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Donkeys in Guizhou
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Donkeys in Guizhou
---Liu Zongyuan


There was no donkeys in Guizhou until an eccentric took one there by boat,but finding no use for it he set it loose in the hills.A tiger who saw this monstrous-looking beast thought it must be divine.It first surveyed the donkey from under cover,then ventured a little nearer,still keeping a respectful distance however.

  One day,the donkey brayed,and the tiger took fright and fled.But it came back for another look, and decided this creature was not formidable after all.Then,growing used to the braying,it drew nearer,though it still dared notattack,lowing nearer still,it began to take liberties,shoving,jostling,and charging roughly,till the donkey lost its temper and kicked out.“So that is all it can do! thought the tiger greatly pleased.Then it leaped on the donkey and sank its teeth into it,severing its throat and devouring it before going on its way.

黔之驴 
---柳宗元

 
      黔无驴,有好事者船载以入。至,则无可用,放之山下。虎视之,庞然大物也,以为神,蔽林间窥之。稍出近之,然莫相知。
  他日,驴一鸣,虎大骇,远遁,以为且噬己也,甚恐。然往来视之,觉无异能者,益习其声。又进出前后,终不敢搏。稍近,益狎,荡倚冲冒。驴不胜怒,蹄之。虎因喜,计之曰:“技只此耳!”因跳踉大口阚,断其喉,尽其肉,乃去。

注释:
黔(qián钳):即唐代黔中道,治所在今四川省彭水县,辖地相当于今四川彭水、酉阳、秀山一带和贵州北部部分地区。现以“黔”为贵州的别称。
慭(yín银)慭然:小心谨慎的样子。
荡:碰撞。倚:挨近。
跳踉:腾跃的样子。(hǎn喊):吼叫。
类:似乎,好象。德:道行。

赏析:
《黔之驴》是柳宗元的作品《三戒》中的一篇。《三戒》含《临江之麋》《黔之驴》《永某氏之鼠》三篇寓言。本文是其中的第二篇,写的是一头驴被一只虎吃掉的故事。这篇文章寓意深刻,具有鲜明的针对性、现实性。作者在《三戒》的序中说:“吾恒恶性之人,不知推己之本,而乘物以逞,或依势以干非其类,出技以怒强,窃时以肆暴。然卒迨于祸。有害淡麋、驴、鼠三物,似其事,作三戒。”由此可知,作者写这三篇寓言,是为了警戒世人:豪无自知之明而肆意逞志,必然自招祸患。而《临江之糜》《黔之驴》《永某氏之鼠》则分别写了“不知推己之十,而乘物以逞”的三种表现:“依势以干非其类”,“出技以怒强”,“窃时以肆暴”。因此,具体而言,本文旨在讽刺那些无能而又肆意逞志的人;联系作者的政治遭遇,又可知本文所讽刺的是当时统治集团中官高位显、仗势欺人而无才无德、外强中干的某些上层人物。此外,以“三戒”为三篇文章的总题目。并以“黔之驴”为本文的题目,也表明作者讽刺意图的指向。但我们也可以不从驴破虎吃掉的角度,而从虎吃掉驴这一相反的角度。来理解本文的寓意:貌似强大的东西并不可怕,只要敢于斗争,善于斗争,就一定能战而胜之。
 

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