The figure of Chinese mugwort, unwilling1 to be outdone, looked down and retorted: "It is summer now. You have only half a year to go, and can't live long. Why squabble over who is higher or who is lower?"
The peachwood charm was beside itself with rage, and answered back sarcastically2. Both sides refused to give in, and squabbled endlessly with a stream of abuse against each other.
At this moment, the deity3 of the door came to mediate4: "It is only because we have no ability that we have to attach ourselves to the door of others. What's the point of quarrelling with each other?"
一天,掛在門(mén)上的桃符仰起了臉,大罵艾草人:“你這個(gè)艾草人算什么東西,膽敢高踞在我的頭上!”
艾草人不甘示弱,低頭還嘴,說(shuō)道:“現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)是夏天了,你只有半年了,活不了多長(zhǎng)時(shí)間了,還爭(zhēng)什么高低呢?”
桃符怒不可遏,反唇相譏。它們互相不服氣,彼此罵不絕口,爭(zhēng)吵不休。
這時(shí)候,門(mén)神出來(lái)勸解說(shuō):“我們都是因?yàn)闆](méi)有什么本事,才依附在別人的門(mén)下,還爭(zhēng)什么強(qiáng),斗什么氣呢?”