(1) 画蛇添足
Drawing a snake and Adding Feet
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？”
In the Warring States Period, a man in the State of Chu was offering a sacrifice to his ancestors. After the ceremony, the man gave a beaker of wine to his servants. The servants thought that there was not enough wine for all them, and decided to each draw a picture of a snake; the one who finished the picture first would get the wine. One of them drew very rapidly. Seeing that the others were still busy drawing, he added feet to the snake. At this moment another man finished, snatched the beaker and drank the wine, saying, 'A snake doesn't have feet. How can you add feet to a snake? '
(2) The Monkeys' Ration朝三暮四
There was once a man who raised monkeys at home. In time, he understood the monkeys quite well.
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。
The man was not rich and often had to cut down his household expenses to feed the monkeys. When times turned rough, he had to reduce the monkeys'feed as well.
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。
The man was afraid that the monkeys would not remain tame. To test their response, he told the monkeys, "Fro, now on, I'll give each of you three chestnuts in the morning and four at night. Is that all right with you?"
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？」
When the monkeys learned that their ration was to be reduced, they flew into a rage. Seeing how mad the monkeys were, the man corrected himself at once.
猴子一听到养猴人要减少它们的食粮，都非常生气。
"All right," he told them, "I'll give you four chestnuts in the morning and three at night then."
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。」
This satisfied the monkeys, and they all jumped for joy.
猴子就感到满意，欢欣鼓舞起来。
(3) 滥竽充数
The Man Who Faked His Music
King Xuan of Qi was fond of music. In particular, he enjoyed listening to a wind instrument called the "yu". He appreciated it most when the yu was played by a band of about three hundred musicians. 齐宣王喜欢听竽，尤其是三百人大乐队的吹奏。
One time there was a vacancy in the royal band. When Nanguo heard about it, he applied for the post. 有一次，宣王招聘乐师。南郭先生听到了这消息，就前往应聘。
Nanguo was not a musician at all. He had applied for the post simply because he was poor and it paid well. 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。
Nanaguo was lucky. Nobody knew he was faking. His luck did not last long, though, because King Xuan soon died and young Prince Min became king.
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。
King Min also enjoyed listening to the yu. Unlike his father, he preferred listening to the musicians playing solo. As soons as Nanguo got wind of the news, he sneaked away as fast as he could. 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(the ruin of the capital of Guo Shi)
On a vacation trip, Duke Huan of the state of Qi came to the ruin of the capital of Guo Shi , which perished long ago.
Seeing the desolate and bleak prospects of broken tiles, collapsed walls, and clusters of weeds, he could not help asking the local people about the reason of the ruin of Guo Shi.
They replied,"Guo Shi was fond of doing good deeds, and averse to evildoing, which led to the perdition."
When the Duke could not understand the answer, people explained ," Though he liked doing good, he had never been able to do so; though he hated evildoing, never could he help not participating. That caused the ruin of his capital."
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(a mouse and a bull)
A mouse once took a bite out of a bull's tail as he lay dozing. The bull jumped up in a rage and, with his head low to the ground, chased the mouse right across the yard. The mouse was too quick for him, however, and slipped easily into a hole in the wall.
The bull charged the wall furiously again and again, but although he bruised his head and chipped his horns, the mouse stayed safely inside his hole. After a time the bull gave up and sank down to rest again.
As soon as the bull was asleep, the little mouse crept to the mouth of the hole, pattered across the yard, bit the bull again -- this time on the nose -- and rushed back to safety. As the bull roared helplessly the mouse squeaked:
"It's not always the big people who come off best. Sometimes the small ones win, you know."
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(a boy and a nettle)
A boy was playing in the fields when he was stung by a nettle . He ran home to
tell his mother what had happened.
"I only touched it lightly," he said, "and the nasty thing stung me."
"It stung you because you only touched it lightly," his mother told him." Next time you touch a nettle grasp it as tightly as you can. Then it won't sting you at all."
Face danger boldly.
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( a parrot and a cat)
A man once bought a brilliantly-coloured parrot. Instead of locking it up in a cage or chaining it to a perch, he allowed it to fly free all over the house. The parrot was delighted at this and flapped from room to room, shrieking and screaming with happiness. At last he settled on the edge of a rich curtain.
"Who on earth are you ?" said a cross voice from below. "Stop that terrible noise at once."
The parrot saw a cat staring up at him from the carpet.
"I 'm a parrot. I 've just arrived and I 'm to make as much noise as I can," he said.
"Well, I 've lived here all my life," replied the cat ."I was born in this very house and I learned from my mother that it is best to keep quiet here."
"Keep quiet then, "said the parrot cheerfully. "I don't know what you do around here, but I know my job. My master bought me for my voice and I'm going to make sure he hears it."
Different people are valued for different things.
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( A wild boar and a fox)
A wild boar was sharpening his tusks against a tree one day when a fox came by.
"What are you doing that for?" asked the fox . "There are no hunters around. Everything looks very peaceful to me ."
"Quite true, "said the boar, "but when the hunter does come with his dogs I shall be too busy running away to have time for this . So let me sharpen my tusks while I can."
Be prepared .
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
The swallows and sparrows are very pleased to find a place on the roof of the hall for their nests.
The mother birds are feeding their babies with pleasure, which assumes a scene of peace and harmony.
But they have never thought of the following scene: the chimney at the top of the kitchen might break, the fire might leap up to the roof and the burning purling might destroy their nests.
But those swallows and sparrows are unmindful of the coming disaster.
They go on with their superficial happiness brought by peace and calm.
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(a great mountain)
Long ago a great mountain began to rumble and shake .
People came from far and near to see what would happen.
"A great river will be born." said one.
"Surely nothing less than a mighty dragon will come out." said another.
"A god himself will spring form these rocks." said a third.
Finally , after days of expectation a small crack appeared in the mountain. And out popped ---- a mouse.
Just because someone makes a lot of fuss, it doesn't mean he is important.
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。
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希望能帮上你！
Three Pastors
Three pastors in the south were having lunch in a diner. One said, You know, since summer started I’ve been having trouble with bats in my loft and attic at church. I’ve tried everything----noise, spray, cats----nothing seems to scare them away.
Another said, Yes, me too. I’ve got hundreds living in my belfry and in the attic. I’ve been had the place fumigated, and they still won’t go away.
三个牧师的故事
三个南部的牧师在一家小餐馆里吃午饭。其中的一个说道：“你们知道吗，自从夏天来临，我的教堂的阁楼和顶楼就被蝙蝠骚扰，我用尽了一切办法----噪音、喷雾、猫----似乎什么都不能把它们赶走。”
另外一位说：“是啊，我也是。在我的钟楼和阁楼也有好几百只。我曾经请人把整个地方用烟熏消毒一遍，它们还是赶不走。”
第三个牧师说：“我为我那里的所有蝙蝠洗礼，让它们成为教会的一员……从此一只也没有再回来过。”
The third said, I baptized all mine, and made them members of the church...haven’t seen one back since!
But the teacher cried
The six-year-old John was terribly spoiled . His father knew it, but his grandma doted on him. He hardly left her side. And when he wanted anything, he either cried or threw a temper tantrum. Then came his first day of school, his first day away from his grandmother's loving arms.
When he came home from school his grandma met him at the door.
"Was school all right?" she asked, "Did you get along all right? did you cry?"
"Cry?" John asked. "No, I didn't cry, but the teacher did!"
可是老师哭了
六岁的约翰娇生惯养。他的父亲知道这一点，可他的祖父母仍然宠着他。这孩子几乎寸步不离他的祖母。他想要什么不是哭，就是闹。他第一天上学才离开祖母的怀抱。
约翰放学了，他奶奶在门口接他并问道：“学校怎么样？你过的好吗？哭了没有？”
“哭？”约翰问，“不，我没哭，可老师哭了。”
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