You are sailing on the sea, the starry sky at night is dazzling, the sea breeze is gently blowing, and everything seems so peaceful. But suddenly, there is a strange cry from the bottom of the sea, isn't it creepy?
Don't worry, this is not a horror story, but from an old fable - "The toad cries at night".
The idiom "toad cries at night" sounds quite interesting.
How can toads, those little ones who are happily bouncing in the fields on weekdays, secretly cry in the middle of the night?
Actually, this is not to say that toads actually cry, but a vivid metaphor to describe the behavior of those who make unwarranted accusations and frame good people.
This idiom comes from "Ai Zi Miscellaneous", in the story, Ai Zi moored the boat next to the island at night, and heard crying and muttering under the water in the middle of the night. If you listen carefully, it turns out to be a conversation between two water tribes.
A dragon, a large crocodile, is worried that he will be beheaded by the dragon lord because he has a tail.
The other is a toad, although it has no tail now, but it is afraid that the dragon lord will track down the "historical problem" of it having a tail when it was a tadpole when it was a child.
This story sounds quite absurd, how could the dragon lord have to cut off his head because the water tribe has a tail? But this is the charm of the allegory, which uses exaggeration to satirize the unfounded pursuit of historical errors and the persecution of the innocent.
In real life, the phenomenon of "toads crying at night" is not uncommon.
For example, in the workplace, sometimes some people are treated unfairly because of some trumped-up charges or small mistakes in the past, which are infinitely magnified. It's like that toad who worries about being held accountable just because it was a tadpole with a tail when he was a child.
For another example, the entertainment industry often stages the drama of "toads crying at night". Some celebrities may be suddenly dug up after many years because of some past behaviors or remarks, resulting in damage to their reputations and career setbacks. This is like the dragon lord suddenly turning over old accounts and trying to investigate the "crime" of the toad when he was a tadpole.
But then again, "toads crying at night" aren't all bad. It reminds us that when making judgments and evaluations, we must be objective and fair, and do not frame and persecute others because of some irrelevant historical issues or trumped-up charges.
At the same time, he also warns those who may be "turning over old accounts" to always pay attention to their words and deeds and not leave unnecessary trouble for themselves.
Imagine, if the Dragon King really wants to cut off the heads of all the tailed aquarium because of a little thing, wouldn't the underwater world be messed up? In the same way, if we do the same in real life, won't society be in a mess?
Therefore, "the toad cries at night" is not only an interesting idiom, but also a profound warning. It makes us reflect: Are we just enough to deal with others? Are we cautious enough when it comes to ourselves?