The 'Dog Won't Touch' Buns
Level 3 · Folktales · 民间故事 · 49 vocabulary words
Source: 民间传说 · Folk tradition
天津有个卖包子的,小名叫狗子。他的包子皮薄馅大十八个褶,天天排长队。
In Tianjin a bun-seller's childhood name was Gouzi, Dog. His buns were thin-skinned and full, eighteen pleats each; queues formed daily.
生意太好了,狗子忙得没空跟客人说话。
Business was so good he had no time to talk to customers.
人们开玩笑说:狗子忙得连人都不理了——狗不理。
People joked: Gouzi's too busy even to answer, gou bu li, 'the dog won't answer'.
名字越叫越响,狗不理包子成了天津第一小吃。
The nickname stuck; 'Dog Won't Touch' became Tianjin's most famous snack.