惊jīng弓gōng之zhī鸟niǎo

很hěn久jiǔ以yǐ前qián，魏Wèi国guó有yǒu一yī个gè很hěn会huì射shè箭jiàn的de人rén，名míng字zi叫jiào更Gēng羸Léi。

Long ago, in the state of Wei, there was a man who was very good with a bow. His name was Geng Lei.

有yǒu一yī天tiān，更Gēng羸Léi和hé魏Wèi王wáng站zhàn在zài外wài面miàn看kàn鸟niǎo。

One day Geng Lei and the King of Wei were standing outside, watching the birds.

更Gēng羸Léi对duì魏Wèi王wáng说shuō：“我wǒ不bù用yòng箭jiàn，只zhǐ拉lā一yī下xià弓gōng，就jiù能néng让ràng鸟niǎo掉diào下xià来lai。”

Geng Lei said to the king, “I don’t need an arrow. I only have to pull my bow once, and I can make a bird fall.”

魏Wèi王wáng笑xiào了le：“这zhè怎zěn么me可kě能néng？”

The king laughed. “How could that be?”

更Gēng羸Léi说shuō：“请qǐng您nín等děng一yī会huì儿r，您nín就jiù知zhī道dào了le。”

“Please wait a little,” said Geng Lei. “Then you will know.”

过guò了le一yī会huì儿r，一yī只zhī大dà雁yàn从cóng东dōng方fāng飞fēi了le过guò来lai。

After a while, a wild goose came flying from the east.

它tā飞fēi得de很hěn慢màn，叫jiào得de很hěn伤shāng心xīn。

It flew very slowly and cried very sadly.

更Gēng羸Léi拿ná出chū弓gōng，但dàn是shì没méi有yǒu拿ná箭jiàn。

Geng Lei took out his bow, but he did not take an arrow.

他tā拉lā了le一yī下xià，只zhǐ听tīng“嘣bēng”的de一yī声shēng。

He pulled it once. Twang!

那nà只zhī鸟niǎo听tīng见jiàn了le，马mǎ上shàng往wǎng上shàng飞fēi。

The bird heard it and at once flew upward.

但dàn是shì它tā只zhǐ飞fēi了le两liǎng下xià，就jiù掉diào了le下xià来lai。

But it beat its wings only twice, and then it fell.

魏Wèi王wáng说shuō：“真zhēn没méi有yǒu想xiǎng到dào！你nǐ是shì怎zěn么me做zuò的de？”

“I really didn’t expect that!” said the king. “How did you do it?”

更Gēng羸Léi笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“这zhè不bù是shì因yīn为wèi我wǒ，是shì因yīn为wèi这zhè只zhī鸟niǎo受shòu伤shāng了le。”

Geng Lei smiled. “It wasn’t because of me. It was because this bird was wounded.”

魏Wèi王wáng问wèn：“先xiān生sheng，你nǐ怎zěn么me知zhī道dào？”

The king asked, “Sir, how do you know?”

更Gēng羸Léi说shuō：“它tā飞fēi得de很hěn慢màn，是shì因yīn为wèi它tā很hěn疼téng。”

Geng Lei said, “It flew slowly because it was in pain.”

“它tā那nà样yàng叫jiào，是shì因yīn为wèi它tā很hěn久jiǔ没méi有yǒu见jiàn到dào家jiā人rén了le。”

“It cried like that because it had not seen its family for a long time.”

“它tā还hái很hěn害hài怕pà，一yī听tīng见jiàn这zhè个ge声shēng音yīn，就jiù马mǎ上shàng往wǎng上shàng飞fēi。”

“It was still very frightened. As soon as it heard that sound, it flew straight up.”

“这zhè一yī飞fēi，伤shāng口kǒu又yòu裂liè开kāi了le，它tā就jiù掉diào了le下xià来lai。”

“That flight tore its wound open again, and down it fell.”

魏Wèi王wáng听tīng了le，说shuō：“你nǐ说shuō得de对duì！”

When the king heard this, he said, “You are right!”

后hòu来lái，人rén们men用yòng“惊jīng弓gōng之zhī鸟niǎo”说shuō这zhè样yàng的de人rén：他tā们men遇yù到dào过guo不bù好hǎo的de事shì，所suǒ以yǐ一yī点diǎn儿r小xiǎo事shì也yě会huì让ràng他tā们men非fēi常cháng害hài怕pà。

Later, people began to use “a bird startled by the bow” for people like this: something bad has happened to them, so even a small thing frightens them terribly.