After a captive from the Blue Force was released by the Red Army, the Blue Force officer asked this released soldier what he had seen in the Red Army's barracks in order to master the conditions.
The soldier answered, “I saw they drinking water.”
“Drinking water?” the officer said, “Are you too thirsty to see anything else? For example, how many guns, how many troops, and how many fortifications do they have? What's the use of drinking water?”
“Drinking water is not worth seeing,” the soldier threw a piece of chocolate into his mouth, “But it was really funny that their soldiers drank water.”
“Funny to drink water? Adventure! Tell us how they drank water.” With this, the officer leaned against the velvet lounge.
“Hey! So ridiculous,” said the soldier, “All their soldiers were so thirsty that their lips parched, but there was only one kettle of water left. The kettle was passed on in their hands. When all the soldiers finished drinking, guess what? More than a half of the water was left! At last I drank the last half.”
After hearing this, the officer, as if electrified, jumped from the velvet chair right off and ordered his troops, “Retreat!”
“Why?” asked his soldiers.
“Seeing how you scramble for tins and food like hell, I know it will be in vain to defeat such a united and companionate troop!”
蓝军的战俘被红军释放，蓝军长官问战俘在红军兵营看到了什么，以便掌握敌情。
战士回答：“我看见他们在喝水。”
“喝水？”长官说，“你是不是渴坏了所以看不到别的东西呀？比方说他们有多少枪械、多少兵力、建了几座碉堡？喝水有什么好看的？”
“喝水本来没什么好看的，”战士往嘴里塞了一块巧克力，“但是他们的士兵喝水真是挺有意思的。”
“喝个水还有意思？真稀罕！给我们讲讲他们是怎么个喝法。”说着，长官靠在天鹅绒躺椅上。
“嘿！傻透了！”战士说：“所有士兵口渴到嘴唇干裂的程度，但是只剩了一壶水。这壶水在士兵那儿手手相传。所有人都喝过的时候，你猜怎么着？居然还剩了半壶。结果我把那半壶全喝光了。”
听到这儿，长官就像触电似的，从天鹅绒椅子上径直跳了起来，冲他的部队下令：“给我撤！”
“为什么呀？”战士们不明白。
“看到你们为了罐头、食物争来抢去的样子，我就知道，想打败人家这么团结友爱的部队简直是做梦！”
-scramble [ˈskræmbl] v. 争夺
-companionate [kəmˈpænjənɪt] adj. 和谐的
扛枪打仗要的就是这一壶水丈量出的士气军心。