中國寓言故事雙語版 第78期:畫蛇添足
In the past a family in the State of Chu made sacrificial offers to their ancestors, and after that they rewarded the people who helped in the ceremony with the pot of wine used in it.
從前，楚國有一戶人家，祭完祖宗以後，把一壺祭祀時用過的酒，賞給幫助辦事的人喝。
There were many helpers but only one pot of wine.
辦事的人很多，可是酒只有一壺。
Who should drink it?
到底給誰喝呢?
Someone suggested:"Each person is to draw a snake on the ground. Whoever draws fastest and most lifelike will get the pot of wine."
有人提議說:“各人都在地上畫一條蛇，誰畫得快、畫得像，就把這壺酒給誰喝。”
Everyone thought this was a good idea.
大家都認爲這個辦法很好。
One man drew very fast, finished it in the twinkling of an eye, and was given the pot of wine.
有一個人畫得很快，一轉眼，就把蛇畫好了。這壺酒應該歸他。
At this moment, he saw that the others had not yet finished, so he wanted to flaunt his skill once more.
可是，這時候，他看看別人都沒有畫好，就想再炫耀一下自己的能耐。
He said proudly: "How slow you.are! Let me add a few snake feet."
他得意洋洋地說:“你們畫得多慢啊，讓我再畫上幾隻蛇腳吧!”
Holding the wine pot in his left hand, he began to add feet to the finished snake with his right hand.
他左手拿着酒壺，右手又開始給畫好了的蛇添上腳。
When he was just adding feet to the snake, another man finished his drawing.
當他正在添足的時候，另一個人卻把蛇畫好了。
He grabbed the wine pot at once, saying: "A snake has no feet. How could you add feet to it? The first one who finished drawing a snake is I, not you."
而且立刻把酒壺奪了過去，說: “蛇是沒有腳的，你怎麼畫上了腳?第一個畫好蛇的是我，不是你哩!”
Having said this, the man drank the wine with an easy conscience.
那人說完話，就心安理得地喝起酒來。
