春秋时期，吴王寿梦要攻打楚国，并禁止大臣提反对意见，有一个大臣的儿子听说后，带上弹弓到王宫花园去打鸟。吴王问他干什么，他说在看螳螂捕树上的蝉，而黄雀在后面等着吃螳螂。吴王觉得自己的处境同螳螂差不多，就只好取消计划。

       【出处】螳螂捕蝉，志在有利，不知黄雀在后啄之。汉·赵晔《吴越春秋》

      【解释】蝉：知了。螳螂捉蝉，不知潜在危险。比喻目光短浅。

      螳螂捕蝉中英文对照版：

      A mantodea saw a cicada in the garden and caught it. It was pleased with itself and about to eat the cicada, but he didn't know that there was a canary who was ready to catch the mantodea. The story tells us that you can never be sure you are the final winner.

      一只螳螂在院子里发现了一只蟋蟀并抓住了它。它很得意，准备吃蟋蟀了，可是它不知道有一只黄雀正在准备抓住它呢！这个故事告诉我们你不要总是以为你就是最后的赢家。