中國寓言故事雙語版 第34期:楚王擊鼓
One day, King Li of the State of Chu announced to the people:
一天，楚厲王通告老百姓:
If any emergency occurs in our country, the drum will be beaten as a signal.
假如國家發生急事，就以擊鼓爲信號。
The moment the people hear the drum, they must assemble outside the palace gate at once.
老百姓一聽到鼓聲響，就必須立刻到宮門外集合。
One day, King Li got drunk. When he passed by the drum stand, he started to beat the drum at random.
有一次，厲王喝醉了酒，從鼓架旁邊走過，就胡亂地擊起鼓來。
When the people heard the drum, they ran from all directions to the palace gate, thinking that some emergency had occurred in the country.
老百姓聽到鼓聲，以爲國家發生了什麼急事，都從四面八方跑到宮門外來了。
They stood all around in a dense mass.
黑壓壓地站了一大片。
King Li sent someone to tell them:"Just now the King beat the drum,
厲王派人去告訴大家說:“剛纔國王擊鼓，
but nothing urgent had happend It was only because the King got drunk and when he passed by the drum stand, he beat the drum just for fun."
沒有發生什麼急事;只是因爲國王喝醉了酒，走過鼓架旁邊，爲着好玩，才擊了一陣子鼓。”
All the people returned to their homes, feeling angry.
老百姓都回家去了，但是都很氣憤。
A few months later, some emergency really occurred in the State of Chu.
隔了幾個月，楚國真的發生了緊急情況。
The drum outside the palace gate sounded from early morning until night.
宮門外的鼓“咚咚咚”地從早晨一直響到晚上。
Though the people heard the drum, they no longer cared about it and didn't rush to the palace gate.
可是，老百姓雖然聽到鼓聲，卻不再把它當做一回事而趕到宮門前來了。
