關於十二生肖的故事,爲何十二生肖沒有貓

A long time ago in China lived the Jade Emperor. It was his birthday. He wanted to measure time to know how old he was.

很久很久以前住着一位玉皇大帝，有一天他的生日到了，他想測量一下時間，好讓他知道自己已經多少歲了。

All the animals arrived. The Emperor decided to have a race to give a name to each year of the Chinese Zodiac.

所有的小動物們都到了，玉帝決定舉行一個比賽，來決定每一年的名字。

The rat and the cat couldn't swim very well.

老鼠和貓都不太會游泳，

"Can you take us across the river?"

（他們對牛說）"你能帶我們過河嗎？"

"Yes, jump and quick!"

"可以，快來上來吧。"

They swam across the river. Then the rat pushed the cat into the water and jumped on to land.

他們游到河邊，然後老鼠把貓推下了河，自己跳到了岸上。（這就是爲什麼十二生肖中沒有貓的原因了）

"Well done,Rat! The first year will be the Year of the Rat and the second will be the Year of the OX."

“幹得好，老鼠！ 第一年就是鼠年，第二年是牛年。”

"Look! Here's the tiger. He's very tired. The third year will be the Year of the Tiger."

“看！老虎來了。它很累，第三年就是虎年了。”

"The rabbit can't swim but he's very clever. The fourth year will be the Year of the Rabbit."

“兔子不會游泳但他很聰明，第四年就是兔年。”

"Why are you late, Dragon? You can fly!"

"龍，你爲什麼遲到了？你會飛啊！”

"I had to make some rain for thirsty people to drink."

“我必須給乾渴的人們製造雨水。”（龍王爺是掌管下雨的）

"Well done! The fifth year is the Year of the Dragon."

“幹得好！第五年就是龍年了！”

"What's this? I can hear a horse. No, it's a snake. So the snake has the sixth year."

“誰來了？我好像聽到了馬的聲音。不，是蛇，所以第六年是蛇年。”

"Well done! It is good to see you working together! The goat is eighth, the monkey is ninth and rooster is tenth."

“幹得好！很高興看到你們齊心合力幹活！第八是羊，第九是猴子，第十是雞。”

“Sorry I'm late. The water is clean and I needed a bath."

" The eleventh is the Year of the Dog."

"抱歉，我來晚了。河水很乾淨，我得洗個澡。”

“第十一年就是狗年。”

Be“You are the last."

"你是最晚的。"

"Yes, I had to eat and sleep on the way."

“是的，我得在路上吃個飯、再睡個覺。”

"The last is the Year of the Pig."

“最後一年就是豬年吧。”

And that is how the Emperor chose the animals for Chinese Zodiac.

玉皇大帝就是這麼排列中國的生肖的。