中國千百年來流傳的一個道德教育故事，是中國古代東漢末文學家孔融的真實故事，教育人們凡事應該懂得謙讓的禮儀。《三字經(jīng)》中“融四歲，能讓梨”即出于此。

　　孔融讓梨

　　原文

　　續(xù)漢書曰：“孔融，字文舉，魯國人，孔子二十世孫也。高祖父尚，鉅鹿太守。父宙，泰山都尉。”融別傳曰：融四歲，與兄食梨，輒引小者。人問其故。答曰：“小兒，法當取小者。”

　　中英雙譯

　　Kong Rong gaveaway bigger pears

　　孔融讓梨

　　In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a personcalled Kong Rong. He was very smart ever since he was a little boy. He had fiveolder brothers and one younger brother.

　　東漢時候，有個叫孔融的人。他小時候很聰明，有五個哥哥，一個弟弟。

　　One day his father bought some pears, picking one ofthe largest and giving it to Kong Rong deliberately. But Kong Rong shook hishead and picked up the smallest one.

　　一天爸爸買了一些梨子，特意撿了一個最大的給孔融，孔融卻搖頭不要，拿了一個最小的梨。

　　His dad was very curious, and asked: “Why?”

　　爸爸很好奇，就問：“為什么呢?”

　　Kong Rong said: “I am younger, so I should eat thesmaller pear, and brothers should eat the bigger ones.”

　　孔融說：“我年紀小，我吃小梨，大的給哥哥吃。”

　　His dad was very glad after hearing his words, butasked further: “What about your younger brother who is younger than you are?”

　　爸爸聽后很高興，又問：“那弟弟比你還小呀?”

　　Kong Rong said: “I am older than him, so I shouldleave the bigger one to my little brother.”

　　孔融說：“我比弟弟大，我是哥哥，我應該把大的留給小弟弟吃。”

　　Later, Kong Rong became a great scholar.

　　后來，孔融成為了一個很有學問的人。

　　教育意義

　　這個故事告訴人們，凡事應該懂得謙讓的禮儀。這些都是年幼時就應該知道的道德常識。古人對道德常識非常重視。道德常識是啟蒙教育的基本內(nèi)容，融于日常生活、學習的方方面面。