爱华网(1)DrawingasnakeandAddingFeet
战国时代有个楚国人祭他的祖先。仪式结束后，他拿出一壶酒赏给手下的几个人。大家商量说：“我们都来画蛇，谁先画好谁就喝这壶酒。”其中有一个人先画好了。但他看到同伴还没有画完，就又给蛇添上了脚。这时，另一个人也画好了，夺过酒壶吧酒喝了，并且说：“蛇本来是没有脚的，你怎么能给它添上脚呢？”IntheWarringStatesPeriod,amanintheStateofChuwasofferingasacrificetohisancestors.Aftertheceremony,themangaveabeakerofwinetohisservants.Theservantsthoughtthattherewasnotenoughwineforallthem,anddecidedtoeachdrawapictureofasnake;theonewhofinishedthepicturefirstwouldgetthewine.Oneofthemdrewveryrapidly.Seeingthattheotherswerestillbusydrawing,headdedfeettothesnake.Atthismomentanothermanfinished,snatchedthebeakeranddrankthewine,saying,'Asnakedoesn'thavefeet.Howcanyouaddfeettoasnake?'
(2)TheMonkeys'Ration朝三暮四
Therewasonceamanwhoraisedmonkeysathome.Intime,heunderstoodthemonkeysquitewell.从前有个人，在家饲养了一批猴子。久而久之，他很了解猴子的感情。 Themanwasnotrichandoftenhadtocutdownhishouseholdexpensestofeedthemonkeys.Whentimesturnedrough,hehadtoreducethemonkeys'feedaswell.养猴人并不富有，常常要节衣缩食去喂饱猴子。不过，当境况变得更坏时，他只好减少猴子的食粮。Themanwasafraidthatthemonkeyswouldnotremaintame.Totesttheirresponse,hetoldthemonkeys,"Fro,nowon,I'llgiveeachofyouthreechestnutsinthemorningandfouratnight.Isthatallrightwithyou?"养猴人生怕猴子会因此而变得不听话，便用试探它们的口气说：「从今天起，我每天早上给你们三颗栗子，晚上再给四颗，好吗？」Whenthemonkeyslearnedthattheirrationwastobereduced,theyflewintoarage.Seeinghowmadthemonkeyswere,themancorrectedhimselfatonce.猴子一听到养猴人要减少它们的食粮，都非常生气。 "Allright,"hetoldthem,"I'llgiveyoufourchestnutsinthemorningandthreeatnightthen."於是，养猴人马上改口说：「那么，改为早上给四颗，晚上再给三颗。」 Thissatisfiedthemonkeys,andtheyalljumpedforjoy.猴子就感到满意，欢欣鼓舞起来。
(3)滥竽充数
TheManWhoFakedHisMusicKingXuanofQiwasfondofmusic.Inparticular,heenjoyedlisteningtoawindinstrumentcalledthe"yu".Heappreciateditmostwhentheyuwasplayedbyabandofaboutthreehundredmusicians.齐宣王喜欢听竽，尤其是三百人大乐队的吹奏。Onetimetherewasavacancyintheroyalband.WhenNanguoheardaboutit,heappliedforthepost.有一次，宣王招聘乐师。南郭先生听到了这消息，就前往应聘。Nanguowasnotamusicianatall.Hehadappliedforthepostsimplybecausehewaspooranditpaidwell.南郭先生其实不会吹竽。他应聘的原因，是因为他家贫，兼且乐师的待遇又丰厚。Nanaguowaslucky.Nobodyknewhewasfaking.Hisluckdidnotlastlong,though,becauseKingXuansoondiedandyoungPrinceMinbecameking.南郭先生相当幸运，没有人发觉他在乐队中装模做样，冒充内行。可是好景不常，宣王不久去世，闵王继位。KingMinalsoenjoyedlisteningtotheyu.Unlikehisfather,hepreferredlisteningtothemusiciansplayingsolo.AssoonsasNanguogotwindofthenews,hesneakedawayasfastashecould.闵王也爱听竽，不过，他跟他的父亲不同，他喜欢听乐师们一一独奏。南郭先生知道后，便马上溜走了。
(4)郭氏之墟(theruinofthecapitalofGuoShi)
Onavacationtrip,DukeHuanofthestateofQicametotheruinofthecapitalofGuoShi,whichperishedlongago.Seeingthedesolateandbleakprospectsofbrokentiles,collapsedwalls,andclustersofweeds,hecouldnothelpaskingthelocalpeopleaboutthereasonoftheruinofGuoShi.Theyreplied,"GuoShiwasfondofdoinggooddeeds,andaversetoevildoing,whichledtotheperdition."WhentheDukecouldnotunderstandtheanswer,peopleexplained,"Thoughhelikeddoinggood,hehadneverbeenabletodoso;thoughhehatedevildoing,nevercouldhehelpnotparticipating.Thatcausedtheruinofhiscapital."齐桓公出游途中，来到已经灭亡许久的郭氏都城的废墟。 看到瓦砾残垣、杂草丛生的萧条景象，忍不住问当地百姓郭氏灭亡的原因。百姓们回答说："郭氏由于喜爱善行善事。厌恶邪恶丑行而导致灭亡。"齐桓公不能理解这种回答，百姓们便解释说："郭氏虽然喜爱善行善事，但从来都不能做到；尽管厌恶邪恶丑行，却总是忍不住参与其中。这就是他的都城变成废墟的原因。"
(5)老鼠和公牛(amouseandabull)
Amouseoncetookabiteoutofabull'stailashelaydozing.Thebulljumpedupinarageand,withhisheadlowtotheground,chasedthemouserightacrosstheyard.Themousewastooquickforhim,however,andslippedeasilyintoaholeinthewall.Thebullchargedthewallfuriouslyagainandagain,butalthoughhebruisedhisheadandchippedhishorns,themousestayedsafelyinsidehishole.Afteratimethebullgaveupandsankdowntorestagain.Assoonasthebullwasasleep,thelittlemousecrepttothemouthofthehole,patteredacrosstheyard,bitthebullagain--thistimeonthenose--andrushedbacktosafety.Asthebullroaredhelplesslythemousesqueaked:"It'snotalwaysthebigpeoplewhocomeoffbest.Sometimesthesmalloneswin,youknow."老鼠和公牛有一次，公牛躺着打盹，一只老鼠咬了他的尾巴。公牛怒气冲冲地跳起来，低着头追老鼠，一直追过院子。然而，老鼠跑得比他快多了，从容地钻到墙洞里去了。公牛一次又一次地猛撞墙壁，尽管头撞肿了，角撞裂了，老鼠却安然待在洞里。过了一会儿，公牛不撞了，倒下歇着。公牛刚睡着，小老鼠就爬到洞口，嗒嗒地跑过院子，又咬了公牛一口??这回咬了鼻子??又跑回安全的地方去。当公牛毫无办法地吼叫时，老鼠吱吱叫道："大人物并不总占上风。有时小人物也会取胜。"
(6)男孩和荨麻(aboyandanettle)
Aboywasplayinginthefieldswhenhewasstungbyanettle.Heranhometotellhismotherwhathadhappened."Ionlytoucheditlightly,"hesaid,"andthenastythingstungme.""Itstungyoubecauseyouonlytoucheditlightly,"hismothertoldhim."Nexttimeyoutouchanettlegraspitastightlyasyoucan.Thenitwon'tstingyouatall."Facedangerboldly.男孩和荨麻有个男孩子在地里玩耍，被荨麻刺痛了。他跑回家去，告诉妈妈出了什么事。"我不过轻轻地碰了它一下，"他说，"那讨厌的东西就把我刺痛了。""你只轻轻地碰了它一下，所以它才刺痛你，"妈妈对他说，"下一回你再碰到荨麻，就尽量紧紧地抓住它。那它就根本不会刺痛你了。"要敢于面对危险。
(7)鹦鹉和猫(aparrotandacat)
Amanonceboughtabrilliantly-colouredparrot.Insteadoflockingitupinacageorchainingittoaperch,heallowedittoflyfreealloverthehouse.Theparrotwasdelightedatthisandflappedfromroomtoroom,shriekingandscreamingwithhappiness.Atlasthesettledontheedgeofarichcurtain."Whoonearthareyou?"saidacrossvoicefrombelow."Stopthatterriblenoiseatonce."Theparrotsawacatstaringupathimfromthecarpet."I'maparrot.I'vejustarrivedandI'mtomakeasmuchnoiseasIcan,"hesaid."Well,I'velivedhereallmylife,"repliedthecat."IwasborninthisveryhouseandIlearnedfrommymotherthatitisbesttokeepquiethere.""Keepquietthen,"saidtheparrotcheerfully."Idon'tknowwhatyoudoaroundhere,butIknowmyjob.MymasterboughtmeformyvoiceandI'mgoingtomakesurehehearsit."Differentpeoplearevaluedfordifferentthings.鹦鹉和猫 从前，有人买了一只毛色鲜艳的鹦鹉。他没有把鹦鹉关在笼子里，也没有用链条把他拴在栖木上，而让他在家里自由自在地飞来飞去。鹦鹉对此非常高兴，扑动翅膀，从一间屋子飞到另一间屋子，愉快地尖声叫着，最后停在华丽的帷幔的边上。"你到底是谁？"从下面传来怒气冲冲的说话声，"马上住嘴，别发出那难听的声音。"鹦鹉看见地毯上有一只猫抬头看着他。"我是鹦鹉。我刚到，我要使劲地吵吵。"他说。"那你就一声不响吧，"鹦鹉欢快地说，"我不知道你在这儿干什么，可我知道我的活儿。主人为了我的声音才买我，我一定得让他听到。"不同的人因有不同的特点而受重视。
(8)野猪和狐狸(Awildboarandafox)
Awildboarwassharpeninghistusksagainstatreeonedaywhenafoxcameby."Whatareyoudoingthatfor?"askedthefox."Therearenohuntersaround.Everythinglooksverypeacefultome.""Quitetrue,"saidtheboar,"butwhenthehunterdoescomewithhisdogsIshallbetoobusyrunningawaytohavetimeforthis.SoletmesharpenmytuskswhileIcan."Beprepared.野猪和狐狸 有一天，野猪在树上磨牙齿，狐狸走过来。"你为什么干这个呀？"狐狸问，"附近又没有猎人，我觉得平安无事。""不错，"野猪说，"但是，如果猎人真的带着猎狗来了，我只能逃走，就没工夫干这个了。趁我现在可以磨，就让我磨磨牙齿吧。"时刻准备着（有备无患）
(9)燕雀处室
Theswallowsandsparrowsareverypleasedtofindaplaceontheroofofthehallfortheirnests.Themotherbirdsarefeedingtheirbabieswithpleasure,whichassumesasceneofpeaceandharmony.Buttheyhaveneverthoughtofthefollowingscene:thechimneyatthetopofthekitchenmightbreak,thefiremightleapuptotheroofandtheburningpurlingmightdestroytheirnests.Butthoseswallowsandsparrowsareunmindfulofthecomingdisaster.Theygoonwiththeirsuperficialhappinessbroughtbypeaceandcalm.燕雀处室 燕雀为拥有屋顶下面的一个位置而欣慰不已。 母鸟用叼来的食物喂养啁啾鸣叫的幼鸟，整个儿是一派欢乐自得的祥和景象。它们完全没有考虑到：炉灶上的烟囱有可能会炸裂，火苗将会窜上屋梁，烧着的椽将会摧毁它们的巢穴。不知大祸将要降临到自己头上的燕雀们正在安然自若地品味这表面上的安宁所带来的幸福。
(10)山(agreatmountain)
Longagoagreatmountainbegantorumbleandshake.Peoplecamefromfarandneartoseewhatwouldhappen."Agreatriverwillbeborn."saidone."Surelynothinglessthanamightydragonwillcomeout."saidanother."Agodhimselfwillspringformtheserocks."saidathird.Finally,afterdaysofexpectationasmallcrackappearedinthemountain.Andoutpopped----amouse.Justbecausesomeonemakesalotoffuss,itdoesn'tmeanheisimportant.山很久以前，一座大山隆隆作响，摇晃起来。远近各处的人都来看是怎么回事。一个人说："要出现一条大河了。"另一个人说："准会出现一条巨龙。"第三个人说："从这些岩石中会出现一尊神来。"等了几天之后，山坡上终于裂开一条小缝，却蹦出来一只耗子。 正因为某人大肆张扬，所以他没有什么了不起。
