子鼠不知從什么時候開始，"過街老鼠人人喊打'就成了深入人心的話語不過也確實如此。很久以前，老鼠可是一個大大的毛賊，說他為"人人喊打"一點也不過分，不僅如此，他那個"好朋友"貓也是個大壞蛋呢!老鼠的壞名聲，卻愁壞了他家的姑娘。"別人家的姑娘都嫁人了，那嫁衣鮮紅鮮紅的，好像晚霞一樣……不行，我也要穿嫁衣，我也要戴珠釵，我也要嫁人!"老鼠女兒不開心地說道。"嫁人?"老鼠撓撓頭，有誰愿意娶老鼠的女兒呢?"乖女兒，別著急，我們慢慢找個好婆家，應該，咳咳……或許會有人喜歡上你的!"這天，黃鼠狼來老鼠家里做客。"聽說你在為女兒找婆家?""是啊!我女兒雖然長得沉魚落雁、閉月羞花，但是，攤上了我這樣一個老爹，也不容易嫁出去啊!愁死了，愁死我了!""鼠兄，貓有一身本領，還是老虎的師父，你們又是這么多年的朋友，不如把女兒嫁給貓，這樣，你們就不愁吃穿了啊!"老鼠心想∶"我和貓也是幾十年的交情了，他的家底我也清楚，現在乖女兒要嫁人，不如就嫁給貓吧!""好，好，好!所言極是!那還要勞煩兄弟為小女說媒啦!"黃鼠狼提著兩條魚，大搖大擺地來到貓的家門口。"貓兄，小弟剛為你說了門親事，包你滿意!"黃鼠狼說。只見貓正坐在草堆里，一副若有所思的樣子。黃鼠狼笑著湊到貓跟前說∶"貓兄，事情是這樣的……"貓聽后哈哈大笑起來，同意了此事。正月初七，老鼠嫁女兒。張燈結彩，喜燈高照，一片喜慶熱鬧。鼠新娘頭戴花冠，身著紅衣，嬌羞地坐在花轎內等待自己的新郎。轎子由四只老鼠晃晃悠悠地抬著，走在送親隊伍的最前面。送親的老鼠都前呼后擁，只聽見鑼鼓喧天，嗩吶歡唱，好不熱鬧!貓新郎把鼠新娘帶進洞房里，鼠新娘剛要掀開蓋頭，突然貓一把抓住鼠新娘，張開大口把她吞進肚里。原來，貓和老鼠做朋友只是圈套，目的是為了吃掉所有的老鼠。險中逃生的老鼠悲痛欲絕，每天東躲西藏，沒過上一天好日子，他走街串巷，只敢在子時出來覓食。時值雨季，孤零零的老鼠流浪到一片竹林，只見竹林深處有座氣派非凡的道觀，隱隱約約透著股仙氣。不久后，一位白胡子的仙人踱步來到老鼠身邊∶"昨日我夜觀天象，料到今日有貴人來訪，不知貴人身在何處?""呵!小不點，原來是你!"仙人提起老鼠，把他收入衣袖之中。快要天黑的時候，老鼠在離道觀不遠的地方昏迷了過去。"是您救了我嗎?我該怎么報答您呢?"老鼠睜開眼睛后，搖搖晃晃地對著仙人就是一拜。老道士聽聞了老鼠的經歷，十分同情，便對老鼠說∶"聽說玉皇大帝正在選拔掌管時辰的仙官，鑒于你的身世和經歷.不妨一試。"老鼠聽聞此事，答應了老道士，并跟隨老道士一同上了天宮。ChineseZodiacLegendhasitthattheEmperorofHeavenintendedtopickuptweleanimalsinordertorepresenttheChinesezodiac.Andhesaid,"Thefirsttwelveanimalsofyouwhocomeherethedayaftertomorrow

willbeelected."Thelittleanimalsweresoexcitedwhilehearingthenews.Thecatandthemouseweregoodfriendsandbothofthemwantedtotakepartintheactivity.Thecatsaidtothemouse，"Let'ssignupforit!ButIusedtogetuplate,whatshouldIdo?"Themouseensuredthat,"Itdoesn'tmatter.Youcouldsleepaslongasyoulike.TrustmeandIwillwakeyouuptomorrowmorning."Thenextdayis

thedaytosignup.

Earlyinthemorning,the

littlemousegotup

immediatelywhilethefirstsunshinejustcameinthroughthewindow.Oh!Itwastooearly.Therewasnoneofanimalsontheroad.

Thelittlemousewentouthappily,butitforgottokeepitswordthatitwouldwakethecatup.Unexpectedlytherewasawideandragingriverwhichstoppedthelittlemouse'sway.Soitwasworriedandsaidtoitself,"Ican'tswimandwhatcanIdo?"Atthistime,acowcametothebankoftheriverslowly.Thecowlookedcalmwithouthurryorbustle.ItturnedoutthatthecowwasabletoswimHowever,thelittlemouseflutteredabout.Suddenlyitcameagoodidea.Themousewentuptothecowandsaidtoit,"Brothercow,shallIsingyouasong?"Thecowthoughttherewasstill

alongwayaheadanditwasahappytimetolistentoasong.Sothecowhappilyagreedwithit.Sothelittlemousejumpedontothecow'sbackandbegantosinghappily.

Atthesametimethecowhadcarriedthemouseacrosstheriver.hadAsthemousesangthesongs,theyarrivedattheplacewheretheyshouldsignup.Thecowwasfullofjoybecausealltheotheranimalshadnotyetarrived.Attherightmoment,themousejumpedfromthecow'sbacktothefrontofthecowandsaidproudly,"Iamthefirst."Inthisway,thelittlemousebecamethefirstanimalintheChinesezodiac,whilethecowcameinaclosesecond.Thelastonetoarrivewasthepigwhoranhereinasweatfinally.Becausethecatgotuptoolate,itcouldnotbeselectedintothetwelveanimalsof

Chinesezodiac.Whilethecathurriedtotheplace,itonlyfounditsfriendgotthefir