Back in 2008, I had a blast learning an old Chinese storytelling art form called pingshu 评书. Enjoy this classic story called《铁棒磨成针》”Grinding a Rod Into a Needle.”
(Unfortunately, I don’t have a professional recording of this performance, thus the poor recording quality and brief gaps in content at certain moments.)
以下是这个故事的内容：
“铁棒磨成针”
我相信你们都听说过唐代著名诗人李白对吗？但是可能你们不知道李白的父亲是个成功的商人，很有钱，说起来，日子过得也是琼楼玉宇使奴唤婢。家境好啊就给，儿子李白请了个教书先生上家来，教他念书。哎！您就要问了，既然他爸爸这么成功还读什么书啊！跟着学经商将来接班多实际！就是读出来个博士找不着工作怎么办！
哎！话，在当时可不是这么说的！那时候社会跟今天的不一样，讲究的是“万般皆下品，唯有读书高。”做买卖有钱可没社会地位做不了官，不能光宗耀祖。要想有前途您就得发奋读书。什么？读书能怎么样？嘿好！书您要是读好了那是要什么有什么！
Song Zhenzong (Zhao Heng) said it well in “Encouraging Learning.” In today’s language: If you want to make a fortune, you don’t have to take out a bank loan to invest in more land; you can get rich simply from studying! If you want to live comfortably in a mansion, you can gain a golden house simply from reading a book. If you want to have a home, but have no wife or matchmaker, well, you can get a girl as beautiful as flower and jade just by studying!
So Li Bai stayed at home every day to study with his teacher. He was young in those days; the Four Books and Five Classics were boring and too deep for him to understand. After a long while of not understanding, he became angry, “What fun is there in this? I won’t read for another minute!” The teacher looked shocked, “Oh, young master, please don’t stop studying! If you don’t continue on, where will I work?”
“I, I’m going to the toilet.” After speaking, Li Bai walked out. After using the toilet, he ran out into the street. Once there, Li Bai breathed a huge sigh of relief. And as he raised his eyes, he couldn’t help but feel happy. In front of him were singing birds, opera singers, candysellers—so enticing and exciting! Li Bai walked over.
走着走着他站住不动了，面前是块大石头，石头后面坐着位老婆婆。老婆婆抱着根老粗的大铁棒在石头上不停的磨。李白心说， 老人家要把这块石给加工成什么样子啊？
他这么想有道理啊，他家后花园什么石头都有，各式各样！ 眼前的老婆婆拿着铁棒当工具一定是干这个活的，嘿有意思！ Thinking along these lines, he stepped forward and asked, “Old woman , what do you plan to grind this stone into?”
When the old woman heard his question, she said, “What? You think I’m grinding this stone? No, silly boy! I am grinding a needle!” Li Bai said, “You’re going to grind this thick iron rod into a needle?”
“Yes, why don’t you believe me?”
李白能相信吗？针线活他虽没做过，可针长得什么样见过呀！针多细呀。这么粗的铁棒就是磨一半下去能干嘛呀！多以他觉着老婆婆是在糊弄他。
“Old woman, how is this possible? You are fooling people!”
When she heard this, she replied, “Why would an old woman like me want to fool you! You are fine with all these other old people out here exercising, why don’t you like it that I’m out grinding a needle? What’s so impossible? I grind down a little each day, and one day it will be a needle!”
哎呀！李白听了一下子开窍了。 明白了很多道理，心说，对呀！什么事只要有恒心，就一定能办成啊！With this on his mind, Li Bai ran home, burst into the house, and went straight to the study. When he arrived at the study, out of breath, he saw his teacher and asked, “Teacher, where were we at in the book just now?”
Seeing as Li Bai hadn’t shown up for quite some time, the teacher asked, “Li Bai, why did you take so long in the toilet?”
“Well, I, uh, I had a stomachache.” After speaking, he picked up his book and started reading diligently.
教书先生一想， 不对！! and said in a commanding voice, “I went to the toilet to look for you and you weren’t there! Li Bai, tell me! Where in the world did you go?”
这正是：
少时贪玩不用功，
读书枯燥似牢笼；
偶遇老妇磨铁棒，
心有灵犀一点通！
