《古代寓言·泥人和木偶》（中英对照）

孟尝君将入秦，止者千数而弗听，苏秦欲止之。孟尝君曰：“人事者吾已尽知之矣，吾所末闻独鬼事耳。”苏秦曰：“臣之来也，固不取言人事也，固且以鬼事相见君。”孟尝君见之。谓孟尝君曰：“今者臣来，过于淄上，有土偶人与桃梗相与语。桃梗谓土偶人曰：‘子，西岸之土也，挺子以为人，至此八月，降雨下，淄水至，则汝残矣。’土偶曰：‘不然，吾西岸之土也，吾残，则覆西岸耳。今子，东国之桃梗也，刻削子之为人，降雨下，淄水至，流子而去，则子漂漂者将何如耳？’今秦四塞之国，譬若虎口，而君入之，则臣不知君所出矣。”孟尝君乃止。

——《战国策》

The Clay Figure and the Wooden Image

When Lord Mengchang decided to leave his native land—the state of Qi—to take office in the state of Qin, hundreds of men tried to dissuade him from going. But he would not listen to them. Then Su Jin, the rhetorician, wanted to reason with him.

“I have heard all the arguments men can think of,” said Lord Mengchang. “All that’s lacking is some supernatural reasoning.”

“I came here with no intention of discussing human affairs,” replied Su Jin. “I am asking for an audience to speak of the supernatural.”

Then the lord admitted him, and Su Jin told the following story:

“Passing the River Zi on my way here, I heard a clay figure and a peach-wood image talking together.

“‘You used to be a piece of clay on the west bank,’ jeered the wooden image. ‘Now you have been made into a figure. But during the big rains in the eighth month, when the river rises, you are sure to be destroyed.’

“‘What of it?’ retorted the clay figure. ‘I come from the west bank, and when I am destroyed I shall become part of it again. But you are made of peach wood from the east country, carved into an image. When the great rains come and the river rises, you will be swept away, and then what will you do?’

“The state of Qin has strong passes on every side, so to enter it is like entering a tiger’s mouth! Once you go to Qin, I fear you will never come back.”

Then the lord gave up his plan.

Warring States Anecdotes