This story took place more than 2,000 years ago, in the Warring States period（475-221 B.C.）.
There was a farmer in the State of Song. One day, while working in the field, he suddenly saw a hare running by in front of him. The bare bumped against the big tree, broke its neck and died under the tree.
Without any effort, the farmer enjoyed a meal of bare meat happily. He was very pleased and thought it would be great if it was like this every day!
Thereupon, he no longer cultivated his land, but watched by that tree, waiting for the chance to pick up another hare which knocked itself dead against the tree. He waited and waited and watched. His field lay waste, but he never got a second hare.
This idiom satirizes those who just wait for a stroke of luck, rather than making efforts to obtain what they need. It is also used to show adhering to narrow experiences and not being able to be flexible.
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