Jiang Ziya Goes Fishing · chapter 3 of 4
The Old Man and the King
大王来了
The king finds the old fisherman and asks for his help. Jiang says he must come again. The king washes, waits, and makes a plan.
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Read what you hear
- Wu Ji 姜太公！你说的大王，真的来了！
Jiāng Tàigōng! Nǐ shuō de dàwáng, zhēn de lái le!
Jiang Taigong! The king you talked about really came!
- Jiang Ziya 我说了，他会来。你别说话。
Wǒ shuō le, tā huì lái. Nǐ bié shuōhuà.
I told you he would. Now hush.
- King Wen 老人家，您好。我是周国的大王。
Lǎorén jiā, nín hǎo. Wǒ shì Zhōu Guó de dàwáng.
Greetings, old sir. I am the king of Zhou.
- Jiang Ziya 大王好。你怎么来了？
Dàwáng hǎo. Nǐ zěnme lái le?
Greetings, Your Majesty. What brings you here?
- King Wen 我做了一个梦，所以我来找一个人。
Wǒ zuò le yí gè mèng, suǒyǐ wǒ lái zhǎo yí gè rén.
I had a dream, so I came to look for someone.
- King Wen 老人家，您的钩是直的。这是为什么？
Lǎorén jiā, nín de gōu shì zhí de. Zhè shì wèishénme?
Old sir, your hook is straight. Why?
- Jiang Ziya 我不钓鱼。我在等一个人。
Wǒ bù diào yú. Wǒ zài děng yí gè rén.
I'm not fishing for fish. I'm waiting for a person.
- King Wen 您在等谁？
Nín zài děng shéi?
Who are you waiting for?
- Jiang Ziya 等一个愿意来的人。愿者上钩。
Děng yí gè yuànyì lái de rén. Yuàn zhě shàng gōu.
Someone who is willing to come. The willing one takes the hook.
- King Wen 我愿意来！我想请您帮我。
Wǒ yuànyì lái! Wǒ xiǎng qǐng nín bāng wǒ.
I am willing! I'd like to ask for your help.
- Wu Ji 大王在请他！我的天啊……
Dàwáng zài qǐng tā! Wǒ de tiān a…
The king is asking him for help! Oh my goodness…
- Jiang Ziya 请我帮什么？
Qǐng wǒ bāng shénme?
Help with what?
- King Wen 我想让人们有饭吃，有房子住。可是我不知道怎么做。
Wǒ xiǎng ràng rénmen yǒu fàn chī, yǒu fángzi zhù. Kěshì wǒ bù zhīdào zěnme zuò.
I want people to have food and homes. But I don't know how.
- Jiang Ziya 大王对人好，人也会对大王好。这是最好的办法。
Dàwáng duì rén hǎo, rén yě huì duì dàwáng hǎo. Zhè shì zuì hǎo de bànfǎ.
If the king is good to his people, they will be good to him. That is the best way.
- King Wen 说得好！老人家，请跟我回去吧。
Shuō de hǎo! Lǎorén jiā, qǐng gēn wǒ huíqù ba.
Well said! Old sir, please come home with me.
- Jiang Ziya 现在还不行。你来一次，就想带我走吗？
Xiànzài hái bù xíng. Nǐ lái yí cì, jiù xiǎng dài wǒ zǒu ma?
Not yet. You come once, and you already want to take me away?
- Jiang Ziya 回去吧。洗手，洗脸，三天不吃肉。三天以后，你再来。
Huíqù ba. Xǐ shǒu, xǐ liǎn, sān tiān bù chī ròu. Sān tiān yǐhòu, nǐ zài lái.
Go home. Wash your hands and face, and eat no meat for three days. Then come again.
- King Wen 好。三天以后，我一定再来。
Hǎo. Sān tiān yǐhòu, wǒ yídìng zài lái.
Good. In three days I will surely come again.
- San Yisheng 大王，您真的三天不吃肉吗？
Dàwáng, nín zhēn de sān tiān bù chī ròu ma?
Your Majesty, will you really eat no meat for three days?
- King Wen 真的。我要洗手，洗脸，好好想一想。
Zhēn de. Wǒ yào xǐ shǒu, xǐ liǎn, hǎohāo xiǎng yi xiǎng.
Really. I'll wash up and think things over.
- San Yisheng 他只是一个钓鱼的老人。您是大王啊！
Tā zhǐshì yí gè diào yú de lǎorén. Nín shì dàwáng a!
He's only an old man who fishes. You are the king!
- King Wen 他不是钓鱼的老人。他是我的飞熊。
Tā bú shì diào yú de lǎorén. Tā shì wǒ de fēi xióng.
He's not just an old fisherman. He is my flying bear.
- San Yisheng 三天以后，他还在河边吗？
Sān tiān yǐhòu, tā hái zài hé biān ma?
In three days, will he still be by the river?
- King Wen 他愿意等，我也愿意等。
Tā yuànyì děng, wǒ yě yuànyì děng.
He is willing to wait, and so am I.
- San Yisheng 那我们带一辆车去吧。
Nà wǒmen dài yí liàng chē qù ba.
Then let's bring a cart.
- King Wen 对。我请他坐车。
Duì. Wǒ qǐng tā zuò chē.
Yes. I'll ask him to ride in it.
- San Yisheng 大王，要是他不上车呢？
Dàwáng, yàoshi tā bú shàng chē ne?
Your Majesty, what if he won't get in?
- King Wen 那我就拉车！
Nà wǒ jiù lā chē!
Then I'll pull the cart myself!
What changed in the story?
- Why has King Wen come to the river?
“我做了一个梦，所以我来找一个人。”
- What does Jiang say about his straight hook?
“等一个愿意来的人。愿者上钩。”
- What does Jiang say is the best way to rule?
“大王对人好，人也会对大王好。这是最好的办法。”
- Why doesn't Jiang go home with the king right away?
“现在还不行。你来一次，就想带我走吗？”
- What does the king say he will do if Jiang won't get in the cart?
“那我就拉车！”