老鼠的传说

据说，在很早很早以前，生肖这件事归四大天王掌管。

Once upon a time, it is said that the management of the zodiac was overseen by the Four Heavenly Kings.

当年执事的天王姓什么，那年出生的人就属什么。

The Heavenly King who was in charge at the time determined that a person born in that year would belong to the zodiac sign corresponding to his surname.

后来，四大天王回归天宫镇守南天门后，玉皇大帝就决定挑十二动物代表人间生肖，并赐封为神。

Later, after the Four Heavenly Kings returned to the Heavenly Palace to guard the Southern Heavenly Gate, the Jade Emperor decided to select twelve animals to represent the zodiac of the human world and conferred upon them the title of gods.

为体现公平原则，玉帝下令，在规定的日子，人间的动物都可以到天宫应选，并且以动物们赶到天宫的先后作为排名次的顺序，只取最先赶到的前十二名。

To ensure fairness, the Jade Emperor ordered that on the designated day, animals from the human realm could ascend to the Heavenly Palace for selection. They were ranked according to the order in which they arrived, with only the first twelve who arrived being selected.

那时鼠和猫是一对好朋友，他们约定一同到天宫去争取当生肖，并约定到时老鼠来叫猫一同出发。

At that time, the mouse and the cat were good friends. They agreed to go to the Heavenly Palace together to compete for a zodiac sign, and the mouse promised to wake the cat when it was time to set off.

可是，机灵的小老鼠想，人间的许多动物都比自己漂亮，并且还对人类有用，比如，猫念经、兔拜月、狗守屋、龙蛇治水、猴镇山、牛马耕田、猪羊供人食用，自己应当想个法子才能争取到属相。

However, the clever little mouse thought to itself that many animals in the human realm were much more beautiful than it and were useful to humans, such as cats reciting scriptures, rabbits worshiping the moon, dogs guarding homes, dragons and snakes controlling water, monkeys tending mountains, cows and horses plowing fields, and pigs and sheep serving as food. It realized it needed a clever plan to secure a zodiac sign.

于是，在规定到天宫的那天一早，小老鼠悄悄地起来，也没去叫猫，自个儿偷偷跳上老牛的角中藏起来，韧性最好、最勤奋的牛带自己去上天宫去，老牛果然第一个赶到天宫大门。

Thus, early on the appointed day to ascend to the Heavenly Palace, the little mouse quietly woke up and did not call the cat. Instead, it stealthily climbed onto the horn of an old cow and hid there. The old cow, known for its resilience and hard work, took the mouse along to the Heavenly Palace, and sure enough, the old cow was the first to arrive at the gates of the palace.

天亮了，四大天王刚打开大宫门，牛还没有来得及抬蹄，小老鼠从牛角中一跃而下，直奔天宫大殿。

As dawn broke, the Four Heavenly Kings had just opened the grand doors of the palace. Before the old cow could even lift its hoof, the little mouse leaped down from the horn and raced straight into the main hall of the Heavenly Palace.

尽管玉帝不愿意封这个小小的老鼠为生肖。可是群王口中无戏言，自己定下的规定不能更改，玉帝也只好宣布鼠为生肖之首。

Although the Jade Emperor was reluctant to appoint such a tiny mouse as a zodiac sign, he had to abide by the promises made by the heavenly officials and the established rules, so he had no choice but to announce that the mouse would be the first of the zodiac signs.

猫在家等了半天，不见鼠的影子，只好自己赶去天宫。

Meanwhile, the cat waited at home for half the day but saw no sign of the mouse, so it had to go to the Heavenly Palace by itself.

由于等待老鼠耽误了时间，等猫赶到天宫时，十二生肖的名额已排满，没有猫的份儿了。

Due to the time wasted waiting for the mouse, by the time the cat arrived at the Heavenly Palace, the twelve zodiac slots were already filled, and there was no place for the cat.

从此，猫恨透了老鼠，一见到就扑去咬，以泄心中这愤，而老鼠呢，也觉得有些不起猫朋友，见到猫就逃。

From that day on, the cat harbored a deep hatred for the mouse, pouncing on it to bite whenever they met, to vent its anger, while the mouse, feeling somewhat guilty towards its feline friend, would flee upon seeing the cat.

直到今天猫和老鼠的还是殆对头，人们也觉得老鼠的这生肖之首来得不怎么光明正大，也对老鼠失去了好感，其他动物也疏远了它。

To this day, cats and mice remain deadly foes. People also feel that the mouse's ascension to the top of the zodiac was not entirely fair, leading to a lack of affection for the mouse, and other animals distanced themselves from it.

于是，便离开了人和别的家禽家畜下建立了自己的家园，过着独立自主的生活。

As a result, the mouse left humanity and domestic animals behind to establish its own home, living independently.

直至今天，它们子孙也还是生活在地下。

Even today, their descendants still reside underground.

这一来反倒免去了和其他动物的纠缠、争斗，所以鼠的家族始终昌顺、繁衍不息。不管怎么说，老鼠毕竟是凭自己的机警和聪明坐上了生肖的第一把交椅。

This actually spared them from entanglements and conflicts with other animals, allowing the mouse family to thrive and reproduce continuously. After all, the mouse managed to claim the top position in the zodiac through its cleverness and wit.

晚上11时至第二天1时（即”子时“）。这时候，老鼠胆量最壮，活动最频繁，所以，子时同鼠搭配。

From 11 PM to 1 AM (known as the "Zi Hour"), at this time, the mouse is the bravest and most active, which is why the "Zi Hour" is paired with the mouse.