双语故事 鹬蚌相争

　　The Zhao State was taking up arms against the Yan State， and Su Dai （a military strategist during the Warring States period， and little brother to Su Qin of the School of Diplomacy） traveled to speak with King HuiWen of Zhao on behalf of the Yan State， and he told the following fable：

　　鈥淲hen I was coming here I passed over some gentle water， and by chance I happened to see a clam sunning itself。 A sandpiper seized the opportunity to peck at the clam鈥檚 meat， but the clam slammed the two wings of its hard shell shut on the sandpiper鈥檚 beak。 The sandpiper said， 鈥楾oday it won鈥檛 rain， tomorrow it won鈥檛 rain， and there will be one dead clam！鈥� The clam gave as good as he got， saying： 鈥業 won鈥檛 come out today， I won鈥檛 come out tomorrow （so your beak won鈥檛 be free）， and there will be one dead sandpiper！鈥� Neither party was willing to give up， and at this time， a fisherman scooped them both up and carried them off。 If Yan and Zhao oppose each other， we鈥檒l both fight ourselves weary。 I鈥檓 afraid the strong Qin State is playing the role of the fisherman， so I hope that your majesty will carefully deliberate on this matter。鈥�

　　赵国将要讨伐燕国，苏代（战国时策士，纵横家苏秦的弟弟）替燕国游说赵惠文王，讲了如下的寓言故事：

　　鈥溛依吹氖焙蚓�过易水，恰好看到蚌出来晒太阳。鹬趁机啄蚌的肉，蚌把两扇介壳一闭就夹住了鹬的喙。鹬说：鈥樈裉觳幌掠辏�明天不下雨，就有死蚌。鈥櫚鲆舱敕� 相对地说： 鈥樈裉觳怀觯�明天不出（夹住不放），就有死鹬。鈥櫫秸咚�也不肯罢休，这时过来一个渔父把两者一起拎走了。鈥澭嗾韵喽钥梗�都搞得很疲劳，我恐怕强大的秦国正 在扮演渔父的角色，所以希望大王深思熟虑。

　　惠文王赞同苏代的意见，停止对燕国用兵。