太史某,為狐所魅,病瘠。符禳既窮,乃乞假歸,冀可逃避。太史行,而狐從之。大懼,無所為謀。一日,止于涿。門外有鈴醫,自言能伏狐。太史延之入。投以藥,則房中術也。促令服訖,入與狐交,銳不可當。狐辟易,哀而求罷;不聽,進益勇。狐展轉營脫,苦不得去。移時無聲,視之,現狐形而斃矣。
太史某,为狐所魅,病瘠。符禳既穷,乃乞假归,冀可逃避。太史行,而狐从之。大惧,无所为谋。一日,止于涿。门外有铃医,自言能伏狐。太史延之入。投以药,则房中术也。促令服讫,入与狐交,锐不可当。狐辟易,哀而求罢;不听,进益勇。狐展转营脱,苦不得去。移时无声,视之,现狐形而毙矣。
A certain Hanlin academician was bewitched by a fox, and he fell ill and wasted away. When charms and exorcisms had all failed, he asked for leave to go home, hoping to escape it. The academician set out, and the fox followed him. He was terrified and could think of nothing to do. One day he stopped at Zhuo. Outside the gate was a bell doctor who said he could subdue foxes. The academician invited him in. The medicine he gave belonged to the arts of the bedchamber. He made the academician take it at once, then go in and couple with the fox. The academician charged, and there was no withstanding him. The fox fell back and begged piteously for him to stop; he would not listen, and pressed on all the harder. The fox twisted and turned, struggling to get free, but could not get away. After a while there was no sound. When they looked, it had turned back into a fox, and it was dead.
昔余鄉某生者,素有嫪毐之目,自言生平未得一快意。夜宿孤館,四無鄰。忽有奔女,扉未啟而已入;心知其狐,亦欣然樂就狎之。衿襦甫解,貫革直入。狐驚痛,啼聲吱然,如鷹脫韝,穿窗而去。某猶望窗外作狎昵聲,哀喚之,冀其復回,而已寂然矣。此真討狐之猛將也!宜榜門「驅狐」,可以為業。
昔余乡某生者,素有嫪毐之目,自言生平未得一快意。夜宿孤馆,四无邻。忽有奔女,扉未启而已入;心知其狐,亦欣然乐就狎之。衿襦甫解,贯革直入。狐惊痛,啼声吱然,如鹰脱鞲,穿窗而去。某犹望窗外作狎昵声,哀唤之,冀其复回,而已寂然矣。此真讨狐之猛将也!宜榜门「驱狐」,可以为业。
Once, in my home district, there was a scholar who had long been known as a second Lao Ai. He said that never in his life had he been fully satisfied. One night he was lodging at a lonely inn with no neighbours on any side. Suddenly a girl came to him of her own accord, entering before the door was opened. He knew she must be a fox, but he gladly took her to bed all the same. Her jacket was barely undone when he drove straight in, as an arrow pierces the target. The fox shrieked in fright and pain, a thin squealing cry, and like a hawk slipping the falconer’s glove she shot out through the window. The man still gazed out of the window, cooing endearments and calling to her pitifully, hoping she would come back, but all was silent. Here truly was a mighty general for campaigns against foxes! He ought to hang a sign on his gate, “Foxes Driven Out,” and make a trade of it.
