◎ Han Feizi
A person from the State Chu set up a booth at the marketplace to sell his spear and shield. The spear looked very sharp and the shield also seemed very solid. They attracted a large crowd.
The person boasted to the crowd, “My shield is so solid that nothing can penetrate it.” Then, he started to boast about his spear, “My spear is so sharp that it can penetrate anything in the world.”
Immediately, a voice came from the crowd, “It seems that your spear and shield are both the best in the world. Then, how about using your spear to stab your shield to see what will happen?”
The person didn’t know how to answer this question. The crowd burst into laughter and dispersed, leaving only the person with his so-called best spear and shield in the world.