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This is a Chinese expression that parents use when children try to avoid chores. Ye's original story depicts the way the expression might have originated. A young monk, who lives a "simple and peaceful life," has one daily task that irks him: he hates to haul two buckets of water up the hill. He tries to share the job with another monk, but the carrying pole the monk uses is only long enough for one bucket. The arrival of a third monk prompts everyone to expect that someone else will take on the chore. The slightly informal tone of the text is somewhat at odds with the folktale style of storytelling, but it lightens the moral edge. As the follow-up notes indicate, the illustrator has taken pains to present details authentically, even down to the Chinese calligraphy that spells out the title throughout the book.”-- Susan Dove Lempke This text refers to the School & Library Binding Edition. Ages 5 – 9.