"Among Chuang-tzu's many skills, he was an expert draftsman. The king asked him to draw a crab. Chuang-tzu replied that he needed five years, a count… - Italo Calvino

Engraved portrait of Italo Calvino, facing left

"Among Chuang-tzu's many skills, he was an expert draftsman. The king asked him to draw a crab. Chuang-tzu replied that he needed five years, a country house, and twelve servants. Five years later the drawing was still not begun. "I need another five years," said Chuang-tzu. The king granted them. At the end of these ten years, Chuang-tzu took up his brush and, in an instant, with a single stroke, he drew a crab, the most perfect crab ever seen. [Calvino retells this Chinese story]"

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About Italo Calvino

Italo Calvino (October 15, 1923 – September 19, 1985) was an Italian journalist and writer of short stories and novels. Lionized in Britain and America, he was, at the time of his death, the most-translated contemporary Italian writer.

Biography information from Wikiquote · Portrait adapted from Wikimedia Commons, The original uploader was Varie11 at Italian Wikipedia. (Public domain / CC0)

Also Known As

Alternative Names: Italo Giovanni Calvino Italo Giovanni Calvino Mameli

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Additional quotes by Italo Calvino

هو يواصل المجئ الي هذا المقهي كل مساء ليراها, لينكأ الجرح القديم من جديد,
وهي تأتي الي هذا المقهي كل مساء, ربما عمّدا لتوجعه, أو لعلها تأمل في أن تصبح عادة الوجع عنده عادة شأن أي عادة أخري, أن تتخذ طعم العدّم الذي غطي فمها وحياتها لسنوات.

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