I. Translation:
Once, an old woman was walking in the mountains and saw a wild animal that looked like a tiger. She can't walk with small steps, as if her foot had been hurt. Mother-in-law approached it, and the tiger raised its front foot to show it to her. Mother-in-law saw that there were thorns on his feet, so she pulled them out for him. Soon the tiger jumped up quickly, roared loudly, said goodbye to her mother-in-law and left, as if grateful.
After returning home, I threw some elk, foxes and rabbits into the yard from the outside the next day, and every day was empty. Mother-in-law boarded the wall and saw that it was a tiger that had been injured before, so she told her relatives in detail about it and thought the tiger was very strange.
One day, a dead man was suddenly thrown in, bloody, and the people in the village scolded him and arrested him, saying that she had killed someone. Mother-in-law explained in detail that the tiger knew how to repay the kindness before it was released. He climbed up the wall and waited for the tiger to come, saying, "Be grateful, kowtow king, and don't vote for anyone again!" " "
Second, the original text:
Once an old woman was hiking in the mountains and saw a beast like a blade, but she stumbled and didn't move forward. If she hurts her foot, It is because of it, but it is enough to show it before the tiger lifts it. You watch, there is a thorn under your palm, because you pulled it out. The tiger roared excitedly, don't go, as if ashamed of his kindness.
And return, the next day, throw elk, foxes and rabbits into court from the outside, every day. If you look at it on the wall, it will hurt the tiger before, because your relatives have their own words, and their hearts are different.
Once, a dead man was suddenly thrown out, bloody, but was arrested by the villagers, and Yun killed someone. The furniture can only be released if it is told. But he climbed up the wall to wait for his tiger and said, "If you have feelings, you have feelings. You should kowtow to the king and don't leave anyone here after him! "
The author's brief introduction and writing background of The Old Woman and the Tiger
I. Introduction to the author:
Wang Shu was born in Yingchuan (now Xuchang, Henan). The date of birth and death is unknown, about the same as that of Su Song. During the Jiayou period, he was an official in Beijing and was called to try the library. The History Museum compiled Xi Ning Zhong Guan Zhi Zuo Bu Que. At the end of Yuan Dynasty, the recommended Fan Zuyu was dismissed from office. This story is based on the legend of Song history.
Tang Yulin is a collection of eight volumes of notes and novels compiled by Wang Shu in Song Dynasty. This book is a classified compilation of anecdotes of some famous ministers before and after the Tang Dynasty. The content mostly describes anecdotes and trivial matters, but there are also some items that reflect the social atmosphere and customs at that time.
Among them, the parts about literati's poems are particularly precious, such as "Preface to Pavilion" and "Preface for Wu Family" by Wang, which are widely circulated.
Second, the writing background:
The story "The Old Woman and the Tiger" was written in the Song Dynasty. At that time, women's social status was relatively low, and their roles in marriage, family and society were relatively weak. At the same time, the literati class at that time also had strict requirements for women's moral quality, thinking that women should have the characteristics of chastity, virtue and obedience.
This story emphasizes the wisdom, courage and independence of women by describing the interaction between the old woman and the tiger. In this story, facing the powerful tiger, the old woman was not frightened, but saved herself and her family through wisdom and courage.
This story, to some extent, challenged the traditional concept of women's roles in society at that time, and at the same time expressed the author's affirmation of women's wisdom and ability.