《古代寓言·不龟手之药》（中英对照）

惠子谓庄子曰：“魏王贻我大瓠之种，我树之成而实五石，以盛水浆，其坚不能自举也。剖之以为瓢，则瓠落无所容。非不呺然大也。吾为其无用而掊之。”

庄子曰：“夫子固拙于用大矣。宋人有善为不龟手之药者，世世以洴澼絖为事。客闻之，请买其方百金。聚族而谋曰：‘我世世为洴澼絖，不过数金，今一朝而鬻技百金，请与之。’客得之以说吴王。越有难，吴王使之将，冬与越人水战，大败越人。裂地而封之。能不龟手一也，或以封，或不免于洴澼絖。则所用之异也。今子有五石之瓠，何不虑以为大樽，而浮于江湖，而忧其瓠落无所容？则夫子犹有蓬之心也夫！”

——《庄子》

The Ointment for Chapped Hands

A family in the state of Song made an excellent ointment for chapped hands; so for generations they engaged in laundering. A man who heard of this offered a hundred pieces of gold for their recipe.

“We have been in the laundry trade for generations,” said this family as they discussed the matter. “But we never made more than a few pieces of gold. Today we can sell our recipe for a hundred pieces. By all means let us sell it.”

Now the state of Yue was invading the state of Wu, and having bought the recipe this man presented it to the Prince of Wu, who thereupon made him a general. His troops fought a naval action with those of Yue that winter, and completely routed the enemy. Then the prince made him a noble, rewarding him with a fief.

Thus the same ointment for chaps could win a fief or simply aid laundrymen.

All depends upon the use to which things are put.