很久很久以前的一天，天神把所有的动物集合起来，对大家说：“我要从你们当中选出十二种动物，轮流在地面上当一年的大王，叫做十二生肖。”
A long time ago, the god called all the animals together and said, “I will choose 12 animals out of you to take turns to head a year of the cycle, which will be called the Chinese Zodiac.”

天神和动物们约定，明年的正月初一，要举行一次‘渡河比赛’。比赛中最先游过河，到达神殿的前十二种动物，就可依到达的先后顺序，轮流当大王。“我一定是第一名。”“我才是第一名呢！”动物们你一句我一句地大声争论起来，猫听了这个消息，心里有点担心，他对他的好朋友老鼠说：“我不太会游泳，怎么办呢？”“不要紧，老牛很会游泳，可以请他背我们两个游过去啊！”老鼠说。
The god and the animals decided to hold a river crossing contest on January 1 in Chinese lunar calendar: the first 12 animals that crossed the river and reached the temple would receive their years according to their finish. “I’ll be the first.” “I must win.” All the animals started to argue against each other.Hearing this, the cat was a little upset. He said to his good friend rat, “I can’t swim. What can I do?” “Don’t worry! The ox is a good swimmer. We can ask him to carry us on his back,” said the rat.

渡河比赛的日子到了。动物很早就出发，都想赶在别人前面到达神殿。
On the contest day, all the animals set out very early in hope of arriving at the temple before others.

渡河的時候，所有的动物都拼命的游。其中老牛游得最快，坐在牛背上的老鼠，忽然起了个坏主意，他用力一推把猫推进水里，可怜的猫不太会游泳，咕噜咕嚕直喝水。
All of them strived to swim forward. Ox swam the fastest. Suddenly, the rat on his back got a bad idea. He pushed the cat off into the river. The poor cat swallowed a lot of water.

沒多久，牛已经靠岸。眼看着就要得到第一了，狡猾的老鼠却从牛背上跳下，抢先到达了神殿。”我是第一名！我是第一名！”老鼠得意洋洋地说。
The ox reached the river bank in a while and was set to win the contest. But the cunning rat jumped off his back and rushed to the temple first. “I win! I am the first!” he said proudly.

不久，其他动物也陆陆续续地到了。
The rest of animals arrived one after another in a few minutes.

“按照约定，最先到达神殿的前十二名动物，可以按照先后顺序，轮流当一年的大王，还可以用他们的名字，作为那一年的名字。我们就从今年开始吧！”“鼠、牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗、最后是猪。”天神向大家宣布顺序。被选上的十二种动物都很高兴。
“According to our agreement, the first 12 animals can take turns to be king of a year, and your names will be the name of a year. Let’s start from this year.” “Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster,dog and the last one pig,” the god announced the order. The 12 selected animals were all delighted.

这时，全身湿淋淋的猫，匆匆忙忙跑过来问：“我得了第几名？”天神说：“你来的太迟了，已经结束了！”
At that moment, the drenched cat rushed in and asked anxiously, “Which place did I get?” The god answered, “You are too late. It’s over.”

当猫知道自己没有得到名次时，气得向老鼠扑了过去。老鼠因为心虛，只好拼命地逃。从此以后所有的猫见到老鼠就追，而老鼠就只有到处躲的份了。
Furious, the cat pounced on the rat. Knowing that it was his fault, the rat had to escape. From then on, all the cats will chase the rats and the rats have no choice but to run.