The emperor of the South Sea was named "Tiao", the emperor of the North Sea was named "Hu", and the central emperor "Hun Dun".

 

Tiao and Hu often had contacts with each other and were very intimate. They often met in the central area under Hun Dun's rule and received his warm hospitality.

 

One day, Tiao and Hu met again and talked about Hun Dun. They were very grateful to him and wished to repay him well.

 

After discussing for a long time they realized that everyone has seven orifices; the mouth, nostrils¹, ears, eyes, so that they can eat, smell, listen, and see the beautiful scenery of nature. Only Hun Dun did not have them and could not enjoy these pleasures.

 

Finally, they thought of a clever way: they decided² to bore seven holes on Hun Dun's head. In this way he would be the same as others.

 

Then, regardless of whether Hun Dun would agree or not, Tiao and Hu began working on him. One took a big chisel³ and the other swung an iron hammer to bore one hole a day on Hun Dun's head. However, on the seventh day, Hun Dun bled from from the seven orifices to death.

 

南海的皇帝，名字叫“鯈”；北海的皇帝，名字叫“忽”；中央的皇帝，名字叫“浑沌”。

 

鯈和忽经常来往，十分亲密。他们俩还常常在浑沌管辖的中央地区会面，受到浑沌的热情款待。

 

一天，鯈和忽又碰在一道谈起浑沌，都非常感激他，想好好地报答他一番。

 

他们商量了半天以后发现，每个人都有嘴巴、鼻孔、耳朵、眼睛等七窍，可以吃东西，闻味道，听声音，有大自然美景，只有浑沌没有七窍，无法享受。

 

终于，他们想出了一个聪明的办法：决定给浑沌的头凿出七窍，这样浑沌就可以和大家一样享受了。

 

接着，鯈和忽不管浑沌本人同意和不同意，一齐动手，一个拿把大凿子，一个抡起大铁锤，叮叮当当，在他头上每天凿一个孔。可是，凿到第七天，浑沌却被凿得七孔流血而死了。

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