| 以下並非寓言故事。 |
The following is not a fable. |
| 島上居民，傳統上吃的是飯。長老都說，飯既好吃又營養，所以島民都偏愛飯。不料，飯放太久，發餿長蟲了，但是當時島上除了飯以外，沒有其他主食了。 |
In an island, people traditionally ate rice. The elders always told them, rice tastes good and is nutritious, so the people preferred rice very much. However, since their rice lay too long, it soured and had bugs, but unfortunately, at that time, except for rice, they did not have any other staple food in the island. |
| 於是有些島民，或自製、或引進一些新主食。其中，麵，漸漸被推廣起來了。雖然長老都宣稱，麵有毒，會導致肝膽分裂，三令五申地禁止麵，不過不少島民經過屢次的嘗試而證實，麵頂多和飯一樣，放太久而發餿長蟲。如此，麵才成為島上與飯一樣大宗的主食。 |
Then, some people introduced some home-made or imported new staple foods. Being one of them, noodles gradually became popularized. Even if the elders claimed noodles are detrimental, which tear people's gall from liver, and thus the elders tried to ban noodles again and again, many people proved by experience that, noodles are no more than rice, they sour and have bugs if they lie too long. By this, noodles became as popular as rice in the island. |
| 飯麵各有優缺點，而每位島民對於優缺點的著眼點也不盡相同。通常，營養是首要的考量，但是如果口感太糟、賣相太差，還是會受到排斥。 |
Both rice and noodles have their own advantages and disadvantages, and everyone has his own viewpoints for consideration. In general, nutrition is the first reason in such consideration, but for too disgusting or too ugly foods, people will still say no to them. |
| 有些島民更偏愛飯，有些島民則更偏愛麵，這些都是個人的喜好；但是非飯不吃、或非麵不吃的島民，會被視為偏食；至於經常嚷嚷著，飯麵惡鬥，結果飯麵都不吃的島民，一來，大家都覺得，飯麵惡鬥聽起來很荒唐；二來，大家都擔心，他會不會餓死。 |
Some people prefer rice, and some people prefer noodles, and of course, it is up to them. While some people who only eat rice, or only eat noodles will be thought picky eaters. As for those who keep murmuring they hate the rice and noodles' dogfight, and thus refusing to eat any of them, people feel the rice and noodles' dogfight sounds ridiculous, as well as people are afraid he is going to starve. |
| 好吃的飯麵，必須四處打聽，才知道在哪裡。聽說好吃的飯麵，必須親自品嘗，才知道真假。也不打聽、也不品嘗的島民，往往享受不到美食人生。 |
We shall seek and taste rice and noodles by ourselves, so that we can filter out the rotten ones, and get tasty ones, then join the food festival. |
| 飯麵必須輪流著吃，才不會放太久而發餿長蟲。當然，也有可能，飯麵都發餿長蟲，這時，不妨改吃饅頭或麵包。 |
We shall eat rice and noodles by turns, in order to avoid them from lying too long, souring and having bugs. Of course, it is possible that rice and noodles sour and have bugs at same time. At this time, we can turn to steamed bun or bread. |
| 如今，島上有飯、麵、饅頭、麵包、米粉、通心粉、燒餅、披薩等琳瑯滿目的選擇。除了少數島民抱怨，這樣太混亂以外，多數島民都覺得有豐富的選擇是好事。 |
Nowadays, there are rice, noodles, steamed bun, bread, rice flour, macaroni, pastry, pizza, and other dazzling choices in the island. Except for a minority who complain too many choices make them confused, a majority think it is good for them to have multiplex choices. |
