很熟悉的故事，俄底浦斯和狮身人面像斯芬克斯。
Sphinx是一只可怕的狮身人面的怪兽，它守在通往古城Thebes的路上，常常出其不意地抓住往来的旅客让他们猜谜。如果能猜对就可以活，猜错就只能死。但它的谜语从来没有人能猜对。于是整个Thebes城的百姓都陷入恐慌之中，七个城门也紧紧地合上了。没有食物进城，也没有市民能出去，渐渐地开始闹饥荒。
“Answer my riddle correctly and I'll let you live. Answer it wrongly... you'll die!" the Sphinx would say, snarling.
The city of Thebes was in a state of terror. The seven gates to the city were closed. No food came in. No citizens went out. Famine spread across the land.
这时候，Oedipus出现了。他很聪明，也很勇敢。他没有家，也没有朋友。他不知该往何处去，也没有人关心他去哪里。他听说这个怪兽的事情之后，就想来解开谜语，把怪兽除掉。
Oedipus found out about the Sphinx on his travels through the countryside. He heard, too, about the trouble the city of Thebes was having. Oedipus was determined to seek out the Sphinx. He would try to solve the riddle and rid Thebes of the terrible beast.
Sphinx想了很久，给他出了一个最难的谜语：什么动物早上四条腿走路，中午两条腿走路，傍晚用三条腿走路？
”What creature goes on all fours in the morning, two legs during midday, and three legs in the evening?" the Sphinx asked.
正当Sphinx以为Oedipus猜不出来的时候，Oedipus回答说谜底是人。
“As babies, we mortals crawl on hands and knees: all fours. As adults we walk upright on two legs. But at the end of our lives, when we're old and frail, we use a walking stick to help us through our days: that's three."
Sphinx简直不能相信自己的耳朵。它愤怒到爆体而亡。Thebes的百姓们高兴地打开城门迎接Oedipus, 他们拥他为王，统治这个古城很多年。
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