HSK 4 · Story · 354 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/hua-she-tian-zu-drawing-legs-on-a-snake

画蛇添足

Drawing legs on a snake

Name: ________________ Date: ________

两千多liǎngqiānduō年nián前qián，楚国chǔguó有yǒu一家人yìjiārén拜bài完wán祖先zǔxiān，把bǎ一yí大dà杯酒bēijiǔ送给sònggěi了le家里jiālǐ帮忙bāngmáng的de几jǐ个gè人rén。

酒jiǔ只有zhíyǒu一yì杯bēi，人rén却què有yǒu好几háojǐ个gè。几jǐ个gè人rén一起yìqǐ喝hē，谁shéi也yě喝hē不够búgòu；一yí个gè人rén喝hē，就jiù能néng喝hē个够gòu。

有人yǒurén说shuō：“这样zhèyàng吧ba，每人měirén在zài地上dìshang画huà一yì条tiáo蛇shé，谁shéi先xiān画huà完wán，谁shéi就jiù喝hē这zhè杯bēi酒jiǔ！”

有yǒu一yí个gè人rén画huà得de最zuì快kuài，不一会儿bùyíhuìr，他tā的de蛇shé就jiù画huà好hǎo了le。他tā拿起náqǐ酒杯jiǔbēi，正要zhèngyào喝hē，又yòu看kàn了le看kàn别人biéren：有的yǒude蛇shé还hái没有méiyǒu尾巴wěiba，有的yǒude蛇shé还hái没有méiyǒu头tóu。

他tā得意déyì地de笑xiào了le：“你们nǐmen慢慢mànmàn画huà，我wǒ还有háiyǒu时间shíjiān，再zài给gěi我wǒ的de蛇shé画huà几jǐ只zhī脚jiǎo！”

他tā左手zuóshǒu拿ná着zhe酒杯jiǔbēi，右手yòushǒu继续jìxù画huà：一yì只zhī脚jiǎo，两liǎng只zhī脚jiǎo，三sān只zhī脚jiǎo……

第四dìsì只zhī脚jiǎo还hái没méi画huà完wán，旁边pángbiān有人yǒurén叫jiào了le一声yìshēng：“我wǒ画huà好hǎo了le！”他tā一把yìbǎ抢走qiángzǒu酒杯jiǔbēi：“蛇shé本来běnlái没有méiyǒu脚jiǎo，你nǐ怎么zěnme能néng给gěi它tā画huà脚jiǎo呢ne？”说shuō完wán，一口气yìkǒuqì就jiù把bǎ那nà杯bēi酒jiǔ喝hē光guāng了le。

画huà脚jiǎo的de人rén看kàn了le看kàn那nà条tiáo有yǒu脚jiǎo的de蛇shé，又yòu看kàn了le看kàn自己zìjǐ空空kōngkōng的de手shǒu，一yí句jù话huà也yě说不出来shuōbuchūlái。

今天jīntiān，中国zhōngguó人rén还hái常cháng说shuō“画蛇添足huàshé-tiānzú”。比如bǐrú，话huà已经yǐjīng说shuō清楚qīngchu了le，你nǐ还hái想xiǎng再说zàishuō一遍yíbiàn；菜cài已经yǐjīng很hěn好吃hǎochī了le，你nǐ还hái想xiǎng再zài放fàng一yí大dà勺sháo盐yán。这时候zhèshíhou，朋友péngyǒu就jiù会huì笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“别bié画蛇添足huàshé-tiānzú了le！”

那么nàme，这zhè个gè故事gùshi告诉gàosù我们wǒmen什么shénme呢ne？不bù说shuō了le。再zài多duō说shuō一yí句jù，就jiù画蛇添足huàshé-tiānzú了le。

Key words

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
酒	jiǔ	alcohol; liquor; wine
只有	zhíyǒu	only; only if; unless
先	xiān	first; in advance
别人	biéren	other people; others; someone else
脚	jiǎo	foot
句	jù	classifier for phrases and lines of speech or verse
常	cháng	often; frequently
比如	bǐrú	for example; for instance; such as
清楚	qīngchu	clear; distinct
故事	gùshi	story; tale
不够	búgòu	not enough; insufficient
得意	déyì	pleased with oneself; proud; complacent

English (for the teacher)

More than two thousand years ago, a family in the state of Chu finished honouring their ancestors and gave a big cup of wine to the few people who helped around the house.

There was only one cup of wine, but there were several of them. Shared between them, it wouldn’t be enough for anyone; one person alone could drink his fill.

Someone said, “Tell you what: everyone draws a snake on the ground, and whoever finishes first gets the wine!”

One man drew faster than anyone, and in no time his snake was done. He picked up the cup and was just about to drink when he glanced at the others: some of their snakes had no tails yet, and some had no heads.

He smiled smugly: “Take your time, all of you. I’ve still got time, so I’ll give my snake a few legs!”

Holding the cup in his left hand, he kept drawing with his right: one leg, two legs, three legs…

Before he had finished the fourth leg, someone beside him called out, “I’m done!” He snatched the cup away: “Snakes don’t have legs to begin with. How can you draw legs on it?” With that, he drank the whole cup in one go.

The man who drew the legs looked at the snake with legs, then at his own empty hands, and couldn’t say a word.

Today, Chinese people still often say “drawing legs on a snake”. Say you’ve already made yourself clear, but you want to say it all again; or the dish already tastes great, but you want to add another big spoonful of salt. That’s when a friend will laugh and say, “Don’t draw legs on the snake!”

So, what does this story teach us? I’ll stop there. One more word, and I’d be drawing legs on the snake.