英语中的成语故事

During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), prince Zhou Xu of the State of Wei killed his brother and became the new emperor. Zhou Xu was a tyrant. He oppressed his people and indulged in wars of agGREssion. By launching wars, he tried to divert the people's attention and reduce their discontent with him in order to consolidate his dictatorship.

The Duke of the State of Lu leant about Zhou Xu's usurpation of state power and his ambitious plan, he asked a senior official, "What do you think about Zhou Xu's move? "The official answered, "He indulges in wars , bringing his people much disaster. He won't get their support. And he's capricious, so few of his close friends follow him. He can never achieve his success. In addition, war is like fire. If one launches wars endlessly without restraint, he'll eventually burn himself. "

Sure enough, the people of Wei with the help of the State of Chen overthrew Zhou Xu and killed him in less than a year.

Later, people use it to mean that those who do evil will finally ruin themselves.

Imitating Another without Success and Losing What Used to Be One'sOwn Ability

Tradition has it that more than 2,oooyears ago,there lived a young man in the Shouling area of the State of Yan.As his name is not known ,we just call him Shouling young man for convenience's sake.

self confident He was at a loss as to how to behave all the time.

His family members advised him to overcome this shortcoming,but he thought they were fond of poking their noses into his business and were unwilling to provide him with tuition fee.His relatives and neighbours sneered at him,saying that he would never be able to learn anything.Asthe days went by,he even began to doubt whether he should walk the way he did,for he felt more and more that his walking gestures were too clumsy and awkward.

One day,he met some people on the road who werechattingand laughing.One of themsaid that people in Handan walked most gracefully.And thatwas just what he was most concerned about,so he hurreed towards themand wanted to make further inquiries.To his surprise,when these people saw him,they stalked off laughing.

He could not picture to himself in what way their walking gestures were graceful,no matter how hard he racked his parents one day.He went to Handanwhich was far away to learn how to walk.

As soon as he arrived in Handan,he was dazzled to find that everything was novel.He learned from the children there how to walk,because he thought that the children's walking gestures were lively and pleasing to the eye.He learnd from the old people there how to walk,because he thought the old people's walking gestures were steady .He learnd from the women there how to walk,because he thought the women' swaying walking gestures were beautiful.That being the case with him ,in less than half a month he even forgot how to walk.As he had already used up his traveling expenses,he had to crawl back home.

Thisstory come from the article"Autumn Water"in The Works of Xhuang Zi(Zhuang Zi was a famous ancient Chinese philosopher of about 300B.c.).Later the set phrase"initating another without success and losing what used to be one's own ability"is used to refer to acts of copying others mechanisally in disregard of specififc conditions.

Near China's northern borders lived a man well versed in the practices of Taoism. His horse, for no reason at all, got into the territory of the northern tribes. Everyone commiserated with him.

"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said his father.

After a few months, his animal came back, leading a fine horse from the north. Everyone congratulated him.

"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a cause of misfortune," said his father.

Since he was well-off and kept good horses his son became fond of riding and eventually broke his thigh bone falling from a horse. Everyone commiserated with him.

"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said his father.

One year later, the northern tribes started a big invasion of the border regions. All able-bodied young men took up arms and fought against the invaders, and as a result, around the border nine out of ten men died. This man's son did not join in the fighting because he was crippled and so both the boy and his father survived.

想要学好英语，一定要懂得 学习 方法 。有趣的学习方法能让你的英语水平提升得更快，我在此献上 英语 故事 ，希望对你有所帮助。

成语 寓言故事 :Tyranny Is Fiercer than Tigers苛政猛于虎

In ancient times, at the foot of Mount Tai surrounded by mountains, one often heard of tales of tigers devouring people

古代，在群山环抱的泰山脚下，常常听到老虎吃人的事情。

One day, Confucius and his disciples passed by Mount Tai. As they walked along, his disciples talked about what they had heard and seen.

有一天，孔子带着弟子路过泰山。弟子们一边走，一边谈论着所见所闻。

Suddenly, they heard someone weeping in the distance. They went over and saw a young woman who, with her head covered with a white kerchief, wore white cotton clothes, trousers, shoes and stockings. She was kneeling in front of a new grave and weeping bitterly. The disciples didn't know what to do. Confucius ordered one of them to go forward and ask:

忽然，听到远处传来哭声。大家便走了过去，一看原来是一个年轻的妇女，头上包着白色的头巾，身上穿着白布衣裤，脚上套着白布鞋袜，正跪在一座新坟前面痛哭。弟子们不知如何是好，孔子叫弟子上前询问:

"Who has died? Why are you weeping in such sorrow?"

“死了谁?你为什么哭得这么伤心?”

The woman raised her head, wiped her red and swollen eyes, sobbed and answered intermittently:

妇女抬起头来，擦着红肿的眼睛，抽泣着断断续续地回答:

"In the past, my father-in-law was devoured by a tiger. Later, my husband was devoured by a tiger too. Now my son has also been bitten to death by a tiger."

“从前，我的公公被老虎吃掉了。后来，我的丈夫又被老虎吃掉了。如今，我的儿子也被老虎咬死了。”

Confucius' disciple asked worriedly:

孔子的弟子着急地问道:

"The tiger harmed the lives of three generations of your family. Why didn't you leave this place earlier and move to somewhere else?"

“老虎伤害了你家三代人的性命，你为什么不早点儿离开这里，搬到别处去呢?”

The woman sobbed, saying:

妇女哭着说:

"There are tigers here, but there are no exorbitant taxes, levies or heavy corvee here!" When Confucius heard this, he turned to his disciples and said:

“这里有老虎，但是没有苛捐杂税和繁重的摇役啊!孔子听到这儿，回过头来，对弟子们说:

"Remember, tigers devour people, but tyranny is fiercer than tigers!"

“你们记住，老虎吃人，可是苛政比老虎还要凶猛啊!”

成语寓言故事:A Torch Lit Before the Palace to Enlist Men of Virtue庭燎招贤

Huan Gong, King of the State of Qi and the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period, in order to show his sincerity to enlist able and virtuous men and scholars from various places, had a bright torch lit in front of his palace day and night. But the torch had been burning for one whole year, and yet nobody came.

春秋时期的第一霸王齐桓公，为了表明自己招贤纳士的诚意，在宫廷前燃起了明亮的火炬，准备日夜接待各地前来的人才。但是，火炬燃烧了整整一年，也没有人前来求见。

One day, a villager from the eastern suburb of the capital wished to have an audience with Huan Gong, claiming that he had the ability to recite the multiplication table.

一天，来了一个国都东郊的乡下人，声称自己有念九九算术口诀的才能，要求拜见齐桓公。

When Huan Gong heard of this, he thought it was very funny and sent an officer to tell the villager:

齐桓公听完 报告 ，觉得很可笑，派传令官告诉乡下人:

"How could you hope to see the King just because you can recite the multiplication table?"

“难道你凭会念九九算术口诀，就想来见国王吗?”

The villager replied:

乡下人回答说:

"I hear that the torch before the palace has been burning for one year, yet nobody came. This is because His Majesty is a king of great talent and bold vision. All the talented men near and far couldn't be certain that His Majesty would have a high opinion of them, so they dared not come to see you. My knowledge of the

multiplication table is truly trivial, but if His Majesty could receive me with courtesy, then His Majesty need not worry that those with real ability and learning would not come."

“我听说，宫前火炬燃烧了一年，也没有人来求见，这是因为国王是个雄才大略的君主，四方人才都以为君主不一定能看得上他们，所以不敢来求见。我的九九算术口诀，的确是微不足道的，但是如果国王能以礼接待我，那么还怕那些有真才实学的贤士能人不愿来吗?”

He then continued:

接着说:

"Mount Tai is huge because it never expels any single small stone; the sea is deep because it gathers together every small stream. The Book of Songs says: `The wise kings of ancient times often went to peasants who cut firewood and grass to ask for their advice. Only this way can you pool the wisdom of the masses."'

“泰山之所以大，那是因为它从来不排斥每一颗小石子;江海之所以深，那是因为它汇集起每一条小溪流。《诗经》中说过，‘古代英明君王有事，都去请教砍柴割草的农夫，只有这样才能集思广

益。”，

Hearing this, Huan Gong of Qi repeatedly nodded assent, and accorded this villager a grand reception. As expected, within one month, many able and virtuous men from all places came one after another to see Huan Gong.

齐桓公听了，连连点头称是，立刻以隆重的礼节，接待了这个乡下人。果然，不出一个月，四方贤士能人都纷纷前来求见齐桓公。

成语寓言故事:Mending the Fold After the Sheep Is Lost亡羊补牢

In the past, there was a man who kept thirty sheep.

从前，有一个人，养了三十只羊。

One morning, he discovered that one sheep was missing. Where had it gone? Upon examination, he found that his fold was damaged. During the night a wolf had broken into the fold and devoured the sheep.

一天早上，他发现少了一只羊。这只羊到哪儿去了呢?再一查看，原来是他的羊圈坏了。夜里狼闯进羊圈，羊是被狼吃掉的。

His friend said to him:

他的朋友对他说:

"You had better mend the fold quickly."

“快把羊圈 修理 修理吧!”

He said:

他说:

"The sheep had already been devoured by the wolf. What is the use of mending the fold?"

“羊已经被狼吃了，修理羊圈还有什么用呢?”

He did not listen to his friend's advice.

他没有听取朋友的意见。

The following morning, he discovered that during the night the wolf had again broken into the fold and devoured another sheep. Not until then did he realize that his friend was right.

第二天早上，他发现夜里狼又闯进羊圈，又吃掉了一只羊。这时候，他才明白，朋友的意见是对的。

Consequently, he mended the fold at once, and thereafter no more sheep were devoured by the wolf.

于是，他马上把羊圈修理好。从此，他的羊再也没有被狼吃掉过。

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