English Original
In a village, a dog frequently defecated by the side of the communal well. Dozens of families who relied on the well for water were disgusted by this and wished to complain to the dog's owner, hoping he would control his pet.
However, whenever someone approached the owner's gate to lodge a complaint, the dog would pounce on them, barking and snapping. This aggressive behavior frightened people so much that no one dared to approach the house.
The story suggests that those who fear having their shortcomings exposed are much like this dog—they try to block any path that might lead to criticism, preventing others from speaking up.
中文翻译
在一个村庄里,一条狗经常在公共水井边排便。依赖这口井取水的几十户人家对此感到厌恶,希望向狗的主人投诉,让他管好自己的宠物。
然而,每当有人走近主人家门口想要告状时,这条狗就会扑上来狂吠撕咬。这种攻击性行为把人们吓坏了,以至于没人敢再靠近那所房子。
这个故事暗示,那些害怕自己缺点被揭露的人很像这条狗——他们试图堵住任何可能导致批评的途径,阻止别人发声。