成語：望梅止渴
成語 望梅止渴 的故事
有一年夏天，曹操率領部隊去討伐張繡，天氣熱得出奇，驕陽似火，天上一絲雲彩也沒有，部隊在彎彎曲曲的山道上行走，兩邊密密的樹木和被陽光曬得滾燙的山石，讓人透不過氣來。到了中午時分，士兵的衣服都濕透了，行軍的速度也慢下來，有幾個體弱的士兵竟暈倒在路邊。
曹操看行軍的速度越來越慢，擔心貽誤戰機，心裡很是著急。可是，眼下幾萬人馬連水都喝不上，又怎麼能加快速度呢？他立刻叫來嚮導，悄悄問他：“這附近可有水源？”嚮導搖搖頭說：“泉水在山谷的那一邊，要繞道過去還有很遠的路程。”曹操想了一下說，“不行，時間來不及。”他看了看前邊的樹林，沉思了一會兒，對嚮導說：“你什麼也別說，我來想辦法。”他知道此刻即使下命令要求部隊加快速度也無濟於事。腦筋一轉，辦法來了，他一夾馬肚子，快速趕到隊伍前面，用馬鞭指著前方說：“士兵們，我知道前面有一大片梅林，那裡的梅子又大又好吃，我們快點趕路，繞過這個山丘就到梅林了！”士兵們一聽，彷彿已經吃到嘴裡，精神大振，步伐不由得加快了許多。
故事出自《世說新語·假譎》。成語“望梅止渴”，比喻用空想安慰自己或他人。
QuenchingThirstbyWatchingPlums
CaoCaooftheThreeKingdomsperiod(220-265)wasnotonlyacapablepoliticianinmanagingstateaffairs,butalsoastrategistgoodatleadingtroopsingoingtowar.
Onesummer,CaoCaowasleadinghistroopsinapunitiveexpeditionagainstZhangXiu.Itwasextraordinarilyhot.Theburningsunwaslikeafire,andtheskywascloudless.Thesoldierswerewalkingonthewindingmountainpaths.Thedenseforestandthehotrocksexposedtothesunonbothsidesofthepathsmadethesoldiersfeelsuffocated.Bynoontimethesoldiers'clotheswerewetthroughwithsweat,andthemarchingspeedsloweddown.Somesoldersofweakphysiqueevenfaintedontheroadside.
Seeingthatthemarchingspeedwasslowerandslower,CaoCaowasveryworriedbecausehefearedthathemightbunglethechanceofwinningthebattle.Buthowcouldtheyquickentheirspeed?CaoCaoatoncecalldetheguideandaskedhimonthequietwhethertherewasasourceofwaternearby.Theguideshookhishead,sayingthatthespringwaterwasontheothersideofthemountain,whichwasveryfartohavetomakeadetourtoreach.CaoCaorealizedthattimedidn'tpermitthemtomakesuchadetour.Afterthinkingforamoment,hesaidtotheguide,"Keepquiet.I'llfindawayout."Heknewthatitwouldbetonoavailtoorderhistroopstoquickenthesteps.Hehadabrainwaveandfoundagoodsolution.Hespurredhishorseandcametotheheadofthecolumn.Pointinghishorsewhiptothefront,CaoCaosaid,"Soldiers,Iknowthereisabigforestofplumsahead.Theplumstherearebothbiganddelicious.let'shurryalong,andwewillreachtheforestofplumsafterbypassingthishill."Whenthesoldersheardthis,theyimmediatelyslobbered.Picturingintheirmindsthesweetandsourflavouroftheplums,thesoldiersfeltasiftheywereactuallyeatingtheplums,thesoldiersfeltasiftheywereactuallyeatingtheplumsthemselves.Themoralegreatlyboosted,thesoldiersquickenedtheirstepsagreatdealautomatically.
Thisstorycomesfrom"TheFakeTangery"inAnecdotesofThisWorldbyLiuYiqingoftheSouthernDynastiesperiod(420-589).Fromthisstory,peoplehavederivedthesetphrase"quenchingthirstbywatchingplums"torefertotryingtocomfortoneselfofothersbyidledreams.