铁杵成针--成语故事英文版

铁杵成针

Perseverance spells success

Born in the 8th century, Li Bai is probably one of the most prolific poets in Chinese history. This Tang Dynasty poet is so well-known in China that even today, a kindergarten child can recite one or two of his poems. But when the literature giant was a child, he was very naughty. One day, he played hookey and found himself at a nearby stream. He saw an old woman grinding an iron rod on a big stone. Driven by curiosity, he asked: "What are you doing, granny?"

"Grinding an iron rod,"

said the old woman without stopping her work.

"But what for?"

"To make a sewing needle."

"What?! Did you say you're grinding a big iron rod into a small sewing needle?!"

"Why not? There's nothing in the world you can't achieve."

"But it'll take many years!"

"That doesn't matter. What's important is perseverance. If I put in a great deal of effort, I'm sure I can grind the iron rod into a needle."

The old woman ground on and on.

Li Bai was deeply moved by the old woman's words and actions. He felt ashamed of himself. He ran back to his study and since then worked very hard at his books. After years of hard work, he achieved great success as a poet. He traveled around the world and wrote poems to praise local beauty and as a result, his fame spread far and wide. When he came back to his hometown, Li Bai met that old lady again, still grinding the iron rod. But this time, the iron was almost a needle; the old lady's perseverance had brought her success.