Once, an old man was waiting for a train, sitting at a bench. A young boy came to him and asked the time.

The old man refused to tell him.Looking around at the empty station, the boy couldn’t find anyone else to pose his question so he asked the old man again and again, but the latter refused him again and again.

The boy was confused and asked the old man the reason for his refusal.

The old man said: “If I tell you the time, then you will ask about me, my name, my job, etc. Then I will ask about you. Both of us will be frank. By chance, you may get a seat with me. Then you may get down at my station. My daughter will come to receive me. She will meet you. She is beautiful. You may fall in love with her. She, too. Then she may insist on your marriage. I am sorry I don’t want that.”

一個老頭坐在火車站候車廳的長椅上候車。一個年輕人走過來，向他詢問時間，但老頭不告訴他。

小伙子見火車站沒什么人，只好一遍又一遍地問這個老頭，但老人就是不肯告訴他。

年輕人很納悶，問他為什么。

老人說：“我要是告訴你時間了，你就會繼續(xù)問我的姓名和工作。等我告訴你了，我們兩個就會坦陳相見。有可能，我們會坐上同一輛火車，在同一個站臺下車。我女兒來車站接我，就會看見你。她很漂亮，你可能會愛上她，她也可能會愛上你。然后她就可能非嫁你不可。我可不愿意那樣?！?/p>