XVI
剔燈棍兒
打燈花兒
爺爺兒尋了個禿奶奶兒
眼又斜
嘴又歪
起的爺爺兒竟發獃
NOTES
剔燈棍兒 t'i teng1 kun4 'r, a wire to pull up the wick in an oil lamp. 打燈花兒 ta3 teng1 hua1 'r, to take away the burned part of the wick. ― The scene depicted is rather a comic one; a man has married a woman whom he has never seen, and as soon as he enters the nuptial room, he snuffs the candle to see better and perceives that the bride is a very ugly one. 爺爺兒 ye2 ye2 'r, means in vulgar Pekinese a man, a husband as 奶奶兒 nai3 nai3 'r, means a woman, a wife. Both words are used in different meanings in family relations technology. 發獃 fa1 tai1, to stare vacantly.
TRANSLATION
With the oil-lamp wire ― he takes away the burned wick ― the man perceives he has got for himself a bald wife ― she is squint eyed ― and has a crooked mouth ― the husband is so struck with anger ― that he stares stupidity.