One day, King Li of the State of Chu announced to the people:

一天，楚厉王通告老百姓:

If any emergency occurs in our country, the drum will be beaten as a signal.

假如国家发生急事，就以击鼓为信号。

The moment the people hear the drum, they must assemble outside the palace gate at once.

老百姓一听到鼓声响，就必须立刻到宫门外集合。

One day, King Li got drunk. When he passed by the drum stand, he started to beat the drum at random¹.

有一次，厉王喝醉了酒，从鼓架旁边走过，就胡乱地击起鼓来。

When the people heard the drum, they ran from all directions to the palace gate, thinking that some emergency had occurred in the country.

老百姓听到鼓声，以为国家发生了什么急事，都从四面八方跑到宫门外来了。

They stood all around in a dense² mass.

黑压压地站了一大片。

King Li sent someone to tell them:"Just now the King beat the drum,

厉王派人去告诉大家说:“刚才国王击鼓，

but nothing urgent had happend It was only because the King got drunk and when he passed by the drum stand, he beat the drum just for fun."

没有发生什么急事;只是因为国王喝醉了酒，走过鼓架旁边，为着好玩，才击了一阵子鼓。”

All the people returned to their homes, feeling angry.

老百姓都回家去了，但是都很气愤。

A few months later, some emergency really occurred in the State of Chu.

隔了几个月，楚国真的发生了紧急情况。

The drum outside the palace gate sounded from early morning until night.

宫门外的鼓“咚咚咚”地从早晨一直响到晚上。

Though the people heard the drum, they no longer cared about it and didn't rush to the palace gate.

可是，老百姓虽然听到鼓声，却不再把它当做一回事而赶到宫门前来了。