东家西家
Eastern Family, Western Family/
by Xie Wuzhang
从前,有齐国有一个人,他的女儿已经到适合结婚的年纪了。这时候,同时有两个青年前来求婚。东家的青年,虽然长得不好看,但是却很有钱。西家的青年,虽然长得很好看,但是却很贫穷。齐国人一时也不知道该怎么办才好, 所以,就对女儿说: 「如果你不好意思明讲,就露出手臂来表示自己的意见。想嫁给东家青年,就露出左手;想嫁给西家青年,就露出右手。我就知道你的意见了。」这时候,女儿却同时露出了两只手臂。异国人看了觉得很奇怪,就问女儿原因。女儿笑着回答说: 「我想在东家吃饭, 而在西家住!」
Long ago, there was a man from Qi, whose daughter had reached an appropriate age for marriage. At this moment, two young men came forward to propose. Although the young man from the Eastern Family wasn’t good-looking, he was very rich; although the young man from the Western Family was good-looking, he was also really poor. “If you’re too shy to say it aloud, express your intention by uncovering one of your arms. Show me your left arm for the man from the Eastern Family; show me your right arm for the man from the Western Family. Then I’ll understand your view!” the man, momentarily unsure what to do, told his daughter. Suddenly, his daughter uncovered both arms, confounding the man from Qi, who asked his daughter why. “I’ want to eat with the Eastern Family, but live with the Western one!” his daughter responded, smiling.
*Xie Wuzhang is the author of Wisdom Fables, a collection of allegories illustrated by Hong Yinan.
Translated by ZhongwenTranslation
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