中

A rich patron once gave money to the painter Chu Ta, asking him to paint a picture of a fish.

Three years later, when he still had not received the painting, the patron went to Chu Ta’s house to ask why the picture was not down.

Chu Ta did not answer but dipped a brush in ink and with a few strokes drew a splendid fish.

“If it is so easy,” asked the patron, ”why didn’t you give me the picture three years ago?”

Again Chu Ta did not answer. Instead, he opened the door of a large cabinet. Thousands of picture of fish tumbled out.