兔子的机智

相传兔子和黄牛是邻居，他俩相处得好，互称兄弟。

Legend has it that the rabbit and the yellow cow were neighbors who lived harmoniously, referring to each other as brothers.

黄牛以勤劳苦干度日，兔子靠机灵能干为生，日子都过得不错。

The yellow cow lived a good life through hard work, while the rabbit relied on its cleverness. They both enjoyed their days.

有一天，善于长跑的兔子在黄牛面炫耀道：“我是动物世界中的长跑冠军，谁也跑不过我！”

One day, the rabbit, skilled in long-distance running, boasted to the yellow cow, “I am the long-distance champion of the animal kingdom; no one can outrun me!”

黄牛虚心求教教长跑的绝招，兔子却骄傲地摇摇头说：“长跑冠军得靠先天的素质，学是学不会的。再说，长跑得身轻体便，你这粗壮的身子，恐怕是永远跑不快的。”

The yellow cow humbly asked for tips on long-distance running, but the rabbit proudly shook its head and said, “Being a long-distance champion relies on innate qualities; it cannot be learned. Besides, long-distance running requires a light and agile body, and with your robust build, you will probably never be able to run fast.”

黄牛的心给兔子说得凉了半截，可心里不服气。

The yellow cow felt a chill from the rabbit's words, but its heart was unwilling to accept this.

从此，黄牛开始练长跑，凭着一股坚韧不拔的牛劲，黄牛终于练成一双“铁脚”。

From that day on, the yellow cow began training in long-distance running. With an indomitable spirit, the yellow cow finally developed “iron feet.”

尾巴一翘，四蹄如风，几天几夜也不知疲乏。

With its tail raised and hooves moving like the wind, it could run for days and nights without fatigue.

到了玉皇大帝排生肖的日子，依照规则，谁先到就让谁当生肖。

When the day arrived for the Jade Emperor to rank the zodiac animals, the rule was that whoever arrived first would take the first position.

黄牛与兔子约定，鸡叫头遍就起来，直奔天宫争生肖。

The yellow cow and rabbit agreed to get up at the first crow of the rooster and rush to the heavenly palace to compete for the zodiac position.

鸡叫头遍，黄牛起床时，兔子早就一个人跑了。兔子跑了好一阵子，回头一持，不见任何动物的影子。

At the first crow, when the yellow cow got out of bed, the rabbit had already raced ahead. The rabbit ran for a while and, looking back, saw no other animals in sight.

兔子心想，我今天起得最早，跑得又最快就是睡上一觉起来，这生肖的头名也是非我莫属。

The rabbit thought to itself, “I woke up the earliest and run the fastest. A quick nap after this, and the top spot in the zodiac will surely be mine.”

于是，它在草地上呼呼大睡起来。

So, it lay down on the grass and fell into a deep sleep.

黄牛虽然落后了，但它任坚韧的耐力和平时练就的铁脚，一鼓作气，当兔子还在酣睡的时候，便先跑到了天宫。

Although the yellow cow started late, it relied on its tenacity and the iron feet it had developed through practice, making a final push. While the rabbit was still deep in sleep, the yellow cow reached the heavenly palace first.

一阵急促的脚步声惊醒了兔子，睁眼一看，原来是老虎一阵风般地跑过去，这下兔子急了，赶紧追赶，可惜慢了一步，始终还是落在了老虎之后。

A sudden flurry of footsteps woke the rabbit up. When it opened its eyes, it saw the tiger rushing past like a gust of wind. The rabbit panicked and hurried to catch up but was still a step too late, finishing behind the tiger.

由于牛的双角间还蹲了一只投机取巧的小老鼠，结果兔子只排到了第四位，前三名是鼠、牛、虎、兔子虽然当上了生肖，但终穷觉得脸上无光，输给了自己讽刺的老牛。

As the yellow cow’s horns also had a crafty little mouse squatting between them, the rabbit ended up in fourth place. The top three positions went to the mouse, the cow, and the tiger. Although the rabbit became part of the zodiac, it was left feeling humiliated, defeated by its own hubris.

回来以后，把家搬到了土洞中。现在的野兔也还是住在土洞中，不过，兔子是不会吸取教训的。

After returning, it moved its home to a burrow. Today’s wild rabbits still reside in burrows, but the rabbit never learns its lesson.

不信，你今天再来一个“牛兔赛跑”或者“龟兔赛跑”，得冠军的肯定不是兔子。

If you were to hold another “cow versus rabbit race” or a “tortoise and rabbit race” today, the champion would definitely not be the rabbit.

清晨5——7时（即“卯时”）这时，太阳还没露出脸面，月亮的光辉还未隐退完全，玉兔是月亮代称，是月宫神话中唯一的动物，这样卯时就同兔搭配。

In the early morning, between 5 and 7 o’clock (known as “the hour of the rabbit”), the sun has not yet shown its face, and the moon’s glow has not fully faded. The Jade Rabbit is a symbol of the moon and the only animal in the mythology of the moon palace, so this hour of the rabbit pairs well with the rabbit's essence.