朝三暮四的故事--中國成語故事中英對照
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.
戰國時代，宋國有一個養猴子的老人，他在家中的院子里養了許多猴子。日子一久，這個老人和猴子竟然能溝通講話了。
這個老人每天早晚都分別給每只猴子四顆栗子。幾年之后，老人的經濟越來越不充裕了，而猴子的數目卻越來越多，所以他就想把每天的栗子由八顆改為七顆，于是他就和猴子們商量說：“從今天開始，我每天早上給你們三顆粟子，晚上還是照常給你們四顆栗子，不知道你們同不同意？”
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