Ji Zi of the Shang Dynasty was particularly fond of Taoism. He carried a lot of money with him and travelled around to fmd a teacher of Taoism. Whenever he saw a man wearing a yellow cap, he would take him as a Taoist priest and kneel down before him to ask for instructions.
商季子特別愛(ài)好道學(xué)，帶了很多錢(qián)，游學(xué)四方，只要見(jiàn)到戴黃帽子的先生，就以為是道士，跪拜求教。
One day, a sly swindler tried to get Ji Zi's bag of money. He said deceitfully:
一天，一個(gè)狡猾的騙子，企圖騙取季子的錢(qián)袋，就騙他說(shuō):
"I am a Taoist priest with the true doctrine of Taoism. If you'll follow me, I'll certainly teach Taoism to you."
“我是一個(gè)得了真?zhèn)鞯牡朗浚灰愀以朴�，我就一定把道學(xué)傳授給你。”
Ji Zi believed this to be true, and followed this man wholeheartedly. The swindler wanted all along to take action, but had no chance, while Ji Zi time and again urged him to teach the Taoist doctrine.
季子信以為真，誠(chéng)心誠(chéng)意地跟著他走。騙子一直想下手，但是沒(méi)有機(jī)會(huì)。季子卻不時(shí)地催促他傳道。
One day the two of them came to a river bank. At the sight of a moored boat, the swindler got an idea and planned to take action. He said to Ji Zi:
一天，倆人一同來(lái)到江邊。騙子一眼看到停泊的船，靈機(jī)一動(dòng)，準(zhǔn)備下手，就騙季子說(shuō):
"Taoism is right here!"
“道就在這兒哩!”
Ji Zi asked anxiously:
季子忙問(wèn):
"Where?"
“在哪兒?”
The swindler said:
騙子說(shuō):
"It is at the top of the boat's mast. You will learn Taoism if you climb up to the top."
“就在這條船的桅桿頂端，你爬上去就得道了。”
Ji Zi put his bag of money under the mast, hurriedly grasped the mast and began to climb. The swindler clapped his hands and shouted below:
季子將錢(qián)袋放在桅桿下，急忙抓住桅桿往上爬。騙子在下面拍著巴掌，連聲喊道:
"Up! Go further up!"
“上!再上!”
When Ji Zi climbed up to the top and could go no further, he suddenly saw the light. Hugging the mast, he shouted happily:
季子爬到頂端，無(wú)法再上的時(shí)候，忽然大悟，抱著桅桿歡叫:
"I've learned Taoism! I've learned Taoism!"
“我得道了!我得道了!”
The swindler took this opportunity to pick up the bag of money and run away.
騙子趁機(jī)撿起錢(qián)袋跑掉了。
When Ji Zi came down, he kept shouting happily. The by- standers said:
季子下來(lái)后，仍然歡叫個(gè)不停。旁觀的人說(shuō):
"Hey, you fool, he is a swindler and has made off with your money."
“晦!傻瓜，他是個(gè)騙子，早把你的錢(qián)袋拿走了!”
Ji Zi replied:
季子回答說(shuō):
"He is my master! He is my master! This is also what he is teaching me!"
“他是我?guī)煾?他是我?guī)煾?這也是他在教我哪!”