There were a rat, an ox, a tiger, a sheep, a rabbit, a dragon, a snake, a dog, a horse, a rooster, a monkey, and a pig. 有鼠、牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗、和猪。

They thought the new year should have a name. 它们认为新年应该要有个名字。

They were arguing because each animal wanted the year to be named after himself. 它们在争吵，因为每只动物都想要以它自己的名字命名。

There was such a noise that they disturbed the Jade Emperor. 有如此的喧闹声，它们打扰到了玉帝。

"Whatever is the matter with you, animals?" Jade Emperor asked. “你们到底有什么事，动物们？”玉帝问。

One by one, they explained their problem. 一个接着一个，它们解释它们的问题。

The Jade Emperor thought it over. 玉帝仔细想了一下。

"I've got an idea." He said. "Can you see that big river? Why not have a race across it? “我有个点子。”他说。“你们可以看到那条大河吗？为何不比赛游过去？

We can name this new year after the winner of the race." 我们可以用比赛赢家的名字命名这个新年。”

All the animals agreed that this was a good idea, but each one secretly thought that they would be the winner. 所有动物都同意这是个好主意，但每一个都偷偷想着它们会是赢家。

They all hurried to the river and lined up for the race. 它们全都赶往河流并列队准备比赛。

"Ready, steady, go!" “准备、预备、开始!”

With a mighty splash, the animals leaped into the river and started swimming as fast as they could towards the other side. 带着强劲的水花溅起，动物们跳入河里，并开始尽它们可能快速地朝向另一头游去。

Now, the rat wasn't the best swimmer, but he was the cleverest animal. 现在，老鼠并不是最棒的泳者，但它是最聪明的动物。

He saw that the ox was going to win the race, so he swam as fast as he could and grabbed hold of the ox's tail. 它看到牛就要赢得比赛了，所以它尽它可能快速地游过去，并抓住牛的尾巴。

He climbed up the tail onto the ox's back. 它攀上尾巴并上了牛背。

Just before the ox reached the other side of the river, the rat leaped over his head onto the bank. 就在牛抵达河的另一端之前，老鼠跳过它的头，上了河岸。

"Hurray! I'm the winner!" He squeaked, "Heeheehee!" “万岁!我是赢家!”它吱吱叫着，“嘻嘻嘻!”

"Hard luck, ox!" Laughed the Jade Emperor. “倒霉啊，牛兄!”玉帝笑着说。

"You're very strong, but rat was too clever for you this time. “你很强壮，但这次老鼠对你来说太聪明了。

We will call this year the year of the rat. 我们会称这年为鼠年。

Ox, you were the second, so next year will be the year of the ox." 牛，你是第二名，所以明年会是牛年。”

One by one, the other animals finished the race. 一个接着一个，其他动物们完成了比赛。

"Oh, well done!" Said the Jade Emperor. “喔，做得好!”玉帝说。

"We will name a year after each of you in the same order that you finished the race." “我们会依照你们完成比赛的相同顺序，以你们每位的名字命名一个年份。”