歷城殷天官，少貧，有膽略。邑有故家之第，廣數十畝，樓宇連亙。常見怪異，以故廢無居人；久之，蓬蒿漸滿，白晝亦無敢入者。會公與諸生飲，或戲云：「有能寄此一宿者，共醵為筵。」公躍起曰：「是亦何難！」攜一席往。眾送諸門，戲曰：「吾等暫候之，如有所見，當急號。」公笑云：「有鬼狐，當捉證耳。」遂入，見長莎蔽徑，蒿艾如麻。時值上弦，幸月色昏黃，門戶可辨。摩娑數進，始抵後樓。登月臺，光潔可愛，遂止焉。西望月明，惟銜山一線耳。坐良久，更無少異，竊笑傳言之訛。席地枕石，臥看牛女。
历城殷天官，少贫，有胆略。邑有故家之第，广数十亩，楼宇连亘。常见怪异，以故废无居人；久之，蓬蒿渐满，白昼亦无敢入者。会公与诸生饮，或戏云：「有能寄此一宿者，共醵为筵。」公跃起曰：「是亦何难！」携一席往。众送诸门，戏曰：「吾等暂候之，如有所见，当急号。」公笑云：「有鬼狐，当捉证耳。」遂入，见长莎蔽径，蒿艾如麻。时值上弦，幸月色昏黄，门户可辨。摩娑数进，始抵后楼。登月台，光洁可爱，遂止焉。西望月明，惟衔山一线耳。坐良久，更无少异，窃笑传言之讹。席地枕石，卧看牛女。
Minister Yin of Licheng was poor in his youth, but bold and resourceful. In his county there stood the mansion of an old family, spreading over dozens of mu, its buildings one after another. Strange things were often seen there, so it had been abandoned and no one lived in it. In time it filled up with weeds, and no one dared go in even in broad daylight. Once, when Yin was drinking with some fellow licentiates, someone said in jest, “If anyone can spend a night in there, we’ll all chip in and stand him a feast.” Yin jumped up. “What’s so hard about that?” He took a mat and went. The others saw him to the gate and said, teasing, “We’ll wait here a while. If you see anything, shout for us at once.” Yin laughed. “If there are ghosts or foxes, I’ll catch one to show you.” He went in. Long sedge hid the paths, and the mugwort grew as thick as hemp. It was the time of the first-quarter moon, and luckily its dim yellow light was enough to make out the doorways. Groping his way through several courtyards, he came at last to the rear tower. He climbed up to the moon terrace, which was clean and pleasant, and stopped there. Looking west, he saw the moon, only a thin rim of it still showing above the hills. He sat a long while, and nothing at all out of the ordinary happened. He laughed to himself at how rumours run wild. He lay down on the ground with a stone for a pillow and watched the Herd Boy and the Weaving Girl.
一更向盡，恍惚欲寐，樓下有履聲，籍籍而上。假寐睨之，見一青衣人，挑蓮燈，猝見公，驚而卻退。語后人曰：「有生人在。」下問：「誰也？」答云：「不識。」俄一老翁上，就公諦視，曰：「此殷尚書，其睡已酣。但辦吾事，相公倜儻，或不叱怪。」乃相率入樓，樓門盡闢。移時，往來者益眾。樓上燈輝如晝。公稍稍轉側，作嚏咳。翁聞公醒，乃出，跪而言曰：「小人有箕帚女，今夜于歸。不意有觸貴人，望勿深罪。」公起，曳之曰：「不知今夕嘉禮，慚無以賀。」翁曰：「貴人光臨，壓除凶煞，幸矣。即煩陪坐，倍益光寵。」公喜，應之。入視樓中，陳設芳麗。遂有婦人出拜，年可四十餘。翁曰：「此拙荊。」公揖之。俄聞笙樂聒耳，有奔而上者，曰：「至矣！」翁趨迎，公亦立俟。少選，籠紗一簇，導新郎入。年可十七八，丰采韶秀。翁命先與貴客為禮。少年目公。公若為儐，執半主禮。次翁婿交拜，已，乃即席。少間，粉黛雲從，酒胾霧霈，玉碗金甌，光映幾案。酒數行，翁喚女奴請小姐來。女奴諾而入，良久不出。翁自起，搴幃促之。俄婢媼數輩擁新人出，環佩璆然，麝蘭散馥。翁命向上拜。起，即坐母側。微目之，翠鳳明璫，容華絕世。既而酌以金爵，大容數斗。公思此物可以持驗同人，陰內袖中。偽醉隱几，頹然而寢。皆曰：「相公醉矣。」居無何，新郎告行，笙樂暴作，紛紛下樓而去。已而主人斂酒具，少一爵，冥搜不得。或竊議臥客；翁急戒勿語，惟恐公聞。移時，內外俱寂，公始起。暗無燈火，惟脂香酒氣，充溢四堵。視東方既白，乃從容出。探袖中，金爵猶在。及門，則諸生先俟，疑其夜出而早入者。公出爵示之。眾駭問，公以狀告。共思此物非寒士所有，乃信之。
一更向尽，恍惚欲寐，楼下有履声，籍籍而上。假寐睨之，见一青衣人，挑莲灯，猝见公，惊而却退。语后人曰：「有生人在。」下问：「谁也？」答云：「不识。」俄一老翁上，就公谛视，曰：「此殷尚书，其睡已酣。但办吾事，相公倜傥，或不叱怪。」乃相率入楼，楼门尽辟。移时，往来者益众。楼上灯辉如昼。公稍稍转侧，作嚏咳。翁闻公醒，乃出，跪而言曰：「小人有箕帚女，今夜于归。不意有触贵人，望勿深罪。」公起，曳之曰：「不知今夕嘉礼，惭无以贺。」翁曰：「贵人光临，压除凶煞，幸矣。即烦陪坐，倍益光宠。」公喜，应之。入视楼中，陈设芳丽。遂有妇人出拜，年可四十余。翁曰：「此拙荆。」公揖之。俄闻笙乐聒耳，有奔而上者，曰：「至矣！」翁趋迎，公亦立俟。少选，笼纱一簇，导新郎入。年可十七八，丰采韶秀。翁命先与贵客为礼。少年目公。公若为傧，执半主礼。次翁婿交拜，已，乃即席。少间，粉黛云从，酒胾雾霈，玉碗金瓯，光映几案。酒数行，翁唤女奴请小姐来。女奴诺而入，良久不出。翁自起，搴帏促之。俄婢媪数辈拥新人出，环佩璆然，麝兰散馥。翁命向上拜。起，即坐母侧。微目之，翠凤明珰，容华绝世。既而酌以金爵，大容数斗。公思此物可以持验同人，阴内袖中。伪醉隐几，颓然而寝。皆曰：「相公醉矣。」居无何，新郎告行，笙乐暴作，纷纷下楼而去。已而主人敛酒具，少一爵，冥搜不得。或窃议卧客；翁急戒勿语，惟恐公闻。移时，内外俱寂，公始起。暗无灯火，惟脂香酒气，充溢四堵。视东方既白，乃从容出。探袖中，金爵犹在。及门，则诸生先俟，疑其夜出而早入者。公出爵示之。众骇问，公以状告。共思此物非寒士所有，乃信之。
The first watch was nearly over, and he was drifting off to sleep when he heard footsteps downstairs, many feet coming up. Pretending to sleep, he peeped out and saw a servant in blue carrying a lotus lantern. The servant caught sight of Yin, started and drew back, and said to someone behind, “There is a living man here.” Someone below asked, “Who is it?” “I don’t know him.” In a moment an old man came up, looked Yin over closely and said, “This is Minister Yin. He is fast asleep. Let us just go on with our business. The gentleman has a free spirit; perhaps he won’t take offence.” So they all went into the tower, and its doors were thrown wide open. After a while more and more people were coming and going. Upstairs the lamps blazed as bright as day. Yin turned over a little, and sneezed and coughed. Hearing that he was awake, the old man came out, knelt and said, “This humble person has a daughter, fit only to hold dustpan and broom, who goes to her husband tonight. I never thought we would disturb a noble person, and I hope you will not hold it too much against us.” Yin rose and pulled him to his feet. “I did not know there was a wedding tonight. I am ashamed to have no gift.” “Your presence, noble sir, will ward off every evil influence,” said the old man. “We are fortunate. If you would do us the favour of sitting with the guests, it would double the honour.” Yin was delighted and agreed. He went in and looked: the tower was splendidly furnished. A woman came out and bowed to him; she looked about forty. “This is my wife,” said the old man. Yin bowed to her. Soon the music of reed pipes was deafening, and someone ran up the stairs crying, “He’s here!” The old man hurried out to meet him, and Yin too stood waiting. Before long a cluster of gauze lanterns led in the bridegroom. He was about seventeen or eighteen, handsome and refined. The old man told him first to pay his respects to the noble guest. The young man looked at Yin. Yin acted as though he were the usher, and returned the bow as half the host. Then father-in-law and son-in-law bowed to each other, and after that they took their places at the feast. Before long, powdered and painted maids came thronging like clouds, wine and meat poured out like mist, and jade bowls and gold cups shone on the tables. After several rounds of wine, the old man told a maid to ask the young lady to come out. The maid said yes and went in, but did not come out for a long while. The old man got up himself, lifted the curtain and hurried them. In a moment several maids and old women came out with the bride in their midst, her jade pendants chiming, a scent of musk and orchid drifting from her. The old man told her to bow toward the seats of honour. When she rose, she sat down beside her mother. Yin stole a glance at her: kingfisher phoenix pins and bright earrings, and a beauty beyond any in the world. Then they poured wine for him in a gold goblet, big enough to hold several measures. It occurred to Yin that this would prove his story to his friends, and he slipped it into his sleeve. He pretended to be drunk, slumped over the table and fell asleep. “The gentleman is drunk,” they all said. Before long the groom said he must go. The music burst out, and they all went off down the stairs in a crowd. Then the master of the house gathered up the wine things. One goblet was missing, and though they searched everywhere, they could not find it. Someone whispered that it might be the guest lying there, but the old man quickly told him to hush, for fear Yin would hear. After a while everything inside and out was silent, and Yin got up. It was dark, with no lamps, but the scent of rouge and the smell of wine filled the room. Seeing that the east was growing light, he walked out unhurriedly. He felt in his sleeve: the gold goblet was still there. When he reached the gate, his friends were already waiting, suspecting he had slipped out in the night and gone back in early. Yin took out the goblet and showed it to them. Astonished, they asked about it, and he told them what had happened. Since such a thing was not something a poor scholar could own, they believed him.
後公舉進士，任于肥丘。有世家朱姓宴公，命取巨觥，久之不至。有細奴掩口與主人語，主人有怒色。俄奉金爵勸客飲。諦視之，款式雕文，與狐物更無殊別。大疑，問所從制。答云：「爵凡八隻，大人為京卿時，覓良工監製。此世傳物，什襲已久。緣明府辱臨，適取諸箱簏，僅存其七，疑家人所竊取；而十年塵封如故，殊不可解。」公笑曰：「金杯羽化矣。然世守之珍不可失。僕有一具，頗近似之，當以奉贈。」終筵歸署，揀爵馳送之。主人審視，駭絕。親詣謝公，詰所自來。公乃歷陳顛末。始知千里之物，狐能攝致，而不敢終留也。
后公举进士，任于肥丘。有世家朱姓宴公，命取巨觥，久之不至。有细奴掩口与主人语，主人有怒色。俄奉金爵劝客饮。谛视之，款式雕文，与狐物更无殊别。大疑，问所从制。答云：「爵凡八只，大人为京卿时，觅良工监制。此世传物，什袭已久。缘明府辱临，适取诸箱簏，仅存其七，疑家人所窃取；而十年尘封如故，殊不可解。」公笑曰：「金杯羽化矣。然世守之珍不可失。仆有一具，颇近似之，当以奉赠。」终筵归署，拣爵驰送之。主人审视，骇绝。亲诣谢公，诘所自来。公乃历陈颠末。始知千里之物，狐能摄致，而不敢终留也。
Later Yin passed the jinshi examination and was posted to Feiqiu. An old family named Zhu gave a banquet for him. The host sent for the big goblets, but a long time went by and they did not come. A young servant covered his mouth and whispered to his master, and the master looked angry. Soon a gold goblet was brought, and the host pressed his guest to drink. Yin looked at it closely: in shape and in its engraved pattern it was no different from the foxes’ goblet. Very puzzled, he asked where it had been made. “There were eight of these goblets,” the host replied. “When my father was a minister in the capital, he found a fine craftsman and had them made under his own eye. They are an heirloom, and have long been kept wrapped up layer on layer. Since Your Honour has graced us with a visit, I just had them taken out of the chest, and only seven are left. I suspected the servants of stealing it, but the dust of ten years lay on the chest undisturbed. I cannot understand it at all.” Yin laughed. “Your gold cup has sprouted wings and flown off to the immortals. But a treasure your family has kept for generations should not be lost. I have one very like it, which I shall give you.” When the feast was over he went back to his office, picked out the goblet and sent it over in haste. The host examined it and was astounded. He came in person to thank Yin and asked where it had come from. Yin told him the whole story from beginning to end. So we know that a fox can spirit a thing here from a thousand li away — but does not dare to keep it for good.