越国苎罗(今浙江诸暨南)有位姓施的美女，因为家住若耶溪西岸，所以村里人叫她西施。若耶溪东岸也有位姓施的姑娘。她长得很丑，村里人管她叫东施。
有一天，西施心口疼，走路的时候双手捂住胸部，并且皱着眉头。村里人见她这个模样，都同情地说：“瞧这姑娘的模样，准是疼得难受，真是可怜！”
西施的病态正好被东施瞧见了。她一边看，一边默默记住她难受的姿态和动作。回到溪东后，也模仿西施的模样，双手捂住胸部，同时皱着眉头。
东施的这副模样，使村里人大吃一惊，富人紧闭大门不出来，穷人也带着妻儿躲开。 东施只知道人家皱着眉头很美，却不知道为什么皱着眉头会美。
Xi Shi, a famous beauty, had a pain in her bosom, so she had a frown on her face when she went out. An ugly girl who lived nearby saw her and thought she looked very beautiful. Therefore when she went home, she also put her hands on her bosom and had a frown on her face.
When a rich man in the neighbourhood saw her, he shut his doors tightly and did not go out. When a poor man saw her, he took his wife and children and gave her a wide berth.
She only knew Xi Shi's frown looked beautiful but she did not know the reason for its beauty.
