古德明英语军事小故事:猫 、 燕 攻 城 (中英对照)
古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事,古德明,香港英语教育作家,他开了一个《征服英语专栏》,在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事,用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。猫 、 燕 攻 城
genghis khan, founder of the mongol empire, began his invasion of hsi hsia in 1207. he soon learned the futility of using cavalry when he tried to take a mighty fortress.
unable to breach the walls, genghis khan resorted to a trick. he proposed to the fortress defenders that he would end his siege if they paid him a tribute of 1000 cats and 10000 swallows. astonished, the defenders complied. after the animals arrived in the mongol camp, genghis khan ordered his men to tie tufts of cotton to the animals' tails and set them on fire. when the frightened animals were turned loose, they made directly for their nests and lairs inside the fortress. hundreds of small fires broke out, and the fortress defenders rushed to fight them.
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