英语故事，手抄报里的

英语故事，手抄报里的

) 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。