成語故事英語版 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.
戰國時代，宋國有一個養猴子的老人，他在家中的院子裏養了許多猴子。日子一久，這個老人和猴子竟然能溝通講話了。
這個老人每天早晚都分別給每隻猴子四顆栗子。幾年之後，老人的經濟越來越不充裕了，而猴子的數目卻越來越多，所以他就想把每天的栗子由八顆改爲七顆，於是他就和猴子們商量說：“從今天開始，我每天早上給你們三顆粟子，晚上還是照常給你們四顆栗子，不知道你們同不同意?”
猴子們聽了，都認爲早上怎麼少了一個?於是一個個就開始吱吱大叫，而且還到處跳來跳去，好像非常不願意似的。
老人一看到這個情形，連忙改口說：“那麼我早上給你們四顆，晚上再給你們三顆，這樣該可以了吧?”
猴子們聽了，以爲早上的粟子已經由三個變成四個，跟以前一樣，就高興地在地上翻滾起來。
成語故事英語版 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(樹樁) 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(諷刺，挖苦) those who just wait for a stroke of luck, rather than making efforts to obtain what they need.
宋國有個農夫正在田裏翻土。突然，他看見有一隻野兔從旁邊的草叢裏慌慌張張地竄出來，一頭撞在田邊的樹墩子上，便倒在那兒一動也不動了。農民走過去一看：兔子死了。因爲它奔跑的速度太快，把脖子都撞折(shé)了。農民高興極了，他一點力氣沒花，就白撿了一隻又肥又大的野兔。他心想;要是天天都能撿到野兔，日子就好過了。從此，他再也不肯出力氣種地了。每天，他把鋤頭放在身邊，就躺在樹墩子跟前，等待着第二隻、第三隻野兔自己撞到這樹墩子上來。世上哪有那麼多便宜事啊。農民當然沒有再撿到撞死的野兔，而他的田地卻荒蕪了。
這個成語用來諷刺那些坐等機遇的人，而不是通過努力而獲取他們的所需。
成語故事英語版 畫蛇添足
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(燒杯，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.
楚國有一家人，祭過了祖宗之後，便將一壺祭祀時用的酒，留給辦事人員喝。辦事人員很多，僅僅一壺酒，到底給誰喝呢?有人提議讓每人在地上畫一條蛇，誰畫得快畫得好，就把這壺酒給他。大家都認爲這辦法很好。有一個人很快就把蛇畫好了。這壺酒就歸他所得。這時，他回頭看別人，都沒有畫好，就得意揚揚地說："你們畫得好慢呀ⅵ等我再畫上幾隻腳吧ⅵ"正在他畫蛇腳的時候，另一個人已經把蛇畫好了。那人把酒壺奪了過去說："蛇是沒有腳的，你怎麼畫上了腳?"說罷，就喝起酒來。