English Original
An Athenian man fell into debt and was pressed for payment by his creditor. Having no means to pay, he begged for a delay, but the creditor refused, demanding immediate payment. The debtor then fetched his only sow and took her to market to sell.
It happened that his creditor was also there. Soon, a buyer approached and asked if the sow produced good litters. "Yes," said the debtor, "very fine ones. And the remarkable thing is that she produces females at the Mysteries and males at the Panathenea." (These were two Greek festivals. The Athenians always sacrificed a sow at one and a boar at the other, while at the Dionysia they sacrificed a kid.)
At that, the creditor, who was standing by, interjected, "Don't be surprised, sir. Why, still better, at the Dionysia this sow has kids!"
中文翻译
一位雅典人欠了债，被他的债主催着还钱。他无力偿还，请求宽限几日，但债主拒绝了，要求立刻付款。于是，欠债人带走了他仅有的一头母猪，牵到市场上去卖。
碰巧，他的债主也在那里。不一会儿，一位买家走过来，问这头母猪是否善于产崽。"是的，"欠债人说，"产得非常好。而且更神奇的是，她能在女神节产下小母猪，在帕那忒奈亚节产下小公猪。"（这是希腊的两个节日。雅典人总是在其中一个节日用小母猪献祭，在另一个节日用小公猪献祭，而在酒神节则用小山羊献祭。）
听到这里，站在一旁的债主插话道："别惊讶，先生。更妙的是，在酒神节，这头母猪还能生下小山羊呢！"