It was coming up to the new year. Twelve animals were arguing. 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. They thought the new year should have a name. They were arguing because each animal wanted the year to be named after himself.
新年即將到來。十二只動物在爭吵。有鼠、牛、虎、兔、龍、蛇、馬、羊、猴、雞、狗、和豬。它們認(rèn)為新年應(yīng)該要有個名字。它們在爭吵,因為每只動物都想要以它自己的名字命名。
There was such a noise that they disturbed the Jade Emperor.
有如此的喧鬧聲,它們打擾到了玉帝。
"Whatever is the matter with you, animals?" Jade Emperor asked.
“你們到底有什么事,動物們?”玉帝問。
One by one, they explained their problem.
一個接著一個,它們解釋它們的問題。
The Jade Emperor thought it over.
玉帝仔細(xì)想了一下。
"I've got an idea." He said. "Can you see that big river? Why not have a race across it? We can name this new year after the winner of the race."
“我有個點子。”他說。“你們可以看到那條大河嗎?為何不比賽游過去?我們可以用比賽贏家的名字命名這個新年。”
All the animals agreed that this was a good idea, but each one secretly thought that they would be the winner. They all hurried to the river and lined up for the race.
所有動物都同意這是個好主意,但每一個都偷偷想著它們會是贏家。它們?nèi)稼s往河流并列隊準(zhǔn)備比賽。
"Ready, steady, go!"
“準(zhǔn)備、預(yù)備、開始!”
With a mighty splash, the animals leaped into the river and started swimming as fast as they could towards the other side.
帶著強(qiáng)勁的水花濺起,動物們跳入河里,并開始盡它們可能快速地朝向另一頭游去。
Now, the rat wasn't the best swimmer, but he was the cleverest animal. 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. He climbed up the tail onto the ox's back. Just before the ox reached the other side of the river, the rat leaped over his head onto the bank.
現(xiàn)在,老鼠并不是最棒的泳者,但它是最聰明的動物。它看到牛就要贏得比賽了,所以它盡它可能快速地游過去,并抓住牛的尾巴。它攀上尾巴并上了牛背。就在牛抵達(dá)河的另一端之前,老鼠跳過它的頭,上了河岸。
"Hurray! I'm the winner!" He squeaked, "Heeheehee!"
“萬歲!我是贏家!”它吱吱叫著,“嘻嘻嘻!”
"Hard luck, ox!" Laughed the Jade Emperor.
“倒霉啊,牛兄!”玉帝笑著說。
"You're very strong, but rat was too clever for you this time. We will call this year the year of the rat. Ox, you were the second, so next year will be the year of the ox."
“你很強(qiáng)壯,但這次老鼠對你來說太聰明了。我們會稱這年為鼠年。牛,你是第二名,所以明年會是牛年。”
One by one, the other animals finished the race.
一個接著一個,其他動物們完成了比賽。
"Oh, well done!" Said the Jade Emperor. "We will name a year after each of you in the same order that you finished the race."
“喔,做得好!”玉帝說。“我們會依照你們完成比賽的相同順序,以你們每位的名字命名一個年份。”