Weigh an elephant

A: 妈妈，给我讲故事吧。
    māma, gěi wǒ jiǎng gùshi ba.
    Mum, tell me a story.

B: 好，那妈妈给你讲一个聪明的小孩称大象的故事。
    hǎo, nà māma gěi nǐ jiǎng yī gè cōngming de xiǎoháir chēng dàxiàng de gùshi.
    OK. Mummy will tell you a story about a smart little child who weighed an elephant.

A: 称大象？
    chēng dàxiàng?
    Weighed an elephant?

B: 嗯，称一头大象有多重。你觉得要怎么称？
    ng4, chēng yī tóu dàxiàng yǒu duō zhòng. nǐ juéde yào zěnme chēng?
    Hmm. He weighed an elephant to see how heavy it was. How do you think he weighed it?

A: 我不知道。大象太大了。妈妈你快讲。
    wǒ bù zhīdào. dàxiàng tài dà le. māma nǐ kuài jiǎng.
    I don't know. Elephants are really big. Tell me quick, mom!

B: 好。开始啦！
    hǎo. kāishǐ la!
    OK. Lets begin!

B: 曹操的小儿子叫曹冲，在他五六岁的时候，有人给他爸爸曹操送来了一头大象。曹操很高兴，就带着曹冲和文武百官一起去看。
    Cáo Cāo de xiǎo'érzi jiào Cáo Chōng, zài tā wǔliù suì de shíhou, yǒurén gěi tā bàba Cáo Cāo sòng lái le yī tóu dàxiàng. Cáo Cāo hěn gāoxìng, jiù dài zhe Cáo Chōng hé wénwǔbǎiguān yīqǐ qù kàn.
    Cao Cao's son was named Cao Chong. When he was five or six years old, someone gave his father an elephant. Cao Cao was really happy. He brought Cao Chong and all of his ministers to see it.

B: 大象又高又大，腿就像宫殿的柱子一样粗，最高的人走过去，还不到大象的肚子。
    dàxiàng yòu gāo yòu dà, tuǐ jiù xiàng gōngdiàn de zhùzi yīyàng cū, zuì gāo de rén zǒu guòqù, hái bùdào dàxiàng de dùzi.
    The elephant was both tall and large. Its legs were as thick as the palace's pillars. The tallest person could stand next to it and not even come up to its belly.

B: 曹操问大家：“这头大象这么大，不知道有多重？谁有办法称一称？”
    Cáo Cāo wèn dàjiā：" zhè tóu dàxiàng zhème dà, bù zhīdào yǒu duō zhòng? shéi yǒu bànfǎ chēngyīchēng?”
    Cao Cao asked everyone: "This elephant is so big and we don't know how heavy it is. Who knows a way to measure its weight?"

B:  大臣们纷纷议论起来。
    dàchénmen fēnfēn yìlùn qǐlai.
    The ministers all had varying ideas on what to do.

B:  一个人说：“那得造一杆大称”！
    yī gè rén shuō：" nà děi zào yī gǎn dà chèng”!
    One person said: "We must build a huge scale!"

B: 另一个人马上反驳说：那得造多大的称才行？再说，就算造了大称，也没有办法称它。只能把它宰了，分成一块一块地来称”。
    lìng yīgerén mǎshàng fǎnbó shuō： nà děi zào duō dà de chèng cái xíng? zài shuō, jiùsuàn zào le dà chèng, yě méiyǒu bànfǎ chēng tā. zhǐnéng bǎ tā zǎi le, fēn chéng yī kuài yī kuài de lái chēng”.
    Another person immediately disagreed, saying: "Then how big of a scale should we build? What's more, even if we build a large scale, we still won't be able to measure it. The only way we'll be able to measure it is if we butcher it and cut it into measurable pieces".

B: 大臣们想了很多办法，都行不通。
    dàchénmen xiǎng le hěn duō bànfǎ, dōu xíngbutōng.
    The ministers thought of many different methods, but none of them were feasible.

B:  这时候，曹冲说：“爸爸，我有一个办法。只要准备一条船和一堆石头就行了”。然后把办法对曹操说了一遍。曹操听了哈哈大笑，赶快叫人去准备。然后对大臣们说：“走，咱们去河边看称象去。”
    zhèshíhòu, Cáo Chōng shuō：" bàba, wǒ yǒu yī gè bànfǎ. zhǐyào zhǔnbèi yī tiáo chuán hé yī duī shítou jiù xíng le”. ránhòu bǎ bànfǎ duì Cáo Cāo shuō le yī biàn. Cáo Cāo tīng le hāhādàxiào, gǎnkuài jiàorén qù zhǔnbèi. ránhòu duì dàchénmen shuō：" zǒu, zánmen qù hébiān kàn chēng xiàng qù.”
    Around this time, Cao Chong said: "Dad, I have a way. All you need is a boat and a pile of stones". He then told his father his solution. Upon hearing the solution, Cao Cao roared with laughter, he then told everyone to go quickly and get ready. He told the officials, "Let's go to the riverside and watch the elephant get weighed".

B:  大臣们开始还搞不清是怎么一回事，看了曹冲称象，连连叫好。曹操非常得意，更加宠爱曹冲了。
    dàchénmen kāishǐ hái gǎobuqīng shì zěnme yī huí shì, kàn le Cáo Chōng chēng xiàng, liánlián jiàohǎo. Cáo Cāo fēicháng déyì, gèngjiā chǒng ài Cáo Chōng le.
    At first, the ministers couldn't guess what was going to happen, but after seeing Cao Chong measure the elephant, they all began to applaud him one after another. Cao Cao was extremely proud of Cao Chong and doted upon him even more after that.

A: 妈妈，用石头和船怎么称象呢？
    māma, yòng shítou hé chuán zěnme chēng xiàng ne?
    Mum, how do you weigh an elephant with stones and a boat?

B: 妈妈觉得你比曹冲小朋友还要聪明，你先自己想一想好吗？
    māma juéde nǐ bǐ Cáo Chōng xiǎopéngyou hái yào cōngming, nǐ xiān zìjǐ xiǎng yi xiǎng hǎo ma?
    Mummy believes you're even smarter than Cao Chong. You think about it a bit first, OK?

Listen to Graeme

(The audio will open in a separate window)

Mum, tell me a story.

OK. Mummy will tell you a story about a smart little child who weighed an elephant.

Weighed an elephant?

Hmm. He weighed an elephant to see how heavy it was. How do you think he weighed it?

I don't know. Elephants are really big. Tell me quick, mum!

OK. Lets begin!

Cao Cao's son was named Cao Chong. When he was five or six years old, someone gave his father an elephant. Cao Cao was really happy. He brought Cao Chong and all of his ministers to see it.

The elephant was both tall and large. Its legs were as thick as the palace's pillars. The tallest person could stand next to it and not even come up to its belly.

Cao Cao asked everyone: "This elephant is so big and we don't know how heavy it is. Who knows a way to measure its weight?"

The ministers all had different ideas on what to do.

One person said: "We must build a huge scale!"

Another person immediately disagreed, saying: "Then how big of a scale should we build? What's more, even if we build a large scale, we still won't be able to measure it. The only way we'll be able to measure it is if we butcher it and cut it into measurable pieces".

The ministers thought of many different methods, but none of them were feasible.

Around this time, Cao Chong said: "Dad, I have a way. All you need is a boat and a pile of stones". He then told his father his solution. Upon hearing the solution, Cao Cao roared with laughter, he then told everyone to go quickly and get ready. He told the officials, "Let's go to the riverside and watch the elephant get weighed".

At first, the ministers couldn't guess what was going to happen, but after seeing Cao Chong measure the elephant, they all began to applaud him one after another. Cao Cao was extremely proud of Cao Chong and doted upon him even more after that.

Mum, how do you weigh an elephant with stones and a boat?

Mummy believes you're even smarter than Cao Chong. You think about it a bit first, OK?

 You can look up the meaning of any of the words at the OED.

The Frog at the Bottom of the Well - 井底之蛙

A: 睿睿，我们睡觉了。
    Ruìrui, wǒmen shuìjiào le.
    Rui Rui, let's go to sleep.

B: 我睡不着，我要开火车。
    wǒ shuìbuzháo, wǒ yào kāi huǒchē.
    I can't sleep. I want to drive my trains.

A: 明天再玩吧。妈妈给你讲故事，好不好？
    míngtiān zài wán ba. māma gěi nǐ jiǎng gùshi, hǎo bu hǎo?
    You can play again tomorrow. I'll tell you a story, OK?

B: 好吧。
    hǎo ba.
    OK.

A: 今天我们讲青蛙王子的故事。
    jīntiān wǒmen jiǎng qīngwā wángzǐ de gùshi.
    Today I'll tell the story of the frog prince.

B:  青蛙王子？他住在井里吗？爸爸说，青蛙住在井里，所以是井底之蛙。
    qīngwā wángzǐ? tā zhù zài jǐng lǐ ma? bàba shuō, qīngwā zhù zài jǐng lǐ, suǒyǐ shì jǐngdǐzhīwā.
    The frog prince? Does he live in a well? Dad says that frogs live in wells, and so there's a 'frog at the bottom of the well'.

A:  那你知道井底之蛙的故事要告诉我们一个什么样的道理吗？
    nà nǐ zhīdào jǐngdǐzhīwā de gùshi yào gàosu wǒmen yī ge shénmeyàng de dàolǐ ma?
    Then do you know what moral the story of the 'frog in a well' teaches us?

B: 不知道。
    bù zhīdào.
    No.

A:  这个故事告诉我们，世界是无边无际的，如果每天活在自己的世界里，觉得自己是最棒的，那就会跟井底的青蛙一样，成为目光短浅的人。这样大家都会笑话你。
    zhè ge gùshi gàosu wǒmen, shìjiè shì wúbiānwújì de, rúguǒ měitiān huó zài zìjǐ de shìjiè lǐ, juéde zìjǐ shì zuì bàng de, nà jiù huì gēn jǐng dǐ de qīngwā yīyàng, chéngwéi mùguāng duǎnqiǎn de rén. zhèyàng dàjiā dōu huì xiàohuà nǐ.
    This story teaches us that the world is a vast place. If you live in your own world every day, and think you're the best there is, then, just like the frog at the bottom of the well, you'll become a narrow-minded person. If that happens, everyone will laugh at you.

B: 哦。那我不要做井底之蛙。
    ò. nà wǒ bù yào zuò jǐngdǐzhīwā.
    Oh. Well, then I don't want to be a frog at the bottom of the well.

A: 嗯，宝宝长大以后要做一个目光远大的人。
    ng4, bǎobao zhǎngdà yǐhòu yào zuò yī ge mùguāng yuǎndà de rén.
    Hmmm. When you grow up, you have to be a broad-minded person.

B: 妈妈，那青蛙王子是井底之蛙吗？
    māma, nà qīngwā wángzǐ shì jǐngdǐzhīwā ma?
    Mom, then is the frog prince a 'frog at the bottom of a well'?

A: 他不是。他原来是一个王子，住在遥远的西方。那时候，还有一位漂亮的公主。有一天，公主去森林里玩，一不小心，她心爱的小金球掉进了井里。
    tā bù shì. tā yuánlái shì yī ge wángzǐ, zhù zài yáoyuǎn de xīfāng. nà shíhou, háiyǒu yī wèi piàoliang de gōngzhǔ. yǒu yī tiān, gōngzhǔ qù sēnlín lǐ wán, yī bù xiǎoxīn, tā xīn'ài de xiǎo jīnqiú diào jìn le jǐng lǐ.
    No, he's not. Originally, he was a prince that lived in a distant Western land. At that time, there was also a beautiful princess. One day, the princess went into the forest to play. While playing, she wasn't careful and her beloved little golden ball fell into a well.

B:  啊？那怎么办？
    ǎ? nà zěnme bàn?
    Ah? What did she do?

A:  小公主哭得很伤心，这时候一只青蛙伸出了脑袋，对公主说：“我可以帮你，可是你必须报答我。”公主就问它：“你想要什么，我都可以给你。”可是青蛙说：“我什么都不要。只要让我做你的朋友，陪你一起玩儿，一起吃饭，晚上一起睡你的小床。”
    xiǎogōngzhǔ kū de hěn shāngxīn, zhè shíhòu yī zhī qīngwā shēn chū le nǎodài, duì gōngzhǔ shuō：" wǒ kěyǐ bāng nǐ, kěshì nǐ bìxū bàodá wǒ.” gōngzhǔ jiù wèn tā：" nǐ xiǎng yào shénme, wǒ dōu kěyǐ gěi nǐ.” kěshì qīngwā shuō：" wǒ shénme dōu bù yào. zhǐyào ràng wǒ zuò nǐ de péngyou, péi nǐ yīqǐ wánr, yīqǐ chīfàn, wǎnshang yīqǐ shuì nǐ de xiǎo chuáng.”
    The princess cried very sadly. Just then, a frog stuck out his head and said to the princess, “I can help you, but you will have to pay me back.” So the princess asked him, “What do you want? I can give you anything.” But then the frog said, “I don't want anything. I just want you to let me be your friend. To play with me, eat with me, and let me sleep on your bed with you.”

B: 公主愿意吗？
    gōngzhǔ yuànyì ma?
    Was the princess willing to do that?

A:  公主答应了青蛙。但是她心里却想：“哼，你这只丑陋的青蛙吹什么牛啊！”可是没想到，青蛙真的找到了小金球。这下公主着急了。她不想履行自己的诺言，于是飞快地跑回王宫。
    gōngzhǔ dāying le qīngwā. dànshì tā xīnli què xiǎng：" hèng, nǐ zhè zhī chǒulòu de qīngwā chuī shénme niú a!” kěshì méixiǎngdào, qīngwā zhēnde zhǎodào le xiǎo jīnqiú. zhèxià gōngzhǔ zháojí le. tā bù xiǎng lǚxíng zìjǐ de nuòyán, yúshì fēikuài de pǎo huí wánggōng.
    The princess promised she would, but in her heart she thought, “Humph! You ugly frog. You're only boasting!” She never really thought that the frog would find the small golden ball. After he did, she became nervous. She didn't want to keep the promise she had made and she ran back to the castle as fast as she could.

A:  第二天早上，青蛙来敲门。公主很害怕，就把昨天遇到的事一五一十地告诉了国王。国王生气地说：“不管是什么事，只要你答应了，就一定要做到。”公主只好去开门，按青蛙说的去做。
    dì èr tiān zǎoshang, qīngwā lái qiāomén. gōngzhǔ hěn hàipà, jiù bǎ zuótiān yùdào de shì yīwǔyīshí de gàosu le guówáng. guówáng shēngqì de shuō：" bùguǎn shì shénme shì, zhǐyào nǐ dāying le, jiù yīdìng yào zuò dào.” gōngzhǔ zhǐhǎo qù kāimén, àn qīngwā shuō de qù zuò.
    The next morning, the frog came and knocked on the door. The princess was very scared and she told the king in great detail the story of what happened the day before. The king was angry and said, “No matter what it is, as long as you promised, you have to do it.” All the princess could do was go open the door and do what the frog had asked.

B: 后来呢？后来呢？
    hòulái ne? hòulái ne?
    And then what? And then what?

A: 晚上，青蛙要睡公主的床，公主气坏了，她一把抓住青蛙，使劲地往地上摔。谁知一落地，青蛙变成了一个英俊的王子。王子告诉公主，他被女巫施了魔法变成了青蛙，除了公主以外，谁也救不了他。后来王子和公主举行了婚礼，从此他们过着幸福的生活。
    wǎnshang, qīngwā yào shuì gōngzhǔ de chuáng, gōngzhǔ qì huài le, tā yī bǎ zhuāzhù qīngwā, shǐjìn de wǎng dì shang shuāi. shéi zhī yī luòdì, qīngwā biànchéng le yī ge yīngjùn de wángzǐ. wángzǐ gàosu gōngzhǔ, tā bèi nǚwū shī le mófǎ biànchéng le qīngwā, chúle gōngzhǔ yǐwài, shéi yě jiùbuliǎo tā. hòulái wángzǐ hé gōngzhǔ jǔxíng le hūnlǐ, cóngcǐ tāmen guò zhe xìngfú de shēnghuó.
    That night, the frog wanted to sleep on the princess's bed. The princess was furious and she snatched up the frog and threw him to the ground with all her might. As soon as the frog hit the ground, he transformed into a handsome prince. The prince told the princess how a witch had cast a spell on him and turned him into a frog, and that how no one other than the princess would be able to save him. After that, the prince and the princess got married and lived happily every after.

B: 女巫的魔法有哈利波特的厉害吗？
    nǚwū de mófǎ yǒu Hālì Bótè de lìhai ma?
    Was the witch's magic as powerful as Harry Potter's?

A: 好了。快闭上眼睛睡觉。
    hǎo le. kuài bì shàng yǎnjing shuìjiào.
    OK, close your eyes and get to sleep.

Listen to Graeme

 (The audio will open in a separate window)

Rui Rui, let's go to sleep.

I can't sleep. I want to drive my trains.

You can play again tomorrow. I'll tell you a story, OK?

OK.

Today I'll tell the story of the frog prince.

The frog prince? Does he live in a well? Dad says that frogs live in wells, and so there's a 'frog at the bottom of the well'.

Then do you know what moral the story of the 'frog in a well' teaches us?

No.

This story teaches us that the world is a vast place. If you live in your own world every day, and think you're the best there is, then just like the frog at the bottom of the well, you'll become a narrow-minded person. If that happens, everyone will laugh at you.

Oh. Well, then I don't want to be a frog at the bottom of a well.

Hmmm. When you grow up, you have to be a broad-minded person.

Mom, then is the frog prince a 'frog at the bottom of a well'?

No, he's not. Originally, he was a prince that lived in a distant Western land. At that time, there was also a beautiful princess. One day, the princess went into the forest to play. While playing, she wasn't careful and her beloved little golden ball fell into a well.

Huh? What did she do?

The princess cried in sadness. Just then, a frog stuck out his head and said to the princess, “I can help you, but you will have to pay me back.” So the princess asked him, “What do you want? I can give you anything.” But then the frog said, “I don't want anything. I just want you to let me be your friend. To play with me, eat with me, and let me sleep on your bed with you.”

Was the princess willing to do that?

The princess promised she would, but in her heart she thought, “Humph! You ugly frog. You're only boasting!” She never really thought that the frog would find the small golden ball. After he did, she became nervous. She didn't want to keep the promise she had made and she ran back to the castle as fast as she could.

The next morning, the frog came and knocked on the door. The princess was very scared and she told the king in great detail the story of what happened the day before. The king was angry and said, “No matter what it is, as long as you promised, you have to do it.” All the princess could do was go open the door and do what the frog had asked.

And then what? And then what?

That night, the frog wanted to sleep on the princess's bed. The princess was furious and she snatched up the frog and threw him to the ground with all her might. As soon as the frog hit the ground, he transformed into a handsome prince. The prince told the princess how a witch had cast a spell on him and turned him into a frog, and that how no one other than the princess would be able to save him. After that, the prince and the princess got married and lived happily every after.

Was the witch's magic as powerful as Harry Potter's?

OK, close your eyes and get to sleep.

 You can look up the meaning of any of the words at the OED.