成语寓言故事:Lu Ban Makes a Magpie鲁班造鹊

　　During the Spring and Autumn Period ***770一476 B.C.***, a skillful craftsman named Gongshu Zi in the State of Lu, known to people as "Lu Ban", made a magpie with bamboo and wood.

　　春秋时期，鲁国有个能工巧匠公输子，人称“鲁班”。他用竹木造了一只喜鹊。

　　A machine was installed in this magpie which, when started, could fly high like a real bird. It actually flew continually for three days and nights before it landed.

　　这只木制的喜鹊，安装着机关。只要一开动它，就能像真的鸟一样展翅高飞。它一连飞了三天三夜才降落下来。

　　Gongshu Zi greatly appreciated this excellent work of his own.

　　公输子非常欣赏自己这件得意的作品。

　　When Mo Zi ***Master of the Mohist School*** heard of this, he went immediately to see Gongshu Zi and said to him:

　　墨子知道了这件事情以后，立刻去见公输子，对他说:

　　"As you know, it takes an ordinary carpenter a very short time to make a linchpin of a wheel with the minimum amount of timber. A vehicle with a linchpin inserted into each end of an axle can carry many things and bear a heavy load of 50 dan***1 hectolitre***. But you took painstaking effort to make this wooden magpie. Though pretty and able to fly, it cannot compare with the linchpin in terms of practical value. Things made by a carpenter should be useful for people's life, so that everyone will praise him for his cleverness and skill. Otherwise, he is bound to be derided."

　　“你知道，普通的木匠只花很短的时间，用极少的木料就能做成车辖。将车辖插在车轴的两端，这样的车子可以装载许多东西，能经受五十石的重压。而这只你费了心血做成的木头喜鹊，虽然会飞也很漂亮，但是却不如车辖那样有实用价值。木匠做出来的东西，要对人们的生活有帮助，大家才会夸他心灵手巧;否则难免被人笑骂。”