English Original
One day, the great painter Hogarth was commissioned to paint a picture of Pharaoh crossing the Red Sea. Shortly after he began, a dispute arose over the fee, and Hogarth found he would have to complete the work for about half his expected payment.
When the painting was finished, the patron was invited to inspect it. In reality, the canvas was merely a single daub of brilliant red paint.
"What is this?" exclaimed the purchaser. "I asked for the Red Sea on the occasion of its celebrated crossing."
"That is it," replied Hogarth.
"But where are the Israelites?"
"They have all gone over."
"Where are the Egyptians?"
"They are all drowned."
中文翻译
一天，有人请伟大的画家霍迦斯画一幅法老渡红海图。画作开始不久，酬金便出现了纠纷。霍迦斯发现，他完成这幅画只能得到预期报酬的大约一半。
画作完成后，主顾被请来查看。实际上，画布上不过是一抹胡乱涂上的鲜红色颜料。
“这是什么？”买主喊道。“我要的是那次著名渡海事件中的红海。”
“这就是，”霍迦斯回答。
“可是以色列人在哪儿？”
“他们都已经渡过去了。”
“埃及人在哪儿？”
“他们全都淹死了。”