The Story of Waiting for a Hare at the Stump: A Lesson in Patience

寓意：成语“守株待兔”，比喻亡想不劳而得，或死守狭隘的经验，不知变通。

Thisstorycomesfrom"TheFiveVermin"inTheWorksofHanFeizi.Latergenerationsoftenusethesetphrase"stayingbyastumpwaitingformoreharestocomeanddashthemselvesagainstit"toshowgrustingtochanceandwindfallsordreamingtoreapwithoutsowing.Itisalsousedtoshowadheringtonarrowexperiencesandnotbeingabletobeflexible.正文：StayingbyaStumpWaitingforMoreHaresToComeandDashThemselvesAgainstItThisstorytookplacemorethan2，000yearsago，intheWarringStatesperiod（475-221B.C.）.TraditionhasitthatintheStateofSongatthattimetherewasamanwhowasfamousforstayingbyastumpwaitingformoreharestocomeanddashthemselvesagainstit.Hewasayongfarmer，andhisfamilyhadbeenfarmersforgenerations.Yearafteryearandgenerationaftergeneration，farmersusedtosowinspringandharvestinautumn，beginningtoworkatsunriseandretiringatsunset.Ingoodharvestyears，theycouldonlyhaveenoughfoodtoeatandenoughclothingtowear.Iftherewasafamineduetocropfailure，theyhadtogohungry.Thisyoungfarmerwantedtoimprovehislife.Buthewastoolazyandtoocowardly.Beinglazyandcowardlyovereverything，heoftendreamedofhavingunexpectedblessings.Amiracletookplaceatlast.Onedayinlateautumn，whenhewasploughinginthefield，twogroupsofpeoplewerehuntingnearby.Asshoutingswererisingoneafteranother，scaredhareswererunningdesperately.Suddenly，ablindharedasheditselfheadlongagainstthestumpofadeadtreeinhisfieldanddied.Thatday，heatehisfill.Fromthatdayon，henolongerwentinforfarmingagain.Frommorningtillnight，hestayedbythatmiraculousstump，waitingformiraclestotakeplaceagain.Thisstorycomesfrom"TheFiveVermin"inTheWorksofHanFeizi.Latergenerationsoftenusethesetphrase"stayingbyastumpwaitingformoreharestocomeanddashthemselvesagainstit"toshowgrustingtochanceandwindfallsordreamingtoreapwithoutsowing.Itisalsousedtoshowadheringtonarrowexperiencesandnotbeingabletobeflexible.相传在战国时代宋国，有一个农民，日出而作，日入而息．遇到好年景，也不过刚刚吃饱穿暖一遇灾荒，可就要忍饥挨饿了．他想改善生活，但他太懒，胆子又特小，干什么都是又懒又怕，总想碰到送上门来的意外之财。奇迹终于发生了。深秋的一天，他正在田里耕地，周围有人在打猎。吆喝之声四处起伏，受惊的小野兽没命的奔跑。突然，有一只兔子，不偏不倚，一头撞死在他田边的树根上。当天，他美美地饱餐了一顿。从此，他便不再种地。一天到晚，守着那神奇的树根，等着奇迹的出现。成语“守株待兔”，比喻亡想不劳而得，或死守狭隘的经验，不知变通。