To Quench One's Thirst by Looking up at Plums一Console Oneself with False Hopes
望梅止渴
One summer，Cao Cao was leading his troops in a punitive expedition a-gainst Zhang Xiu. It was extraordinarily hot. The burning sun was like a tire，and the sky was cloudless. The soldiers were walking on the winding moun-tain paths. The dense forest and the hot rocks exposed to the sun on both sides of the paths made the soldiers feel suffocated. By noontime the soldiers' clothes were wet through with sweat，and the marching speed slowed down. Some soldiers of weak physique even fainted on the roadside.
有一年夏天，曹操率领部队去讨伐张绣。天气热得出奇，骄阳似火，一丝云彩也没有。部队在弯弯曲曲的山道上行走，两边密密的树木和被阳光晒得滚烫的山石，让人透不过气来。到了中午时分，士兵的衣服都湿透了，行军的速度也慢下来，有几个体弱的士兵竟晕倒在路边。
Seeing that the marching speed was slower and slower，Cao Cao was very worried for fearing that he might miss the chance of winning the battle. However,tens of thousands of troops didn't even have water to drink，and how could they quicken the speedy He immediately called the guide，asking him quietly whether there was a water source nearby. The guide shook his head，saying that the spring water was on the other side of the mountain，which was very far to make a detour to reach. Cao Cao thought about it and said，“No，it won't do，for there is no time".Looking at the wood in the front and musing for a while，he said to the guide，“Keep quiet. I'll find a way out.”Now it was useless to order the troops to quicken their steps. Cao Cao racked his head and got an idea. Spurring the horse to speed to the head of the column，he pointed his horsewhip to the front，saying，“Soldiers，I know there is a big forest of plums ahead. The plums there are both big and delicious. Let's hurry up，and we will reach the forest of plums after bypas-sing this hill.”At the news，the soldiers felt as if they were actually eating the plums. With the spirit lifted，they quickened the steps a great deal automatically.
曹操看行军的速度越来越慢，担心贻误战机，心里很是着急。可是，眼下几万人马连水都喝不上，又怎么能加快速度呢?他立刻叫来向导，悄悄问他:“这附近可有水源?”向导摇摇头说:“泉水在山谷的那一边，要绕道过去还有很远的路程。”曹操想了一下说，“不行，时间来不及。”他看了看前边的树林，沉思了一会儿，对向导说:“你什么也别说，我来想办法。”他知道此刻即使下命令要求部队加快速度也无济于事。脑筋一转，办法来了，他一夹马肚子，快速赶到队伍前面，用马鞭指着前方说:“士兵们，我知道前面有一大片梅林，那里的梅子又大又好吃，我们快点赶路，绕过这个山丘就到梅林了!”士兵们一听，仿佛已经吃到嘴里，精神大振，步伐不由得加快了许多:后人便用“望梅止渴”一词来比喻聊以空想自慰、而实际却无法实现的愿望。
。