In the past, a man claimed to be “a specialist in curing hunchbacks”. His signboard read:

从前，有个人自称“专治驼背”，他的招牌上写着:

“I specialize in curing hunchbacks. No matter whether you are hunchbacked like a bow, a shrimp¹,

“本人专治驼背，无论你驼得像弓，像虾，

a basket for rinsing² rice or a rice pot, I guarantee that once I start treatment, your hunchback will be cured.”

像淘箩，像饭锅，凡是经我医治，保证手到病除。”

One hunchback saw the signboard, believed it to be true, and asked for treatment.

有一个驼背，看到招牌，果然信以为真，就请他医治。

The doctor neither gave any prescription³, nor let the patient take any medicine.

他既不开药方，也不让吃药。他所有的医疗器具，就只是两块夹板。

All the medical instrument he had was two boards for pressing.One board was put on the ground,on which the hunchback was told to lie on his stomach.

他把一块板放在地上，叫驼背趴在上面，

Another board was pressed on and tied tightly with the hunchback.

用另一块压在驼背的身上，然后用绳索绷紧。

Then the doctor jumped onto the board and trampled⁴ upon it at random⁵ with all his might.

接着，他便自己跳到板上，拼命用脚乱踩一番。

As a result, the hunchback was straightened, but, alas, he was “dead and gone” also.

结果，那个人的驼背算是给压直了，可是他的性命也就“呜呼哀哉”了。

When the hunchback’s son learned of this,of course he had it out with the doctor.But the doctor said:

驼背的儿子知道了，自然要与那个医生评理，那医生却说:

“My job is to straighten his back. It’s none of my business whether he is dead or alive.”

“我只管把他的驼背弄直，哪能管他的死活!”