In the Chinese zodiac race legend, the Rabbit arrived fourth.
The story says the Jade Emperor organized a race to determine the order of the twelve zodiac animals. Rabbit was fast and reached the river early, but it reportedly crossed by hopping across stones or floating on a log, depending on the version. The Dragon, who could have finished first, stopped to help others and arrived later. Rabbit was eventually passed by Dragon, while Snake concealed itself and startled Horse, affecting the later order.
The legend explains the traditional sequence: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Different retellings vary in details, but Rabbit’s fourth-place position is stable.
This is folklore rather than a historical explanation of the zodiac’s origin. The race story is especially useful as a mnemonic for the order, while the calendar system itself is associated with the twelve earthly branches.