◎ Collection of Liu Hedong by Liu Zongyuan
People in Yongzhou were all good at swimming. One day, a flood happened to the Xiang River, and a few people crossed the river in a small boat. When the small boat arrived at the center of the river, the boat broke, and all the people on the boat jumped into the river and struggled to swim towards the riverbank. One person swam very slowly, though he spared no effort.
His companion asked him, “You are the best swimmer. But how are you swimming so slowly?”
The person answered out of breath, “I have one thousand coins around my waist. They are very heavy, so I have fallen behind.” His companion said with anxiety, “Just throw away the coins right now if you want to survive.” The person gave no answer, just shaking his head. After a short while, he became even more tired from swimming.
The companions who had come ashore shouted to him, “You’re so stupid! You are going to drown. What can you do with the money then?”
