听成语故事大全(3)

　　听成语故事大全：夜郎自大

　　At the time of Han Dynasty, there was a small country in the south-west called Yelang, although it was an independent country, the land was small and the people were few. But since Yelang was larger than the adjacent area, and the king of Yelang had never been to another country, then he thought his country was the largest in the world.

　　汉朝的时候，在西南方有个名叫夜郎的小国家，它虽然是一个独立的国家，可是国土很小，百姓也少。但是由于邻近地区夜郎这个国家最大，夜郎国的国王从没去过别的国家，他以为自己统治的国家是全天下最大的。

　　One day, when the king visited the border with his men, he pointed to the front and said: "What is the largest country here?" In order to appease the king, the men said: "Of course Yelang!"For a moment, the king looked up and watched the tall mountain, and said: "Is there still much higher mountain than this mountain?" The men replied: "There is no higher mountain than this mountain."

　　有一天，夜郎国国王与部下巡视国境的时候，他指着前方问说：“这里哪个国家最大呀？”部下们为了迎合国王的心意，于是就说：“当然是夜郎国最大了！”走着走着，国王又抬起头来、望着前方的高山问说：“天底下还有比这座山更高的山吗？”部下们回答说：“天底下没有比这座山更高的山了。”

　　Later, when they came to the river, the king asked: "I think it's the longest river in the world." "Our king is absolutely right," the men replied. Since then, the ignorant king had been more convinced that Yelang was the largest country in the world.

　　后来，他们来到河边，国王又问：“我认为这可是世界上最长的河流了。”部下们仍然异口同声回答说：“大王说得一点都没错。”从此以后，无知的国王就更相信夜郎是天底下最大的国家。

　　Once, the Han Dynasty envoy came to the Yelang, the proud and ignorant king, who did not know that the country he ruled was only the same as a county in the Han Dynasty. "My country is larger than the Han Dynasty." he told the envoy.

　　有一次，汉朝派使者来到夜郎，骄傲又无知的国王因为不知道自己统治的国家只和汉朝的一个县差不多大，竟然不知天高地厚地对使者说：“我的国家比汉朝大多了。”