Master Osifu Fable 寓言：Where is the Rice from?

A rich man in the Qi Kingdom had two silly sons, but the rich man loved his sons very much and thought them as the apples of his eyes.

齐国有一个富翁,他有两个儿子,一个比一个愚笨。可是富翁还是把两个儿子视为掌上明珠。

One day, a man named Ai Zi said to the rich man, “Your sons are so stupid and know nothing about the world. How can they take your property over after your death?”

一天, 艾子对富翁说:"您这两位少爷整天糊里糊涂,以后怎么接管家业呢?"

Hearing these words, the rich man became a little bit angry. The father said, “Everyone says my sons are very smart and praise them for their good virtue. What you say is sheer nonsense!”

富翁听了很不高兴,说:"真是岂有此理,我的儿子多聪明呀,谁不当面夸他们聪明过人!"

"Then let's test them. Ok?" Ai Zi suggested. The rich man agreed.

艾子笑道:“那我们来考考他们吧?”富翁同意了。

The father called his two sons before Ai Zi, who asked the question, "Do you know where rice comes from?"

于是富翁把两个儿子找来。艾子问:“你们说大米从哪儿来的?”

The elder son smiled and answered, "Any one with sense knows the answer, that rice comes from the kitchen."

老大嘿嘿一笑,说:“这谁不知道!是从厨房来的呗!”

The younger son blinked and said, "You're wrong! How can you say rice comes from the kitchen! It indeed comes from the bag."

老二眨巴眨巴眼睛说:“不对!怎么是从厨房来的呢?大米是从口袋倒出来的。”

The rich man looked at his sons and turned red with anger. "You both are so silly! Why don't you ask me when you don't know the right answer? You are both wrong! Rice comes neither from the kitchen nor from the bag, it comes from the barn!"

富翁看看老大,又看看老二,气得涨红了脸,骂道:“两个蠢材,不知道也不问问我,怎么可以在客人面前胡说呢?告诉你们,大米不是从厨房来的,也不是从口袋倒出来的,是从咱们的粮仓来的。”

The story means that one may do foolish things when he pretends to know the things he is actually ignorant of.

这个故事告诉我们,不懂装懂,一定会闹出笑话的。

http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/5396900707

http://www.masterosifuenglish.com/