英语绘本 ▏每日一读之《三国演义—Cutting Hair Instead Of Head》

曹操一直想称霸天下，所以他要建立一支强大的军队。

Cao Cao always wanted to dominate the world, so he wanted to build a strong army.

有一年，曹操率领大军去打仗，途中他们经过一大片麦地。

One year, Cao Cao led his army to fight, and on the way they passed a large wheat field.

  老百姓看到突然来了这么多官兵，都吓得躲在家里不敢出门，麦子熟了也不敢去收割。

When the common people saw so many officers and soldiers coming suddenly, they were so scared that they hid at home and dared not go out, and they did not dare to harvest the wheat when it was ripe.

  曹操了解到这一情况后，就派人一家一家地去敲门，告诉老百姓：“曹军是为民解忧的，如果有士兵敢践踏麦田，就要砍头示众。”

After Cao Cao learned about this situation, he sent people to knock on the doors of each family and told the common people: "Cao's army is to relieve the worries of the people. If any soldiers dare to trample on the wheat fields, they will be beheaded as a warning to the public."

  “不会吧，曹操怎么忍心杀掉自己的士兵呢？”老百姓都不相信。

"No way, how could Cao Cao bear to kill his own soldiers?" The common people did not believe it.

  于是在曹操的士兵经过麦田的时候，老百姓就偷偷地观察他们的行动。

So when Cao Cao's soldiers passed through the wheat field, the common people secretly observed their actions.

士兵们下了马小心的用手扶着麦秆，再慢慢地跨过麦子，没有一个人踩到麦子。

The soldiers got off their horses and carefully held the wheat stalks with their hands, and then slowly stepped over the wheat, and no one stepped on the wheat.

老百姓看到此情景都说：“曹操真是个好官啊，他带的兵个个都是好样的！”曹操骑在马上听着老百姓的称赞，心里美滋滋的。

When the common people saw this scene, they all said: "Cao Cao is really a good official, and all the soldiers he led are good!" Cao Cao rode on his horse and listened to the praise of the common people, and he felt very happy.

  忽然从麦田里飞起一只小鸟。曹操的马被吓了一跳，带着曹操一下子窜进了麦田，踩坏了一片庄稼。

Suddenly, a bird flew up from the wheat field. Cao Cao's horse was startled and rushed into the wheat field with Cao Cao, trampling a field of crops.

  曹操从马上跳下来，喊来随行的官员说：“我踩坏了老百姓的麦田，请惩罚我，把我的头砍下来吧！”

Cao Cao jumped off his horse and called the accompanying officials, saying: "I trampled the wheat fields of the people, please punish me and chop off my head!"

随行的官员说：“不行不行，怎么能惩罚丞相呢？”

The accompanying officials said: "No, no, how can you punish the prime minister?"

曹操说：“定下的军纪律令就要遵守。如果我自己做不到，怎么能让士民们信服呢？”

Cao Cao said: "The military discipline orders must be followed. If I can't do it myself, how can I convince the people?"

曹操唰的一下抽出腰间的宝剑，横在自己的脖子上。

Cao Cao drew out the sword from his waist and put it across his neck.

一位官员劝阻说：“哎呀，万万使不得啊！古书上说法制的约束对于尊贵的人来说要视情况而定，您还有重要的使命，怎么能轻易去死呢？”

An official dissuaded him, saying, "Oh, you can't do that! Ancient books say that the constraints of the legal system for noble people depend on the situation. You still have an important mission, how can you die easily?"

曹操说道：“既然还有为民除害的大事要办，那我就暂时不死了吧！但是我不能言而无信，犯了错一定要受到惩罚。”

Cao Cao said, "Since there is still a big thing to do to eliminate harm for the people, I will not die for the time being! But I can't go back on my word. If I make a mistake, I must be punished."

曹操挥剑割断了自己的头发，他说：“既然我不能砍下头来谢罪，那我就隔断头发来代替吧！”

Cao Cao swung his sword and cut off his hair. He said, "Since I can't cut off my head to apologize, I will cut off my hair instead!"

然后曹操就派人贴出告示：“丞相践踏了麦田，本该砍头示众，但因为丞相肩负重任，所以割断头发代罪。”

Then Cao Cao sent someone to post a notice: "The prime minister trampled on the wheat field and should have been beheaded, but because the prime minister shouldered an important responsibility, he cut off his hair to make up for his crime."

在古代隔断自己的头发是一件很大的事情，所以老百姓看了告示后，纷纷竖起大拇指夸赞道：“曹操真是个严于律己的人啊！”

In ancient times, cutting off one's hair was a big deal, so after reading the notice, the people gave thumbs up and praised, "Cao Cao is really a strict self-disciplined person!"