中國寓言故事雙語版 第121期:稀世珍琴
Gong Zhiqiao obtained a piece of fine Chinese tung wood and made a qin (stringed musical instrument) out of it.
工之僑得到一塊優質的桐木料，用它製作了一把琴，When installed with strings and plucked, it gave out a wonderful sound, harmonious and pleasing to the ear.
安上琴絃，一彈，發出金玉一般的聲音，和諧悅耳。Gong Zhiqiao thought this was the finest instrument in the world,
工之僑自以爲這是世界上最好的一把琴了。
so he presented it to the Tai Chang Si Qing (a high official in charge of rites and protocol of the ancestral temple) who had it examined by an imperial musician, but the musician disdained to have a look at it.
於是，他就拿去獻給太常寺卿。太常讓皇家的樂工檢驗，樂工卻不屑一顧，He only said“Not ancient!”and returned the instrument.
說:“不古。”把琴還給了他。
Gong Zhiqiao had to take it home and asked a lacquerer to paint many crackles on the instrument in imitation of an ancient qin,
工之僑只好把琴拿回家，讓漆工仿古，在琴上漆出許多裂紋，and asked a sculptor to carve on it some inscriptions of ancient scholars. Then he put it in a box and buried it underground.
又讓雕匠在琴上刻了古人的題字，然後裝進匣子，埋在地下。After one year, Gong Zhiqiao took out the instrument from underground,and went to the market to sell it.
一年之後，工之僑把琴從地下取出來，趕到集市上去賣。It happened that an influential personage was passing by. He bought it with 100 pieces of gold and presented it to the imperial court.
有位顯貴之人正好路過，出百金買下了這把琴，並把它獻給了朝廷。The imperial musicians vied with each other to look at it and praised in unison:
樂工們捧着這把琴，爭相傳看，竟然齊聲稱讚:“Ah! It is indeed a rare stringed musical instrument in the world!”
“啊，真是世上少有的珍琴i”
