English Original
Zhuang Zhou's family was poor. Once, he went to the official who supervised rivers to borrow some grain.
The official said: "Well, wait until the end of the year when I collect the taxes from the people, then I will lend you 300 gold pieces. All right?"
When Zhuang Zhou heard this, he grew angry, his face changing color. But he told the official a story:
"When I came here yesterday, on the way I heard a voice calling 'Help!' I turned and saw a small crucian carp in a dried-up carriage ditch.
I went over and asked: 'Little crucian carp, why are you calling for help?'
The little crucian carp answered: 'I am a subject of the Dragon King of the East China Sea. Unfortunately, I am stranded here. Can you give me a little water to save my life?'
I said: 'All right. I am just going south to advise the kings of Wu and Yue. I will ask them to stir up the waters of the Xijiang River to welcome you. Will that do?'
When the crucian carp heard this, it became angry and said: 'When I lose the water I depend on, I cannot survive. Now, I need only a little water to live, yet you speak of such distant plans. Then you might as well look for me in the salt-fish shop!'"
中文翻译
庄周家境贫穷。一次，他去监河侯那里借粮食。
监河侯说：“好吧！等到年底，我收到了老百姓的税金时，就借给你三百金，行吗？”
庄周一听，气得脸色都变了，但是他却对监河侯讲了这样一个故事：
“我昨天来时，半路上听到‘救命’的呼喊声。我回过头，看见干涸的车沟里有条小鲫鱼。
我走过去，问它：‘小鲫鱼，你为什么喊救命？’
小鲫鱼回答说：‘我是东海龙王的臣子，不幸困在这里。您能给我一点水来救我的命吗？’
我说：‘好吧！我正好要去南方游说吴国和越国的国王，那我就请他们激起西江的大水来迎接您，可以吗？’
鲫鱼听了，气愤地说：‘我失去了赖以生存的水，就无法活下去。现在，我只需要一点水就能活命，你却说出这样不切实际的话。那你不如趁早到咸鱼店里去找我吧！’"