When the Snipe and the Clam Grappled，It Was the Fisherman Who Stood to Benefit
鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利
This allusion comes from Volume 2 of Aneedotes of Yan State in Strategies of the Warring States.A clam swam to the bank and opened its shell in the sun. A snipe flew over and saw it.so it dived to the ground and pecked at it.Before the snipe drew back its beak，it was gripped tightly inside because the clam suddenly felt a sharp pain and closed its shell quickly. The snipe shook its head vi-ofently to cast off the clam，but it failed no matter how hard it tried. The snipe said anarilv.“Listen , you cl am，it's not qoinq to rain today，neither will it tomorrow.Then you'll die from thirst. So quick!Let me off!”The clam was angry too.“You listen、I won't let you off today?and!won't let you off tomorrow，either. Then you'll die of hunger一Do you still dare to eat mev”The snipe and clam were locked in fight and quarreled，and neither of them liked to give in first. Just at that mo-ment .an old fisherman came. He picked them up and took them home for dinner The story tells us that the third party will have an advantage fall into his lap when the other two parties are locked in combat for their own personal interests.
故事出自《战国策》卷三十《燕策二》大意是说:一只蚌游到岸边张开蚌壳晒太阳，一只鹬鸟飞过。发现了它就去啄它的肉，没等鹬鸟把嘴回来，蚌合上壳夹住了鹬鸟的嘴。鹬鸟说:“今大不下雨，明大不下雨，就会有一个死蚌”蚌也对鹬鸟说:“今天拿不出嘴来，明天拿不出嘴来，就会有一只死鹬。”两个各不相让，结果被渔人双双擒获。后世便用“鹬蚌相争”一词来比喻双方因不必要的矛盾争执不下、互不相让，结果两败俱伤，反而让第三者占了便宜。
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