龍門謝中條者，佻達無行。三十餘喪妻，遺二子一女，晨夕啼號，縈累甚苦。謀聘繼室，低昂未就。暫僱傭媼撫子女。一日，翔步山途，忽一婦人出其後。待以窺覘，是好女子，年二十許。心悅之，戲曰：「娘子獨行，不畏怖耶？」婦走不對。又曰：「娘子纖步，山徑殊難。」婦仍不顧。謝四望無人，近身側，遽挲其腕，曳入幽谷，將以強合。婦怒呼曰：「何處強人，橫來相侵！」謝牽挽而行，更不休止。婦步履跌蹶，困窘無計。乃曰：「燕婉之求，乃若此耶？緩我，當相就耳。」謝從之。偕入靜壑，野合既已，遂相欣愛。婦問其里居姓氏，謝以實告。既亦問婦。婦言：「妾黎氏。不幸早寡，姑又殞歿，塊然一身，無所依倚，故常至母家耳。」謝曰：「我亦鰥也，能相從乎？」婦問：「君有子女無也？」謝曰：「實不相欺：若論枕席之事，交好者亦頗不乏。祗是兒啼女哭，令人不耐。」婦躊躕曰：「此大難事！觀君衣服襪履款樣，亦只平平，我自謂能辦。但繼母難作，恐不勝誚讓也。」謝曰：「請毋疑阻。我自不言，人何干與？」婦亦微納。轉而慮曰：「肌膚已沾，有何不從？但有悍伯，每以我為奇貨，恐不允諧，將復如何？」謝亦憂皇，請與逃竄。婦曰：「我亦思之爛熟。所慮家人一洩，兩非所便。」謝云：「此即細事。家中惟一孤媼，立便遣去。」婦喜，遂與同歸。先匿外舍；即入遣媼訖，掃榻迎婦，倍極歡好。婦便操作，兼為兒女補綴，辛勤甚至。謝得婦，嬖愛異常，日惟閉門相對，更不通客。月餘，適以公事出，反關乃去。及歸，則中門嚴閉，扣之不應。排闔而入，渺無人跡。方至寢室，一巨狼衝門躍出，幾驚絕！入視子女皆無，鮮血殷地，惟三頭存焉。返身追狼，已不知所之矣。
龙门谢中条者，佻达无行。三十余丧妻，遗二子一女，晨夕啼号，萦累甚苦。谋聘继室，低昂未就。暂雇佣媪抚子女。一日，翔步山途，忽一妇人出其后。待以窥觇，是好女子，年二十许。心悦之，戏曰：「娘子独行，不畏怖耶？」妇走不对。又曰：「娘子纤步，山径殊难。」妇仍不顾。谢四望无人，近身侧，遽挲其腕，曳入幽谷，将以强合。妇怒呼曰：「何处强人，横来相侵！」谢牵挽而行，更不休止。妇步履跌蹶，困窘无计。乃曰：「燕婉之求，乃若此耶？缓我，当相就耳。」谢从之。偕入静壑，野合既已，遂相欣爱。妇问其里居姓氏，谢以实告。既亦问妇。妇言：「妾黎氏。不幸早寡，姑又殒殁，块然一身，无所依倚，故常至母家耳。」谢曰：「我亦鳏也，能相从乎？」妇问：「君有子女无也？」谢曰：「实不相欺：若论枕席之事，交好者亦颇不乏。祗是儿啼女哭，令人不耐。」妇踌蹰曰：「此大难事！观君衣服袜履款样，亦只平平，我自谓能办。但继母难作，恐不胜诮让也。」谢曰：「请毋疑阻。我自不言，人何干与？」妇亦微纳。转而虑曰：「肌肤已沾，有何不从？但有悍伯，每以我为奇货，恐不允谐，将复如何？」谢亦忧皇，请与逃窜。妇曰：「我亦思之烂熟。所虑家人一泄，两非所便。」谢云：「此即细事。家中惟一孤媪，立便遣去。」妇喜，遂与同归。先匿外舍；即入遣媪讫，扫榻迎妇，倍极欢好。妇便操作，兼为儿女补缀，辛勤甚至。谢得妇，嬖爱异常，日惟闭门相对，更不通客。月余，适以公事出，反关乃去。及归，则中门严闭，扣之不应。排阖而入，渺无人迹。方至寝室，一巨狼冲门跃出，几惊绝！入视子女皆无，鲜血殷地，惟三头存焉。返身追狼，已不知所之矣。
Xie Zhongtiao of Longmen was a frivolous man with no principles. When he was a little past thirty his wife died, leaving him two sons and a daughter, who cried and wailed morning and night. They were a heavy burden to him. He tried to find a second wife, but the matches were always too high or too low, and nothing came of it. For the time being he hired an old woman to look after the children. One day, as he was strolling along a mountain road, a woman came up behind him. He waited to get a look at her: she was a fine-looking woman of about twenty. He took to her at once. “Walking alone, madam?” he said teasingly. “Aren’t you afraid?” The woman walked on without answering. “Such dainty feet, madam,” he said. “The mountain path must be very hard going.” Still she paid him no attention. Xie looked all round and saw no one. He came up beside her, suddenly seized her by the wrist and dragged her into a secluded gully, meaning to take her by force. “Who are you, you brute,” she cried angrily, “to set upon me like this?” Xie kept dragging her along and would not stop. She stumbled and tripped, cornered and helpless. Then she said, “Is this how a man goes seeking a gentle mate? Let go of me, and I will give in to you.” Xie did as she asked. They went together into a quiet ravine, and when they had lain together there in the open, they grew fond of each other. She asked his name and where he lived, and Xie told her the truth. Then he asked about her. “My family name is Li,” she said. “I had the misfortune to be widowed young, and my mother-in-law has died as well. I am all alone, with no one to depend on, so I often go back to my mother’s home.” “I am a widower too,” said Xie. “Will you come and live with me?” “Have you any children?” she asked. “I won’t deceive you,” said Xie. “If it were only a matter of the bed, I have no shortage of women friends. It’s just that the boys cry and the girl wails, and I can’t stand it.” She hesitated. “That is a very hard thing! Looking at the cut of your clothes and socks and shoes, they are nothing out of the ordinary — I think I could manage those. But it is hard to be a stepmother. I am afraid I could not bear the blame.” “Don’t let that hold you back,” said Xie. “If I don’t complain, what business is it of anyone else’s?” She half agreed. Then a new worry struck her. “Now that our bodies have touched, why should I not go with you? But I have a fierce brother-in-law who has always looked on me as rare goods to be held for a good price. I am afraid he won’t agree. What then?” Xie was worried too, and proposed that they run away together. “I have thought it over a hundred times,” she said. “What worries me is that if anyone in your household lets it out, it will go badly for both of us.” “That’s a small matter,” said Xie. “There’s only one old woman in the house, and I’ll send her off at once.” She was pleased, and went home with him. First he hid her in an outer room; then he went in and dismissed the old woman, swept the bed and brought her in. They were happier together than ever. She set to work at once, mending clothes for the children as well, and toiled very hard. Now that he had her, Xie doted on her beyond all measure. All day long the two of them stayed behind closed doors, and he would see no visitors. After a month or so, he happened to have to go out on some official business, and he locked the door behind him from outside. When he came back, the inner gate was shut tight, and no one answered his knocking. He forced the doors and went in: there was no one to be seen. Just as he reached the bedroom, a huge wolf burst out through the door. He nearly died of fright. He went in to look. The children were all gone. Fresh blood stained the floor dark red, and only three heads were left. He turned to chase the wolf, but there was no telling where it had gone.