English Original
One day, a farmer bought four donkeys at the village marketplace.
He mounted one and began riding home. As he rode, he noticed only three donkeys walking ahead. "I wonder what happened," he thought, forgetting to count the donkey he was riding.
Upon arriving home, his wife met him. "I see you bought fine donkeys," she said. "Did you get a good price?"
"Yes," he replied, "but I'm puzzled. I purchased four donkeys this morning and was sure I had all four when I left the market. Yet now I seem to have only three. See? One, two, three." He still hadn't remembered he was sitting on one of them.
At first, his wife stared at him, waiting for a smile, thinking he was joking. When she realized he wasn't, she turned away and laughed. "How strange," she said. "You see only three, but I see five."
中文翻译
一天，一位农夫在村子的集市上买了四头驴。
他骑上其中一头，开始往家走。骑行途中，他注意到只有三头驴走在他前面。"这是怎么回事？"他心想，却忘了数自己正骑着的那头驴。
到家时，他的妻子迎了出来。"我看你买的驴很不错，"她说，"价钱合理吗？"
"是的，"他回答，"但有件事让我困惑。我今天早上在集市上买了四头驴，而且我确定离开市场时四头都在。可现在好像只有三头了。你看？一、二、三。"他仍然没想起自己正骑在其中的一头驴上。
起初，他的妻子盯着他，等着他笑，以为他在开玩笑。当她意识到他并非玩笑时，便转过头笑了起来。"真奇怪，"她说，"你只看到三头，我却看到了五头。"