红楼梦故事:晴雯补裘

宝玉的大丫头袭人回娘家，怡红院诸事交丫鬟晴雯料理。晴雯事事要强，带重病操持宝玉的一切。宝玉为舅舅过生日，特穿上贾母送他的一件俄罗斯人用孔雀毛线织成的毛氅去赴宴。但晚上回来后，只见宝玉唉声叹气，一问才知毛氅烧了一个洞，幸好天黑，家母和太太们都没有看到。丫头连夜叫嬷嬷拿了出去补，让天亮前补好，因为明天还得穿。嬷嬷们去了半天回来说：”工匠们不认识这是什么，不敢揽这活。”大家都很着急。因病卧床的晴雯，听说此事，忙硬挺着身子坐起来，拿过来一瞧说：”这是孔雀金线，咱们用孔雀金线织密点，就能混过去。”虽有孔雀金线，大家都说不会织。晴雯只好披衣，但因身子虚，刚要动手，觉得头重脚轻，眼前猫金星，又怕宝玉着急，只好咬牙拼命撑着，逢几针，歇一会，一直到后半夜才补完。大家拿过来一看，简直和原来的一模一样。

As Xi Ren， the leading service girl who had taken care of Baoyu was away to visit her home， the duties， and the charge of Yihongyuan Court， fell on Qing Wen. A girl anxious to excel in everything， Qing Wen did everything personally. For the special occasion of his uncle’s birthday party， baoyu puton a very unique Russian-made cloak woven with threads from peacock feather， a gift from his grandmother. That evening， he returned with a sad look： the cloak had a hold burnt in it. Fortunately it was evening and the grandmother and the ladies in the house failed to notice. One servant hurriedly brought the cloak out to professionals to be mended over night， for Baoyu had to wear the cloak the next morning. But the servant returned to report that no craftsman dared to take the job， as none of them was able to identify what material the cloak was made of. While everyone was upset， Qing Wen managed to sit up from her sick bed， and after a look she claimed the material was peacock gold threads，” she said， “the cloak will look as good as new.” Even with the proper thread， no one dared to take the job. Therefore， Qing Wen， with a coat draped over her shoulders， began to mend. Due to sickness， she felt dizzy and saw stars. She bit her lips and continued. She had to stop for a bread every few stitches. It was in the small hours of the morning when she finally finished the job. People marveled at the mending she had done-the damage was almost invisible.

Whoever Plays With Fire Will Get Burnt

Whoever Plays With Fire Will Get Burnt
During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), prince Zhou Xu of the State of Wei killed his brother and became the new emperor. Zhou Xu was a tyrant. He oppressed his people and indulged in wars of aggression. By launching wars, he tried to divert the people’s attention and reduce their discontent with him in order to consolidate his dictatorship.
the Duke of the State of Lu leant about Zhou Xu’s usurpation of state power and his ambitious plan, he asked a senior official, “What do you think about Zhou Xu’s move? “The official answered, “He indulges in wars , bringing his people much disaster. He won’t get their support. And he’s capricious, so few of his close friends follow him. He can never achieve his success. In addition, war is like fire. If one launches wars endlessly without restraint, he’ll eventually burn himself. “
Sure enough, the people of Wei with the help of the State of Chen overthrew Zhou Xu and killed him in less than a year.
Later, people use it to mean that those who do evil will finally ruin themselves.
玩火自焚
春秋时期，卫国的王子州吁杀死了他的哥哥卫桓公，成为了卫国的国君。州吁是个暴君，他压迫百姓，到处侵略别的国家。他想利用战争来分散百姓的注意力，减少人们对他的不满，巩固他的专政。
鲁国的君王知道州吁篡夺了王位，还想吞并其他国家，就问他手下的一名官员：”你认为州吁的目的能达到吗？”那位官员说道：”州吁到处打仗，给人民来了灾难。人民不会支持他。他这个人又反复无常，身边没有什么亲信。他不可能实现自己的野心。而且，战争就象火。无休止地打仗，最后，火会烧到自己身上。 “
果然，不到一年，卫国人民就在陈国的帮助下推翻了州吁的统治，并处死了他。
后来，人们用这个成语来比喻干害人的勾当，最后受害的还是自己。

[希腊神话]法厄同Phaeton

Phaeton
Phaeton was the son of Apollo by Clymene．The mother had filled the lad’s head with so many stories of his father’s glory that the youth was quite proud．Wher ever he went he told those stories again and again until everybody was tired of him．On one occasion，when one of his playmates asked him to show his skill of coming down from sky，he felt quite hard to do it．He came back to his mother and told the unhappy event in tears．Unable to do anything for him，she sent her soneast wards to pray to Apollo for help．

The sungod graciously received his son and heard the story with interest．Then he took an oath by the Styx ，ready to give help according to the boy’s request．But he was surprised to hear that the boy’s hope was to drive his fiery carriage．He told his son of the dangers on the way，but failed to stop him fromthe try．As the god had sworn by the Styx there was no going back on his word．In his desperate effort to avoid disaster，Apollo warned his son to keep to the middle course and stop the horses in time．

Phaeton joyfully jumped on the carriage and set off．Very soon he lost his way．he grew pale at the great height and the vast sky in front of him and behind．The horses ran wild．Unable to hold them，Phaeton dropped them in fear．Straight downto the earth the carriage dashed．Rivers were dried up．Cropshung down and withered ．Men’s cries of suffering rose up from the burnt earth．The enraged Zeus soon found the cause of the trouble，and without hesitation gave one of his most powerful thunderbolts at the proud and careless boy．Phaeton droppedstraight down into a river．Both parents were sad over the loss of their son．And his sisters，who were so unhappy with his untimely death，were changed into poplars and their tearsambers ．

法厄同是阿波罗与克里敏尼生的儿子。母亲给法厄同灌输了许多父亲可歌可泣的故事，以致于法厄同变得十分得意忘形。无论走到何处，他总是反复给人们讲述那些故事，最后大家都厌烦了。有一次一位伙伴要他显露一下从天而降的本领，他颇感棘手，就痛哭流涕地将这一不快之事回家告诉了母亲，母亲无能为力只好将他派到东方向父亲阿波罗求援。

阿波罗宽厚地接待了儿子，绕有兴趣地听了事情的原委，然后阿波罗站在斯蒂克斯河边发誓：按儿子的请求予以帮助。然而令他惊讶的是：儿子原来是想驾驶他那带有火焰的战车。他警告儿子，路上会有危险。但无济于事。因太阳神已在河边发过誓，一言既出、驷马难追。为避免灾难，阿波罗绝望地做最后的努力，他警告儿子要在道路中间行驶，遇事要及时勒马。

法厄同怀着喜悦的心情跳上战车出发了。很快他就迷失了方向。看到前后令人头晕目眩的高度和浩瀚的天空，他变得脸色苍白。战马狂奔了，简直无法驾驶。恐惧之下，他把缰绳松了。战车向地面猛栽下去。河流干涸了，作物枯萎凋谢了。从烧焦的土地上传来了人类受难的恸哭。暴跳如雷的宙斯很快找到了这场乱子的原因。他毫不犹豫地朝高傲自大、粗心大意的法厄同施放了雷电中最猛烈的一击。法厄同径直地掉入江中。父母为失去儿子而哀痛。法厄同的姐妹们也为他的夭折而悲伤。她们都变成了白杨树，而她们的泪水则变成了琥珀。

家乡的景