ONE REAL MAN

The ruler of an ancient kingdom wanted to disprove the statement that the men of his domain were ruled by their wives.

He had all the males in his kingdom brought before him and warned that any man who did not tell the truth would be punished severely（严酷地，峻厉地）.

Then

he asked all the men who obeyed their wives' directions and counsel（奉劝，建议）to step to the left side of the hall. All the men did so but one little

man who moved to the right.

It's good to see , said the king , that we have one real man in the kingdom. Tell these chickenhearted（怯懦的） dunces（傻瓜） why you alone among them stand on the right side of the hall.

Your Majesty , came the reply in a squealing voice , it is because before l left home my wife told me to keep out of crowds.

【中文译文】

一个真实的男人汉

古代有一个国王，他想证实他国土内的汉子并不是像人们传说的那样，遭到妻子的管束。他把王海内所有的汉子都召到跟前，告诫说，哪一个汉子胆敢不说真话，就会遭到赏罚。

然后，他叫所有服从老婆的号令和定见的汉子都走向大厅的左边。所有的汉子都站到了左边，只有一个小个子汉子站到了右边。

国王说：看到咱们国度里另有一个真实的男人汉，真是使人欢快。奉告这些怯懦的笨伯，为甚么在他们傍边只有你一小我站在大厅的右边。

陛下，那人尖声地答复：由于在出门以前，我妻子奉告我不要扎堆。