朝三暮四的故事--中国成语故事中英对照
in the spring and autumn period, a man in the state of song raised monkeys. the monkeys could understand what he said. as the man became poor, he wanted to reduce the monkeys' food. he first suggested that he give them three acorns（橡子） in the morning and four acorns in the evening. thereupon, the monkeys protested angrily. then their owner said, "how about four in the morning and three in the evening?" the monkeys were satisfied with that.
this idiom originally meant to befool others with tricks. later it is used to mean to keep changing one's mind.
战国时代，宋国有一个养猴子的老人，他在家中的院子里养了许多猴子。日子一久，这个老人和猴子竟然能沟通讲话了。
这个老人每天早晚都分别给每只猴子四颗栗子。几年之后，老人的经济越来越不充裕了，而猴子的数目却越来越多，所以他就想把每天的栗子由八颗改为七颗，于是他就和猴子们商量说：“从今天开始，我每天早上给你们三颗粟子，晚上还是照常给你们四颗栗子，不知道你们同不同意？”
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