Kofzar kofzar,
古早古早,
(Long time ago,)

In'ui toaxpoxhun ee laang tviaxtvia bøexkietid kaki si ti tøf'cidnii zhutsix`ee.
因為大部分的人定定未記得家己是在哪一年出世的.
(Because most people always forgot in which year they were born.)

Ma tviaxtvia sngx bøe zhengzhør taotøea kaki si kuyhøex`aq?
亦定定算未清楚到底家己是幾歲呀?
(Also could not always figure out exactly how old they were?)

Sofie, Gioghoong Taixtex sviu zhutlaai cidee paxnhoad:
所以, 玉皇大帝想出來一個辦法:
(So, the Jade Emperor came up an idea.)

Y jixm'ui na bøeq kiongkix kinnii si tøf'cidnii, hef si u khaq khurnlaan,
他認為若要強記今年是哪一年, 那是有較困難,
(He felt that it is too difficult to remember which year this year is,)

Taxnsi, na iong toxngbut ee miaa laai kix tø kef ciog kafntafn.
但是, 若用動物的名來記就加足簡單.
(But, it would be easier for us to call out by the names of animals.)

Afnny, cyiaux zhøexzhud zabjixee toxngbut laai taixpiao bøkaang ee nii,
安呢, 只要尋出十二個動物來代表無同的年,
(Then, only have to pick up 12 animals to represent the different years,)

Tiøh øexsae laq.
就能使啦.
(It will take care of the problems.)

Gioghoong Taixtex tø thongty Thoftixkofng khix kongpox cidee siausid,
玉皇大帝就通知土地公去公佈一個消息,
(The Jade Emperor asked the Earth God to inform all the animals about this news,)

Korng y sviuxbøeq kwheeng cidee pysaix,
講伊想欲舉行一個比賽,
(That, there will be a contest, )

Ti cit'ee pysaix tiofng bøeq soar zabji ee toxngbut zhud`laai.
在這個比賽中欲選十二個動物出來.
(In this contest, 12 animals will be picked for the twelve signs of the zodiac.)

Cit'ee siausid si afnny siar`ee:
這個消息是安呢寫的"
(The news posted as :)

"Hoangeeng sofu ee toxngbut lorng laai zhamkaf cit'ee pysaix.
"歡迎所有的動物攏來參加這個比賽.
("All animals are welcomed to compete.)

Theqtiøh thauzeeng zabji miaa ee toxngbut, yn tø si zabji svisviux."
提著頭前十二名的動物, 他們就是十二生肖."
(The first twelve across the finish line will be chosen as the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.)

Siausid cide kongpox, sofu ee toxngbut lorng kafmkag cviaa henghuxn.
消息一下公佈, 所有的動物攏感覺很興奮.
(After the announcement was made, all the animals got very excited.)

Ar ti hiaf thøflun kaq lauxjiet kwnkurn.
而在那裡討論甲鬧熱滾滾.
(Everybody all noisily discussed this event.)

Niawzhuo kab niaw pwnlaai si cyn hør ee lau peng'iuo.
老鼠和貓本來是真好的老朋友.
(The rat and the cat were very good old friends.)

Sofie yn ma zørhøea teq thøflun cit'hang taixcix.
所以他們亦做夥在討論這項代誌.
(So they met to discuss this event.)

Niawzhuo korng: "Larn bøexhiao siuzuie, afnny larn si bøeq afnzvoar køeahøo neq?"
老鼠講: "咱未曉泅水, 安呢咱是欲按怎過河呢?"
(The rat said: "We can't swim. How are we going to cross the river?)

Niaw tø korng: "Larn laikhix kab guu habzog.
貓就講: "咱來去和牛合作.
(The cat said: "Let work together with the ox.)

Larn ka y pørlo, ar y ka larn zaix køeahøo."
咱給伊報路, 而伊給咱載過河."
(We can point the way for him, and he can carry us across."

Niaw kab niawzhuo tø taotin khix zhøe guu,
貓和老鼠就鬥陣去尋牛,
(The cat and the rat went to ox together,)

Guu thvialiao ma mafsiong tø tap'exng.
牛聽了亦馬上就答應.
(After listened, the ox agreed to do so right away.)

Pysaix hitkafng ee thaozar, thvy iawbøe kngf,
比賽彼工的透早, 天猶未光,
(The very early morning of the day of contest,)

Guu, niaw kab niawzhuo tø ykefng laikaux høpvy aq.
牛, 貓和老鼠就已經來到河邊呀.
(The ox, the cat, and the rat were already on the bank of the river.)

Guu khuu`løqlaai, ho niaw kab niawzhuo peq khylix y ee khaciahphviaf,
牛踞落來, 乎貓和老鼠爬起去伊的腳脊骿.
(The ox stooped down to let the cat and the rat climb onto his back,)

Jien'au yn tø khaisie køeahøo.
然後他們就開始過河.
(After that, they started across the river.)

Pengsiongsi'ar niaw tø ciog aix tokkw, jichviar hitkafng y cviaa zar y tø khie`laai,
平常時仔貓就足愛琢龜, 而且彼工伊很早就起來,
(The cat liked to take a nap, on top of that, he also got up very early that morning,)

Sofie, bøo joaxkuo, y tø phag ti guu ee khaciahphviaf khuxn`khix laq.
所以, 無多久, 伊就仆在牛的腳脊骿睏去啦.
(So, the cat fell to asleep as soon as he got to the back of ox.)

Niawzhuo ittit sviuxbøq theh tøexid miaa.
老鼠一直想要提第一名.
(The rat was very eager to win the first place.)

Ti guu titbøeq kaux hitpeeng hvoa sii, niawzhuo tø ka niaw sag løqkhix zuie`nih.
在牛得欲到那旁岸時, 老鼠就把貓推落去水裡.
(When the ox was a few seconds away from the opposite bank of the river, the rat shoved the cat into the water.)

Liawau, kaki tø zngx jibkhix guu ee hvi'ar lai.
了後, 家己就鑽入去牛的耳仔內.
(Then scampered himself into one of the ox's ears.)

Guu pviarmia teq siuzuie, bøo zu'ietiøh hoatsefng sviafmih taixcix,
牛拚命在泅水, 無注意著發生甚麼代誌,
(The ox worked very hard of swimming, did not pay attention to what happened,)

Y kantvaf thviatiøh niawzhuo ti y ee hvi'ar lai hoahkorng:
伊干單聽著老鼠在伊的耳仔內喝講:
(He just heard the rat's hollering:

"Guu toaxkøf, ka'iuu! Ka'iuu! Larn titbøeq kaux laq."
"牛大哥, 加油! 加油! 咱得欲到啦."
("Big brother Ox, Go! Go! We are almost there!")

Cide cviuxhvoa, guu si ciog hvoahie`ee, y hioxng ciongtiarm chiofng`khix.
一下上岸, 牛是足歡喜的, 伊向終點衝去.
(As soon as the ox climbed up the shore, he gleefully advanced toward the finish line.)

Cit'ee sizun, niawzhuo hionghioong tuy guu ee hvi'ar lai zao`zhutlaai,
這個時陣, 老鼠雄雄從牛的耳仔內走出來,
(At that moment, the rat run out of the ox's ear suddenly,)

Chviuo ti siong thauzeeng kaux ciongtiarm, tøexid miaa tø ho niawzhuo chviuo`khix laq.
搶在尚頭前到終點, 第一名就乎老鼠搶去啦.
(The rat rushed to the finish line to win the first place.)

Ar sinkhor kuipvoarkafng ee guu, tientør soaq theqtiøh tøexji miaa.
而辛苦歸半工的牛, 顛倒煞提著第二名.
(The ox, after worked so hard, only got the second place.)

Biefnkorng ma zaiviar, guu tongjieen si ciog siuxkhix`ee.
免講亦知影, 牛當然是足受氣的.
(Did not have to say it, of course, the ox was very furious.)

Tiøh si afnny, guu na khvoartiøh niawzhuo tø ka y ee bagciw tiern kaq ciog toaxluie`ee.
就是安呢, 牛若看著老鼠就把伊的目睭展甲足大蕾的.
(This is why the ox has glared at the rat with his enormous eyes.)

Kengkøex cidtiap'ar kuo, kuisengkhw taam-kokoo ee hor kaux`aq.
經過一會兒久, 歸身軀濕糊糊的虎到呀.
(After a while, the tiger who was soaking wet all over arrived.)

Y ciog u zuxsixn hoahkorng: "Goar si tøexid miaa!"
伊足有自信喝講: "我是第一名!"
(He said with confidence: "I'm the first!"

Gioghoong Taixtex korng: "Mxsi laq, lie si tøexsvaf miaa`ee."
玉皇大帝講: "不是啦, 你是第三名的."
("No, you are the third," proclaimed the Jade Emperor.)

Citzun, khongtiofng hutjienkafn kngflaai cidzun kngfløe'ar hofng,
這陣, 空中忽然間捲來一陣龍捲風.
(At that moment, a whirlwind twisted in the sky,)

Si leeng tuy thviterng kaxng`løqlaai, hioxng ciongtiarm pøef`khix.
是龍從天頂降落來, 向終點飛去.
(It is the dragon descended toward the finish line.)

Citzun thofar thiaux kao'ui, ka tøexsix miaa taixsefng chviuo`khix laq.
這陣兔仔跳到位, 把第四名代先搶去啦.
(At this moment, the rabbit jumped ahead and took the fourth place.)

Thofar bøexhiao siuzuie, sofie, cidlo y lorng si iong thiaux`ee,
兔仔未曉泅水, 所以, 一路伊攏是用跳的
(The rabbit could not swim but to jump all the way down.)

Y ti kithvaf toxngbut ee khaciahphviaf thiaolaai-thiaokhix, iong afnny laai køehøo`ee.
伊在其他的動物的腳脊骿跳來跳去, 用安呢來過河的.
(He had to across the river by jumping on the backs of the other animals.)

Gioghoong Taixtex mng leeng korng:
玉皇大帝問龍講:
(The Jade Emperor asked the dragon:

"Lie si iong pøef`ee. Afnzvoar lie nar øe ciahniq'voax ciaq kao'ui neq?"
"你是用飛的. 按怎你怎會這麼晏才到呢?"
("You flew. Why did you arrive so late?")

Goanlaai leeng si sefng khix iau'oarn ee Laam Hae zwchii cidee løqho ee tiefnlea,
原來龍是先去遙遠的南海主持一個落雨個典禮,
(The dragon had gone to the South China Sea to host a rainmaking ceremony,)

Liawau ciaq tuy hiaf kvoar`laai, tø si afnny, y ciaq øe bøexhux laq.
才從那裡趕來, 就是安呢, 伊才會未赴啦.
(After that, he rushed back in a hurry from there, that was why he was late.)

Hngxhng u befsviaf thoaan`laai, ma khvoartiøh thohurn pøef kaq moar siekøex.
遠遠有馬聲傳來, 亦看著土粉飛甲滿四界.
(The pounding of hoarse was heard, and the sky was filled with flying dust.)

Taixkef khvoartiøh bea zao ti siong thauzaeeng, y titbøeq kaux laq.
大家看著馬走在尚頭前, 伊得欲到啦.
(It was the horse running at the front and was just about to cross the finish line.)

Hutjienkafn, zoaa tuy zhawpof`nih zngx`zhutlaai, y chviwtiøh tøexlak miaa.
忽然間, 蛇從草埔裡鑽出來, 伊搶著第六名.
(Suddenly, the snake shot through the thick patches of grass, and got the sixth.)

Zoaa pwnlaai si u khaf`ee.
蛇本來是有腳的.
(The snake had legs originally.)

Taxnsi in'ui zao cide sviw zhutlat, soaq ka sofu ee khaf lorng zawtng`khix laq.
但是因為走一下(太)出力, 煞把所有的腳攏走斷去啦.
(But because he raced so hard this time, he ran his legs off.)

Goanpurn bea si cviaa iofngkarm`ee,
原本馬是很勇敢的.
(Originally, the horse was very bold and brave.)

Citpae khix ho zoaa zhoaq`cide, soaq phoartvar`khix laq.
這次去乎蛇掇一下, 煞破贍去啦.
(Being frightened by the snake this time, he became very timid.)

Viuu, kaau kab køef zørhoea khiøhtiøh cidky zhakhof,
羊, 猴和雞做夥拾著一支柴箍.
(The goat, the monkey, and the rooster found a log together,)

Yn taixkef taotin habzog, ho yn theqtiøh tøexpøeq, tøexkao kab tøexzap miaa.
他們大家鬥陣合作, 乎他們提著第八, 第九和第十名.
(They worked together, rowed ashore on the log. As a result, they got the eighth, ninth and tenth place respectively.)

Viuu ze ti zhakhof ee siong thauzeeng, y si pørlo`ee.
羊坐在柴箍的尚頭前, 伊是報路的.
(The goat sat at the front of the log to guide them.)

In'ui sviw jixncyn khvoax lo, soaq piernseeng cidee toa kixnsi`ee.
因為(太)認真看路, 煞變成一個大近視的.
(Because he strained his eyes for the direction, his eyesight became quite nearsighted.)

Kaau ti zhakhof-terng ze sviw kuo`khix, y ee khazhngf soaq piexn kaq aang køq zerng.
猴在柴箍頂坐一下(太)久去, 伊的腳瘡煞變甲紅擱腫.
(The monkey sat on top of the log too long, that his buttocks were swollen and red.)

Køef pwnlaai u sieky khaf`ee.
本來雞有四支腳的.
(The rooster had four legs originally.)

Ti cviuxhvoa ee sii, kitiofng ee nngxky khaf khix ho zhakhof korngtng`khix.
在上岸的時, 其中的兩支腳去乎柴箍摃斷去.
(But when he was climbing ashore, two of his legs were broken off by the log.)

Sofie, citmar køef zhwn nngxky khaf niaxnia.
所以, 這碼雞剩兩支腳而已.
(That is why the rooster has only two legs now.)

Kao laai`aq.
狗來呀.
(Here came the dog.)

Y si ciog aix sngr`ee.
伊是足愛玩的.
(He was a playful fellow.)

Ti køeahøo ee sii, y ti høo`nih sngfzuie, sngr kaq soaq ka sikafn bøexkix`tid khix.
在過河的時, 伊在河裡玩水, 玩甲煞把時間未記得去.
(As he crossed the river, he had such a good time in the water that he forgot about the time.)

Citmar, zabji svisviux kantvaf zhwn cidee miagiah.
這碼十二生肖干單剩一個名額.
(Now, there was only one opening left.)

Taixkef lorng ka axmkurn zhwn kaq tnggr'tng'tngg, zuo'ix teq khvoax.
大家攏把頷頸伸甲長長長, 注意在看.
(All the animals stretched their necks to see who was coming.)

Ty laai`aq.
豬來呀.
(Here came the pig.)

Y kuisengkhw lorng si kvoa, toaxsviaf korng:
伊歸身軀攏是汗, 大聲講:
(He arrived covered with sweat from head to toes. Loudly said:

"Goar iaw kaq kiongkioong bøeq sie`khix.
"我飢甲強強欲死去.
("I'm starving. I'm dying because that.)

Ciaf u sviafmih høfciah ee miqkvia`bøo?"
此有甚麼好食的物件無?"
(Is there anything good to eat?")

Pysaix ykefng kietsog aq, Gioghoong Taixtex soanpox zabji svisviux ee miatvoaf:
比賽已經結束呀, 玉皇大帝宣佈十二生肖的名單:
(The race was over. The Jade Emperor announced the 12 animals in the zodiac.)

Zhuo, guu, hor, thox, leeng, zoaa, bea, viuu, kaau, køef, kao, kab ty.
鼠, 牛, 虎, 兔, 龍, 蛇, 馬, 羊, 猴, 雞, 狗, 豬.
(The rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, and pig.)

Citzun, taam-kokoo ee niaw ciaq kvoar`laai.
這陣, 濕糊糊的貓才趕來.
(At that moment, the dripping wet cat finally arrived.)

Y kvoafkirn mng: "Goar si tøexkuie miaa?"
伊趕緊問: "我是第幾名?"
(He asked in a hurry: "What is my place?")

Gioghoong Taixtex hoetab korng: "Tiøh exzabsvaf miaa."
玉皇大帝回答講: "第十三名."
("You came in the thirteenth." replied the Jade Emperor.)

Niaw si khix kaq tagky zhuiechiw lorng khiao'khiaokhiaux.
貓是氣甲逐支嘴鬚攏翹翹翹.
(The cat was very angry. Every one of his whiskers stood up.)

Y korng: "Khøfvox ee niawzhuo! Goar zoadtuix m paxng y soaq!"
伊講: "可惡的老鼠! 我絕對不放伊息!"
(He said: "How dare you are, the rat! I won't let you go for sure!)

Korng soaq, niaw tø cviaa siuxkhix, ar hioxng niawzhuo zoong`khix.
講息, 貓就很受氣, 而向老鼠奔去.
(After he said so, he ran toward the rat madly.)

Niawzhuo si kviaf kaq bøeq sie`khix, tuix Gioghoong Taixtex ee y'ar khaf zngx`khix.
老鼠是驚甲欲死去, 對玉皇大帝的椅仔腳鑽去.
(The rat was so scared and ran under the Jade Emperor's throne.)

Mxkuo ma si khix ho niaw siexn` cide, sofu ee zhuiekhie soaq lorng laklaq`khix.
不過亦是去乎貓摑一下, 所有的嘴齒煞攏落落去,
(But the cat slapped the rat across the face and knocked out all of his teeth.)

Peng'iuo aq, niawzhuo suijieen si theqtiøh tøexid miaa,
朋友呀, 老鼠雖然是提著第一名,
(Although the rat won the first place,)

Taxnsi, tuy hitkafng khaisie, niawzhuo muykafng lorng tiøh theqsym-tiaotvar,
但是, 從彼工開始, 老鼠每工攏須提心吊膽,
(But from that day, the rat had been scared day and night.)

Ciog kviaf niaw øe laai zhøe y pørsiuu.
足驚貓會來尋伊報仇.
(Afraid of the cat will find him.)

Kaotvaf, niawzhuo na si khvoartiøh niaw ee viar, tø kvoafkirn pviarmia zao.
到今, 老鼠若是看著貓的影, 就趕緊拚命走.
(Till now, as soon as sees the cat's shadow, the rat runs like mad.)

Lieen ti jit`sii, ma tiøh biq ti tong`nih, mxkvar zhud`laai neq!
連在日時, 亦須匿在洞裡, 不敢出來呢!
(Even in the daylight, he hides in a hole, not daring to show his face.)