Hui Tzǔ（惠子）said to Chuang Tzǔ：“The king of Wei（魏）sent me some calabash seeds.I planted them and they bore a fruit as big as a five-bushel measure.I used it as a vessel for holding water，but it was not solid enough to hold it.I cut the calabash in two for ladles，but each of them was too shallow to hold anything.Because of this uselessness，I knocked them to pieces.”
“Sir，” said Chuang Tzǔ，“it was rather you who did not know how to use large things.There was a man of Sung who had a recipe for salve for chapped hands.From generation to generation，his family made silk washing their occupation.A stranger heard of this and proposed to offer him one hundred ounces of gold for the recipe.The kindred all came together to consider his proposal.‘We have.’ Said they，‘been washing silk for generations.What we gained is not more than a few ounces of gold.Now in one morning we can sell this art for one hundred ounces.Let us give it to the stranger.’ So the stranger got it.He went and informed the king of Wu（吴）.When Wu and Yueh were at war，the king of Wu gave him the command of his fleet.In the winter he had a naval engagement with Yueh，in which the latter was totally defeated.