In a faraway country, there were two carpenters (木匠)who were both so good at their job that no one could tell who was better.
One day, the country's king thought of a way to 1 which one was better. He would have them compete 2 each other in a contest. The winner would become the official royal carpenter.
The king sent for the two carpenters and the contest 3. The carpenters were given three days to carve (雕刻)a 4 mouse. Whoever carved the most lifelike mouse would be the winner.
The first carpenter carved a fine mouse 5 vivid (生动的)and lifelike features. The second carpenter's mouse, 6, looked quite rough. In fact, it barely (几乎不)even looked like a mouse at all. The king and his ministers 7 that the first carpenter was the winner.
The second carpenter said, "This judgment is unfair. We should ask a 8 which mouse looks the most realistic. Cats can recognize mice much better than humans, 9."
The king thought this was a reasonable (合理的)10. He ordered his ministers to catch several cats and 11 them to judge the carpenters' mice. 12 all of the cats were more attracted to the second carpenter's mouse.
The king asked the second carpenter, "13 did you make the cats believe that your mouse looked more real?"
The carpenter said, "Your Majesty (陛下), if you look closely, you can see that I carved a mouse 14 fishbone! The cats care not about how real it 15, but how delicious it might taste."
