Grinding an Iron Rod into a Needle

铁棒成针

Li Bai was a great poet in the Tang Dynasty of China.

李白是中国唐朝的一位伟大诗人。

It is said that in his childhood, he was very fond of playing and afraid of difficulties, and made slow progress in his studies.

传说，他小时候很贪玩，怕困难，读书进步很慢。

One day, on his way home after school, he walked by a creek¹ and saw an old woman grinding a very, very thick iron rod.

有一天，李白放学回家，路过一条小河边，看见一位老婆i磨一根很粗很粗的铁棒。

Being curious, he went to the old woman and asked:“Old grandma, why are you grinding this iron rod?”

他觉得很奇怪，就走到老婆婆跟前问道：“老婆婆，您磨这根铁棒干什么?”

The old woman replied: “To make a needle.”

老婆婆说:“磨成针。”

At this moment, Li Bai felt more curious and asked again:

这时候，李白更觉得奇怪了，又问:

“How can you grind such a thick iron rod into a needle?”

“这么粗的铁棒，您怎么能磨成针呢?”

“Yes, I can. I certainly can,”the old woman said. “If one works with constant effort, one can grind an iron rod into a needle.”

“能，一定能!”老婆婆说，“只要功夫深，铁棒就能磨成针。”

Hearing the old woman’s words, Li Bai was enlightened.

李白听了老婆婆的话，心里忽然明白了。

Since then, Li Bai studied hard and made rapid progress. Eventually he became a famous poet.

从此，李白刻苦读书，进步很快。后来，他终于成了一位有名的诗人。