The archer and the oil merchant by CJ

宋朝有个叫陈康肃的人，十分擅长射箭。他能够在百步开外射中杨树的叶子，这样的射技举世无双，再没有第二个人能够比得上，陈康肃对自己的本领很是自负。

　　有一次，陈康肃在自家后花园的场地上练习射箭，引来很多人围观。有一位卖油的老头儿挑着担子经过，也停下来，放下担子，斜着眼睛看陈康肃射箭，很久都没有离开。

　　陈康肃的箭术果然名不虚传，射出的箭十次有八九次都射中靶心。旁边围观的人们大声喝彩，手心都拍红了，只有那位卖油的老头儿，仍用斜眼瞅着，只稍微点了下头。

　　陈康肃见老头儿似乎有点看不上他射箭的技艺，又生气又不服气，就放下弓箭走过去问老头儿说：“你也懂得射箭吗？难道你认为我射箭的技术还不够精吗？”

　　老头儿平静地回答说：“我觉得这也没啥了不起的，只不过你练的多了，手熟而已。”

　　陈康肃终于发怒了，质问道：“你怎么敢如此贬低我的绝技！”

　　老头儿也不急，不慌不忙地说：“我是从我多年来倒油的技巧中懂得这个道理的。我就演示给你看一看吧。”

　　说完以后，老头儿把一个葫芦放在地上，又取出一枚圆形方孔的铜钱盖在葫芦嘴上，然后他用一把油瓢从油桶里舀了一满瓢的油，再将瓢里的油向盖着铜钱的葫芦嘴里倒。只见那油成细细的一线流向葫芦嘴，均匀不断。等油倒完了，把铜钱拿下来细细验看，竟然连一点油星子都没有沾上。在人们一片啧啧称奇声中，卖油翁笑了笑，说道：“我这点雕虫小技也没有什么了不起的，不过是手熟而已。”

　　陈康肃看完了表演以后笑了起来，客客气气地把卖油翁送走了。

　　这则寓言告诉我们，再难的事，只要我们反复地不间断地练习、实践，日久天长，必定会熟能生巧。

English version:

Once there was a man who was a very good archer. He could shoot one arrow, hit the target, and then with another arrow, split the first arrow. He would go from village to villa demonstrating his skills. And everybody would gather and applaud, because they had never seen anything like it.

Once day, he came to a little village, shot an arrow from his bow, and everybody applauded, “Bravo, bravo.” Then, after everybody had finished applauding, a voice in the back of the crowd called out, “Agh. It’s only a matter of practice.”

The archer heard that, and it disturbed him, but he continued on. He took another arrow, shot it, split the first arrow, and again everybody yelled, “Bravo, bravo, bravo.” And the same voice said, “Agh. It’s only a matter of practice.”

After his show was over, the archer was upset. Here he was, demonstrating his greatest skill, and this man kept saying, “Only a matter of practice.” So he went to the back of the crowd and found the man. He was carrying a bamboo pole, with one pot of oil hanging from the front and another from the back, trying to sell oil.

The master archer said to him, “How dare you say it’s only a matter of practice? What do you do? You sell oil. Look at me. People come to see me from far away bacause my aim is so good.”

The man with the oil looked at the archer and said, “Agh, it’s only a matter of practice. Now, let me show you.”

So the oil merchant pulled out a bottle, put a coin that had a hole in it on top, and poured the oil from his pot through the small hole without spilling a drop. He turned to the archer and said, “Now, it’s your turn.” And the archer didn’t even try. He understood that it is a matter of practice.