In the past, there was a farmer in the State of Song. There stood a big tree in the field he cultivated. One day, while working in the field, he suddenly saw a hare running by in front of him. The bare bumped against the big tree, broke its neck and died under the tree.
从前，宋国有一个农夫。在他耕种的田地里，有一棵很大的树。一天，他正在田里耕作，突然看见一只兔子在他面前飞奔而过，正好撞在那棵大树上，撞断脖子死在了树下。
Without any effort, the farmer happily enjoyed a meal of bare meat. He was very pleased and thought how nice it would be if every day were like this.
农夫没花多少气力，就美滋滋地吃了一顿兔肉，心里非常高兴。他想，要是天天这样，该多好啊!
Thereupon, he no longer cultivated his land, but watched by that tree and waited for the chance to pick up another hare which knocked itself dead against the tree.
于是，他不再耕地了，每天守候在那棵树旁，等待着能再捡到一只撞死在树上的兔子。
He waited and waited and watched. His field lay waste, but he never got a second hare. The people in the village laughed at him for taking the accidental for the inevitable.
等呀等，守呀守，田地也荒芜了，却再也没有守到第二只兔子;乡里的人都暗暗地笑他把偶然当成了必然。
（编者注：本文由作文地带整理。）
