趙國有個學者名公孫龍,為人驕傲自負。他曾對弟子說:「我不會和沒有本領的人交往。」

一天,有個衣衫襤褸的人,走上前對他說:「請您收我做徒弟吧!」

公孫龍打量了那人一番,冷冷地問道:「你有何本領?」

那人回答說:「我有一把洪亮的聲音。」

公孫龍問弟子道:「你們當中有沒有聲音洪亮的?」

弟子回答說:「沒有。」

於是公孫龍收那人做徒弟。其他弟子竊竊私語,還暗暗地嘲笑道:「聲音洪亮有甚麼用?」

過了幾天,公孫龍有事要到燕國去。他們來到一條大河前,可是卻見不到岸邊有渡船,只見一艘停泊在遠遠的對岸。

公孫龍著令新弟子施展其技。新弟子欣然答允,便大喊一聲。不久,那艘渡船就划過來,載他們渡河去。

You'd Never Know

In the State of Zhao, there was once of a scholar by the name of Gongsun Long. He was a vain man and thought highly of himself.

"I don't keep company with people who have no talents," he told his disciples.

One day a man dressed in rags came up to him saying, "Please take me as your disciple."

After looking the man up and down, Gongsun Long replied coldly, "Tell me about your talents."

"Well," said the man, "I have a loud voice which can travel very far."

"Is there anyone among you who has a loud voice?" Gongsun Long asked his disciples.

"No, sir!" they replied.

Gongsun Long took the man as his disciple. His other disciples were secretly laughing among themselves. "What is the use of a loud voice?" they sneered.

A few days later, Gongsun Long and his disciples had to make a trip to the State of Yan. They came upon a large river. However, not a boat was in sight except one lying on the distant shore.

Gongsun Long told his new disciple to prove his talent. The man gladly heeded the request and bellowed across the river. Very soon the boat was rowed over to ferry them all.

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