English Original
During the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.), Prince Mengchang of the State of Qi was known for hosting thousands of retainers from all walks of life. He welcomed anyone who came to his door, utilizing the talents of the capable and providing food and lodging even to those with mediocre skills.
Once, Prince Mengchang led his retainers on a diplomatic mission to the State of Qin. King Zhao of Qin, impressed by him, detained him and intended to make him his prime minister. However, persuaded by his advisors that the prince's loyalties would always lie with his homeland of Qi, the king changed his mind. He placed Prince Mengchang and his men under house arrest, plotting to kill them.
In desperation, Prince Mengchang sought help from the king's favorite concubine. She agreed to intervene, but demanded a unique white fox fur coat from Qi as her reward—the very coat Prince Mengchang had already presented to the king. One of his retainers, a skilled burglar who could slip through dog holes, volunteered to retrieve it. Under the cover of moonlight, he evaded guards, infiltrated the palace storeroom, and stole the coat back.
Pleased with the gift, the concubine convinced the king to release Prince Mengchang and even plan a farewell banquet. Fearful of further delays, Prince Mengchang and his men fled eastward that very night. They reached the Hangu Pass at midnight. According to Qin law, the gates opened only at the rooster's crow at dawn. Another retainer, who could perfectly imitate a rooster's crow, saved them. His imitation triggered real roosters to crow, confusing the guards into opening the gates prematurely.
By the time King Zhao discovered the escape at dawn and sent troops in pursuit, Prince Mengchang's group had long since crossed the pass and returned safely to Qi.
This story, recorded in Sima Qian's Historical Records, gave rise to the idiom "the crow of a rooster and the snatch of a dog." It refers to seemingly insignificant skills or the people who possess them, which can prove invaluable in critical situations.
中文翻译
战国时期（公元前475-221年），齐国的孟尝君以收养来自各行各业、多达数千的门客而闻名。他对前来投奔的人来者不拒，任用有才能者，即便对技能平庸者也提供食宿。
一次，孟尝君率领门客出使秦国。秦昭王赏识他，将其扣留并想任命他为相。然而，在臣子劝说孟尝君身为齐国王族、心必向齐后，秦王改变了主意。他将孟尝君及其随从软禁，图谋杀害。
走投无路之下，孟尝君向秦王最宠爱的妃子求助。妃子答应说情，但索要齐国独一无二的狐白裘作为报酬——而这件裘衣孟尝君已献给了秦王。他的一位门客，一位善于钻狗洞的偷盗高手，自告奋勇去取回裘衣。他趁月色避开守卫，潜入宫中藏宝室，将裘衣偷了回来。
妃子得到礼物后很高兴，说服秦王释放孟尝君，甚至计划设宴饯行。孟尝君担心夜长梦多，当夜便率众骑马向东逃亡。他们于午夜时分抵达函谷关。根据秦法，关卡需待清晨鸡鸣时才开启。孟尝君的另一位门客擅长模仿鸡叫，他的模仿引得真鸡随之啼鸣，迷惑了守关士兵，使他们提前打开了关门。
待到秦昭王天亮发现孟尝君逃脱并派兵追赶时，孟尝君一行人早已过关，安全返回了齐国。
这个故事记载于司马迁的《史记》中，并由此产生了成语“鸡鸣狗盗”。它比喻看似微不足道的技能或拥有这些技能的人，在关键时刻却能发挥巨大作用。