Learn Chinese Idiom (2)

Multiple Texts > Amusing & Musing
4 April 2010
By Admin

朝三暮四:

Allegedly, a gourp of pandas in a New York zoo normally get 4 bamboo stalks in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. But since the zoo is hit hard by the recent financial crisis, the authority decides to reduce one stalk in panda's daily meal.

"You'll get 3 bamboos in the morning and 4 in the afternoon," the zookeeper announced to the panda community.

All pandas are extremely upset, and consider the move having harmed their core interest. "Food safety is the most important issue in our lives and we firmly object your decision," the spokespanda protests aloud.

After several urgent meetings organised by panda's elderly council, panda's assembly congress and panda's militia committee, the spokespanda further informs the zookeeper that pandas will suspend direct eye contect with him.

"Please correct your wrong decision immediately or we reserve the right to take further actions," demands the spokespanda.

The zookeeper is rather stunned by pandas' chanllenge which is unprecedented - normally these bamboo fellows are easily to be pushed around - so he immediately reported the incident to the authority.

The zoo director is angry at the first. "Who the hell do they think they are? Who are the boss here? We feed them or they feed us?"

The secterary of the treasury in the zoo quietly replies, "It is us who feed them bamboos, Sir, but it is them who feed us stakes, cars, mensions and holidays ..., and if they further suspend eye contact with visitors, the zoo might be driven into bankruptcy."

"All right, all right." The director lingers. "I see your point." So he instructs the zookeeper to amend the earlier decision.

"OK, guys," the zookeeper returns to address the panda community, "after a careful deliberation of your requests by the authority, now I announce you'll have 4 bamboos in the morning and 3 in the afternoon?"

Hearing this, all pandas are delighted and immediately resume their eye contact with the zookeeper.

The moral of the idiom: Often a simple change of words can help you to seal a good deal without making a real concession.

Prev: Stones with Message
Next: Tomb Sweeping Day.

Multi-coloured Eggs

About a couple of weeks ago, the hen residing in the coop in a village home in China, as shown in the picture, decided to be more creative, so she laid seven pink and purple eggs in one day. During the following four days, she further produced another 8 multi-coloured eggs with spectrum ranging from yellow, green to black.

The black egg appeared rather peculiar, understandably, so Granny Yang, the coop-keeper, cracked it into a blow, then cooked and ate it, but didn't detect any difference in teste comparing to the normal eggs. It seems the hen’s creativity is rather superficial.

The moral of the incident: Don't be fooled by your eye.

(Photo: 金黔在线)

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