A mouse and a wasp wanted to be brothers. They asked a scholar to come and host the ceremony. The scholar had no choice but to go. He was arranged as the youngest brother.
Someone asked the scholar: “How could you get a rank lower than a mouse?”
The scholar replied: “One can sting, and the other can dig. I have to give in to them!”
Mr. Shi commented: “A real intellectual does not know how to sting or dig.”
Ancient people also said: Take a step back! To lose a little can lead to benefits in the future.
About Good Laughs
Good Laughs (笑得好) is a collection of short stories edited by Chinese doctor Cheng-Jin Shi (石成金) of the Qing dynasty (1636-1912). This collection is considered the Chinese version of Aesop’s Fables. Doctor Shi was believed to have lived between the Kangxi and early Qianlong reigns and authored many other books on remedies for life and health.
Good Laughs meant to nourish good heart with stories. In the preface, Doctor Shi wrote: “People entertain by being sarcastic, I inspire people with sarcasm. It entertains the heart, but also saves a life like the acupuncture.”
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