中国古代成语中有投鼠忌器，那么这个成语是如何发展而来的，具体请看下文。

Do not burn you house to get rid of a mouse
there is a story in "Hanshu" telling of a rich man, who being a lover of s and hada large collection.Among them was a rare vase made of jade. The vase of exquisiteworkmanship and of historical value and he loved it dearly. One night he noticed amouse passing near the precious vase. The mouse jumped into the vase and wastrying to eat some food which the man had carelessly left there. The sighinfuriated the man and in a fit of rage he threw a stone at the mouse. For sure,the mouse was killed, but the precious vase was broken also. The loss of the vase pained the man GREatly and he deeply regretted his own thoughtlessness, which bought him this unrecoverable loss. He now realized that any one, who cares forthe present and overlooks consequences is apt to bring disasters upon himself. Sohe exclaimed to warn people by saying do not burn you house to get rid of a mouse.

投鼠忌器
《汉书》中有这么个故事，有个富人很喜欢古董并收藏了很多。其中有一件稀有的玉盂工艺精湛，具有很高的历史价值，深受这个富人的喜爱。一天晚上一只老鼠跳进了这个玉想去吃里边的一些剩菜正巧被这个富人看到了。他非常恼火，盛怒之下，他拿了块石头砸向老鼠。当然老鼠是被砸死了可是那个珍贵的玉盂也被打破了。这件事使富人非常难过他深深后悔自己的鲁莽带来的不可挽回的损失。他认识到只考虑眼前而忽视后果将给己带来灾难。他向世人发出警告不要为了除掉一只老鼠而烧毁自己的房子。