画蛇添足(原文+中文版+英文版)

古文：

画蛇添足

《战国策》

楚有祠者，赐其舍人卮洒。舍人相谓曰：“数人饮之不足，一人饮之有余；请画地为蛇，先成者饮酒。”一人蛇先成，引酒且饮之；乃左手持卮，右手画蛇，曰：“吾能为之足。”未成，一人之蛇成，夺其卮曰：“蛇固无足，子安能为之足!"遂饮其酒。

中文翻译：

古代楚国有个贵族，祭过祖宗以后，把一壶祭酒赏给前来帮忙的门客。门客们互相商量说：“这壶酒大家都来喝则不够，一个人喝则有余。让咱们各自在地上比赛画蛇，谁先画好，谁就喝这壶酒。”

有一个人最先把蛇画好了。他端起酒壶正要喝，却得意洋洋地左手拿着酒壳，右手继续画蛇，说：“我能够再给它添上几只脚呢！”可是没等他把脚画完，另一个人已把蛇画成了。那人把壶抢过去，说：“蛇本来是没有脚的，你怎么能给它添脚呢！”说罢，便把壶中的酒喝了下去。

英文版：

Adding Feet to a Snake While Drawing It

Strategies of the Warring States

A native of Chu after worshipping his ancestors gave his retainers a pot of wine. One of the retainers said, “It's insufficient for all of us, but too much for one of us. I suggest, therefore, that we draw snakes on the ground, and the one who first finishes drawing the snake will win the pot of wine.”When one retainer had completed his drawing, he took the pot to drink. As he held it in his left hand, he continued to draw the snake with his right hand, saying “I can add feet to it.” While he was adding feet to his snake, another

man who had then drawn his snake snatched the pot from his hand, protesting“No snake has feet. How can you add feet to it?” Then he drank the wine.