Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 2, Text 1

Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
Vocabulary section transcribed with help from with help from 武克富強/Võ Khắc Phú Cường
Illiterateness.
。
There was a tiger in the mountains who devoured men and cattle.
。。
Hunters plotted to catch the tiger, and laid a pit-fall in order to way-lay him.
。
In big characters they wrote upon a wall saying,
。
"Below lies a pit-fall for a tiger.
。
Let passers-by be careful."
。。
A villager who was an illiterate man was passing under that wall.
。。
By mistake he trod on it, fell into the pitfall and hurt his leg.
。
He shouted loudly for help.
。。
Once he was dragged out, somebody pointed to the writing and on the wall told him about it.
。
Then the villager sighed, saying,
。。
"Oh if only I had been able to read, how could it have come to this?"
gloss source