Long, long ago the Jade Emperor was seeking a way to measure time, and so he called upon the animals to gather. When most had arrived, he explained his plan: There would be a race -- across a vast plain, through a forest, over a mountain, and at last across a wide, raging river.
"The first 12 animals to cross the finish line," the emperor said, "will have one year named after them. We'll begin tomorrow at dawn."
The Cat scampered at once to tell his best friend, the Rat, about the race.
"We'll both run," the Cat said. "Promise me you'll wake me in the morning. We'll need to get an early start, and you know how I like to sleep in."
The Rat agreed, but just before dawn the Rat woke with a start and, forgetting to wake the Cat, he scurried to the starting line. By the time the Cat woke, the race had already begun. As fast as he could, the Cat ran toward the starting line. When he saw the others in the far distance and only dust in their wake, he yowled with fury. Now he would never be part of the Zodiac Calendar! (Ever since that day the Cat has been chasing the Rat, hoping to take his revenge.)
But the Rat was so excited, he had forgotten all about the Cat. When he saw the others at the starting line, however, his heart quaked. He could not run half as fast as many of them, and the Rat was not a good swimmer. But the Rat was cunning.
He noticed the Ox, and knowing the Ox was a strong swimmer and rather gullible, the Rat sprinted to catch up with him. "Friend," he said to the Ox, "will you let me ride on your head? I'm so small that I'll never run as fast as you. I'll jump off before you cross the finish line."
The Ox was a kind fellow, and he agreed to let the Rat sit on his head. He was making good time, panting hard but far ahead of the others. When he reached the river, he leaped in and swam with all his strength.
When the Ox and the Rat could see the finish line just ahead, the Ox cried, "We're almost there!" But as they neared shore, the Rat leaped onto land and sprinted to the finish line. So it was the Rat who was the first to arrive, and that is why the first year in the Chinese Zodiac Calendar is named after the Rat. The second year is named after the Ox, for he finished one step behind.
The Tiger was not far behind, but the current in the river pushed him downstream. No matter how hard he paddled, he could not keep up with the Ox and he reached the finish line third, so the third year in the calendar is the year of the Tiger. Next came the Rabbit, who had planned to cross the river by leaping from rock to rock. Alas, in the middle of the river he lost his balance and nearly drowned.
The Rabbit grabbed a log that was floating past. Wet and wide-eyed, the Rabbit held fast and floated toward the shore. Meanwhile, the Dragon was just passing overhead.
Everyone thought the Dragon would surely win since he could fly, and at first he was ahead, but when he passed a land where everyone was dying of thirst, his heart ached and he stopped to make rain for the people. Then, when he saw the Rabbit holding onto the log for dear life, again his heart ached. He huffed and puffed and let forth a great wind that pushed the log to shore. The Rabbit jumped to safety and on to the finish, just head of the Dragon.
The Rabbit understood how much the Dragon had done to help, and ever since that day those who are born in the Year of the Rabbit, the fourth year, enjoy good fortune in the fifth year, the Year of the Dragon.
As the first five finishers caught their breath, they were startled to hear thundering hooves, and they looked up to see the Horse galloping toward them. "Sixth, I shall be sixth!" he cried, but the others noticed what the Horse had failed to see.
The Snake was clinging to the Horse's leg. Just as he was about to cross the finish line, the Snake jumped out. The Horse was so startled, he took a step back, and that is how the Snake took sixth position, and the Horse was named for the seventh year.
Meanwhile the Rooster, the Monkey, and the Goat were running toward the river. When the Rooster saw the other two, he had an idea. "Wait, wait up for me!" he cried. "None of us is a strong swimmer. Let's help each other!"
And so the Monkey, the Rooster and the Goat joined together and built a raft and made oars. With all their strength, they paddled their way across the river, and when they landed, they leaped out. The Goat pulled ahead of the Monkey, who barely beat the Rooster to the finish line. They became years eight and nine and 10.
The Jade Emperor saw the Dog would likely come in 11th, for he was a strong swimmer. Alas, he so loved to play in the water that he was in there splashing around, losing time.
"Hurry!" the others cried. The Dog looked up. "Am I last?" he panted, as he paddled hurriedly to shore. Just as he reached land, the Pig appeared on the river's edge. He was exhausted, squealing, "Oink, oink, wait!"
It took him some time to cross the line.
"What took you so long?" the others asked.
The Pig looked down. He had to admit he'd stopped to eat, and he'd eaten too much, and he'd grown sleepy. For a while he had slept beneath a nice, shady tree, and he woke up just in time to see the Dog run by to take 12th place.
The Jade Emperor smiled at the 12 finishers. "Pig, you made it just in time, the 12th year shall be named after you."
Soon afterward, he announced his calendar, immortalizing the winners of the Zodiac Calendar Race.
"The first 12 animals to cross the finish line," the emperor said, "will have one year named after them. We'll begin tomorrow at dawn."
The Cat scampered at once to tell his best friend, the Rat, about the race.
"We'll both run," the Cat said. "Promise me you'll wake me in the morning. We'll need to get an early start, and you know how I like to sleep in."
The Rat agreed, but just before dawn the Rat woke with a start and, forgetting to wake the Cat, he scurried to the starting line. By the time the Cat woke, the race had already begun. As fast as he could, the Cat ran toward the starting line. When he saw the others in the far distance and only dust in their wake, he yowled with fury. Now he would never be part of the Zodiac Calendar! (Ever since that day the Cat has been chasing the Rat, hoping to take his revenge.)
But the Rat was so excited, he had forgotten all about the Cat. When he saw the others at the starting line, however, his heart quaked. He could not run half as fast as many of them, and the Rat was not a good swimmer. But the Rat was cunning.
He noticed the Ox, and knowing the Ox was a strong swimmer and rather gullible, the Rat sprinted to catch up with him. "Friend," he said to the Ox, "will you let me ride on your head? I'm so small that I'll never run as fast as you. I'll jump off before you cross the finish line."
The Ox was a kind fellow, and he agreed to let the Rat sit on his head. He was making good time, panting hard but far ahead of the others. When he reached the river, he leaped in and swam with all his strength.
When the Ox and the Rat could see the finish line just ahead, the Ox cried, "We're almost there!" But as they neared shore, the Rat leaped onto land and sprinted to the finish line. So it was the Rat who was the first to arrive, and that is why the first year in the Chinese Zodiac Calendar is named after the Rat. The second year is named after the Ox, for he finished one step behind.
The Tiger was not far behind, but the current in the river pushed him downstream. No matter how hard he paddled, he could not keep up with the Ox and he reached the finish line third, so the third year in the calendar is the year of the Tiger. Next came the Rabbit, who had planned to cross the river by leaping from rock to rock. Alas, in the middle of the river he lost his balance and nearly drowned.
The Rabbit grabbed a log that was floating past. Wet and wide-eyed, the Rabbit held fast and floated toward the shore. Meanwhile, the Dragon was just passing overhead.
Everyone thought the Dragon would surely win since he could fly, and at first he was ahead, but when he passed a land where everyone was dying of thirst, his heart ached and he stopped to make rain for the people. Then, when he saw the Rabbit holding onto the log for dear life, again his heart ached. He huffed and puffed and let forth a great wind that pushed the log to shore. The Rabbit jumped to safety and on to the finish, just head of the Dragon.
The Rabbit understood how much the Dragon had done to help, and ever since that day those who are born in the Year of the Rabbit, the fourth year, enjoy good fortune in the fifth year, the Year of the Dragon.
As the first five finishers caught their breath, they were startled to hear thundering hooves, and they looked up to see the Horse galloping toward them. "Sixth, I shall be sixth!" he cried, but the others noticed what the Horse had failed to see.
The Snake was clinging to the Horse's leg. Just as he was about to cross the finish line, the Snake jumped out. The Horse was so startled, he took a step back, and that is how the Snake took sixth position, and the Horse was named for the seventh year.
Meanwhile the Rooster, the Monkey, and the Goat were running toward the river. When the Rooster saw the other two, he had an idea. "Wait, wait up for me!" he cried. "None of us is a strong swimmer. Let's help each other!"
And so the Monkey, the Rooster and the Goat joined together and built a raft and made oars. With all their strength, they paddled their way across the river, and when they landed, they leaped out. The Goat pulled ahead of the Monkey, who barely beat the Rooster to the finish line. They became years eight and nine and 10.
The Jade Emperor saw the Dog would likely come in 11th, for he was a strong swimmer. Alas, he so loved to play in the water that he was in there splashing around, losing time.
"Hurry!" the others cried. The Dog looked up. "Am I last?" he panted, as he paddled hurriedly to shore. Just as he reached land, the Pig appeared on the river's edge. He was exhausted, squealing, "Oink, oink, wait!"
It took him some time to cross the line.
"What took you so long?" the others asked.
The Pig looked down. He had to admit he'd stopped to eat, and he'd eaten too much, and he'd grown sleepy. For a while he had slept beneath a nice, shady tree, and he woke up just in time to see the Dog run by to take 12th place.
The Jade Emperor smiled at the 12 finishers. "Pig, you made it just in time, the 12th year shall be named after you."
Soon afterward, he announced his calendar, immortalizing the winners of the Zodiac Calendar Race.
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