The Bundle Of Sticks

一捆木棍

by Aesop

出自《伊索寓言》

A certain Father had a family of Sons, who were forever quarreling among themselves.

有这么一个父亲，养育了好几个儿子，他们呢，相互之间总是在吵架。

No words he could say did the least good, so he cast about in his mind for some very striking example that should make them see that discord would lead them to misfortune.

无论这位父亲说什么都没用，于是他就在脑海里冥思苦想，还真就想出了一个很有启发性的点子，这个点子应该足以让他的孩子们认识到：兄弟不和，会导致不幸。

One day when the quarreling had been much more violent than usual and each of the Sons was moping in a surly manner, he asked one of them to bring him a bundle of sticks.

有一天呢，他们之间的争吵变得比以前激烈多了，每个儿子都闷闷不乐，态度粗暴，这个父亲就趁此机会让其中一个儿子去带一捆木棍过来。

Then handing the bundle to each of his Sons in turn he told them to try to break it.

然后，他把这捆木棍依次拿给他的孩儿们，并要求他们试试将其折断。

But although each one tried his best, none was able to do so.

但是，尽管每个人都尽了最大努力，那一捆木棍依旧完好如初。

The Father then untied the bundle and gave the sticks to his Sons to break one by one.

这个父亲接着就解开了这一捆木棍，再拿给他的孩子们，叫他们一根一根地折断。

This they did very easily.

这一次，他们轻而易举就办到了。

"My Sons," said the Father, "do you not see how certain it is that if you agree with each other and help each other, it will be impossible for your enemies to injure you? But if you are divided among yourselves, you will be no stronger than a single stick in that bundle."

“孩儿们，”父亲说，“难道你们还不明白吗？如果你们相互支持、相互帮助，你们的敌人是不可能伤害到你们的。但是如果你们各自为战，和一根木棍比起来，你们根本强不了多少。”

In unity is strength.

正所谓：团结就是力量。