A Blessing in Disguise

◎涂淑梅

“塞翁失马”出自《淮南子·人间训》，比喻坏事在一定条件下可能转变为好事。常与“焉知非福”连用。

Track 3

Long ago,there was an old man living near the frontier regions who had many horses.One day,one of his horses went missing.

On learning this,his friends and relatives came to1)consolehim and the man said,“Who says this may not be a blessing?”

After a few months,the lost horse returned with some fine horses.His friends and relatives came to congratulate him.But this time,the old man said,“Who says this won’t turn out to be a2)misfortune?”

The old man’s son loved the new horses,and every morning he took a ride on one of them.Since the new horses were not well3)tamed,the young man fell off one of them and became4)crippled.

Again,his friends and relatives came to console him and again the old man said,“How do you know that this is bad luck?”

One year later,the Hu tribes started a big invasion of the frontier regions.All able-bodied young men must fight against the invaders.Because the old man’s son was a cripple and was not ordered to join the army,he survived the border war.

1) consolev.安慰；慰藉

2) misfortunen.厄运；不幸

3) tamev.驯化；驯服

4) cripplev.使残废；使跛

很久以前，一位住在边塞的老人养了许多马。一天，他的马群中忽然有一匹马走失了。

得知这一消息，亲朋好友们纷纷前来安慰。老人说：“此事焉知非福？”

过了几个月，那匹丢失的马回来了，还带回一群骏马。亲朋好友们纷纷前来表示祝贺。但这一回，老人却说：“此事焉知非祸？”

老人的儿子喜爱这群骏马，每天早晨都骑上一匹。由于新马未被驯服，年轻人从一匹马上摔了下来，成了跛子。

亲朋好友们又纷纷前来安慰，老人却又说：“此事焉知非福？”

一年后，胡人部落开始大举入侵，身体健康的青年都要应召入伍，老人的儿子因为身体残疾而免于入伍，他在边塞战火中得以幸存。

True or False:

The old man’s son has not survived the border war.

Know More

There’s no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives.Many times what looks like a setback,may be a gift in disguise.Therefore,good fortune follows upon disaster,disaster lurks within good fortune.

对日常生活中的事件和状况过度反应是没有用的。很多时候，看似挫折的事情，可能是变相的礼物。所以说，祸兮福之所倚，福兮祸之所伏。