the man's character and ability did not warrant him such treatment since he had only a good sense of smell. "He went so high that when he came down he was dashed into the dust." Therefore, he fell to the ground and turned into ants.


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