經律異相 44.30

44.30

Formerly, there were a husband and wife who were sharing three cakes. Each took one, and one remained, which they were about to divide. The wife said: 'Do not divide it. Let us make a bet: neither of us shall speak. Whichever speaks first loses; whichever speaks last gets it.' Thereupon they closed their mouths until midnight. A thief dug through the earth and broke in. Seeing the two sitting without speaking, he thought they were terrified and dared not utter a sound. He gathered their belongings, shouldered them, and was about to go out the door. The wife shouted loudly: 'You are a man! How can you just let him take our things away?' The husband said: 'I win! I win! Now I get the big cake!' Everyone blamed and mocked them, calling them utterly foolish. (Extracted from the Hundred Parables Sūtra, fascicle 2).