THE IMAGE-SELLER

A certain man made a wooden Image of Mercury, and exposed it for sale in the market. As no one offered to buy it, however, he thought he would try to attract a purchaser by proclaiming the virtues of the Image. So he cried up and down the market, “A god for sale! a god for sale! One who'll bring you luck and keep you lucky!” Presently one of the bystanders stopped him and said, “If your god is all you make him out to be, how is it you don't keep him and make the most of him yourself?” “I'll tell you why,” replied he; “he brings gain, it is true, but he takes his time about it; whereas I want money at once.”

卖神像的人

有一个人做了一个木头的墨丘利神像，带到市场上去卖，可是没有人买。他想，如果能够宣传一下这尊神像的好处，应该就能吸引来购买者了。所以，他在市场中来来回回地走着喊道：“卖神像啦！卖神像啦！可以给你带来好运，可以帮你守住好运！”立刻就有一个看热闹的人拦住他问：“要是你的神像如你说的那样，你怎么不留着他，给你自己谋到最大好处呢？”“是这样的，”那人回答说，“他的确能够带来益处，但却需要时间，而我现在就需要用钱。”