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. Then he asked all the men who obeyed their wives’ directions and counsel to step to the left side of the hall.

古代有位国王，想驳斥一种传言，说他所辖的臣民都受妻子统治。他将全国的男人都召来，并警告说，任何不讲真话的人都将受到严惩。然后，他让那些顺从妻子的男人站到大厅的左边.

All the men did so but one little man who moved to the right.

所有的男人都站到了左边，只有一个小个子男人站到了右边。

"It's good to see，”said the king, "that we have one real man in the kingdom. Tell these chicken-hearted dunces why you alone among them stand on the right side of the hall.”

“这很好，”国王说:“我们国家总算还有一位真正的男子汉。你告诉这些软弱的笨蛋，为什么这么多人只有你站在大厅的右边。”

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

“陛下，”那个男人尖声气地答道:“这是因为离家前，我老婆告诉我，不许扎堆。”