A woman came out of her house and saw three old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said, “I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat.” “Is the man of the house home?” they asked. “No,” she said, “he's out.” “Then we cannot come in,” they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. “Go and tell them I am home and invite them in!”
到了晚上,她丈夫回来了。她告诉他发生的事情。“去,告诉他们我回来了,请他们来!”
The woman went out and invited the men in. “We do not go into a house together,” they replied.
那女人就出去请他们进来。“我们不能一起进屋,”他们回答说。
“Why is that?” she wanted to know. One of the old men explained, “His name is Wealth,” he said pointing to one of his friends, and then pointed to another one. “He is Success, and I am Love.” Then he added, “Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home.” The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was very happy. “How nice!” he said. “Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!” His wife disagreed. “My dear, why don't we invite Success?” Their daughter was listening to their talks. She said to her parents, “Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!”
“Let us hear our daughter's advice,” said the husband to his wife.
“咱们听女儿的建议吧,”丈夫对妻子说。
“Go out and invite Love to be our guest.” The woman went out and asked the three old men, “Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest.” Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success, “I only invited Love, why are you coining in?” The old men replied together, “If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would have stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success.”