有關勵志英語小故事
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：班門弄斧
Showing Off One's Proficiency with the Axe Before Lu Ban the Master Carpenter
in ancient times, Lu Ban was supposed to be a consummate master in construction and sculpture. Carpenters respect him as ancestor master. It is said that he once carved a colorful wooden phoenix that was so lifelike that it actually flew in the sky for three days. Thus it was considered the height of folly to show off one's skill with an axe in front of Lu Ban.
This idiom excoriates those who show off their slight accomplishments in front of experts.
古代有一個建築和雕刻技術非常高超的人，名叫魯班，木匠行裡尊稱他為祖師。傳說他曾用木頭製作了一隻五彩斑斕的鳳凰，能夠在空中飛翔三天不掉下來。在魯班門前擺弄斧子，當然顯得有些自不量力了。
“班門弄斧”這個成語，用來比喻在行家面前顯示本領。
：如火如荼
Like Fire and Flowering Rush
In the years around 480 B.C.,China was in the last phase of the Spring and Autumn Period.Fu Chai,King of the State of Wu,conquered the states of Yue,Lu and Chi one after another.Then Fu Chai,overweeningly ambitious,led his army marching into the Northwest in an attempt to conquer the State of Jin in one vigorous effort.
But just at that time,Gou Jian,king of the State of Yue,outflanked Fu Chai and attacked him in the rear.Gou Jian's army fought one battle after another and arrived in Gu Su,capital of the State of Wu,at last,and took away the big boats of the State of Wu.Gou Jin also sent his troops to occupy the Huai River immediately,thus cutting off Fu Chai's retreat
The shocking news reached Fu Chai,king of the State of Wu,like a head-on blow to him.So he called his civilian officials and military generals at once to find a way to deal with this serious situation.His civilian officials and military their troops now would mean defeat,and that they would be attacked by both the troops of the Jin army and the troops of the Yue army.But ,if they could defeat the State of Jin,Fu Chai would become a powerful chief of the princes at that time,and it would not be too late for Fu Chai to settle with Gou Jian after that.
Having made this decision,they knew that a pressing matter of the moment was to conquer th State of Jin as quickly as possible.After considering over and over again,they decided to try to defeat the Jin army by a surprise move.
One day towards evening,the king of the State of Wu gave his orders.The officers and men of the whole army ate their fill,and the steeds were well fed with fodder.30,000 officers and men were chosen from the whole army to from three phalanxes,with 10,000officers and men each.The solders in the middle phalanx wore white suits of armour,and carried white flags and white bows and arrows,and they were led by king of the State of Wu Fu Chai himself.The other two phalanxes were led by senior generals.The soldiers in the left phalanx wore red suits of armour,and carried red flags and red bows and arrows.The in dealing with the case,because the empress would certainly blame him and punish him.How could he solve the problem then? He turned the problem over and over in his mind, and finally thought out a "brilliant scheme".
Lai Junchen had a sumptuous feast prepared,and invited Zhou Xing to his home. The two of them urged each other to drink,and they talked while drinking.After the wine had gone round three times,I often come across prisoners who stubbournly refuse to admit they are guilty.I wonder if you have any effective measures." Hearing this,Zhou Xing said,"Get a big vat,scorch it hot with charcoal fire all around,and then let the prisoner come into the vat.Will the prisoner fail to make a comfession of his crime?"Hearing this,LaiJunchen nodded his head in approval repeatedly.He then ordered his subordinates to bring a big vat ,and had a charcoal fire lit all around it as Zhou Xing had said.He then turned to Zhou Xing and said,"Someone in the rebellion.The empress has ordered me to deal with the case severely.So I beg your pardon,but would you kindly step into the soldiers in the right phalanx wore black suits of armour,and carried black flags and black bows and arrows.The whole army set out at midnight,and arrived at dawn at a place within a LI's distance of the Jin army.When the day was beginning to break,the soldiers of the Wu army began to berat the drums heavily and their shoutings resounded like rolls of thunder.
Awakening from their dreams,the solders of the Jin army were almost stupefied by the imposing manner of the three phalanxes of the Wu army.The white phalanx was like a field covered with flowering rush,the red phalanx was like a burning fire,and the black phalanx was simply like a sea too deep to fathom.
This story comes from Comversations from the States.Later generations often use the set phrase "like fire and flowering rush"to refer to tremendous momentum.
春秋時代末期，吳國國王夫差連續征服了越國、魯國和齊國，雄心勃勃，又繼續向西北進軍，打算一鼓作氣征服晉國。
可正在這個時候，越王勾踐抄了吳王的後路。他帶領軍隊一直打到吳國的國都姑蘇***蘇州***，又派人馬佔據淮河，把吳王的退路切斷了。
這訊息給吳王夫差當頭潑了一盆冷水，他非常震驚，立即召集文臣武將商量對策。大家說，現在退回去等於兩關打了敗仗，還會兩頭捱打;如果能打敗晉國，就等於在諸候國中當定了霸主，再回去收拾越王勾踐也不算晚。
大主意已經拿定，當務之急是儘快征服晉國。考慮再三，決定出奇制勝。
一天傍晚，吳王下達了命令。全軍將士吃得飽飽的，馬也喂足了草料。從全軍中挑出三萬精兵強將。每一萬人擺成一個方陣，共擺三個方陣。每個方陣橫豎都是一百人。每一行排頭的都是軍官司。每十行，也就是一千人，由一個大夫負責。每項一個方陣由一名將軍率領。中間的方陣白盔白甲，白衣服，白旗幟，白弓箭，由吳王自己掌握，稱為中軍;左邊的方陣，紅盔紅甲、紅衣服、紅簡直就像深不可測;右邊的方陣則一水兒黑色。半夜出發，黎明時分到達離晉軍僅有一里路的地方。天色剛剛顯出亮色，吳軍鼓聲大作，歡呼之聲震天動工地。
晉軍從夢中醒來，一看吳軍那三個方陣和聲威氣勢，簡直都驚呆了：那白色方陣，“望之如荼”——像開滿白花的茅草地;那紅色方陣，“望之如火”——如像熊熊燃燒的火焰;而那黑色的方陣，簡直就象深不可測的大海。
故事出自《國語·吳語》。成語“如火如荼”，形容某種人群或事物陣容之大，氣勢之盛。
：退避三舍
Retreating about Thirty Miles as Condition For Peace
During the Spring and Autumn Period ***770-476 B.C.***, Duke Xian of the State of Jin Killed the crown prince Sheng because he had heard slanders about Sheng and believed them. He also sent his men to arrest Chong Er, Shen Sheng and believed them. He also sent his men to arrest Chonh Er, Shen Sheng's brother. Hearing the news, Chong Er escaped from the state of Jin, remaining a fugitive for more than ten years.
After innumerable hardships, Chong Er arrived at the State of Chu at last. King Cheng of the State of Chu treated him with high respect as he would have treated the ruler of a state, believing that he would have a vright fuure.
One day, King Cheng of the State of Chu gave a banquet in honoudr of Chong Er. Suddenly, amid the harmonious atmosphere of drinking and talking, King Cheng of the State of Chu asked Chong Er. "How will you repay me when you return to the State of Jin and become its ruler one day?" After thinking for a moment, Chong Er said, "You have plenty of beauties and attendants as well as jewelry and silk cloth, and the state of Chu abounds in rare brides and animals. What treasure can the State of Jin boast having to present to your majesty?" King Cheng of the State of Chu said, "You are too modest. Nevertheless, you still have to show your gratitude to me in one way or another, I presume?" Smiling, Chong Er answered, "If I should be fortunate enouge to return to the State of Jin and become its ruler, the State of Jin would be friendly to the State of Chu. If, one day, there should be a war between the two states, I would definitely order my troops to retreat three SHE ***one SHE is equivalent to thirty LI. The LI is a Chinese unit of length equivalent to 1/2 kilometre. And, therefore, three SHE is about thirty miles.*** as a condition for peace. If, under that condition, you were still not reconciled, I would have to fight with you."
Four years later, as might be expected, Chong Er returned to the State of Jin and became its ruler. He was none other than Duke Wen of the State of Jin famous in ancient Chinese history. Ruled by him, the State of Jin became increasingly powerful.
In the year 533 B.C., the Chu troops and the Jin troops confronted each other in a battle. Faithful to his promise, Duke Wen of the State of Jin ordered his troops to retreat about thirty miles. After retreating, the Jin troops were stationed at Chengpu. Seeing that the Jin troops were retreating, the Chu troops thought that the enemy troops were afraid, and began chasing them. Taking advantage of the Chu troops' arrogance and their talking the Jin troops lightly, the Jin troops concentrated their forces and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Chu troops, thus winning the victory of the battle of Chengpu.
This set phrase, "retreating about thirty miles as a condition for peace," is derived from the Chapter "The Twenty-second Year of Duke Xi" in ZuoZhuan, the famous commentary by Zuo Qiuming on The spring and Autumn Annals. The idea of this set phrase is to give way to somebody in order to avoid a conflict.
春秋時候，晉獻公聽信讒言，殺了太子申生，又派人捉拿申生的弟弟重耳。重耳聞訊，逃出了晉國，在外流忘十幾年。
經過千幸萬苦,重耳來到楚國。楚成王認為重耳日後必有大作為，就以國群之禮相迎，待他如上賓。
一天，楚王設宴招待重耳，兩人飲灑敘話，氣氛十分融洽。忽然楚王問重耳：“你若有一天回晉國當上國君，該怎麼報答我呢?”重耳略一思索說：“美女待從、珍寶絲綢，大王您有的是，珍禽羽毛，象牙獸皮，更是楚地的盛產，晉國哪有什麼珍奇物品獻給大王呢?”楚王說：“公子過謙了。話雖然這麼說，可總該對我有所表示吧?”重耳笑笑回答道：“要是託您的福。果真能回國當政的話，我願與貴國友好。假如有一天，晉楚國之間發生戰爭，我一定命令軍隊先退避三舍***一舍等於三十里***，如果還不能得到您的原諒，我再與您交戰。”
四年後，重耳真的回到晉國當了國君，就是歷史上有名的晉文公。晉國在他的治理下日益強大。
公元前633年，楚國和晉國的軍隊在作戰時相遇。晉文公為了實現他許下的諾言，下令軍隊後退九十里，駐紮在城濮。楚軍見晉軍後退，以為對方害怕了，馬上追擊。晉軍利用楚軍驕傲輕敵的弱點，集中兵力，大破楚軍，取得了城濮之戰的勝利。
故事出自《左傳·僖公二十二年》。成語“退避三舍”比喻不與人相爭或主動讓步。