The twelve Animal Signs

for Men

Rat man
His productive capacities

Meticulous and maniacal, the Rat male can do well in all professions where it is necessary to count, verify, sort out, or simply to be dependable. He makes an excellent accountant, comptroller, inspector, librarian, archivist or druggist - provided he be allowed to work at his own pace. His insatiable curiosity often leads him into a research career. Methodical and conscientious, he is noted for his efficiency, but generally lacks imagination, inventiveness and the sense of adventure. This is quite understandable with an individual like this man whose main concern in life is to search for security, material as well as emotional.

Although many-sided and adaptable to any kind of work, he is more intellectual than manual. And as far as possible he chooses jobs that allow him to be always on the move - as a journalist, travel agent or commercial representative, for instance.

Given his charm and tactfulness, diplomacy is certainly a career in which this type has every chance to succeed brilliantly. On the other hand, he can, with a small dose of initiative, make a fortune as a salesman, advertiser or public relations agent; he is able to sell almost anything, having the cleverness to persuade with arguments which may in fact be meaningless. Shrewd in financial matters, he proves to be a resourceful banker. Politics may appeal to him; but he had better stay behind the scene and pull the strings instead of seeking the limelight: Only in this way can he expect to get real power without exposing himself to danger.

We must also take into account his sensitiveness and good taste. Rat men are reputed for their literary talent. There are in the world plenty of notorious writers and poets born under this animal symbol - from Shakespeare to Tolstoy, from Li T'ai Po to Daniel Defoe, from Boileau to Jules Verne.

If you are a Rat, do not hesitate to try your band at literature, even though initially you do not have the slightest idea about literary ground rules. Who knows if some day you can become famous owing to your innate gift for writing?

Of all professional callings, business is unmistakably the realm in which Rat men are best at ease; those of them who make aggressive businessmen are legion. It is only in this career that they are really sure of themselves and can show all their worth. Their flair for good and profitable bargains is almost infallible, exactly as is that of pigs for truffles. They know precisely how to give themselves a maximum of chance and put all trump cards on their side at the right moment. Their gamble is formidable. These highly successful business executives are filled with fighting optimism no matter how gloomy a given juncture may appear. One would be well advised to appeal to those wizards for help in case a business goes awry; it would not take them long to cure all the ills and set the business going again. Owing to their inherent fear of want, they are also brilliant investors with a keen knack of foreseeing the bear or bull market.

When the Rat male has gained enough self-confidence and some sense of altruism, through experience or self-education, he can make full use of his remarkable capacities to realize great and noble achievements in life. As a matter of fact, some Rat men are great benefactors of humanity and have their names written in gold on the pages of History.