A lad once asked Mozart how to write a symphony. Mozart said, "You're a very young man. Why not begin with ballads?"
"You composed symphonies when you were 10 years old," the aspirant urged.
"Yes," replied Mozart, "but I didn't ask how."
* * *
An ambitious youth once sent his first manuscript to the elder Dumas, asking the distinguished novelist to become his collaborator. The latter was astounded at the impertinence. Angrily seizing his pen, he wrote, "How dare you, sir, yoke together a noble horse and a contemptible ass?"
He received the following reply: "How dare you, sir, call me a horse?" His anger evaporated and he wrote, "Send on your manuscript, my friend; I gladly accept your proposition."
一個少年問莫札特怎樣寫交響曲，莫札特說：「你還年輕，怎麼不先試試寫流行曲？」
那滿懷大志少年說：「你十歲就寫交響曲啦。」
莫札特回答說：「不錯，但我不用向人請教。」
* * *
一個年輕人心雄萬丈，把第一篇手稿寄與大仲馬，請這位著名小說家聯手創作。大仲馬見他這樣狂妄，驚訝之餘，憤然提筆，回信說：「閣下以駿馬匹蠢驢，何魯莽之甚也？」
那年輕人回信說：「閣下指僕為馬，又何魯莽之甚也？」大仲馬怒氣頓消，回信說：「吾兄之建議，敢不悅納？大作請續擲下，為盼。」