苏武的事迹记载在东汉班固《汉书·李广苏建传》里。他在汉武帝天汉元年（公元前100年）出使匈奴，被扣留了整整十九年，直到汉昭帝时才回到长安。匈奴让他在北海牧羊，还说「羝乳乃得归」，羝是公羊，意思是等公羊生了小羊才放你回去。

The story of Su Wu is recorded in the History of the Han by Ban Gu of the Eastern Han. He was sent as an envoy to the Xiongnu in 100 BC, was held for nineteen years, and only returned to Changan in the reign of Emperor Zhao. The Xiongnu sent him to herd sheep by the North Sea, saying he could go home only when the rams gave birth to lambs, which meant never.

故事里的「北海」，一般认为就是今天俄罗斯境内的贝加尔湖，冬天冰天雪地，十分荒凉。《汉书》说苏武「杖汉节牧羊，卧起操持，节旄尽落」，不管睡觉还是起身都握着代表汉朝的节杖，连节杖上的毛都掉光了。

The North Sea in the story is generally thought to be Lake Baikal in present-day Russia, frozen and bleak in winter. The History of the Han says that Su Wu herded his sheep holding the staff of the Han envoy, keeping it with him whether lying down or getting up, until all the tassels had fallen off.

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