Nian is a monster. It has a very big mouth and sharp(锋利)teeth. It has two horns(角) and four strong legs. It lives in the sea. It sleeps for 364 days a year.
It comes out of the sea on the eve(前夕)of the Spring Festival. It is very hungry and it wants to eat animals and people. People are scared(害怕) of it. An old man in red clothes puts red paper on the door and lights firecrackers(鞭炮)to scare Nian. Nian is afraid of the colour red and firecrackers.
From then on(从那时起), people wear red clothes and light firecrackers on the Spring Festival.