The legend of Yu the Great, who tamed a catastrophic flood by digging channels to guide the water to sea — working so devotedly that he passed his own home three times without stopping to visit.
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很久很久以前，中国发生了一场大洪水，水淹没了田地和村庄，百姓的日子非常苦。
禹的父亲曾经想办法治水，他到处修堤坝、筑高墙，想把洪水挡住，可是修了整整九年，洪水还是一次又一次地冲垮堤坝，一点用也没有。
后来，禹接过了治水的任务。他仔细观察，想出了一个完全不同的办法：堵不如疏。与其挡住洪水，不如挖出一条条水道，把水引到大海里去。
禹带领大家翻山越岭，挖沟修渠，一干就是十三年。
传说在这十三年里，禹曾经三次路过自己家的门口，都因为工作太忙，没有进去看一眼妻子和孩子。第一次，他听见儿子在屋里哭；第二次，孩子已经会叫"爸爸"了；第三次，孩子已经长得很高了——可禹每次都只是脚步匆匆地走过，没有停下来。
十三年后，洪水终于被彻底治好了！田地重新变得肥沃，百姓终于能够安心生活。
后来，大家为了感谢禹的功劳，推举他成为了首领，也就是中国历史上第一个王朝——夏朝的开创者。
大禹治水讲的是禹用聪明的办法、加上十三年的坚持，终于把大洪水治好的故事。这个故事告诉我们，遇到困难时换个角度想办法，再加上不怕辛苦的坚持，就能做成很大的事情。
A very long time ago, China faced a huge flood that covered fields and villages in water, and life became very hard for everyone.
Yu's father had tried to stop the flood by building dams and high walls to hold the water back — but after nine long years, the floodwater kept breaking through, and nothing seemed to work.
Then Yu took over the task. He looked carefully at the problem and came up with a completely different idea: instead of blocking the water, guide it out instead. He decided to dig channels to lead the floodwater safely away to the sea.
Yu led the people over mountains and through valleys, digging canals for thirteen years.
Legend says that during those thirteen years, Yu passed by the door of his own home three separate times — but each time, because there was still so much work to do, he didn't stop to go in and see his wife and child. The first time, he heard his baby crying inside. The second time, the child could already say "Papa." The third time, the child had grown quite tall — but each time, Yu simply hurried past without pausing.
After thirteen years, the great flood was finally tamed! The fields became fertile again, and the people could finally live in peace.
To thank him for everything he had done, the people made Yu their leader — and he went on to found China's very first dynasty, the Xia.
Yu the Great Tames the Flood is a story about solving a huge problem with a clever new idea, and then sticking with the hard work for as long as it takes. It's one of the earliest and most treasured examples in Chinese history of quiet, patient dedication.
