时间：2022-10-10 10:00:57
the bird that starts at themere twang of a bowstring-badly frightened person
According to Intrigues of the Warring States・Intrigues of Chu Ⅳ, during the end of the Warring States Period, the State of Qin was growing stronger day by day and to be greedy for seizing another six states. At the same time, the States of Zhao, Chu, Yan, Qi, Han and Wei determined to ally together to stand up to Qin.
Once the envoy of the State of Wei, Wei Jia accompaniedwiththeministerof Chu,Marquis Chunshen and discussed about a suitable chief general of resistance against the State of Qin together. Wei Jia knew that the minister was ready to order Marquis Linwu to be the chief commander of the allied force, and he expressed his different point of view.
When the minister asked the reason, Wei told him a story first: "There was a high official of the State of Wei, named Geng Lei. He was a crack shot at using a bow. Once Geng accompanied the King of Wei going hunting. On the way, high in the sky, a few wild geese happened to fly over. Geng told the King: 'I can shoot a goose down only by drawing my bow without an arrow.' At first, the King didn't believe it. After a while, a single goose was just flying over their head, Geng drew his empty bow immediately. Unexpectedly, the goose fell to the ground by the twang of the bowstring. The King was astonished and said: 'I really didn't know you have such an excellent,ability. 'GengLeireplied:'Honestly speaking, its not my ability. I found that the single goose couldn't fly faster because of the pain from the former wound, and it called so sadly because of the separation from its mates. So when it heard the twang of the bowstring, it frightened out of its wits and fell down at once. '"
Then Wei Jia continued:"Marquis Linwu was just defeated by Qin troops, it's just like the wounded goose and how can he be the chief commander of the allied force."
Now we use it as a metaphor to refer to badly frightened person.
此语出自《战国策・楚策四》。战国末年,秦国日益强盛,对其他各国虎视眈眈。赵、楚、燕、齐、韩、魏六国决定联合抗秦。
一天,赵国使者魏加和楚国春申君一起商讨抗秦主将的人选。当魏加知道春申君准备让临武君担任主将时,他却不同意。
魏加讲了下面的故事。他说:“以前魏国有个大臣叫更羸,他是名神箭手,射箭可以说百发百中。一次他伴随魏王外出行猎,天上飞过几只大雁,他对魏王说:‘大王,我只要用弓,不用箭就可以把鸟射下来。’魏王不信,过了一会儿,一只大雁从东飞来,更羸举起弓,不用箭,拉了一下弓弦,大雁真的从空中掉了下来。魏王吃惊地说:‘想不到你真有这样的本领。’更羸说;‘不是我有这种本领,而是这只鸟受过伤,飞不快,叫声也悲哀,听到弦声就想高飞,伤口开裂就掉下来了。’”
接着魏加说:“临武君刚被秦军打败过,见到秦军就害怕,就像受过伤的鸟一样,怎么能让他但任抗秦主将呢!”
后用此典比喻受过惊吓或打击的人,遇到类似情况就会惶恐不安。