《古代寓言·井里挖出一个活人》（中英对照）

昔宋有丁氏，家故无井，而出溉汲焉。常一日而一人基外，惩其如是也，鸠工而穿井于庭。

家相语曰：“今吾之穿井于庭，得一人矣。”

有闻而传之曰：丁氏穿井而得一人也。国人更相道之，语彻于宋君。召其人质也。

丁氏对曰：“自臣穿井，家得一人之力矣，非得一人于井也。”

——《子华子》

The Man Who was Found in the Well

The Ding family in the state of Song had no well of its own. Someone in the family sometimes had to spend a whole day doing nothing but fetch water from a distance.

To save trouble, they had a well sunk in their courtyard.

After the job was finished, they said to one another happily, “It seems with the sinking of the well one more person is added to our household.”

One of Ding’s friends heard of the remark and the word passed from that friend to that friend’s friend and yet to another, until the story ran as follows: “The Dings had a well sunk and found a man inside!”

When the Duke of Song heard the tale he sent for Ding of inquire into the matter.

“With the sinking of the well it is as though your obedient servant has secured the help of a man,” explained Ding to the duke, “it isn’t that I actually found a man in the well.”

Zi Hua Zi