Zodiac Great Race

myth:zodiac_great_race

The legend of the order: the Jade Emperor called a race to fix the twelve, and the rat rode across the river on the ox's head, then leapt ahead at the very line to come in first — so the rat begins the cycle and the ox is second. The cat, tricked by the rat out of the race, was left out forever, and hunts the rat to this day. — Chinese folklore