A Man of Athens fell into debt and was pressed for the money by his creditor; but he had no means of paying at the time, so he begged for delay. But the creditor refused and said he must pay at once. Then the Debtor fetched a Sow—the only one he had—and took her to market to offer her for sale. It happened that his creditor was there too. Presently a buyer came along and asked if the Sow produced good litters. “Yes,” said the Debtor, “very fine ones; and the remarkable thing is that she produces females at the Mysteries and males at the Panathenea.” (Festivals these were: and the Athenians always sacrifice a sow at one, and a boar at the other; while at the Dionysia they sacrifice a kid.) At that the creditor, who was standing by, put in, “Don't be surprised, sir; why, still better, at the Dionysia this Sow has kids!”
有一个雅典人，陷入了负债状态，被债主催着还钱，但是他却没有办法拿出钱来，于是恳求宽限几天，但是债主却不同意，要求他立刻还钱。欠债的人抓住他仅有的一只母猪，带到集市上去卖。碰巧他的债主也去了集市。有一个买主过来询问那头母猪是否能够生出好的小猪崽。欠债的人说：“可以的，猪崽非常好。而且最了不起的是，她在米斯特里节生出小母猪，在潘纳希尼亚节生出小公猪。”（按照雅典的传统，在米斯特里节需要献祭母猪，在潘纳希尼亚节要献祭公猪，在酒神节的时候要献祭小羊。）听到这里，站在一边的债主插嘴说：“不要那么吃惊，先生，更了不起的是，这猪可以在酒神节生出小羊来。”