英文成语故事一：朝三暮四
in the spring and autumn period, a man in the state of song raised monkeys. the monkeys could understand what he said.
as the man became poor, he wanted to reduce the monkeys' food. he first suggested that he give them three acorns(橡子) in the morning and four acorns in the evening.
thereupon, the monkeys protested angrily. then their owner said, "how about four in the morning and three in the evening?" the monkeys were satisfied with that.
this idiom originally meant to befool others with tricks. later it is used to mean to keep changing one's mind.
英文成语故事二:画蛇添足
In the Warring States Period, a man in the state of Chu was offering a sacrifice(祭品) to his ancestors. After the ceremony, the man gave a beaker of wine to his servants.
The servants thought that there was not enought wine for all of them, and decided to each draw a picture of 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(烧杯，大口杯) and drank the wine, saying,"A snake doesn't have feet. How can you add feet to a snake?"
This idiom refers to ruining a venture by doing unnecessary and surplus things.
英文成语故事三:守株待兔
In the Spring and Autumn Period, a farmer in the State of Song was one day working in the fields when he saw a rabbit bump into a tree stump(树桩) accidentally and break its neck.
The farmer took the rabbit home, and cooked himself a delicious meal.
That night he thought, 'I needn't work so hard. All I have to do is wait for a rabbit each day by the stump.'
So from then on he gave up farming, and simply sat by the stump waiting for rabbits to come and run into it.
This idiom satirizes(讽刺，挖苦) those who just wait for a stroke of luck, rather than making efforts to obtain what they need.
英语成语小故事1：破釜沉舟
during the late years of the qi dynasty(221-206bc), xiang yu led a rebellion. after crossing the zhang river, xiang yu ordered his men to sink all their boats and break their cooking pots.
he issued each soldier three days' rations(给养) and warned them that there was no way to retreat; the only thing they could do to survive was to advance and fight.
after mine fierce battles, the qin army was finally defeated.
this idiom is used to indicate one's firm determination to achieve one's goal at any cost.
英语成语小故事2:骑虎难下
Yan Jian was the regent(摄政王) of the last king of Northern Zhou(557-581).
His wife advised him: "Northern Zhou is dying. Now it is as if you are riding on the back of a tiger. It will be dangerous to dismount(下马，下车) . You can do nothing but continue."
Yan Jian thought this quite reasonable. Later, he founded the Sui Dynasty, and united China once more.
This idom is used as a metaphor meaning that one is in a difficult situation and cannot help but ontinue to pursue one's sourse.
英语成语小故事3:名落孙山
In the Song Dynasty(960-1279) there was a joker called Sun Shan.
One year he went to take the imperial examination, and came bottom of the list of successful candidates. Back in his hometown, one of his neighbours asked him whether the neighbour's son had also passed.
Sun Shan said, with a smile: "Sun Shan was the last on the list, your son came after Sun Shan."
Later, people used this idiom to indicate failing in an examination or competition.
英语成语小故事4：黔驴技穷
In ancient times there were no donkeys in Guizhou province. Somebody brought a donkey from somewhere and tied it to a tree at the foot of a mountain.
A tiger saw the donkey, and thought that it must be a fearsome(可怕的) monster. It hide behind a tree and spied on the donkey.
When the donkey brayed(叫) , the tiger was frightened, thinking that the donkey was about to devour(吞食，毁灭) it. After a while, seeing that the donkey had not moved, the tiger approached it and teased it. The donkey became angry, and kicked the tiger.
The tiger thought to itself: "Its then all it is capable of?" It then jumped on the donkey and ate it.
This idiom is used to mean that one has exhauseted one's skills.
Zeng Zi saw Zi Xia and asked him, “Why have you gained weight?”
曾子见到子夏，问道：“你怎么胖了?”
Zi Xia said, “I had a victory, that is why I have gained weight.”
子夏说：“我获得了胜利，所以胖了。”
“What victory do you refer to?” Zi Xia said, “When I immerged myself in reading books, xiaogushi8.com I revered the principles of the emperors and sages of the past. When I went out, I admired the life of nabodism. There was a fight between the two in my mind, and they came out even. So I got emaciated. Now that the principles of the emperors and sages of the past have won victory, my mind has become more and more peaceful. So I have gained weight.”
曾子问：“你是指什么?”子夏说：“我埋头读书时，敬仰先生至圣的道理，出门在外则羡慕富贵生活的.快乐，两者在心中交战，难分胜负，所以瘦了下来。现在，先王至圣的道理获胜了，心中也日益安宁，所以人也胖了起来。”
