Well now, let me tell you a story, a real old one, about how them animals got their names on the Chinese calendar. It all started way back when, with that Jade Emperor fella. He was a big shot, see? Ruled heaven and earth, they say. And he figured folks needed a way to keep track of time, better than just guessin’ by the sun and moon.
So, he decided, “I’m gonna have a race! The first twelve critters across the river, they get a whole year named after ’em!” A whole year! Can you imagine? That’s a big deal, even for a pig, let alone a dragon.

Now, this weren’t no ordinary river, mind you. It was fast and mean, the kind that could sweep you away in a heartbeat. The animals, they lined up, all eager and nervous. You had the Rat, tiny little thing, and the Ox, big and strong. The Tiger, all stripes and muscles, and the Rabbit, twitchin’ his nose. The Dragon, flyin’ high, lookin’ all fancy, and the Snake, slitherin’ on the ground. The Horse, stompin’ his hooves, the Goat, nibblin’ on grass, the Monkey, grinnin’ and scratchin’, the Rooster, struttin’ his stuff, the Dog, barkin’ up a storm, and the Pig, well, the Pig was just lookin’ for a snack.
- Rat and Ox
- Tiger and Rabbit
- Dragon and Snake
- Horse and Goat
- Monkey and Rooster
- Dog and Pig
The Rat, he wasn’t much of a swimmer, and neither was the Cat, but that’s another story for another day. The Rat, he sweet-talked the Ox, “Hey, big fella, you’re strong, can you give me a ride?” The Ox, bein’ kind-hearted, agreed. So, the Rat sat right on the Ox’s head as they crossed the river. But just as they were about to reach the shore, the Rat jumped off and scurried ahead, making him the first one to finish. Sneaky little fella, that Rat!
The Ox came in second, not mindin’ too much that the Rat pulled a fast one. The Tiger, he was strong too, and came in third. The Rabbit, he hopped from stone to stone and log to log, and came in fourth. The Dragon, he coulda flown straight across, but he stopped to help some folks along the way, so he ended up fifth. The Snake, he hitched a ride on the Horse’s hoof and slithered ahead at the last minute, makin’ him sixth.
The Horse and the Goat, they came in seventh and eighth, workin’ together, seein’ as they were friends. The Monkey, he was havin’ too much fun jumpin’ around and playin’, so he came in ninth. The Rooster, he was busy lookin’ pretty and singin’, so he was tenth. The Dog, he was a good swimmer, but he was distracted by the water, so he came in eleventh.
And the Pig? Well, the Pig, he got hungry and stopped for a nap and a snack, so he came in last. But he still made it! And that’s how the Jade Emperor got his twelve animals, and how we got the Chinese Zodiac. Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each one gets a whole year, just like the Emperor promised.
Now, there’s lots of other stories about that race, you know. Some folks say the animals had to do more than just swim. They had to run and climb and jump too. And some say the animals cheated and tricked each other. But that’s how the stories go. Some a bit different here and there, but the endin’ is all the same. Twelve animals, twelve years. Makes sense to me, even if it is a bit of a yarn.

So next time you see one of them animals, you remember this story. And you remember that even the littlest fella, like that Rat, can win the race if he’s clever enough. And that even if you’re a bit slow, like that Pig, you can still make it to the finish line, long as you keep goin’.
And that, my friends, is the story of the great race, the one that gave us the Chinese Zodiac. A good story it is, and it teaches you some things too, if you pay attention. Now, I gotta go feed them chickens. They’re squawkin’ somethin’ fierce.
Tags:[Chinese Zodiac, Jade Emperor, Great Race, Animals, Calendar]