百计不如一计 江铭辉 五梦网
图：狐狸百计不如猫的一计。
这是拉封丹(Jean de La Fontaine)的寓言，原文叫The cat and the fox。它讲到猫只有一计，却能摆脱猎狗的追杀，而狐狸空有百计，但都没有用，最后难逃猎狗的追杀。
一个人空头说有千百计，但实施起来，都不实在，良好的计策，只要一条就够了。
中国有句成语「三十六计，走为上策」，但逃走也不是容易的事，自。知不敌对手，所有计策都没用，只有逃脱，逃脱也要眼捷手快，动作缓慢，马上敌人已经到眼前，再逃脱都来不及，本寓言的猫，毫不考虑就爬到树上，躲避一场灾难，而狐狸可能一场错愕，愣住了，但猎狗已经到眼前，来不及逃脱了，所以百计不如一计。
三十六计是很好的计谋，但碰到强大的敌人，不要再想计谋了，走为上策，先保命再讲。
有关「The cat and the fox」的原文及翻译如下：
The cat and the fox, in the manner of good little saints, started out upon a pilgrimage.
猫和狐狸，好像有点的圣徒的谓味道，开始去朝圣。
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.
其实牠们都是骗子，高明的伪君子，二人都是彻头彻尾拦路打劫的强盗，牠们旅程的费用是比赛看谁可以吃掉最多的家禽和狼吞虎咽最多的奶酪。
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.
这个办法是漫长而令人厌烦的，因此，为了减少无味的比赛，他们开始争论了。争论是有很大的帮助。没有它，一会就睡觉了。我们的朝圣者声嘶沙哑到力竭。然后个有自己的主张，停止争论，于是牠们谈其他的事情。
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."
最后狐狸对猫说：「你假装你很聪明，你知道吗？你的计策没有我多？我有一百个诡计，放在我的袖子里。」
"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，」猫回答，「我只有一个;随时都可准备出手，而且我认为它比其他一千个逃避方法还有价值。」
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.
然后，他们再一次陷入一个争论的问题，一个反对另一方提出的问题，为了争论所有方法和原因，牠们争论的声音越来越高。不久，一群猎狗突然出现，阻止他们争论的吵杂声。
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.
猫对狐狸说：「现在，我的朋友，搜查你那狡猾的大脑你一千可以使用的诡计的任何一种。从你的袖子取下来某些计谋之一。至于我，这是我的逃脱方法。」说着，牠跳到一棵大树上，敏捷的爬到树顶。
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.
狐狸试了100种逃避追赶的方法，但都没有用。牠跑进一百个洞穴，一百次尝试把猎狗的注意力错乱，试图到处找到一个安全退路的地方，但由于一边被猎人用烟熏出，另一边被猎狗赶出，因此处处碰壁，最后，牠来到了一个洞穴，二灵活的狗追到牠，第一时间抓住牠，将牠咬死。
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.
太多的权宜之计，可能会破坏事情。容易让一个人试图使用太多的计策，错过选择这些计策的时间。因此计策只要有一个，且是好计策就够了。