byRyanFrankillustratedbyChiChungbyRyanFrankillustratedbyChiChungCopyright©byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopy,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.RequestsforpermissiontomakecopiesofanypartoftheworkshouldbeaddressedtoSchoolPermissionsandCopyrights,Harcourt,Inc.,6277SeaHarborDrive,Orlando,Florida32887-6777.Fax:407-345-2418.HARCOURTandtheHarcourtLogoaretrademarksofHarcourt,Inc.,registeredintheUnitedStatesofAmericaand/orotherjurisdictions.PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmericaISBN10:0-15-350590-7ISBN13:978-0-15-350590-4OrderingOptionsISBN10:0-15-350336-X(Grade6Below-LevelCollection)ISBN13:978-0-15-350336-8(Grade6Below-LevelCollection)ISBN10:0-15-357731-2(packageof5)ISBN13:978-0-15-357731-4(packageof5)Ifyouhavereceivedthesematerialsasexaminationcopiesfreeofcharge,HarcourtSchoolPublishersretainstitletothematerialsandtheymaynotberesold.Resaleofexaminationcopiesisstrictlyprohibitedandisillegal.Possessionofthispublicationinprintformatdoesnotentitleuserstoconvertthispublication,oranyportionofit,intoelectronicformat.12345678910179121110090807063TheChinesecalendarisorganizedinatwelve-yearcycle,witheachyearnamedafteradifferentanimal.TheanimalsareRat,Ox,Tiger,Rabbit,Dragon,Snake,Horse,Ram,Monkey,Rooster,Dog,andPig.Whyweretheseanimalschosenandwhyaretheyrepresentedinthatorder?TheanswerliesinanancientChineselegend.Long,longago,alltheanimalsintheworldcouldspeakandthink.Theyhadallsortsofdispositions.Somewerefunny,clever,andmischievous.Somewerewiseandevenwicked.Theyroamedtheland,encounteringtheChineseancestors,helpingorhinderingthem,andgoingabouttheirlives.Oneday,theChineseancestorsdecidedtocreateacalendartomarkthepassageoftime.Theworthiestoftheanimalswouldbechosentorepresentthepassingyears.Theancestorsarguedaboutwhichanimalsshouldbechosen.Itwasdecidedthatthebestwaytosettlethedisputewouldbetohavearace.45Atfirst,onlyafe...
