Metaphor Jar

  1. Catapult  offered by M.Grinfeld

Catapult

A courtier once complained to Prince Lian about Gui Dzy always talking in riddles: "If you forbid him to use allegories, trust me, he won't be able to put in words any of his ideas". The Prince agreed with the applicant. He saw Gui Dzy the next day and said: "From this day on, please leave your allegories and say directly what you have to say". This is what he heard in reply: "Take a man, who has never heard of catapult. He is asking you to say what it is and all you answer is that catapult is a catapult. Do you think the guy will understand?" "Of course not" - said the Prince. "Now, if you say that a catapult looks like a bow and is made of Bamboo - do you think that will be easier for him to get the idea?" "It surely will" - said the Prince. "To make it easier for a person we compare things he doesn't know with things familiar to him." - Gui Dzy explained. The Prince then recognized Gui Dzy was right.

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