There was once a boatman who earned his living by transporting passengers from one side of the riverbank to the other.
One particular day, while he was resting, a businessman came and asked impolitely, “Transport me to the opposite side of the river.”
“Yes, please come aboard,” answered the boatman.
“How much do you charge for the trip?” asked the businessman.
“Eight coins each way,” answered the boatman.
“Eight coins!” exclaimed the businessman. “That is too expensive! I will pay you six coins.”
The boatman then began the journey without saying a word. He rowed and rowed towards the opposite bank. When he was about to reach the other side, he stopped and said, “You may get down here.”
The businessman was shocked, “You expect me to get off here, right into the river?”
The boatman replied politely, “Six coins will only take you here, and eight coins will take you to the riverbank.”
The businessman then said, “Well then, take me back to where we came from.” He thought the boatman would think it troublesome to send him back and would just send him to the other side.
The boatman just replied, “Sure!” He then began to row back to where they began their journey. When they arrived, the boatman said, “Altogether twelve coins, six coins each way.”
The businessman then realized that the boatman was really serious about it. Then he said, “I am sorry, I will pay you the full fare. Please send me over to the other side now.”
The boatman began to row towards the opposite riverbank.
So how much did the businessman have to pay finally? Well, twelve coins plus eight coins, a total of twenty coins!
从前，有一个船夫靠摆渡为生，专门把乘客从河的一边送到对岸去。
有一天，船夫正在休息，来了一个生意人，这个人很没礼貌地命令道：“把我送到对岸去。”
“好嘞，请上船。”船夫应道。
“你这跑一趟要多少钱？”生意人问。
“单程八块。”船夫回答。
“八块？”生意人嚷嚷起来。“太贵了！我最多给你六块。”
船夫二话没说开船了。他朝着对岸划呀划呀，眼看就快到了，他突然停下说：“您可以下船了。”
生意人惊呆了：“你让我就在这儿下船？下到河里？”
船夫礼貌地回答：“花六块就只能送到这儿，八块才能送上岸。”
这时，生意人说：“行了行了，那你把我送回刚才出发的地方吧。”他想着船夫肯定嫌这么做太麻烦，说不定就答应送他到对岸了。
船夫却回答道：“行啊！”他开始把船往回划。到岸的时候，船夫说：“一共是十二块，单程算你六块。”
生意人这才意识到船夫是来真的，于是他说：“对不起啊，我给你全款，麻烦你再把我送到对岸去。”
船夫开始朝对岸划去。
这样生意人最后得付多少船费呢？十二块加上八块，足足二十块呢！
-row [rəʊ] v. 划船
“愚蠢庸俗、斤斤计较、贪图私利的人总是看到自以为吃亏的事情。”——马克思