毛眼鼻口
Brows, Eyes, Nose, Mouth/
by Xie Wuzhang
每个人的脸上,都有眉毛、眼睛、鼻子和嘴: 有一天,嘴巴对鼻子说: [你到底有什么好本领, 位置为什么在我的上面?] 鼻子回答嘴巴说:[因为我能分别香和臭,然后你才可以吃。所以我当然就在你的上面了。然后,鼻子又对眼睛说: [你到底有什么好本领, 位置为什么在我的上面?] 眼睛回答鼻子说: [我能看哪个美, 哪个丑, 还能看东西, 功劳很大。 所以,我应该在你的上面。] 鼻子接着说: [照你这么讲,那眉毛到底有什么好本领,位置为什么在我的上面呢?] 这时候,眉毛回答鼻子说: [其实,我也不想争位置。但是,如果把我放在眼睛和鼻子下面,那会变成什么样的一张脸呢?!]
Everyone has eyebrows, eyes, a nose, and a mouth on their face. “What’s it that makes you so special? And how come you’re above me?” Mouth asked Nose one day. “Because I’m able to tell the difference between odors and fragrances before you eat. So, of course, I’m over you!” Nose replied. Then, Nose asked Eyes, “What’s it that you do? And why’re you above me?” “I tell whether things are beautiful or ugly. My contribution is great, so I should be over you!” Eyes responded. “Well, if you put it that way,” Nose continued, “what’s so special about Eyebrows then? And how come they’re above me?” At this point, Eyebrows interjected, saying, “Truth be known, I have no interest in competing over position, either. However, if you put me under Eyes or Nose, what kind of a face will this become?!”
*Xie Wuzhang is the author of Wisdom Fables, a collection of allegories illustrated by Hong Yinan.
Translated & edited by ZhongwenTranslation
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