At an Indian fair there was a merchant who had anelephant for sale. He saw an American who wasexamining it with very great care--walking round andround it, putting his head on one side, and taking ineverything.

在印度集市上，有个商人要卖大象。他看到一个美国人仔细地观察，围着大象走来走去，还歪着头看，一切都记在心上。

The merchant went up to the American, and said, "Don't say anything about the elephant till I havesold it, and I will make you a present."

商人走过去对美国人说：“在我卖掉大象之前一个字都不准说，我会给你一份礼物的。”

"All right," said the American.

“好啊!”美国人说。

After the elephant was sold, the merchant gave him one-tenth of the price he had got for it,and said, "Now tell me how you found out that blemish on the left foreleg of the elephant. Ithought it was quite concealed."

卖了大象之后，商人把卖大象钱的十分之一给了美国人，并且说道：“现在告诉我你是怎么发现大象左前腿的毛病吧。我以为很隐蔽呢!”

"Blemish!" said the American. "I never found any blemish."

“毛病?!”美国人说道，“我从没发现什么毛病啊!”

"Then, why did you examine the elephant so closely?" asked the merchant.

“那么，你为什么那么细心地检查大象呢?”商人问道。

"Because I had never seen an elephant before, and wanted to see what it was like," said theAmerican.

“因为我以前从没看到过大象，想看看到底是什么样子。”美国人说。