The Story of Wong.

With a name like Wong, you probably thought I was going to tell you a story from China. But no! This story comes from South Africa, and it is about a Siamese cat who had that very unlikely name.

Wong was only a young cat, and he loved the little girl who lived in his house – four year old Wendy. Wherever Wendy went, Wong would most likely follow, talking to her in his funny Siamese cat language. Of course, sometimes he would curl up asleep in the sun, but most of the time he followed the little girl about.

Now in that part of South Africa where Wendy lived there were lots of dangerous snakes – the most terrible of them being the Ringhalls snake. So terrified were most creatures of this snake that not one of them would go near it. Indeed, very few animals will tackle a snake. Perhaps the most fearless animal to do so is the Indian Mongoose, a little weasel-like animal who has great speed and extremely sharp teeth. But most other animals will run when they hear or see a poisonous snake.

One summer day in March, which is a very hot time of the year in South Africa, little Wendy was playing outside on the lawn. It seemed very safe there, with nothing but grass around – and that was cut short – and the little girl played with her toys and sang as she played. Wong was nowhere to be seen. Being a hot day, he had curled up somewhere in the shade and was quite unaware of the world around him.

Suddenly, as Wendy was playing and singing to herself, something made her look behind, and there, sliding across the grass towards her, was a 2 metre Ringhalls snake! Wendy knew enough about snakes to know there was terrible danger. She sat frozen with terror as the snake came on, its tongue flicking in and out and its cold wicked eyes fastened upon hers. Her little heart was beating so fast that she could hardly breathe, but she was too terrified to run, and it wouldn’t have done much good anyway, for the snake could move faster than she could.

Suddenly there was an ear-splitting scream from nearby. Wong had opened his eyes, seen the snake, and hurled himself forward. The snake reared up in surprise, but Wong pounced on him again and again, furiously tearing at him with his sharp claws. The snake struck back at the cat, but Wong was too quick for him, and again he went for the snake with his claws, and his teeth. Something must have helped the brave little cat that day, for ordinarily a cat is no match for a big snake like that. But after the tussle was over, the snake lay dead, and Wong lay exhausted but triumphant on the ground.

Everyone came running when they heard the cat howling and snatched up the terrified little girl. But she was quite safe. They all then turned to the cat and the snake, but they need not have worried. After puffing for a while, Wong stood up none the worse for his terrible adventure.

Before long the newspapers heard of his bravery, and a big story was written about him. In fact, his story reached London, and the people there who had formed a society to protect animals were so impressed with the story that they awarded him a silver medal for his bravery.

Our enemy the devil, the ancient serpent of old has been defeated. We are freed from his poison of death because of the victory won for us at the cross.