Sandor Ferenczi( XXII,227-9 )
幸福,主人!”他们其中的一个说。“星星上写着你将看到你所有的亲属在你之前死去。”这个先知被处死了。“你很幸福。”另一个人也说,“因为我在星星上读出你将活得比你所有的亲属都久。”这个人得到了富裕的奖赏。这两者给出的表达都是对同一个愿望的满足。
We have learnt by experience that wishing costs little; so we generously present
one another with the best and warmest of wishes. And of these the foremost is
for a long life. A well known Eastern tale reveals the double-sidedness of
precisely this wish. The Sultan had his horoscope cast by two wise men. ‘Thy lot
is happy, master!’ said one of them. ‘It is written in the stars that thou shalt
see all thy kinsmen die before thee.’ This prophet was executed. ‘Thy lot is
happy!’ said the other too, ‘for I read in the stars that thou shalt outlive all
thy kinsmen.’ This one was richly rewarded. Both had given expression to the
fulfilment of the same wish.