Drawing Feet on a Snake
'Drawing a Snake and Adding Feet' comes from the Strategies of the Warring States, a tale from over two thousand years old about a drawing contest in the state of Chu. The first man to finish his snake thought he still had time, so he added a few feet to it — and ended up losing the jug of wine. That's why the saying means: doing something unnecessary can end up ruining everything.
Long ago, a family held a feast and gave their servants a pot of wine.
There was only one pot of wine, but so many servants. How could they share it?
They came up with an idea: a snake-drawing race. Whoever finished first would win the wine.
The race began, and everyone started drawing on the ground at once.
One man drew very fast and finished his snake in no time.
He looked around — the others were still drawing. "I have time to spare," he thought.
So he added feet to his snake, drawing them proudly, one by one.
Just then, another man finished too and shouted, "I win!"
The second man pointed at the first snake and laughed, "Snakes don't have feet! That is not a snake at all!"
The first man lost the wine. Doing extra spoils the work.
