Children Story-The Story of the Spears and the Shield-mɑo he dun de ɡu shi-矛和盾的故事

Do you want to learn Chinese through stories? Here is a story named-The Story of the Spears and the Shield. Had you ever heard it before? Let's take a look.

In ancient times, there was a proud merchant who sold spears as well as shields.
古时候，有个自负的商人，他既卖长矛也卖盾牌。 
ɡǔ shí hou，yǒu ɡè zì fù de shānɡ rén，tā jì mài chánɡ máo yě mài dùn pái。 

One day, he was loud in praises of his shield in the market,
一天，他在市场上大声的叫卖自己的盾牌， 
yì tiān，tā zài shì chǎnɡ shànɡ dà shēnɡ de jiào mài zì jǐ de dùn pái， 

"Look at my shield, It's made from the strongest metal in the world.
“ 看看我的盾牌，它是用世界上最坚固的金属制成的。 
“ kàn kɑn wǒ de dùn pái，tā shì yònɡ shì jiè shànɡ zuì jiān ɡù de jīn shǔ zhì chénɡ de。 

No matter how sharp a spear is, it cannot pierce my shield."
不论多么锋利的长矛，都无法刺穿我的盾牌。” 
bú lùn duō me fēnɡ lì de chánɡ máo，dōu wú fǎ cì chuān wǒ de dùn pái。” 

After a while, he held up his spear and bragged:" Look at my spear. It's very sharp.
过了一会儿，他举起他的长矛吹嘘到： “看看我的长矛，它很锋利。 
ɡuò le yí huìr，tā jǔ qǐ tā de chánɡ máo chuī xū dào：“kàn kɑn wǒ de chánɡ máo，tā hěn fēnɡ lì。 

No matter how strong a shield is, my spear can pierce it."
不论多么坚固的盾牌，我的长矛都能刺穿它。” 
bú lùn duō me jiān ɡù de dùn pái，wǒ de chánɡ máo dōu nénɡ cì chuān tā。” 

One of a person in the crowd asked:" What would happen, if your spear is used to pierce your shield?"
人群中有人问道：“如果用你的长矛刺向你的盾牌，会发生什么呢?"
rén qún zhōnɡ yǒu rén wèn dào ： “ rú ɡuǒ yònɡ nǐ de chánɡ máo cì xiànɡ nǐ de dùn pái ， huì fā shēnɡ shén me ne ?"

All the people laughed.
所有的人都笑了。 
suó yǒu de rén dōu xiào le。
 
The merchant was so embarrassed that he could not utter a single word.
商人尴尬的一句话也说不出来。 
shānɡ rén ɡān ɡà de yí jù huà yě shuō bù chū lái。
 
This is where the idiom self-contradiction comes from.
这就是成语"自相矛盾"的由来。 
zhè jiù shì chénɡ yǔ "zì xiānɡ máo dùn" de yóu lái。