Gilding the Lily

In ancient times, a family in the state of Chu, after offering sacrifices to their ancestors, prepared to sacrifice a pot of wine, to help people drink. There are many people who help to do things, this pot of wine is not enough if everyone drinks, if one person drinks, it can drink more than enough. How do we divide this pot of wine? Everyone was quiet when someone suggested that everyone draw a snake on the ground and whoever could draw it faster would get the wine. Everyone thought it was a good idea and agreed to do it. So he drew a snake on the ground.

One man drew very fast, and when he finished first, he took up the wine pot and asked for a drink. But he looked back at the others, and they hadn't finished yet. Thinking: They paint so slowly. He said proudly, "How slow you are! It's not too late for me to draw some feet for the snake!" So he held the wine pot in his left hand, and drew the snake's feet with his right hand. While he was talking and drawing the snake's feet, another man had already finished. The man immediately took the jug out of his hand and said, "Have you ever seen a snake? A snake has no feet. Why would you add feet to it? So the first person to finish drawing a snake is not you, but me!" The man then looked up and drank the wine.