English Original
Cao Shang of the State of Song went to the State of Qin as an envoy. He set out with only a few carriages provided by Song but returned with one hundred carriages bestowed by the King of Qin, a reward for his skillful flattery.
He visited Zhuangzi complacently and boasted, "My strength lies in persuading the king of a powerful state, fulfilling the mission assigned by my own sovereign, and being followed by a hundred carriages."
Zhuangzi responded in surprise, "I have heard that when the King of Qin summoned doctors to treat his illness, he would reward anyone who licked his hemorrhoids with five carriages. The filthier the treatment, the more carriages one would receive. How could you have obtained so many carriages if you had not licked his hemorrhoids? You had better leave my presence at once."
中文翻译
宋国人曹商出使秦国。出发时，他只有宋国配备的几辆马车；由于奉承得法，返回时，他已拥有秦王赏赐的一百辆马车。
曹商满脸得意地去见庄子，并夸耀道：“说服大国的君王，完成本国君主交付的使命，身后跟随百辆马车，这是我的长处。”
庄子惊讶地回应道：“我听说秦王曾召集医生为他治病，凡是能用舌头舔他痔疮的人，就可获得五辆马车作为酬劳。治疗的地方越肮脏，得到的马车就越多。你如果不是舔了秦王的痔疮，怎么会得到这么多马车？你还是马上从我这里离开吧！”