Legend has it that the Jade Emperor organized a river crossing competition to select twelve animals to be the twelve zodiac signs.
Many animals enthusiastically entered after hearing about this news.
On the day of the competition, the cow was ahead of the race.
But unbeknownst to the cow, the clever mouse had been hiding on the cow’s back. When the cow was about to cross the finish line, the mouse jumped off the cow’s back and thus became the first of the zodiac signs.
Mice are not only clever; they were also regarded as a symbol of wealth during ancient times.
