Another Chinese old folk tale with Japanese voice recording^^
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Previous my post is one of Chinese old folk tale. Today, I would like to write another Chinese story in English. I would really appreciate you if you would correct my post. I had record Japanese part, if you need it, please feel free to use for your Japanese study. I really enjoy language exchange experience.=^-^=
Once upon a time in China, one rich man distributed liquor to his servants at ceremony of worship his ancestors. However, the amount of that liquor was drink enough only for one person. Servants started game that winner will get the liquor. The game was anyone who can draw the sank first is winner. One man immediately finished the drawing the picture of snake and dragging the cup and he said, “I have still enough time to add the legs to this drawing.” While he was holding the cup in his left hand and he started to draw the legs of snake. However, while the fist man drawing the legs another man finished the drawing the snake and snatch the cup from the hand of fist man and he said. “Originally, the snake doesn’t have legs! How can you draw legs?” And he drank the liquor. The first man who adds the legs on the snake failed to drink liquor. If you draw the legs at the snake drawing that is not the snake any more. According from this Chinese old folk tale, the idiom「蛇足」meant that if you do unnecessary extra would bring you to fail to do something.
Japanese MP3 https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=AEEBD48230A50FD7!11747
昔々の中国で、あるお金持ちの男が、先祖をまつる祭事の際に、その召使使いたちに、たった一人分のお酒を配りました。そこで、召使たちは、地面に蛇の絵を描いて、一番先に描き上げた者がすべての酒を飲む事が出来る。というゲームを行いました。一人の男が、すぐに描き終え、酒を引き寄せて、左手に杯を持ち、「私はまだ足を描き足す余裕がある」と言って右手で蛇の絵に足を描き始めました。しかし、それを描き終わらないうちに、もう一人が蛇を描き上げ、杯を奪い取って、「もともと蛇に足はない。そなたに足を描けるわけがない」と言って酒を飲んでしまいました。おかげで、蛇に足を付けた男はついに酒を飲み損なってしまったのです。蛇に足を描いたら、それはもう蛇の絵ではなくなります。このことから「蛇足」とは、わざわざ余計な事をして、失敗してしまう。という意味の熟語となりました。
昔々の中国で、あるお金持ちの男が、先祖をまつる祭事の際に、その召使使いたちに、たった一人分のお酒を配りました。そこで、召使たちは、地面に蛇の絵を描いて、一番先に描き上げた者がすべての酒を飲む事が出来る。というゲームを行いました。一人の男が、すぐに描き終え、酒を引き寄せて、左手に杯を持ち、「私はまだ足を描き足す余裕がある」と言って右手で蛇の絵に足を描き始めました。しかし、それを描き終わらないうちに、もう一人が蛇を描き上げ、杯を奪い取って、「もともと蛇に足はない。そなたに足を描けるわけがない」と言って酒を飲んでしまいました。おかげで、蛇に足を付けた男はついに酒を飲み損なってしまったのです。蛇に足を描いたら、それはもう蛇の絵ではなくなります。このことから「蛇足」とは、わざわざ余計な事をして、失敗してしまう。という意味の熟語となりました。
My previous post is one of Chinese old folk tale.
my post + previous = my previous post :)
I would really appreciate it if you would correct my post.
I have recorded the Japanese part, if you need it, please feel free to use for your Japanese study.
I really enjoy the/my language exchange experience.=^-^=
Once upon a time in China, one rich man distributed liquor to his servants at ceremony to worship his ancestors.
However, there was only enough liquor for one person.
Servants started game that winner would get the liquor.
The game was anyone who can draw a snake first is the winner.
However, while the fist man drawing the legs another man finished the drawing the snake and snatched the cup from the hand of fist man and he said.
“Originally, the Snakes don’t have legs!
The first man who had added the legs on the snake failed to drink liquor.
If you draw the legs on a snake drawing then it is not a snake any more.
According to this Chinese old folk tale, the idiom「蛇足」meant doing unnecessary things will cause you to fail on something.
toshiakiさんは私のしてくれて添削と説明が分かりました。私はそれについて嬉しいです。
My previous post was about an old Chinese folktale.
Words like "folk tale" or "folk lore" can be merged into one word like in the correction I wrote.
I have recorded the Japanese part. If you need it please feel free to use it for your Japanese study.
The servants played a game to see who would get the liquor.
"Liquor" is a fine word to use. You can also use "alcohol" in this context.
The person who could draw a snake first would be declared the winner.
This is a more natural way to convey the same thought.
One man quickly finished the drawing. the picture of snake and Dragging the cup toward himself and he said, “I have still enough time to add the legs to this *drawing.”. While he was holding the cup in his left hand, and he started to draw the legs of a snake.
*The word "drawing" has been used quite a bit. To add some variety, you could say "picture" instead.
However, while the first man was drawing the legs another man finished his picture of the snake and snatched the cup from the hand of first man and he said,
“Originally, the Snakes don't have legs!
「もともと蛇に足はない。」 makes sense in Japanese, but in English it's redundant to say something like "Naturally/Originally/By nature snakes don't have legs!" or "Naturally/Originally/By nature a snake doesn't have legs!".
Since it's common knowledge that snakes don't have limbs you only need to say "Snakes don't have legs!" in English for it to sound natural and be grammatically correct.
According to this old Chinese old folk tale, the idiom「蛇足」means doing more than necessary will bring failure.
お疲れ様でしたとしあきさん！ありがとうね。