成语典故：鸡鸣狗盗

To Crow like a Cock and Bark like a Dog

　　Explanation：

　　Even petty abilities can be useful.

　　Story：

　　In the Warring States Period the prime-minister of the State of Qi， Lord Mengchang， was renowned for his generosity. He supported some 3，000 hangers-on.

　　Whenever one of these clients came to him with some problem or complaint， Lord Mengchang had a secretary hide behind a screen and take down the details. Later， men would be despatched to the complainant's home with costly presents.

　　鸡鸣狗盗

　　解释：

　　比喻有一手模仿鸡鸣狗叫的卑微的技能，有时却能解决大问题。

　　故事：

　　战国时代，齐国的宰相孟尝君慷慨好客，门下的食客多达三千多人。

　　孟尝君与食客谈话时，总让人在屏风后作记录，把食客的住处及有何困难等一一记下，随后便派人去看望其亲属并赠送礼物。

　　King Zhao of the State of Qin admired Lord Meiigchang and invited him to visit his court. Lord Mengchang went there accompanied by some 1，000 of his clients.

　　Lord Mengchang presented a magnificent robe made out of pure white fox fur to his host. The king of Qin was delighted with this present and had it stored in his treasury.

　　However， during his stay Lord Mengchang was the victim of slanderous gossip， as a result of which the king of Qin had him placed under arrest. Lord Mengchang asked the king's favorite concubine to intercede with the king for him. The concubine promised to do so， but only on condition that he give her a robe like the one he had presented to the king.

　　秦昭王对孟尝君最为敬慕，派特使迎接孟尝君入秦。孟尝君带着门客千余人来到秦都咸阳。

　　孟尝君献给秦昭王一件纯白狐狸皮袍子，秦昭王很高兴地把它藏在内库里。

　　秦昭王听了谗言，把孟尝君软禁起来，孟尝君请秦昭王的宠妃帮忙解救，妃子说：“这不难，但是我要一件白色狐皮袍。”

　　This put Lord Mengchang in a dilemma ， as the robe he had presented to the king was the only one of the kind he possessed. Then one of his clients said， "Don't worry， my lord， I can manage it." That night he crawled along the foot of the wall of the treasury， barking like a dog. The guards took no notice of what they thought was a real dog， and the client was able to slip inside and steal the fox-fur robe. He gave it to the king’s favorite， and she persuaded the king to release Lord Mengchang and his companions.

　　They fled from Qin the same night， hoping to be across the border of the state before the trick was discovered. However， when they reached the border pass they found the gate firmly shut， and were told that it would not open until dawn. This time another of Lord Mengchang's resourceful clients saved the situation by crowing like a cock. Immediately all the neighborhood cocks started crowing too， and the frontier guards， thinking that it must be daybreak， opened the gate. By the time the ruse had been discovered and a hunt was launched for the fugitives， Lord Mengchang and his clients were out of reach.

　　孟尝君为难了，仅有的一件已经送给秦王了，哪来第二件呢？有个门客说：“我有办法。”当天夜里，这个门客模仿狗叫声，从狗洞潜入秦王内库，看守以为是自己养的狗，未加怀疑。于是这个门客盗出了那件白色狐皮袍送给秦王的爱妃，孟尝君也得了自由，并急忙带领门客连夜逃离秦国。

　　他们逃呀逃呀，半夜来到边界的函谷关。这关口要到鸡叫的时候才许出入，忽然有个门客学起了公鸡叫。一声跟着一声，附近的公鸡全都叫了起来。守关的人开了城门，让孟尝君出了关。等到秦昭王派人追到函谷关时，孟尝君和他的门客已经走远了。