A scholar was preparing to take the civil examinations. His wife was very puzzled by his constant worrying.

“Look at you, you worthless wretch,” she said. “You probably think that it’s more difficult for a man to write an essay than for a woman to give birth to a child.”

“It is easy for you women to give birth to children,” the scholar sighed.

“How’s that?” she asked.

“You women can bear children easily because you carry the child in your stomach,” the scholar said. “But I have nothing in my head, so how do you expect me to think of something to write?”