The Chinese Zodiac Play

旁白 1 ： The Chinese New Year is coming, let

me tell you a story about the Chinese Zodiac.

One day, a god makes a big announcement to all the animals on earth.

The god: I will choose 12 different animals to be guardians of the year.

Animals: Wow!

The god: The animal that crosses the river and gets to my palace first will be the guardian of the first year. The second animals will the guardian of the second year, and so on.

Rabbit: I can’t wait for the race.Tiger: I am going to win.Horse: No way, I am going to win.

God decides to hold a race. He will choose the twelve fastest animals.

Cat: I can’t swim. How can I cross the river?

Mouse: Don’t worry. The ox is very nice. We can ask him to take us across.

The cat is worried about the race because she can’t swim.

The race starts. All the animals try to cross the wide river. The turtle is slow so he is last. The tiger is swimming fast and the pig tries her best, too. The rat and cat are riding on the ox’s back.

Cat: Hey Rat, that tiger is ahead of us. Aren’t you worried?

Mouse: No, I am sure we will be first.

Cat: How could you do this to me? I thought we were friends. Save me! I can’t swim.

Mouse: Sorry, old friend. I want to win.

But the rat wants to win very much. He pushes the cat into the river.

Ox: I am almost at the palace.

Mouse: Oh, no. The ox thinks he is going to win. But watch this!

The ox thinks he is going to win the race but the rat has other ideas.

Mouse: Ha, I am first!Ox: You dirty rat.

The ox gets to the riverbank and heads to the palace. When he is a couple of steps from victory, the rat jumps off his back and gets to the palace first. The rat wins!

Pig: You didn’t win, Cat, we have twelve guardians already.

Cat: Oh, no. I can’t believe it.

When the cat finally arrives at the palace, the pig tells her the bad news.

The god announces the twelve guardians: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooter, dog, and pig. All the animals are happy, especially the rat. But starting that day, the cat chases the rat. She will never forgive what the rat did.

旁白 1 ： what the rat did was wrong. He

should be ashamed of himself.

旁白 2 ： Now I know why cats always chase

rats.