戰國時魏國有個謀士叫更嬴(yínɡ),
一日陪魏王去逛城。
抬頭見飛過一隻雁,
說不必放箭能射落。
魏王問你怎麼有這本領?
更嬴說大王不信請一試。
他拉開弓弦隻一彈,
弓弦就“崩”的響了一聲,
雁聞弦響一聲叫,
落下跌個倒栽蔥。
魏王連誇更嬴本領高,
讓他把鳥落原因來講明。
更嬴說這雁曾經受過傷,
而且傷得還很重。
創傷至今沒痊愈,
我看它隻是勉強能飛動,
吃力扇翅飛行慢,
飛著飛著還悲鳴。
正當它失魂落魄忍痛飛,
恰又聽到弓弦聲,
這時它極力想朝高處飛,
猛用力舊傷更疼痛,
忍不住一頭栽下來,
並非我更嬴有神功。
這故事常常比喻人,
經曆過危難受過驚,
那樣就遇事膽怯心虛怕,
恰如那受傷的雁兒聞響弓。
A Bird That Was Shocked
at the Twang of the Bow
During the time of the Warring States(475—221B。C。)in the State of Wei,there lived a strategist named Geng Ying,who one day acpanied the King of Wei for a hike。They raised their heads and saw a wild goose flying in the sky。Geng Ying said that he could kill the bird with an empty bow。The King of Wei was wondering and asked how he could be so brilliant。
Geng Ying said to the lord that he could just wait and see。While he was speaking he pulled at his empty bow,the string of the bow made a twang。On hearing the sound the wild goose uttered a creaking scream,and fell vertically on the ground dead。The King of Wei was amazed and praised Geng Ying's master skill,and asked what was the cause of this fantastic thing。
Geng Ying explained to him that the bird had been wounded,the wound was very serious,and it hadn't recovered yet。It could be seen to grudgingly fly,and it flew slowly and painfully。It was screaming miserably as it flew。As it lamely flapped along,it heard the twang of my bow。The bird then tried its best to fly higher。But alas,its old wound hurt terrib-ly when it tried hard,then it eventually failed and fell down。So it is not that I had any magic spell。
This story tells us:when someone is once seriously shocked,he may be more timid than before,just like the wounded wild goose hearing the twanging bow。