猴子的机灵

一天，虎王不幸落入了猎人的网中，拼命挣扎也无法脱身，恰好猴子来了，虎王高喊救命。

One day, the Tiger King unfortunately fell into a hunter's trap. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t free himself. Just then, the Monkey happened to arrive and cried out for help.

猴子见了，连忙爬上树，解开了猎人的网绳，救出了虎王。

Seeing this, the Monkey quickly climbed up a tree, untied the hunter's net, and rescued the Tiger King.

虎王脱险后，虽然嘴上在不住地感谢猴子老弟，心里却在盘算：

After escaping, even though the Tiger King continuously thanked the Monkey, he was secretly calculating:

我是百兽之王，竟然中了猎人的圈套，还是小小猴子搭救，这事猴子张扬出岂不灭了我虎王的威风，不如干掉猴子算了，可是转念一想，如今自己已经是孤家寡人了，再干掉猴子，今后连一个朋友也没有了。

I am the king of beasts, yet I fell for the hunter's trap and was saved by a little monkey. If the monkey spreads this story, it would ruin my reputation as the Tiger King. It would be better to get rid of the Monkey. But then he thought, I am already alone now. If I get rid of the Monkey, I won't have a single friend left.

如果再有危险，谁来帮我呢？

If I encounter danger again, who would help me?

再说，猴子怕我，也决不也把今天的事说出来的。

Moreover, the Monkey is afraid of me, and he certainly won’t mention what happened today.

于是，老虎告诉猴子，今天的救命之恩，今后一定报答。

Thus, the Tiger decided to tell the Monkey that he would repay the favor of saving his life in the future.

猴子今后有什么为难之事，自己一定全力报答。

The Monkey also promised that if he encountered any difficulties in the future, he would do his utmost to repay the Tiger King.

猴子当然也对虎王遇险的事闭口不提，保全虎王的面子，在这之后，二人的关系更是非同寻常了。

Of course, the Monkey kept quiet about the Tiger King's predicament, preserving the Tiger King's face. After this incident, their relationship became quite extraordinary.

许多年之后，玉帝开始选生肖。身为百兽之王，老虎理所当然地当上了生肖。

Many years later, the Jade Emperor began selecting the zodiac animals. As the king of beasts, it was only natural for the Tiger to take a place in the zodiac.

猴子一见，也想当生肖。可是玉帝挑生肖有条原则，那就是对人类有功。

When the Monkey saw this, he also wanted to be a zodiac animal. However, the Jade Emperor had a rule for selecting the zodiac, which was that the candidate must have contributed to humanity.

猴子对人类无功可言，自然选不上。

The Monkey had no merits to speak of when it came to humans, so he naturally could not be selected.

于是猴子请虎王给玉帝求情，让他当生肖。

Thus, the Monkey asked the Tiger King to intercede with the Jade Emperor on his behalf, so he could become a zodiac animal.

虎王因为欠猴子的情，只好倾尽全力去帮猴子说情，对玉帝讲猴子联盟机智，为百兽之首，又说自己不在时，猴子也有镇山功劳。

Owing a favor to the Monkey, the Tiger had no choice but to use all his efforts to help plead for the Monkey, telling the Jade Emperor that the Monkey was cunning and clever, worthy to be the leader of the beasts, and also mentioned that the Monkey had made contributions while he was away.

于是，玉帝下旨，将猴子也列入生肖之中。

Consequently, the Jade Emperor decreed that the Monkey be included in the zodiac as well.

猴子当上了生肖，虎王也还了猴子的人情。

With the Monkey becoming a zodiac animal, the Tiger had repaid his favor.

当然虎王也还是不高兴，没什么本事的猴子与自己并列为人间生肖，二人从此友情断绝。

Of course, the Tiger still felt unhappy, as a less capable Monkey was now placed alongside himself as a zodiac animal, and from then on, their friendship was severed.

今天，百兽自己也不怕猴子了。

Today, even the beasts themselves are no longer afraid of the Monkey.

下午3－－5时（即“申时”）。这时候，猴子最喜欢啼叫，声音拉得最长，最洪亮，所以申时属猴。

From 3 to 5 PM (the "Shen" hour), this is when the Monkey loves to cry out, with sounds that are long and loud, thus the "Shen" hour belongs to the Monkey.