膠州柳西川，法內史之主計僕也。年四十餘，生一子，溺愛甚至。縱任之，惟恐拂。既長，蕩侈踰檢，翁囊積為空。無何，子病。翁故蓄善騾。子曰：「騾肥可啗。殺啖我，我病可愈。」柳謀殺蹇劣者。子聞之，即大怒罵，疾益甚。柳懼，殺騾以進。子乃喜。然嘗一臠，便棄去。疾卒不減，尋斃。柳悼歎欲死。後三四年，村人以香社登岱。至山半，見一人乘騾駛行而來，怪似柳子。比至，果是。下騾遍揖，各道寒暄。村人共駭，亦不敢詰其死。但問：「在此何作？」答云：「亦無甚事，東西奔馳而已。」便問逆旅主人姓名，眾具告之。柳子拱手曰：「適有小故，不暇敘間闊。明日當相謁。」上騾遂去。眾既歸寓，亦謂其未必即來。厭旦伺之，子果至，繫騾廄柱，趨進笑言。眾謂：「尊大人日切思慕，何不一歸省侍？」子訝問：「言者何人？」眾以柳對。子神色俱變，久之曰：「彼既見思，請歸傳語：我於四月七日，在此相候。」言訖，別去。眾歸，以情致翁。翁大哭，如期而往，自以其故告主人。主人止之曰：「曩見公子神情冷落，似未必有嘉意。以我卜也，殆不可見。」柳涕泣不信。主人曰：「我非阻君，神鬼無常，恐遭不善。如必欲見，請伏櫝中，待其來，察其詞色，可見則出。」柳如其言。既而子果至，問：「柳某來否？」主人答云：「無。」子盛氣罵曰：「老畜產那便不來！」主人驚曰：「何罵父？」答曰：「彼是我何父！初與義為客侶，不圖包藏禍心，隱我血貲，悍不還。今願得而甘心，何父之有！」言已，出門，曰：「便宜他！」柳在櫝歷歷聞之，汗流接踵，不敢出氣。主人呼之，乃出，狼狽而歸。
胶州柳西川，法内史之主计仆也。年四十余，生一子，溺爱甚至。纵任之，惟恐拂。既长，荡侈逾检，翁囊积为空。无何，子病。翁故蓄善骡。子曰：「骡肥可啗。杀啖我，我病可愈。」柳谋杀蹇劣者。子闻之，即大怒骂，疾益甚。柳惧，杀骡以进。子乃喜。然尝一脔，便弃去。疾卒不减，寻毙。柳悼叹欲死。后三四年，村人以香社登岱。至山半，见一人乘骡驶行而来，怪似柳子。比至，果是。下骡遍揖，各道寒暄。村人共骇，亦不敢诘其死。但问：「在此何作？」答云：「亦无甚事，东西奔驰而已。」便问逆旅主人姓名，众具告之。柳子拱手曰：「适有小故，不暇叙间阔。明日当相谒。」上骡遂去。众既归寓，亦谓其未必即来。厌旦伺之，子果至，系骡厩柱，趋进笑言。众谓：「尊大人日切思慕，何不一归省侍？」子讶问：「言者何人？」众以柳对。子神色俱变，久之曰：「彼既见思，请归传语：我于四月七日，在此相候。」言讫，别去。众归，以情致翁。翁大哭，如期而往，自以其故告主人。主人止之曰：「曩见公子神情冷落，似未必有嘉意。以我卜也，殆不可见。」柳涕泣不信。主人曰：「我非阻君，神鬼无常，恐遭不善。如必欲见，请伏椟中，待其来，察其词色，可见则出。」柳如其言。既而子果至，问：「柳某来否？」主人答云：「无。」子盛气骂曰：「老畜产那便不来！」主人惊曰：「何骂父？」答曰：「彼是我何父！初与义为客侣，不图包藏祸心，隐我血赀，悍不还。今愿得而甘心，何父之有！」言已，出门，曰：「便宜他！」柳在椟历历闻之，汗流接踵，不敢出气。主人呼之，乃出，狼狈而归。
Liu Xichuan of Jiaozhou was the servant who kept the accounts in the household of Fa, the Inner Secretary. When he was past forty a son was born to him, and he doted on the boy beyond all measure, letting him do as he pleased and fearing only to cross him. When the son grew up he was dissolute and extravagant past all restraint, and the old man’s savings were drained to nothing. Before long the son fell ill. Now the old man had always kept fine mules. “The mules are fat,” said the son. “They would be good to eat. Kill one and feed it to me, and I will get better.” Liu planned to kill a lame, sorry one. When the son heard of this he flew into a rage and cursed, and his illness grew worse. Liu was frightened, and killed the mule and served it to him. Then the son was pleased. But he tasted a single slice and threw the rest aside. His illness did not lessen, and soon he died. Liu grieved and lamented as if he would die himself.