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《成语故事》 大禹治水 远古的时候，洪水泛滥。尧帝命鲧（gǔn）治水。鲧用土石来堵掩凶猛的洪水，治理了九年，一直没有成效。 舜即位后，又命令鲧的儿子禹继续治水。禹吸取父亲的教训，改用疏导的办法，把沟渠的水导入江河，又把江河的水导入大海。13年如一日，他天天带领百姓奋战在治水工地。这十三年间，禹曾三次经过自己的家门，第一次孩子还在襁褓中哭；第二次孩子刚学会喊爸爸；第三次孩子已长大，想留住爸爸。但是因为时间太匆忙，治水的工程一刻也不能耽误，禹一次也没进入自己的家门。他这种三过家门而不入的牺牲精神得到后人的称颂。 【英文】 It wassaid that in the reign of Yao and Shun, the overrunning flood was mischievous, so Yao assigned Gun to regulate it. Gun wanted to cut off the flood with stones but failed. Then, Shun assigned Yu, Gun’s son, to continue the work. Having learned his father’s lesson, Yu dredged new river channels as outlets, guiding water into river and river into sea.Day by day, year by year, Yu spent thirteen years in governing the flood without a break. During these years, Yu passed by his house three times and never went in. This not only eliminated the flood, but contributed to the development of agriculture. 引狼入室 从前，有个牧羊人在山谷里放羊，他远远地看见一只狼总是跟在羊群后面，就提高了警惕。但是，一连几个月过去了，那只狼并没有伤害到羊群，反而因为有狼的存在，其他的野兽都不敢靠近羊群了。 看到这种情况，牧羊人心想：“看来狼并不像别人说的那么狠毒和诡计多端，如果能让狼来帮我看管我的羊，不就不用担心其他野兽伤害到它们了吗？”这样想着，牧羊人就把这只狼带进了羊圈。 有一天，牧羊人要进城办事，就吩咐狼照顾家里的羊，狼开心地答应了。没想到他刚刚离开羊圈，狼就尖叫着呼唤来了狼群，把牧羊人的羊全都拖走吃掉了。 牧羊人回到家后，看到自己的羊全都不见了，悔恨得捶头顿足，却也于事无补了。 【英文】 Once there was a shepherd. One day, he herded sheep in mountains asusual. When he saw a wolf following his sheep far behind, he began to stayalert. However, after a few months, the wolf didn’t hurt any sheep at all.Instead, other wild animals didn’t dare to walk close to the flock becauseof the wolf. Seeing this, the shepherd thought: It seems that the wolf isnot as cruel and tricky as people said. If I can get the wolf to watchmysheep, other wild animals will not hurt my sheep any more. Then he tookthat wolf into the sheepfold. One day, the shepherd had something to deal with in the town. Beforeleaving home, he told the wolf to take good care of the sheep. Thewolf agreed happily. But soon after he left the sheepfold, the wolfhowled and called out many wolves here. All the sheep wereeaten by the wolves. When the shepherd came back, he found that all his sheep were gone. Hewas so regret. But he could do nothing to make up. 谁是森林之王 老虎住在森林里，它十分勇敢且凶猛，老虎会捕食其他动物，其他动物都很畏惧它。一天，老虎遇到一只狐狸，要把狐狸吃掉。狐狸灵机一动，告诉老虎自己是森林之王。老虎显然不信，狐狸让老虎跟在自己身后，狐狸走到一群动物面前时，动物们都吓跑了。为什么会这样呢？狐狸真的是森林之王吗？ 【英文】 Tiger lived in the forest. Tiger was brave. Tiger was fierce. The animals were all afraid of Tiger. He hunted them for food. One day, Fox walked across Tiger’s path. Tiger roared. “There is my next meal.” “Oh no!” thought Fox. ’I can’t run faster than Tiger. He will eat me up!” Tiger roared. He was hungry. “Wait!” called Fox. “You cannot eat me.” “I shall eat you,” Tiger said. “You are nothing, Fox. You can’t stop me!” He took a step closer to Fox. “You cannot eat me!” cried Fox. “I am the King of the Forest!” “You are no king,” Tiger roared. “You are a joker.” “No, it’s true,” said Fox. “Any animal that sees me will run away.” “Ha!” roared Tiger. “I don’t believe you! I am not running away! I am the King of the Forest!” “You don’t have to believe me. I can prove it.” “Go ahead,” roared the tiger. “Prove it!” “Follow me,” Fox said. Tiger followed Fox through the forest. They saw a group of animals in a field. Fox walked toward them. Tiger followed behind. He watched the animals closely. They were busy eating grass. They didn’t see Fox and Tiger in the forest. Fox growled. He showed his teeth. He tried to roar. The animals heard Fox’s “roar.” They turned and saw Fox and Tiger. The animals ran away as fast as they could! “Look!” cried Fox. “They are afraid of me. Did you see how they ran?” Tiger was amazed. “I saw that,” Tiger said. “You really are King of the Forest.” Tiger bowed to Fox. Then he turned and walked away. Of course, the animals were not really afraid of Fox. They saw Tiger standing behind Fox. They were afraid of Tiger. He was the real King. He was fierce. He was not as smart as Fox, though. Fox saved himself from being Tiger’s dinner. And that was even better than being King. 呆若木鸡 战国时，斗鸡是贵族们寻欢作乐的一项活动，齐王便是当时的一位斗鸡迷。为了能在斗鸡场上取胜，齐王特地请专家纪渻 (shěng)子帮他训鸡。 齐王求胜心切，没过几天，便派人来催问，纪渻子说：“鸡没训好，它一见对手，就跃跃欲试，沉不住气。” 过了几天，齐王又派人来问，纪渻子说：“还不到火候，看样子鸡虽不乱动了，但还不够沉稳。” 又过了几天，纪渻子终于对来人说：“请你告诉齐王，我花工夫把鸡训好了。”待到斗鸡时，对手的鸡又叫又跳，而纪渻子训好的鸡却像只木鸡，一点反应也没有，别的鸡看到它那副呆样竟然都被吓跑了。因此，齐王用这只鸡和别人斗，自然场场获胜。他那兴奋的样子就甭(béng)提了。 【英文】 In the Warring States period, the King of Qi liked gamecock. In order to win, he asked an expert Ji Shengzi to train the cock for him. The King of Qi wanted to win eagerly, so only a few days later, he asked the expert if the cock was ready to fight. Ji said: “It’s not the right time.” Another a few days later, the King of Qi asked the expert again and the answer was still no. At the third time, Ji Shengzi said that the cock was ready. Then the King of Qi let his cock fight with another one. That cock jumped and yelled, but his cock was like a wooden cock that didn’t move at all. Other cocks were frightened by that look. As a result, the king’s cock won and he felt so excited! 门可罗雀 汉文帝时有一个叫翟公的人，曾做过廷尉这样的大官。翟公当官时，每天到他家来的客人，一个接一个，真像是赶集一样。有的来送礼，有的来求情，有的来请客，有的来投奔。门前的宝马雕车，一辆接一辆，挤得水泄不通。哪知好景不长，翟公被免去了官职，从此家中再也没看到一个客人，他家门前变得冷冷清清，简直是空荡到可以设置罗网，来捉麻雀。 不久，翟公再度官复原职，过去那些客人突然又出现了，大家登门拜访，像排队一样。翟公为此感触良深，便在自家门前写了一首诗，其中有两句是「一贵一贱，交情乃见。」意思就是说：只有经历过富贵和贫贱，才能看出人与人之间的真正关系。 【英文】 Zhai Gongwas a Han dynasty government official.Because he held a very high-ranking and powerful position, many of his friends, relatives, and even acquaintances whom he barely knew often went to visit him. Day after day, horses and chariots （carriage）were lined up in front of his house;it was really as if ’the courtyard was as crowed as a marketplace.’ However,Zhai Gongwasremoved from office.All people then stopped going to see him, and the place in front of his house was so empty that sparrows would fly about and stop to rest on his doorstep. Shortly after,Zhai Gongwas reinstated.After hearingthe news, his friends and relativesall once again began to ride their horses or drive their chariots back to visit him. Zhai Gong, however, was now unwilling to see thembecause he realized the real intention of them. 瞎子摸鱼 从前，有两个盲人，他们是好朋友。一天，两人决定买一条鱼回来做美味的鱼汤喝。很快，鱼买回来了，两人准备架起炉灶做一锅美味的鱼汤。等他们精心地将调料放进锅里，又慢火炖了整整一个小时之后，却发现无论用什么餐具都无法把鱼从锅里捞出来。于是，这两人大吵了起来。他们都怀疑是对方偷偷把鱼摸走吃掉了。两人越吵越凶，邻居听到了声音，急忙跑过来，结果一看，邻居哭笑不得，原来那条大活鱼根本就没被煮过，它早就从锅里跳了出来到了地上。 【英文】 Once upon a time, two blind men were good friends, and they lived together. One day, they decided to cook some fish soup for themselves. Soon, they bought a fish and were ready to set up a cooker to cook it. One hour later, they began to taste the fish soup, but each of them couldn’t get any fish. They got angry and quarreled because both of them suspected that the other stole the fish and ate it. Having heard this, their neighbor came and he found the fish was on the floor. The two men didn’t put the fish into the pot at all at the very start. 牛郎织女 牛郎和织女在凡间相见并一见钟情，然而牛郎是凡人，织女却是天上的仙子。他们违背了王母的意愿结婚生子，但是织女最终还是被王母带走了。牛郎用老牛的皮做成了衣服，披上之后便可飞上天空，王母感动于两人的感情，允许他们每年的七夕在鹊桥上见面。 【英文】 When the world was young, the sky was as soft as silk. Magpie birds soared and never wanted to land. Only Zhinu the cloud weaver did not feel at home in the sky. She watched the people far below and wove clouds that reached for the ground. Zhinu and her sisters lived in the sky with their grandmother, the Queen Mother of the West. One night, there was a terrible storm. Zhinu looked down at a cozy farmhouse, wishing she were with the family inside. But not everyone was inside. She watched a young farmer and his old ox trying to stop the water from flooding the wheat fields. The ox stumbled and sank in the mud. The farmer gently helped her up. He sang of the stars of the ox constellation as he led her to the barn. He was interrupted by a shrillvoice yelling from the farmhouse, “Hey lazy Niulang, sleep in the barn tonight. Your brother and I don’t want mud in the house!” The next morning, Zhinu pulled on her dress made of the dawn’s red clouds. She wanted to see the farmer again. “Let’s go swimming,” she suggested to her sisters. “Grandmother won’t like it,” her sisters warned. But Zhinu convinced them. They grabbed their swimsuits and slid down the clouds to the ground. While the others jumped into the pond, Zhinu tiptoed to the farmer’s barn. She heard the shrill voice again. “Your brother and I have done our duty. It’s time for you to go, Niulang. Your parents wanted you and your brother to split everything. So, we’ll keep the farm. But you’re lucky, you get the ox!” Niulang said quietly, “Okay, she’s my best friend.” Zhinu peeked through the doorway. The ox looked older than her grandmother! The ox turned toward Zhinu. Then Zhinu thought she heard the ox say, “Moo—marry her!” Zhinu ran as fast as she could to the pond. She hung her dress over a tree branch and hid underwater. She thought of the farmer and the strange ox. Soon, everyone was drying off and rising into the sky. But where was Zhinu’s red dress? Without it, she couldn’t return home with her sisters! Suddenly, Niulang appeared, carrying her dress. “Please marry me,” he said. “I promise to be a good husband.” To her surprise, Zhinu said yes. Perhaps it was his shining eyes, so like the night sky. She felt at home with him. But Zhinu’s grandmother wanted Zhinu home—in the sky. For years, Zhinu and Niulang hid from her grandmother in their cozy farmhouse deep in the forest. Niulang would sing Zhinu to sleep with songs of the night sky. Zhinu would wake up Niulang by draping the trees with the colors of dawn. One night, they were awakened by angry clouds beating against the sky. The wind howled. Niulang went outside as flood waters rose higher. Once again, he tried to save the wheat. The old ox sank in the mud and couldn’t get up. She told Niulang to always keep her hide with him. Then she died. The storm attacked. Soldiers took shape from dark clouds, grabbing, reaching. Deep in the storm, something struggled. It was like dawn on the brightest morning. It was his love, his Zhinu. She was being dragged into the sky by her grandmother! Niulang shook out the ox’s hide. He jumped on and took flight. He flew faster and faster after Zhinu. “Wait for me!” Niulang called. “Niulang, bring me home,” Zhinu cried. “No!” her grandmother yelled. She slashed the sky with her golden hairpin. Zhinu heard the sky ripping in two. Through the rip shone the stars of the Milky Way. On one side of the rip was Zhinu, on the other Niulang. Since that day, Zhinu and Niulang have been separated by the Milky Way. On the seventh day of the seventh month of the moon, magpie birds weave a bridge in the sky. Zhinu and Niulang meet in the middle of the bridge, together again. 精卫填海 女娃到东海游玩，溺于水中，因心中不平化为神鸟，名曰精卫。她每天衔石子企图填满大海，大海嘲笑精卫，以她微薄之力几万年也填不满大海。精卫仍然坚持不懈，相信再困难的事只要有毅力终能完成。 【英文】 The sun shone on the calm sea. Princess Nuwa smiled at its reflection. It looked like a gold pebble in the water. Nuwa walked down to the beach. She slid her small boat into the water. She rowed out to sea. Suddenly, clouds hid the sun. Birds returned to the beach. Rain poured down. A strong wind blew across the sea. The wind made the waves rise. Higher! Higher! Waves pounded her boat. The strong waves tipped over Nuwa’s boat. The boat sank into the sea. Princess Nuwa sank too. She fought against the waves. They seemed higher than the sun. She reached upward. Was she swimming? Was she flying? Nuwa turned into a beautiful bird! She spread her wings. She flew high above the water. “Jingwei! Jingwei!” the princess bird cried. That’s how Princess Nuwa got her new name. Jingwei was mad at the sea. It had sunk her boat! She cried her name as she flew. “Jingwei! Jingwei!” She picked up a stick in her beak. She dropped the stick into the sea. On the second day, Jingwei dropped a rock into the sea. On the third day, Jingwei found a gold pebble. It looked like the sun. She dropped it into the sea. Day after day, Jingwei dropped a pebble, rock, or stick into the sea. The sea laughed at Jingwei. “Your pebbles can never fill me up! Not in a million years!” Its waves grew higher. They almost reached Jingwei. She flew higher. “I will still try!” Jingwei cried. “I will never give up!” She flew in the sunshine. “I will fill you up, Sea! I will stop you from sinking any more boats! Jingwei never gives up. She is small. The sea is big and strong. Still, Jing Wei does not stop. Every day, she makes the long, tiring trip. Every day, she drops a pebble, rock, or stick into the sea. On calm days, she smiles at the sun’s reflection in the sea. Jingwei teaches a lesson. She shows us to never give up even when it is hard. 金猪报恩 一位贵族出行时，有两只猪跑到了他的马车前，仿佛在乞求，侍卫赶都赶不走。这时，一位农夫赶来，表示自己想卖这两只猪做盘中餐时猪逃跑了。贵族十分怜悯两只猪，便从农夫手中买下了它们。第二天早上出门时，贵族发现两只猪似乎在向他鞠躬，贵族深感奇怪。两只猪接下来还会做什么呢？ 【英文】 Master Lu lived in China long ago. He was a noble. He lived in a noble house. He rode in a noble carriage. He had many guards. One day, Master Lu went to work. Two pigs ran in front of his carriage. They lay on the ground. They looked like they were begging. “SQUEAL! SQUEAL!” cried the pigs. A guard tried to shoo the pigs away. They would not move. “SQUEAL! SQUEAL!” cried the pigs. “What is going on?’ Master Lu asked his guard. A farmer ran up to him. “I am so sorry,” said the farmer. “I want to sell these pigs. They will make a good meal. But they ran away. I am sorry they blocked your way!” Master Lu looked at the pigs. He saw that they were scared. He felt sorry for them. “I will buy the pigs from you,” he told the farmer. Master Lu paid the farmer. He took the pigs home. He put them in a pig pen. Master Lu walked out to his yard the next morning. The two pigs ran out to see him. They lay on the ground. It looked like they were bowing! “Strange,” thought Master Lu. “Move, pigs!” he said. The two pigs moved a few steps. They watched him go inside. Then they went back to their pen. Every morning was the same. Master Lu came out. The pigs bowed. They watched him go inside. Then they went back to their pen. Some days, Master Lu had to go to work. He rode in his carriage. A guard banged on the gong along the way. The sound told the whole town that Master Lu was on his way. Do you know who else heard the sound? The two pigs! They jumped up when they heard it get closer. Master Lu was coming home! They got excited! They bowed! The years went by. Master Lu was ready to retire. “I am going home to my village,” he told the pigs. I don’t want to send you back to the farm. I will send you to the temple instead.” The two pigs looked sad. “SQUEAL! SQUEAL!” they cried. “Would you like to come home with me?” Master Lu asked. “SQUEAL! SQUEAL!” the two pigs cried happily. Master Lu took the two pigs home with him. Soon after, his family’s fortune grew. They were all very happy together. The pigs were very grateful. 老鼠嫁女 老鼠爸爸想给自己的女儿找个丈夫，他女儿的丈夫必须是最强壮的。老鼠爸爸在外出觅食时感受到强烈的阳光，他觉得太阳是最强大的,太阳却说，云比我强大，因为云能遮蔽我；云说，风比我强大，风能吹散我；风说，墙比我强大，因为墙能阻挡我；墙说，老鼠比我强大，因为老鼠能咬坏我。老鼠爸爸的女儿最后会嫁给谁呢？ 【英文】 Papa Rat loves his daughter very much. He wants to find the best husband for her. My daughter’s husband should be smart and strong, Papa Rat thinks. He should be the strongest of all! One summer day, while out looking for food, Papa Rat feels Sun’s strong rays. “Sun is the strongest!” Papa Rat says. “He will make the best husband.” Papa Rat goes to see Sun. “Sun, my daughter needs a strong husband. You are the strongest,” Papa Rat tells Sun. “Thank you, Papa Rat,” says Sun. “But Cloud is stronger than me. He can cover my light.” Papa Rat watches Cloud block Sun’s light. “Cloud is the strongest!” Papa Rat says. “He will make the best husband.” Papa Rat goes to see Cloud. “Cloud, my daughter needs a strong husband. You are the strongest,” Papa Rat tells Cloud. “Thank you, Papa Rat,” says Cloud. “But Wind is stronger than me. He can blow me away.” Papa Rat sees Wind push Cloud through the sky. “Wind is the strongest!” Papa Rat says. “He will make the best husband.” So Papa Rat goes to see Wind. “Wind, my daughter needs a strong husband. You are the strongest,” Papa Rat tells Wind. “Thank you, Papa Rat,” says Wind. “But Wall is stronger than me. I cannot blow through him.” Papa Rat watches as Wall stops Wind. “Wall is the strongest!” Papa Rat says. “He will make the best husband.” So Papa Rat goes to see Wall. “Wall, my daughter needs a strong husband. You are the strongest,” Papa Rat tells Wall. “Thank you, Papa Rat,” says Wall. “But Mouse is stronger than me. If Mouse bites me, I will break.” Papa Rat watches Mouse bite Wall. Mouse is so powerful! “Mouse is the strongest!” Papa Rat says. “He will make the best husband.” So Papa Rat goes to see Mouse. “Mouse, my daughter is beautiful and smart.” says Papa Rat. “She needs a strong husband. You are the strongest.” “Yes, I am,” says Mouse. “I would love to marry your daughter.” Mouse married Papa Rat’s daughter the very next day. And they lived happily ever after. |
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