One year it did not rain for a long time in the State of Qi, and there was an extremely severe drought.

 

Jing Gong, the King of Qi, was very worried. He wanted to offer sacrifices to the mountain deity¹ to pray for rain. His prime minister Yan Zi said to him:

 

"Your Majesty², don't do that. It is no use to beg the mountain deity for mercy. The soil in the mountains is like his muscle; the grass and trees in the mountains are like his hair. When it doesn't rain for a long time, the hair of the mountain deity will wither³ and his muscles will be seared in the sun. won't the mountain deity be anxious for rain too? If he could make it rain, it would have rained long ago."

 

Jing Gong said: "All right, we won't beg the mountain deity. Then how about begging Hebo（the river deity）?"

 

"Your Majesty, it's no use either," replied Yan Zi. "Water is the territory of Hebo, Fish and soft-shelled turtles are his subjects. When it hasn't rained for a long time, the water in the river will dry up, which means that Hebo will lose his territory; his subjects like fish and soft-shelled turtles will all die of thirst. If Hebo could make it rain; it would have rained long ago. What is the use of praying to Hebo?"

 

Convinced by Yan Zi's words, Jing Gong no longer prayed to the deities⁴ for rain.

 

有一年，齐国很长时间没有下雨，发生了特大旱灾。

 

国王齐景公心里非常焦急，他想去祭祀山神求雨。宰相晏子对他说：

 

“大王，不要去，求山神没有用处。山上的石头，就好像山的筋骨；山上的泥土，就好像山的肌肉；山上的草木，就好像山的毛发。长久不下雨，山神的毛发。长久不下雨，山神的毛发也枯死了，肌肉也晒焦了。山神难道就不着急要雨吗？如果山神能够使天下雨，那么雨早就已经下了。”

 

景公说：“不求山神也罢，那么去求河伯吧！”

 

晏子又说：“大王，不行。水上河伯的国土，鱼鳖是河伯的百姓，天不下雨，河里的水干了，就等于河伯的国土丧失了；河伯的百姓，像鱼呀，鳖呀，也统统要干死了。如果河伯能够叫天下雨；那么雨早就下了。去祈求河伯又有什么用呢？”

 

景公听了晏子的这番话，就不再去向神求雨了。

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