Once upon a time, there was a man named Ji Shengzi who raised fighting-cocks for the king.

 

Every ten days the king asked him whether the cock has finished training.

 

Ji Shengzi answered correspondingly, "Not yet, he is still coxcombical（虚浮的）, proud, arrogant¹, and self-conceited." "Not yet, when he hears other cocks sing, or sees other cocks, he still has some reaction." "Not yet. He still look at things quickly, and is still high-spirited."

 

Forty days later, he said, "Now he is almost ready. He still sings but has little reaction and few changes, like a wooden cock. Now he has all the qualities of a fighting-cock. When other cocks see him, they wouldn't dare to fight him but turn around and run away."

 

从前，有个叫纪渻子的人为国王驯养斗鸡。

 

每隔十天，国王就问鸡是否已经驯养好。

 

纪渻子分别回答说：“还没有。现在它还表现得虚浮、骄傲、矜持、自持。”“还没有，现在它听到别的鸡的叫声，看到别的鸡的影子还是有反应。”“现在它看东西依然迅速，意气仍然旺盛，还没驯好。”

 

四十天后，他说：“差不多了，鸡现在虽然还鸣叫，但已经没有什么反应和变化，好像木鸡一样了，斗鸡的品质已经具备，别的鸡见到它肯定不敢应战， 一定会掉头就跑。”

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