画蛇

大家商量说：我们都来画蛇，谁先画好谁就喝这壶酒。其中有一个人先画好了。

The servants thought that there was not enough wine for all them , and decided to each draw a picture of a snake ; the one who finished the picture first would get the wine .

那个人拿过酒杯来打算喝，却用左手端著酒杯，用右手画著蛇说：“我能给它添上脚。”

He drew the wine goblet to himself and was about to drink . Whereupon , holding the goblet in his left hand , he drew the snake with his right hand , saying : " I can add some feet to it . "

有人提议说：“各人都在地上画一条蛇，谁画得快、画得像，就把这壶酒给谁喝。”

Someone suggested : " Each person is to draw a snake on the ground . Whoever draws fastest and most lifelike will get the pot of wine . "

16世纪阿兹特克人的一幅镶嵌画以双头蛇为图案（如上图），这表明不同文化通过人与思想的交流，早就有了联系。

A16th-century Aztec mosaic of a double-headed serpent ( pictured above ) exemplifies the way cultures have long been connected through the movement of people and ideas .

他左手拿着酒壶，右手又开始给画好了的蛇添上脚。

Holding the wine pot in his left hand , he began to add feet to the finished snake with his right hand .

如果他不小心画了一条蛇，那他可以把画擦掉，这样蛇也就消失了。

If he accidentally drew a snake he could erase it and the snake would disappear .

让咱们在地面上画成一条蛇，先画完的人喝酒。

Let us draw a snake on the ground ; the one who finishes first drinks the wine .

而且立刻把酒壶夺了过去，说：“蛇是没有脚的，你怎么画上了脚？第一个画好蛇的是我，不是你哩！”

He grabbed the wine pot at once , saying : " A snake has no feet . How could you add feet to it ? The first one who finished drawing a snake is I , not you . "

他得意洋洋地说：“你们画得多慢啊，让我再画上几只蛇脚吧！”

He said proudly : " How slow you are ! Let me add a few snake feet . "

当他正在添足的时候，另一个人却把蛇画好了，而且立刻把酒壶夺了过去，说：“蛇是没有脚的，你怎么画上了脚？第一个画好蛇的是我，不是你哩！”

When he was just adding feet to the snake , another man finished his drawing . He grabbed the wine pot at once , saying : " A snake has no feet . How could you add feet to it ? The first one who finished drawing a snake is I , not you . "