Legends of the Chinese Zodiac
An outline of the traditional Great Race story and the distinction between folklore and calendar calculation.
The Great Race is a family of folk narratives explaining the order of the twelve animals: the Rat riding the Ox across the river and leaping ahead at the finish, the Rabbit crossing on logs, the Dragon stopping to bring rain, and so on down to the Pig. Versions vary by region and retelling.
The story is cultural tradition. Calendar results on this site come from dated Chinese New Year boundaries, not from the legend.