很久很久以前住着一位玉皇大帝，有一天他的生日到了，他想测量一下时间，好让他知道自己已经多少岁了。
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.
所有的小动物们都到了，玉帝决定举行一个比赛，来决定每一年的名字。
All the animals arrived. The Emperor decided to have a race to give a name to each year of the Chinese Zodiac.
老鼠和猫都不太会游泳，
The rat and the cat couldn't swim very well.
（他们对牛说）"你能带我们过河吗？"
"Can you take us across the river?"
"可以，快来上来吧。"
"Yes, jump and quick!"
他们游到河边，然后老鼠把猫推下了河，自己跳到了岸上。（这就是为什么十二生肖中没有猫的原因了）
They swam across the river. Then the rat pushed the cat into the water and jumped on to land.
“干得好，老鼠！ 第一年就是鼠年，第二年是牛年。”
"Well done,Rat! The first year will be the Year of the Rat and the second will be the Year of the OX."
“看！老虎来了。它很累，第三年就是虎年了。”
"Look! Here's the tiger. He's very tired. The third year will be the Year of the Tiger."
“兔子不会游泳但他很聪明，第四年就是兔年。”
"The rabbit can't swim but he's very clever. The fourth year will be the Year of the Rabbit."
"龙，你为什么迟到了？你会飞啊！”
"Why are you late, Dragon? You can fly!"
“我必须给干渴的人们制造雨水。”（龙王爷是掌管下雨的）
"I had to make some rain for thirsty people to drink."
“干得好！第五年就是龙年了！”
"Well done! The fifth year is the Year of the Dragon."
“谁来了？我好像听到了马的声音。不，是蛇，所以第六年是蛇年。”
"What's this? I can hear a horse. No, it's a snake. So the snake has the sixth year."
“干得好！很高兴看到你们齐心合力干活！第八是羊，第九是猴子，第十是鸡。”
"Well done! It is good to see you working together! The goat is eighth, the monkey is ninth and rooster is tenth."
"抱歉，我来晚了。河水很干净，我得洗个澡。”
“Sorry I'm late. The water is clean and I needed a bath."
“第十一年就是狗年。”
" The eleventh is the Year of the Dog."
"你是最晚的。"
Be“You are the last."
“是的，我得在路上吃个饭、再睡个觉。”
"Yes, I had to eat and sleep on the way."
“最后一年就是猪年吧。”
"The last is the Year of the Pig."
玉皇大帝就是这么排列中国的生肖的。
And that is how the Emperor chose the animals for Chinese Zodiac.