春秋時吳越兩國起征戰，
越王被吳王打敗輸得慘。
吳國的國王叫夫差，
越國的國君名勾踐。
吳王夫差曾把勾踐捉回國，
簡直把越王當作豬狗看。
到後來越王設謀回國後，
發憤圖強報仇怨！
每天夜晚他睡在柴堆上，
頭上方懸掛一隻苦豬膽。
睡覺前先要嚐嚐苦膽味，
時刻把國恥家仇記心間。
經過數年努力後，
勾踐與以往不一般，
治理得民富國也強，
伺機領兵報仇怨。
終於把吳國消滅掉，
後人提起總稱讚。
把“臥薪嚐膽”作成語，
比喻人刻苦奮發能自勉。
Sleep on Brushwood and Taste Gall
During the Spring and Autumn Period（770—476B。C。），there was a war between two states：Wu and Yue。The king of Yue was defeated by the king of Wu。The name of the king of Wu was Fu Chai，and the name of the king of Yue was Gou Jian。Fu Chai had once arrested Gou Jian and taken him to his country，and treated him as a dog or pig。Later the caught king managed to get back to his home country。He resolved to take revenge。Every night he slept on brushwood，and every night before sleep，he would taste the pig's gall hanging overhead，remembering the shame of his country and foe of his family。
After several years of hard work，Gou Jian turned out to be a new man。He ran the country well and his people were all rich，and he was preparing for revenge。In the end he wiped out the State of Wu。People in later generations often praised him。
“Sleep on Brushwood and Taste Gall”as an idiom indicates one should work hard and be self-reliant。