Jade Emperor

High up in the bright, blue sky, lived the kind Jade Emperor. He had a big idea, a very wonderful idea. This is the story of the Great Race. The Jade Emperor wanted to help people remember the years, so he planned a race for all the animals in the big, wide world. He told them, "The first twelve animals to cross the wide, rushing river will get a very special prize. A whole year will be named just for them."

All the animals were so excited. Ready, set, go. The big, strong Ox jumped right into the water. Splash. He was a great swimmer. The clever little Rat saw the kind Ox. The Rat was very small, and the river was very big. The Rat asked, "Can I have a ride, please?". "Yes," said the kind Ox. So the little Rat hopped onto the big Ox's back. They swam and swam together. Just as they reached the other side, zoom. The speedy Rat jumped off the Ox's nose and ran across the finish line. The Rat was first. Hooray. The gentle Ox was second. Then came the brave Tiger, the hopping Rabbit, the big Dragon, the slithering Snake, the galloping Horse, the friendly Goat, the playful Monkey, the proud Rooster, the loyal Dog, and the happy Pig.

A Year for Everyone
The Jade Emperor smiled a big, happy smile. He greeted the twelve winners. One, two, three, all the way to twelve. He gave each animal a special gift. He named a year after each one, just like he promised. First came the Year of the Rat, then the Year of the Ox, and all the other animal years. Every year has a special animal friend. This happy story tells us that everyone has a special talent. You can be clever like the Rat or strong and kind like the Ox. Everyone is a winner in their own special way.