一(yi)天,孔子(zi)(zi)乘著一(yi)輛馬(ma)車周游列(lie)國(guo)。來到一(yi)個地(di)方,見(jian)(jian)有一(yi)孩子(zi)(zi)用土圍成(cheng)了一(yi)座“城”,坐在里面。孔子(zi)(zi)就問:“你看見(jian)(jian)馬(ma)車為什么(me)不躲開呀(ya)?”那孩子(zi)(zi)眨了眨眼睛(jing)回(hui)答:“咱說您(nin)孔老先生上曉天文(wen),下知地(di)理,中(zhong)通人情(qing)。可是,今天我見(jian)(jian)您(nin)卻(que)并(bing)不怎么(me)樣。
因為(wei)自古到(dao)今,只聽說車子(zi)躲避(bi)城,哪有(you)城躲避(bi)車子(zi)的道理呢?”孔子(zi)愣了一下,問(wen):“你叫什么名字(zi)?”孩(hai)子(zi)答道:“我叫項橐。”
孔(kong)子為了挽回面子,就想(xiang)出了一連串問題(ti)來難項橐(tuo):“你的嘴很厲害,我想(xiang)考考你——什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)山上沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)石(shi)頭(tou)?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)水(shui)里沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)魚(yu)兒?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)門沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)門閂?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)車沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)輪子?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)牛不(bu)(bu)生犢兒?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)馬不(bu)(bu)產駒(ju)兒?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)刀沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)環?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)火(huo)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)煙?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)男人沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)妻(qi)子?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)女(nv)人沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)丈(zhang)夫?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)天太短(duan)?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)天太長?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)樹(shu)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)樹(shu)枝?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)城里沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)官員?什(shen)(shen)(shen)么(me)(me)(me)人沒(mei)(mei)有(you)(you)(you)別名?”
項橐(tuo)想了想說:“您聽著——土山(shan)上(shang)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)石頭(tou),井(jing)水中(zhong)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)魚兒,無門(men)(men)扇的門(men)(men)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)門(men)(men)閂,用(yong)人(ren)(ren)抬的轎子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)輪子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi),泥(ni)牛不(bu)生犢兒,木馬(ma)不(bu)產駒兒,砍刀上(shang)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)環,螢火(huo)蟲的火(huo)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)煙,神仙(xian)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)妻子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi),仙(xian)女(nv)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)丈夫,冬天白(bai)日(ri)里(li)短,夏(xia)天白(bai)日(ri)里(li)長,枯(ku)死的樹(shu)木沒(mei)(mei)有(you)樹(shu)枝(zhi),空城里(li)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)官員,小(xiao)孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)沒(mei)(mei)有(you)別(bie)名。”孔子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)大驚,這孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)竟智(zhi)慧過人(ren)(ren)!
項橐這時不容孔子(zi)多想,反(fan)問他(ta)說:“現在輪到(dao)我考您了——鵝和鴨為(wei)(wei)(wei)什(shen)么能(neng)浮在水(shui)面上?鴻雁和仙(xian)鶴為(wei)(wei)(wei)什(shen)么善于鳴(ming)叫(jiao)?松柏(bo)為(wei)(wei)(wei)什(shen)么冬夏(xia)常(chang)青(qing)(qing)?”孔子(zi)答道:“鵝和鴨能(neng)浮在水(shui)面上,是(shi)因為(wei)(wei)(wei)腳是(shi)方的;鴻雁和仙(xian)鶴善于鳴(ming)叫(jiao),是(shi)因為(wei)(wei)(wei)它(ta)(ta)們的脖子(zi)長;松柏(bo)冬夏(xia)常(chang)青(qing)(qing),是(shi)因為(wei)(wei)(wei)它(ta)(ta)們的樹心堅實(shi)。”
“不(bu)對(dui)!”項橐大聲(sheng)說,“龜鱉能浮在水面上,難(nan)道(dao)(dao)是(shi)因為(wei)它(ta)們的腳方(fang)嗎?青蛙善(shan)于鳴叫,難(nan)道(dao)(dao)是(shi)因為(wei)它(ta)們的脖(bo)子(zi)長嗎?胡竹(zhu)冬(dong)夏常青,難(nan)道(dao)(dao)是(shi)因為(wei)它(ta)們的莖(jing)心堅實嗎?”孔(kong)子(zi)覺得這孩子(zi)知(zhi)識淵博,連自己(ji)也辯不(bu)過(guo)他,只得拱(gong)拱(gong)手(shou)連聲(sheng)道(dao)(dao):“后生可畏,后生可畏!”駕著(zhu)車繞道(dao)(dao)走(zou)了。