Praying mantis catching cicadas Yellow finches in the fables after the story

"Mantis catches cicadas, yellow finches are behind", is a famous ancient proverb, he described people and rats as blind, excessive pursuit of immediate interests, but ignoring the danger behind them.

It satirizes those who are only concerned with the immediate interests and do not care about the evil behind them; warns those who are blind, blind, and ignorant of future troubles.

The mantis catching cicadas and yellow finches mainly talk about the Spring and Autumn Period, when wars were often fought between various princely states. Once, King Wu was preparing to attack the State of Chu. He summoned his ministers and directly announced his decision to attack the Chu state. When the ministers heard the news, they wanted to object.

When King Wu saw that some people were going to oppose him and send troops to attack the State of Chu, he warned the ministers: "If anyone insists on dissuading me, I will execute him!" The ministers looked at each other, but they did not dare to come forward to dissuade them.

At that time, there was a young attendant in the court who wanted to advise, but because of his position, he was humble and light-hearted. Not daring to make any movement, the attendant inadvertently spotted the figure of a cicada in the tree, and he thought of a good idea.

Every morning, this attendant, with a slingshot and projectiles in his hand, went to the back garden where King Wu often went, and circled around under the trees. It made the dew wet his clothes and shoes,

So for three days, when he was walking around under the tree again, King Wu also came, and he asked him, "What are you doing in this garden every morning?" What is the reason why your clothes are wet with dew, what is the matter with you? The attendant said to King Wu, "Great King, look at the tree, there is a cicada there, but you just keep singing and sucking in the dew there, but you don't realize that there is a praying mantis behind him, bending over to the cicada, trying to catch it!" The praying mantis was bent on catching cicadas, but he did not expect the yellow finches to be around it. And the yellow finch stretched its neck to peck at the praying mantis.". I didn't know that I was already pointing a slingshot at it under the tree.

Cicadas, praying mantises, and yellow finches only see their immediate interests, but do not consider the hidden dangers behind them! ”,

When King Wu heard this, he understood the intention of the young attendant and canceled the plan to attack the Chu state.

This is the famous proverb in the history of our country: the praying mantis catches cicadas, and the yellow finches are behind. This allusion occurred more than 2,500 years ago in the Spring and Autumn Period, has been recited by future generations, and has become an important proverb to warn future generations, so that we can not take it lightly at any time, and we cannot only ignore the dangers behind us.

From "Liu Xiang Shuoyuan , Volume IX • Zheng Zhi"

King Wu wanted to cut down the thorns, and told him: "Those who dare to have advice die!" ”。 If the people who have few children do not dare to advise, they will carry the pill and swim in the back garden, revealing their clothes, and so on. Wu Wangyue: "Son, why bother to get dressed like this?" "There are trees in the garden, and there are cicadas on them, and the cicadas are high in sorrow and drink dew, and I don't know that the praying mantis is behind it!" The praying mantis is bent and wants to take the cicada, but does not know that the yellow finch is in its side; the yellow finch is stretching its neck, wanting to peck the praying mantis, and does not know that the projectile is under it! All three are anxious to gain their former interests, regardless of the troubles that follow. Wu Wang yue: "Zenza! "It is to strike his soldiers."