萬福字子祥，博興人，幼業儒，家貧而運蹇，年二十有奇，尚不能掇一芹。鄉中澆俗，多報富戶役，長厚者至碎破其家。萬適報充役，懼而逃，如濟南，稅居逆旅。夜有奔女，顏色頗麗，萬悅而私之，問姓氏。女自言：「實狐，然不為君祟。」萬喜而不疑。女囑勿與客共，遂日至，與共臥處。凡日用所需，無不仰給于狐。
万福字子祥，博兴人，幼业儒，家贫而运蹇，年二十有奇，尚不能掇一芹。乡中浇俗，多报富户役，长厚者至碎破其家。万适报充役，惧而逃，如济南，税居逆旅。夜有奔女，颜色颇丽，万悦而私之，问姓氏。女自言：「实狐，然不为君祟。」万喜而不疑。女嘱勿与客共，遂日至，与共卧处。凡日用所需，无不仰给于狐。
Wan Fu, styled Zixiang, was a man of Boxing. He had studied for the examinations since boyhood, but his family was poor and his luck was bad, and at past twenty he had still not managed to pick a single sprig of cress. The custom in his district was mean: people were forever reporting each other as rich households liable for service, and honest, open-handed men were ruined by it. Wan happened to be reported for the service. Afraid, he ran away to Jinan and rented a room at an inn. One night a woman came to him of her own accord. She was quite beautiful. Wan was pleased and took her to bed, then asked her name. “The truth is, I am a fox,” she said, “but I will do you no harm.” Wan was glad and did not doubt her. She told him not to share his room with anyone, and after that she came every day and lived and slept with him. For everything he needed from day to day, he depended on the fox.
居無何，二三相識，輒來造訪，恒信宿不去。萬厭之，而不忍拒，不得已以實告客。客愿一睹仙容，萬白于狐。狐曰：「見我何為哉？我亦猶人耳。」聞其聲，不見其人。客有孫得言者，善謔，固請見，且曰：「得聽嬌音，魂魄飛越。何吝容華，徒使人聞聲相思？」狐笑曰：「賢孫子！欲為高曾母作行樂圖耶？」眾大笑。狐曰：「我為狐，請與客言狐典，頗愿聞之否？」眾唯唯。狐曰：「昔某村旅舍，故多狐，輒出祟行客。客知之，相戒不宿其舍，半年，門戶蕭索。主人大憂，甚諱言狐。忽有一遠方客，自言異國人，望門休止。主人大悅，甫邀入門，即有途人陰告曰：『是家有狐。』客懼，白主人，欲他徙。主人力白其妄，客乃止。入室方臥，見群鼠出于床下。客大駭，驟奔，急呼：『有狐！』主人驚問。客怒曰：『狐巢于此，何誑我言無？』主人又問：『所見何狀？』客曰：『我今所見，細細幺麼，不是狐兒，必當是狐孫子？』」言罷，座客粲然。孫曰，「既不賜見，我輩留勿去，阻爾陽臺。」狐笑曰：「寄宿無妨。倘有小迕犯，幸勿介懷。」客恐其惡作劇，乃共散去，然數日必一來，索狐笑罵。狐諧甚，每一語即顛倒賓客，滑稽者不能屈也。群戲呼為「狐娘子」。
居无何，二三相识，辄来造访，恒信宿不去。万厌之，而不忍拒，不得已以实告客。客愿一睹仙容，万白于狐。狐曰：「见我何为哉？我亦犹人耳。」闻其声，不见其人。客有孙得言者，善谑，固请见，且曰：「得听娇音，魂魄飞越。何吝容华，徒使人闻声相思？」狐笑曰：「贤孙子！欲为高曾母作行乐图耶？」众大笑。狐曰：「我为狐，请与客言狐典，颇愿闻之否？」众唯唯。狐曰：「昔某村旅舍，故多狐，辄出祟行客。客知之，相戒不宿其舍，半年，门户萧索。主人大忧，甚讳言狐。忽有一远方客，自言异国人，望门休止。主人大悦，甫邀入门，即有途人阴告曰：『是家有狐。』客惧，白主人，欲他徙。主人力白其妄，客乃止。入室方卧，见群鼠出于床下。客大骇，骤奔，急呼：『有狐！』主人惊问。客怒曰：『狐巢于此，何诳我言无？』主人又问：『所见何状？』客曰：『我今所见，细细幺麽，不是狐儿，必当是狐孙子？』」言罢，座客粲然。孙曰，「既不赐见，我辈留勿去，阻尔阳台。」狐笑曰：「寄宿无妨。倘有小迕犯，幸勿介怀。」客恐其恶作剧，乃共散去，然数日必一来，索狐笑骂。狐谐甚，每一语即颠倒宾客，滑稽者不能屈也。群戏呼为「狐娘子」。
Before long two or three acquaintances began to call, and they would often stay two nights at a stretch. Wan was tired of them but could not bring himself to turn them away, and in the end he had to tell them the truth. The guests wanted a look at the immortal’s face, and Wan put it to the fox. “Why see me?” she said. “I am just like anyone else.” They heard her voice but saw no one. Among the guests was one Sun Deyan, a great joker, who pressed to see her. “To hear your sweet voice sets my soul flying,” he said. “Why grudge us your lovely face, and leave us pining after a voice?” The fox laughed. “What a good grandson! Do you want to paint a portrait of your great-great-grandmother at her ease?” Everyone roared. “I am a fox,” she said, “so let me tell you gentlemen a story about foxes. Would you care to hear it?” They all said yes. “Once there was an inn in a certain village that had long had many foxes, and they would come out and trouble travellers. Travellers came to know it and warned each other not to stay there, and for half a year the place stood empty. The innkeeper was very worried, and would not have the word fox spoken. Then one day a traveller from far away, who said he came from a foreign country, saw the gate and stopped to rest. The innkeeper was overjoyed. He had only just invited him in when a passer-by whispered to the traveller, ‘There are foxes in this house.’ The traveller was frightened and told the innkeeper he wanted to go elsewhere. The innkeeper swore it was nonsense, and the traveller stayed. He went to his room, and had just lain down when he saw a swarm of rats come out from under the bed. He was terrified. He rushed out crying, ‘Foxes!’ The innkeeper, alarmed, asked what was wrong. ‘There’s a nest of foxes here,’ said the traveller angrily. ‘Why did you lie to me and say there weren’t?’ ‘What did they look like?’ asked the innkeeper. ‘What I saw just now,’ said the traveller, ‘were tiny little things. If they weren’t the fox’s sons, they must have been the fox’s grandsons!’” When she finished, the guests burst out laughing. “Since you won’t let us see you,” said Sun, “we’ll stay and not leave, and spoil your nights at the Yang Terrace.” The fox laughed. “Stay the night by all means. But if I give you some small offence, please don’t take it to heart.” The guests were afraid she would play some trick on them, and they all went off together. Still, every few days they would come back and get the fox to tease and abuse them. The fox was very witty. Every word she said turned the guests upside down, and even the sharpest jokers could not get the better of her. They took to calling her Lady Fox.