Two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, inherit the family ranch¹ Unfortunately, after just afew years, they are in financial trouble. In order to keep the bank from repossessing the ranch, they need to purchase a bull so that they can breed their own stock.

两个姐妹，一个是金色头发，另一个是黑色头发，她们继承了家里的农场。不幸的是，几年后，她们出现了经济上台阶的困难。为了能够使农场不被银行收回，她们必须去买一头牛，这样就可以喂养自己的家畜。

The brunette balances their checkbook，then takes their last 600 dollars out west to another ranch where a man has a prize bull for sale.

黑头发的姐姐查看了账簿，取出了最后的600美元，要到西边的牧场去，因为那里有一个人在卖一头好牛。

Upon leaving, she tells her sister, "When I get there, if I decide to buy the bull, I’11 contact you to drive out after me and haul it home.” The brunette arrives at the man's ranch, inspects the bull, and decides she does want to buy it.

离开之前，她告诉自己的妹妹:“到那以后，如果我决定了买牛，我就和你联系，你开车来找我，我们把牛拉回家。”姐姐到了那个农场，仔细地看了看牛，确定了要买这头牛。

The man tells her that he can sell it for $599, no less. After paying him, she drives to the nearest town to send her sister a telegram to tell her the news.

卖牛的告诉她，他可以以599美元的价钱卖牛，可不能再低了。付过钱后，姐姐开车到了最近的一个镇子上，给妹妹发电报告诉她这个消息。

She walks into the telegraph office, and says, "I want to send a telegram to my sister telling her that I’ve bought a bull for our ranch. I need her to hitch² the trailer to our pick一up truck and drive out here so we can haul it home.”

她走进了电报局，说:“我想给我的妹妹发一封电报，告诉她我已经为我们的农场买下了牛，我需要她把拖车挂在小货车后，开到这里，好把我们的牛拉回家。”

The telegraph operator explains thathe'1l be glad to help her, then adds, "It's just 99 cents a word.” Well, after paying for the bull, the brunette only has $1 left.

电报员说他很愿意帮忙，然后说:"99分一个字。”姐姐在付过买牛的钱以后就只剩下1美元了。

She realizes that she'11 only be able to send her sister one word. After thinking for a few minutes, she nods, and says, “I want you to send her the word，’‘comfortable’ .”

她想，这样只能给妹妹发一个字，考虑了几分钟，她点点头说:“我想给我妹妹发一个字 —‘舒适’(comfortable)。”

The telegraph operator shakes his head. "How is she ever going to know that you

want her to hitch the trailer to your pick一 up truck and drive out here to haul that bull back to your ranch if you send her the word, ‘comfortable’?”

电报员摇摇头说:“如果你就只发一个字 —‘舒适’，你的妹妹又怎么能明白你想让她把拖车挂在小货车上，开到这里拉牛回家呢?”

The brunette explains, “My sister's blonde. She'll read it slow.

姐姐解释道:“我妹妹是黄头发，她会慢慢的读。”