英语小故事可以让儿童更早接触英语，并且英语小故事比较有趣，儿童们会对英语产生兴趣，这样有利于他们以后的英语学习。
During the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589)， there lived a beautiful, intelligent princess name Lechang in the State Chen. She and her husband Xu Deyan loved each other dearly. But before long their country was in danger of being invaded by the troops of the Sui Dynasty. Princess Lechang and Xu Deyan had a premonition that their county would be occupied by the invaders and they would have to leave the palace and go into exile. During the chaos they might lose touch with each other. They broke a bronze mirror, a symbol of the unity of husband and wife into two parts and each of them kept a half. They aGREed that each would take their half of the mirror to the fair during the Lantern Festival, which is on the 15th day of the first Lunar month, in the hope that would meet again. When they were united the two halves would join together. Soon their premonition came true. During the chaos of war, the princess lost touch with her husband was taken to a powerful minister Yang Su's house and was made his mistress.
At the Lantern Festival the next year, Xu Deyan took his half of the mirror to the fair. He hoped that he could meet his wife. It so happened that a servant was selling the other half of the bronze mirror. Xu Deyan recognized it immediately. He asked the servant about his wife. As he heard about her bitter experience, tears rolled down his cheeks. Xu Deyan wrote a poem on the half of the mirror kept by his wife: "You left me with your broken mirror Now the mirror is back but not you I can no longer see your reflection in the mirror Only the bright moon but not you" 。
the servant brought back the inscribed half of the mirror to princess Lechang. For days, she could not help sobbing because she knew her husband was still alive and that he missed her but they could not meet forever.
the minister, Yang Su, found this out. He was also moved by their true love and realized it was impossible to get Lechang's love. So he sent for Xu Deyan and allowed the husband and wife to reunite.
From that story comes the idiom "A broken mirror joined together"。
It is used to suggest the happy reunion of a separated couple.
子罕拒玉
A farmer in the state of Song once got a piece of stone with jade init.
宋国人有个农夫得到一块含宝玉的石头后，将它献给了相国子罕。
He presented this stone to Prime Minister Zi Han. But Zi Han refused toaccept it. The farmer explained, “It looks like just a stone, butthere is jade inside. It actually is a piece of treasure and suitable forhonorable men like you, not for us common people.”
子罕拒绝接受这块石头，农夫解释说：“表面上它是块石头，但里面含有宝玉，是个宝物，适合您这样的贵人使用，我们普通百姓用它就不合适了。”
“I know there is jade inside,” Zi Han said,” but I disagree with I think to have the virtue of declining things that do not belongto oneself is the real treasure. ”
子罕说：“我知道里面是宝玉。但我的观点和你不同，我认为具有不接受不应得的东西的品德才是真正的宝玉。”
Once upon a time, there was a day, while he was working in the fields, he saw a hare run into a tree stump accidentally and die of a broken neck.
The farmer took the hare home and cooked a delicious meal for himself.
That night he thought: "I neednt work so hard. All I have to do is wait every day by the stump to pick up the hare that runs into it.
So from then on he gave up farming, and stood by the tree stump waiting for the hare to come and run into it.
Butfromthen on, he never saw another hare run into the tree stump.
从前，有一个农夫。一天，在他耕田的时候，忽然跑过来一只野兔，恰好碰在一个树桩上，脖子折断死了。
农夫把兔子拾回家去，美美地吃了一顿兔肉。
当晚，他就想：“我何必辛辛苦苦的种地呢？每天在树桩旁等着捡撞倒的野兔就好了”。
于是他从此不再耕种，每天在树桩旁等待野兔的到来。
但是，从那以后，他再没有发现一只野兔撞在树桩上。
tsau pi and tsau jr were sons of tsau tsau. both were very gifted writers, and tsau jr was especially quick-witted.
曹丕与曹植都是曹操的儿子，二者均有才华，特别是曹植更具文采。
after tsau tsau's death, tsau pi took over the throne of the kingdom of wei. jealous of tsau jr's literary ability, and afraid that he might cause problems, tsau pi was always looking for a way to kill his brother.
在曹操死后，曹丕继任大统，但他嫉妒曹植的才华，同时也惧怕曹植回谋反，所以一直在伺机杀害曹植。
one day, tsau pi called tsau jr into see him.he ordered his brother to make up a poem within the time it took to walk seven steps, adding that if he could not, his life would be in danger.
有一天，曹丕要求接见曹植，他要求曹植在他七步之内作诗一首，如果做不到，就会有生命危险。
greatly saddened, tsau jr began to walk and to think. before he had taken the seven steps, he had already finished his poem, the meaning of which was: "brothers are of the same family, so why should the oppress each other?"
悲愤之下，曹植急中生智，作出七步诗，是的意思就是“本来就是亲兄弟，为什么要这样步步紧逼，伤及感情？”
tsau jr was very intelligent and loved to study. he wrote many outstanding articles which showed his artistic talent and earned him the admiration of many people. one scholar said of him: "heaven gave the world ten decalitres of talent, and tsau jr alone has eight of them."
曹植文采俱佳，热爱学习，他曾做过不少才华横溢的文赋，均令世人感叹不已。曾有一位学者说道：“如若天下文采共有十斗，曹植一人独占八斗。”
In the reign of Emperor the Second of the Qin Dynasty (221-207 B.C.), the prime minister Zhao Gao, obsessed with ambitions, was planning to usurp the throne day and night. But he did not know how many of the ministers in the court were allowed to be ordered about by him and how many of them were his opponents. So he thought out a way to test how high his prestige among the ministers was and also to find out who dared to oppose him.
One day when court was held, Zhao Gao let someone bring a stag to the court and, with a broad smile on his face, he said to Emperor the Second of the Qin Dynasty:"Your Majesty, here is a fine horse Im presenting to you." Looking at the animal, Emperor the Second thought that it was obviously a stag and that it couldnt be a horse. So he said smilingly to Zhao Gao:"Mister Prime Minister, you are wrong. This is a stay. Why do you say it is a horse?" Remaining calm, Zhao Gao said:"Will your Majesty please see more clearly? This really is a horse that covers a thousand li a day." Filled with suspicion, Emperor the Second looked at the stag again and said:"How can the antlers be grown on the head of a horse?" Turning around and pointing his finger at the ministers, Zhao Gao said in a loud voice:"if our Majesty do not believe me, you can ask the ministers."
The nonsense of Zhao Gao made the ministers totally at a lose, and they whispered to themselves: What tricks was Zhao Gao playing? Was it not obvious whether it was a stag or a horse? But when they saw the sinister smile on Zhao Gaos face and his two rolling eyes which were gazing at each of them, they suddenly understood his evil intentions.
Some of the ministers who were timid and yet had a sense of right eousness did not dare to say anything, because to tell lies would make their conscience uneasy and to tell the truth would mean that they would be persecuted by Zhao Gao later. Some ministers with a sense of justice persisted that it was a stag and not a horse. There were still some crafty and fawning ministers who followed Zhao Gao closely in ordinary times. They immediately voiced their support to Zhao Gao, saying to the emperor:"This really in a horse that covers a thousand li a day."
After the event, Zhao Gao punished by various means those ministers with a sense of justice who were not obedient to him, even with whole families of some of those ministers executed.
This story appears in "The Life of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty" in The Historical Records written by Sima Qian. From this story people have derived the set phrase "calling a stag a horse" to mean deliberately misrepresenting some thing and misleading the public.
秦二世时，丞相赵高野心勃勃，日夜盘算着要篡夺皇位。可朝中大臣有多少人能听他摆布，有多少人反对他，他心中没底。于是，他想了一个办法，准备试一试自己的威信，同时也可以摸清敢于反对他的人。
一天上朝时，赵高让人牵来一只鹿，满脸堆笑地对秦二世说：“陛下，我献给您一匹好马。”秦二世一看，心想：这哪里是马，这分明是一只鹿嘛！便笑着对赵高说：“丞相搞错了，这里一只鹿，你怎么说是马呢？”赵高面不改色心不跳地说：“请陛下看清楚，这的确是一匹千里马。”秦二世又看了看那只鹿，将信将疑地说：“马的头上怎么会长角呢？”赵高一转身，用手指着众大臣，大声说：“陛下如果不信我的话，可以问问众位大臣。”
大臣们都被赵高的一派胡言搞得不知所措，私下里嘀咕：这个赵高搞什么名堂？是鹿是马这不是明摆着吗！当看到赵高脸上露出阴险的笑容，两只眼睛骨碌碌轮流地盯着赵高脸上露出阴险的笑容，两只眼睛骨碌碌轮流地盯着每个人的时候，大臣们忽然明白了他的用意。
一些胆小又有正义感的人都低下头，不敢说话，因为说假话，对不起自己的良心，说真话又怕日后被赵高所害。有些正直的人，坚持认为是说明书而不是马。还有一些平时就紧跟赵高的*佞之人立刻表示拥护赵高的说法，对皇上说，“这确是一匹千里马！”
事后，赵高通过各种手段把那些不顺从自己的正直大臣纷纷治罪，甚至满门抄斩。
故事出自《史记秦始皇本纪》。成语“指鹿为马”比喻故意颠倒是非，混淆黑白。
掩耳盗铃
Once upon a time, there was a thief saw a doorbell hanging on the neighbour’s door. He wanted to steal it.
But he knew that bell would ring as soon as he touched it. And then he would be discovered.
He thought: Only using ears can hear the sound. What if I cover my ears? Then the sound would not be heard anymore.
Whereupon he covered his own ears and tried to steal the bell. However, he was discovered immediately when he touched the bell.
从前有一个人，看见人家大门上挂着一个铃铛，想把它偷走。
他知道，那个铃铛只要用手一碰，就会丁零丁零地响起来，被人发觉。他想：“响声要用耳朵才能听见，如果把耳朵掩起来，不是就听不见了吗？”
于是，他掩住了自己的耳朵，伸手去偷那个铃铛。谁知手刚碰到铃铛，他就被人发觉了。
Once a man planned to build a terrace.
古时，有一个人要筑一座九仞（八尺=一仞）高的山。
He worked very hard and spent a lot of time digging and carrying earth.
他十分努力的建造这座山，并且花了很多时间挖土、搬运泥土。
When the mound was almost completed and only one more basket of earth was needed, the man gave up.
终于当山快要建成的时候，几乎只差最后一篮子的泥土就行了的时候，他放弃了。
The terrace was never completed.
这座山便永远无法完工。
A farmer in the state of Song once got a piece of stone with jade init.
宋国人有个农夫得到一块含宝玉的石头后，将它献给了相国子罕。
He presented this stone to Prime Minister Zi Han. But Zi Han refused toaccept it. The farmer explained, “It looks like just a stone, butthere is jade inside. It actually is a piece of treasure and suitable forhonorable men like you, not for us common people.”
子罕拒绝接受这块石头，农夫解释说：“表面上它是块石头，但里面含有宝玉，是个宝物，适合您这样的贵人使用，我们普通百姓用它就不合适了。”
“I know there is jade inside,” Zi Han said,” but I disagree with I think to have the virtue of declining things that do not belongto oneself is the real treasure. ”
子罕说：“我知道里面是宝玉。但我的观点和你不同，我认为具有不接受不应得的东西的品德才是真正的宝玉。”
A farmer in the state of Song once got a piece of stone with jade init.
宋国人有个农夫得到一块含宝玉的石头后，将它献给了相国子罕。
He presented this stone to Prime Minister Zi Han. But Zi Han refused toaccept it. The farmer explained, “It looks like just a stone, butthere is jade inside. It actually is a piece of treasure and suitable forhonorable men like you, not for us common people.”
子罕拒绝接受这块石头，农夫解释说：“表面上它是块石头，但里面含有宝玉，是个宝物，适合您这样的贵人使用，我们普通百姓用它就不合适了。”
“I know there is jade inside,” Zi Han said,” but I disagree with I think to have the virtue of declining things that do not belongto oneself is the real treasure. ”
子罕说：“我知道里面是宝玉。但我的观点和你不同，我认为具有不接受不应得的东西的品德才是真正的宝玉。”
fail the exam
名落孙山
In the Song Dynasty (宋朝) there was a joker called Sun Shan(孙山).
宋朝有一个很幽默的人，他叫孙山。
One year he went to take the imperialexamination, and came bottomof the listof successfulcandidates.
有一年他去参加考试，公布名单时他是最后一名。
Back in his hometown, one of his neighbor asked him whetherthe neighbor's son had also passed.
回到家，他的邻居向他打听自己的儿子考得怎么样。
Sun Shan said, with a smile:"Sun Shan was the last on the list. Your son came after Sun Shan."
孙山笑着对邻居说：“孙山考了最后一名，你儿子的名字还在孙山的后面呢。”
The peopleused this idiom to indicatefailing in an examination or competition.
人们用“名落孙山”来比喻考试没有考上或者选拔没有被录取。
精卫填海
Once upon a time, the youngest daughter of Emperor Yan, legendary ruler of primitive China, went boating on the Eastern Sea. While she was enjoying herself, a strong wind rose on the sea and her boat capsized. Just before she was buried by the surging waves, her spirit turned into a beautiful bird. As it flew over the roaring sea, it cried sadly in the sound "jinwei, jingwei"。 That was why people called it "Jingwei"。
The bird lived on a mountain near the sea. It hated the sea so much that it decided to fill it up. Every day, it flew to and fro between the mountain and the sea, carrying in a twig or a pebble from the mountain and dropping it into the sea.
One day, the roaring sea said to Jingwei, "Poor little bird, stop doing that meaningless thing! You'll never fill me up." Jingwei replied, "I'll fill you up no doubt! I will, even if it'll take me thousands of years! I'll fight on until doomsday!"
The brave little bird kept carrying twigs and pebbles from the mountain to the Eastern Sea without taking a rest.
From this fable comes the idiom "The bird Jingwei trying to fill the sea"。 We use it to describe people who are firm and indomitable and will not stop until they reach their goal.
从前，炎帝（传说中中国原始社会的统治者）的小女儿在东海上划船。正当她划得高兴时，海面上突然升起一阵大风，把她的小船弄翻了。就在她要被汹涌的波浪吞 没时，她的灵魂变成了一只美丽的小鸟。它飞过那咆哮的海面，伤心的叫着"精卫，精卫"的声音。所以人们就叫她"精卫"。
精卫鸟住在靠海的一座山上。它非常恨大海，所以决心要把它填平。它每天来回于山海之间，把从山上衔来的小树枝和小石子扔在大海里。
一天，咆哮的大海对精卫说："可怜的小鸟，停止你那无谓的举动吧！你是永远都填不平我的。" 精卫回答说："我当然会把你填平的！即使这需要千千万万年的时间，我也一定会斗争到底，直到你的末日来临！"
这只勇敢的小鸟继续从山上衔来小树枝和小石子，扔到东海中，从未有片刻休息。
"精卫填海"这个成语就是由这个传说而来的，形容那些坚定不移，不屈不挠，不到目的决不罢休的人。