099. The Three Friends (Los Tres Amigos) [Note: This is my second attempt at translating this story. My first was inadvertently overwritten a few minutes before publishing =( I’m reminding myself to never use ‘Ctrl-Z’ prior to publishing…. And this happened on one of the longest stories I’ve translated thus far too!] Once there were…
Month: March 2022
Bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ (不可同日而語 – 不可同日而语)
不可同日而語 (Bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ) (1) lit. mustn’t speak of two things on the same day (idiom); not to be mentioned in the same breath(2) incomparable Explanation: Something that cannot be discussed / considered at the same time. It is used to describe two things which have a large gap between them, so…
100. Six Friends With Superhero Powers
100. Six Friends With Superhero Powers (Seis Amigos de Novedades) In a small village surrounded by meadows, in a valley [situated] between mountains, there lived a Hunter who was reputed to be very skilled. He was not known for any skill worthy of mention, save for that of hunting. In the game of skittles he…
Bù hé shí yí (不合時宜 – 不合时宜)
不合時宜 (Bù hé shí yí) (1) untimely; (2) premature; (3) inopportune; (4) ill-timed; (5) out of fashion; (6) behind the times Emperor Ai of Han, Liu Xin, was the adopted son of Emperor Cheng of Han. He became emperor at the age of twenty, declaring the name of his era date as Jianping (建平, lit….
098. News From Heaven
098. News From Heaven (Noticias del Cielo) A woman who had twice married was approached one day by a lame beggar asking her to give him something. The woman, who was eager to talk, asked him where he was from. The beggar, being encouraged to see what he could get from that house, told her:…
Bù hán ér lì (不寒而栗 – 不寒而栗)
不寒而栗 (Bù hán ér lì) (1) shiver all over though not cold(2) tremble with fear(3) shudder In the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, there was a man named Yi Zong (義縱), who was made a county magistrate of Shangdang due to the good grace of the Queen Dowager. After taking office, he handled his…
097. The Girl with Golden Hair
097. The Girl with Golden Hair (La Niña de Los Cabellos de Oro) A woman once went to the mountains to collect firewood, [where] she searched for branches that had broken off from trees, and cut and bundled them together to carry them home. And she was at this task when a giant appeared and…
Bù dǎ bù xiāng shí (不打不相識 – 不打不相识)
不打不相識 (Bù dǎ bù xiāng shí) (1) lit. don’t fight, won’t make friends (idiom); an exchange of blows may lead to friendship (2) no discord, no concord Source: “Water Margin” – Chapter 38. Dai Zong said: “The two of you are now the best of brothers. As the saying goes: You won’t get to know…
096. The Sharpening General
096. The Sharp[ening] General (El General Afilado) A soldier coming from Cuba passed by a house next to the road he was on and [he] approached it to knock on the door. A man who had been in Cuba before him came out to open the door and, taking advantage of the coincidence, he [the…