Fishing Hookless太公钓鱼，愿者上钩

涂淑梅

“太公钓鱼，愿者上钩”是民间传说，记载于《武王伐纣平话》，后用于比喻甘心上当或自愿去做某事。

Jiang Ziya often went fishing at the Weishui River about 3，000 years ago.But he fished in an unusual way. He hung a straight fish hook， without 1）bait，and the rod was one meter above the water. He often said to himself， “Fish， ifyou dont want to live any more， come and swallow the hook yourself. ”

Finally， his strange way of fishing was reported to Ji Chang. Ji senta soldier to fetch him. Jiang 2）ignored the soldier and just went on with hisfishing. He was saying to himself， “Fishing， fishing. No fish has been hooked.A shrimp is up to 3）mischief. ”

The soldier reported to Ji Chang， and Ji sent an official to invite Jiang thistime. But Jiang again ignored the official. He just carried on fishing， and wassaying， “Fishing， fishing. The big fish has not been hooked. A small one is upto mischief.”

Then Ji Chang realized Jiang must be a great talent， so he went to inviteJiang himself and brought many generous gifts with him.

Jiang saw Jis sincere desire and decided to work for him.

1） bait n. 餌；诱饵

2） ignore v. 不理睬；忽视

3） mischief n. 恶作剧；捣乱

大约3000 多年前，姜子牙经常垂钓于渭水之上。但是他的钓法很奇特：直钩，不用诱饵，钓竿离水面有1 米高。他经常一边钓鱼一边自言自语：“不想活的鱼儿呀，你们愿意的话，就自己上钩吧。”

姜子牙奇特的钓鱼方法，最终传到了姬昌那里。姬昌知道后，派了一名士兵去请他来。但姜子牙并不理睬这个士兵，只顾自己钓鱼。他自言自语道：“钓啊，钓啊，鱼儿不上钩，虾儿来胡闹！”

姬昌听了士兵的禀报后，改派一名官员去请姜子牙。可是姜子牙依然不搭理，边钓边说：“钓啊，钓啊，大鱼不上钩，小鱼别胡闹！”

姬昌这才意识到，这个钓者必是位贤才，于是他带着厚礼，亲自去请姜子牙。

姜子牙见姬昌诚心诚意来请自己，便答应为他效力。

True or False：

Due to the Ji Changs sincere desire， Jiang Ziya finally decided to work for him.

Know More

Jiang Taigong， whose given name was Shang and courtesy name wasZiya， was an outstanding strategist and statesman in ancient China. He helpedthe young King Wu， the son of Ji Chang， overthrow the Shang Dynasty andestablish the Zhou Dynasty.

姜太公，名尚，字子牙，是中国古代一位杰出的韬略家和政治家。他帮助姬昌之子——年轻的周武王推翻商朝的统治，建立起周朝。