To Ask a Fox for Its Skin

During the Chou dynasty, there lived a man who wanted to make a fur coat. He knew that fox skin was the best for making fur coats, and so he went out to look for a fox, and asked, "Mr. Fox, would you be willing to cut off your skin and give it to me to make a fur coat?" The fox just walked away, not paying him the slightest attention. So the man kept searching, and he soon came across a second fox, to whom he said, "Brother Fox, your skin would most certainly make a very warm coat. How about letting me cut it off, OK?" But the second fox lowered his head and ran as fast as he could into the mountains.

Today, people often say that asking an evil person to act against his own interest is like "asking a fox for its skin" - a hopeless request.

與狐謀皮

周朝時候！有一個人想要做一件最好的皮衣服，他知道做皮衣服的料子，要算狐皮最好。他想：狐皮是狐狸身上的皮毛，我去找狐狸商量一下，他們一定有辦法。想著想著就砲到山上，遇到了一隻狐狸，他就對牠說：「狐狸先生，你的皮可以剥給我做皮衣服嗎？」狐狸連理都沒有理他就走了。他繼續走，看到了狐狸就對牠們說：「狐狸大哥啊！你的皮做成衣服，一定是又名貴又保暖，請你讓我把你的皮剥下來吧！」狐狸們聽了，掉過頭一溜烟兒地跑到山上躲起來了。