百計不如一計 江銘輝 五夢網
圖：狐狸百計不如貓的一計。
這是拉封丹(Jean de La Fontaine)的寓言，原文叫The cat and the fox。它講到貓只有一計，卻能擺脫獵狗的追殺，而狐狸空有百計，但都沒有用，最後難逃獵狗的追殺。
一個人空頭說有千百計，但實施起來，都不實在，良好的計策，只要一條就夠了。
中國有句成語「三十六計，走為上策」，但逃走也不是容易的事，自。知不敵對手，所有計策都沒用，只有逃脫，逃脫也要眼明手快，動作緩慢，馬上敵人已經到眼前，再逃脫都來不及，本寓言的貓，毫不考慮就爬到樹上，躲避一場災難，而狐狸可能一場錯愕，愣住了，但獵狗已經到眼前，來不及逃脫了，所以百計不如一計。
三十六計是很好的計謀，但碰到強大的敵人，不要再想計謀了，走為上策，先保命再講。
有關「The cat and the fox」的原文及翻譯如下：
The cat and the fox, in the manner of good little saints, started out upon a pilgrimage.
貓和狐狸，好像有點的聖徒的謂味道，開始去朝聖。
They were both humbugs, arch-hypocrites, two downright highwaymen, who for the expenses of their journey indemnified themselves by seeing who could devour the most fowls and gobble the most cheese.
其實牠們都是騙子，高明的偽君子，二人都是徹頭徹尾攔路打劫的強盜，牠們旅程的費用是比賽看誰可以吃掉最多的家禽和狼吞虎嚥最多的奶酪。
The way was long and therefore wearisome, so they shortened it by arguing. Argumentation is a great help. Without it one would go to sleep. Our pilgrims shouted themselves hoarse. Then having argued themselves out, they talked of other things.
這個辦法是漫長而令人厭煩的，因此，為了減少無味的比賽，他們開始爭論了。爭論是有很大的幫助。沒有它，一會就睡覺了。我們的朝聖者聲嘶沙啞到力竭。然後個有自己的主張，停止爭論，於是牠們談其他的事情。
At length the fox said to the cat, "You pretend that you're very clever. Do you know as much as I? I have a hundred ruses up my sleeve."
最後狐狸對貓說：「你假裝你很聰明，你知道嗎？你的計策沒有我多？我有一百個詭計，放在我的袖子裡。」
"No," answered the cat, "I have but one; but that is always ready to hand, and I maintain that it is worth a thousand other dodges."
「不，」貓回答，「我只有一個;隨時都可準備出手，而且我認為它比其他一千個逃避方法還有價值。」
Then they fell again to disputing one against the other on each side of the question, the whys and the wherefores, raising their voices higher and higher. Presently the sudden appearance of a pack of hounds stopped their noise.
然後，他們再一次陷入一個爭論的問題，一個反對另一方提出的問題，為了爭論所有方法和原因，牠們爭論的聲音越來越高。不久，一群獵狗突然出現，阻止他們爭論的吵雜聲。
The cat said to the fox, "Now, my friend, ransack that cunning brain of yours for one of your thousand ruses. Fetch down from your sleeve one of those certain stratagems. As for me, this is my dodge." So saying, he bounded to a tall tree and climbed to its top with alacrity.
貓對狐狸說：「現在，我的朋友，搜查你那狡猾的大腦你一千可以使用的詭計的任何一種。從你的袖子取下來某些計謀之一。至於我，這是我的逃脫方法。」說著，牠跳到一棵大樹上，敏捷的爬到樹頂。
The fox tried a hundred futile doublings; ran into a hundred holes; put the hounds at fault a hundred times; tried everywhere to find a safe place of retreat, but everywhere failed between being smoked out of one and driven out of another by the hounds. Finally, as he came out of a hole two nimble dogs set upon him and strangled him at the first grip.
狐狸試了100種逃避追趕的方法，但都沒有用。牠跑進一百個洞穴，一百次嘗試把獵狗的注意力錯亂，試圖到處找到一個安全退路的地方，但由於一邊被獵人用煙燻出，另一邊被獵狗趕出，因此處處碰壁，最後，牠來到了一個洞穴，二靈活的狗追到牠，第一時間抓住牠，將牠咬死。
Too many expedients may spoil the business. One loses time in choosing between them and in trying too many. Have only one; but let it be a good one.
太多的權宜之計，可能會破壞事情。容易讓一個人試圖使用太多的計策，錯過選擇這些計策的時間。因此計策只要有一個，且是好計策就夠了。