Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 4, Text 2
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
Vocabulary section transcribed with help from with help from 武克富強/Võ Khắc Phú Cường
爭影
Quarrel about a Shadow
行人賃驢而行遠。
A traveller hired a donkey and went on a long journey.
天方暑。
The day just was getting hot.
覓蔭莫得。
The traveller and the donkey-boy looked for shade but could not find it.
乃伏於驢腹之下以避日。
Then they crept bottom donkey's belly in order to evade the sun.
然驢腹僅蔽一人。驢夫與行人爭之。
But the donkey's belly could only shelter one man, so the donkey-boy and the traveller began to quarrel about it.
驢夫曰。吾賃君驢。不賃君影。
The donkey-boy said, I have hired out my donkey to you, but did not hire out his shadow to you.
行人曰。吾以錢賃驢。則影亦屬我。
The traveller said, I have hired your donkey with money, and therefore his shadow also belongs to me.
語不相讓。鬪於驢下。
They both discussed without yielding each other, and came to blows beneath the donkey.
驢驚而逸。
The donkey took fright and ran away.
行人與驢夫共追之。不獲。懊喪而歸。
The traveller and the donkey-boy both rushed after him but could not catch him, and returned in low spirits.
故曰。爭虛者喪其實。
Therefore it is said, "He who quarrels about vain matters may lose something substantial of his."