Learn Chinese with @cn-reader: To Draw A Snake and Add Feet to It 画蛇添足

古时候，楚国有一家人，祭完祖宗之后，准备将祭祀用的一壶酒，赏给帮忙办事的人员喝。参加的人很多，这壶酒如果大家都喝是不够的，若是让一个人喝，那能喝个痛快。

A long time ago, a native of Chu after worshipping his ancestors gave his retainers a pot of wine. There were many retainers, and the pot of wine was not enough for all of them but sufficient for one.

这一壶酒到底给谁喝呢？

Who should drink it?

大家都安静下来，这时有人建议：

每个人在地上画一条蛇，谁最快画好，就把这壶酒归他喝。

One of the retainers said:

I suggest that we draw snakes on the ground. The one who first finishes drawing the snake will win the pot of wine.

大家都认为这个办法好，都同意这样做。于是，在地上画起蛇来。
The others agreed that it was a good idea and began to draw snakes on the ground.

有个人画得很快，一转眼最先画好了，他就端起酒壶要喝酒。但是他回头看看别人，还都没有画好呢。他心里想：

他们画得真慢！

One retainer quickly completed the drawing, and took the pot. When he was about to drink the wine, he saw the others were still busy drawing. He thought:

How slowly they are!

于是，他想再显示下自己的本领。他左手提着酒壶，右手拿了一根树枝，给蛇画起脚来，还洋洋得意地说：

你们画得好慢啊！我再给蛇画几只脚也不算晚呢！

As a result, he wanted to flaunt his skills once more. He held the pot of wine in his left hand, and began to add feet to the snake with his right hand. While he was drawing, he said:

How slowly you are! I can even add feet to it!

正在他一边画着脚，一边说话的时候，另外一个人已经画好了。那个人马上把酒壶从他手里夺过去，说：

你见过蛇么？蛇是没有脚的，你为什么要给它添上脚呢？所以第一个画好蛇的人不是你，而是我了！

While he was adding feet to the snake, another man who had finished the drawing snatched the pot from his hand and said:

Have you ever seen a snake? It has no feet at all. How can you add feet to it? I am the first one who first finishes drawing the snake and I AM THE WINNER!”

那个人说罢就仰起头来，咕咚咕咚把酒喝下去了。
Then the man drank the wine with an easy conscience.

画蛇添足：画蛇时给蛇添上脚。比喻做了多余的事，非但无益，反而不合适。也比喻虚构事实，无中生有。
The idiom of "To Draw A Snake and Add Feet to It" tells us that going too far is as bad as not going far enough. It also likens imaginary truth.;;Learn Chinese with @cn-reader: To Draw A Snake and Add Feet to It 画蛇添足

Author: @irisz
Translator: @vickylin