戴高帽子
Presenting Tall Hats
中国人把当面说奉承话叫做给某人“戴高帽子”。
The Chinese people call flattery to someone's face "presenting a tall hat" to someone.
在古代，有一个在京城朝廷里做官的人，奉命去外地做官。
In the past, an official in the imperial court in Beijing was appointed to an official post outside the capital.
临行前，他去老师家告别。老师叮嘱说:
Before departure, he went to his teacher's home to bid farewell. His teacher warned him:
“外地的官不容易做，应当谨慎小心些才好。”
"It is not easy to be an official outside the capital. You should be prudent and careful."
那个做官的人回答说:
The official replied:
“请老师放心，我准备了一百顶高帽子，逢人便送他一顶，管叫地方上人人高兴。”
"Please don't worry. I have prepared 100 tall hats’,and will present one to each and every person I meet.I'm sure all the local people will be pleased."
老师生气地说:
The teacher said reproachingly:
“我们都是正人君子，怎么可以这样做呢?”
"We are all honest gentlemen. How can you do that?"
那个做官的人装着无可奈何的样子说:
The official pretended he had no way out and said:
“天下不喜欢戴高帽子的人实在太少了啊!像老师您这样的又能有几个呢!”
"Very few people under heaven are like you who dislike being flattered or presented with tall hats."
老师听了很高兴，点点头说:
Hearing this, the teacher was very much pleased. He nodded and said:
“你讲的也不错!”
"What you said is true, too."
那个做官的人告别老师出来后，对朋友说:
After the official said farewell to his teacher and went out, he said to his friend:
“我的一百顶高帽子，现在只剩下九十九顶了!”
"Of my 100 `tall hats'，now only 99 are left."