宣德間，宮中尚促織之戲，歲征民間。此物故非西產。有華陰令，欲媚上官，以一頭進，試使鬥而才，因責常供。令以責之里正。
宣德年間，宮中喜愛鬥蟋蟀，每年都向民間徵收蟋蟀。這種蟲本來不是西部地區出產的。有個華陰縣令，為了討好上司，獻上了一隻。上司試著讓它與別的蟋蟀爭鬥，發現它很能鬥，便要求縣令經常供送。縣令又把這項差事攤派給里正。
宣德间，宫中尚促织之戏，岁征民间。此物故非西产。有华阴令，欲媚上官，以一头进，试使斗而才，因责常供。令以责之里正。
宣德年间，宫中喜爱斗蟋蟀，每年都向民间征收蟋蟀。这种虫本来不是西部地区出产的。有个华阴县令，为了讨好上司，献上了一只。上司试着让它与别的蟋蟀争斗，发现它很能斗，便要求县令经常供送。县令又把这项差事摊派给里正。
In the Xuande reign there was a fashion in the palace for cricket fighting, and every year crickets were levied from the people. These creatures were never native to the west. But a magistrate of Huayin, wishing to please his superior, presented one. It was tried in a fight and showed talent, so a regular supply was demanded of him. The magistrate passed the demand on to his village heads.
市中游俠兒，得佳者籠養之，昂其直，居為奇貨。里胥猾黠，假此科斂丁口，每責一頭，輒傾數家之產。
集市上的遊蕩少年，捉到好蟋蟀，就用籠子養著，抬高價錢，囤起來當作稀有的貨物。鄉里的小吏狡猾奸詐，藉著這個由頭，按人口向百姓攤派錢財。每徵收一隻蟋蟀，就往往讓好幾戶人家傾家蕩產。
市中游侠儿，得佳者笼养之，昂其直，居为奇货。里胥猾黠，假此科敛丁口，每责一头，辄倾数家之产。
集市上的游荡少年，捉到好蟋蟀，就用笼子养着，抬高价钱，囤起来当作稀有的货物。乡里的小吏狡猾奸诈，借着这个由头，按人口向百姓摊派钱财。每征收一只蟋蟀，就往往让好几户人家倾家荡产。
In the market, young toughs who got hold of a good one kept it in a cage and pushed up its price, hoarding it as a rare commodity. The village clerks were sly and crafty. On this pretext they levied money from every household by head, and each time one cricket was demanded, several families were ruined.
邑有成名者，操童子業，久不售。為人迂訥，遂為猾胥報充里正役，百計營謀不能脫。不終歲，薄產累盡。會征促織，成不敢斂戶口，而又無所賠償，憂悶欲死。妻曰：「死何益？不如自行搜覓，冀有萬一之得。」成然之。早出暮歸，提竹筒銅絲籠，于敗堵叢草處探石發穴，靡計不施，迄無濟。即捕三兩頭，又劣弱，不中于款。宰嚴限追比，旬餘，杖至百，兩股間膿血流離，并蟲不能行捉矣。轉側床頭，惟思自盡。時村中來一駝背巫，能以神卜。成妻具資詣問，見紅女白婆，填塞門戶。入其室，則密室垂簾，簾外設香幾。問者爇香于鼎，再拜。巫從旁望空代祝，唇吻翕辟，不知何詞，各各竦立以聽。少間，簾內擲一紙出，即道人意中事，無毫髮爽。成妻納錢案上，焚香以拜。食頃，簾動，片紙拋落。拾視之，非字而畫，中繪殿閣類蘭若，後小山下怪石亂臥，針針叢棘，青麻頭伏焉；旁一蟆，若將跳舞。展玩不可曉。然睹促織，隱中胸懷，折藏之，歸以示成。成反復自念：「得無教我獵蟲所耶？」細矚景狀，與村東大佛閣真逼似。乃強起扶杖，執圖詣寺後，有古陵蔚起。循陵而走，見蹲石鱗鱗，儼然類畫。遂于蒿萊中側聽徐行，似尋針芥，而心、目、耳力俱窮，絕無蹤響。冥搜未已，一癩頭蟆猝然躍去。成益愕，急逐之。蟆入草間，躡跡披求，見有蟲伏棘根，遽撲之，入石穴中。掭以尖草不出，以筒水灌之始出。狀極俊健，逐而得之。審視：巨身修尾，青項金翅。大喜，籠歸，舉家慶賀，雖連城拱璧不啻也。土于盆而養之，蟹白栗黃，備極護愛。留待限期，以塞官責。
縣裡有個叫成名的人，一直在讀書準備考秀才，卻多年沒有考中。他為人迂腐，不善言辭，便被狡猾的小吏報上去，派他充當里正。他想盡辦法，也沒能擺脫這項差役。不到一年，他那點微薄的家產就被接連耗盡了。恰好又要徵收蟋蟀，成名不敢向各家各戶搜刮，自己又沒有錢賠補，憂愁苦悶，簡直想死。妻子說：「死了有什麼用？不如自己去尋找，說不定還有萬分之一的希望。」成名覺得她說得對。他每天早出晚歸，提著竹筒和銅絲籠，到破牆、草叢一帶翻石頭、挖蟲洞，什麼辦法都試過了，始終沒有收穫。即使捉到兩三隻，也都又差又弱，不合要求。縣令定下嚴厲的期限，催逼他交納，逾期就打。十多天裡，他捱了一百板，兩條大腿上膿血淋漓，連出去捉蟲也辦不到了。他躺在床上翻來覆去，只想著自盡。這時，村裡來了一個駝背巫師，能借神靈的力量占卜。成名的妻子備好錢去求問，看見年輕女子和白髮老婆婆擠滿了門口。走進屋裡，只見內室掛著簾子，簾外擺著香案。求問的人在香爐裡點上香，拜了兩拜。巫師站在旁邊，朝著空中替他們禱告，嘴唇一張一合，誰也聽不懂說的是什麼，大家都恭敬地站著聽。不一會兒，簾子裡就扔出一張紙，上面說的正是求問者心裡的事情，絲毫不差。成名的妻子把錢放在案上，燒香行禮。過了一頓飯的工夫，簾子動了，一張紙飄落下來。她撿起來一看，上面沒有字，只有一幅畫。畫的中央是一些殿閣，像是一座寺院；後面一座小山腳下，怪石橫七豎八地散佈著，叢叢荊棘尖刺密佈，一隻青麻頭蟋蟀伏在那裡，旁邊還有一隻蛤蟆，像是正要跳起來。她展開畫，反覆端詳，卻看不明白。不過，看見畫上有蟋蟀，覺得暗合自己的心事，便把紙摺好收起來，回家給成名看。成名反覆琢磨：「莫非這是在指點我捉蟲的地方？」他仔細看畫中的景物，發現與村東的大佛閣十分相像。於是他勉強起身，拄著柺杖，拿著畫來到寺後。那裡有一座隆起的古墳。他沿著墳地走，看見一塊塊石頭層層排列，果然和畫裡一樣。他便在野草中側耳傾聽，慢慢前行，像是在尋找一根針、一粒細小的草籽，費盡了心思，用盡了眼力和耳力，卻始終看不到蟲的蹤跡，也聽不到蟲聲。他還在苦苦搜尋，一隻癩頭蛤蟆突然跳了出去。成名越發驚訝，趕緊追上去。蛤蟆鑽進草叢，他順著它的蹤跡，撥開草尋找，看見一隻蟋蟀伏在荊棘根下。他急忙撲過去，蟋蟀卻鑽進了石洞。他用尖細的草葉撥弄，蟲不出來；又用竹筒往洞裡灌水，它才出來。那蟲看起來十分俊健，他追上去捉住了。仔細一看，只見它身軀碩大，尾巴修長，脖頸青綠，翅膀金黃。他高興極了，把蟲裝進籠子帶回家，全家都來慶賀，就算價值連城的美玉，也比不上它珍貴。他在盆裡鋪上土，把蟲養在裡面，用蟹肉和栗子仁餵它，百般愛護，準備留到規定的日期，交上去完成官府的差事。
邑有成名者，操童子业，久不售。为人迂讷，遂为猾胥报充里正役，百计营谋不能脱。不终岁，薄产累尽。会征促织，成不敢敛户口，而又无所赔偿，忧闷欲死。妻曰：「死何益？不如自行搜觅，冀有万一之得。」成然之。早出暮归，提竹筒铜丝笼，于败堵丛草处探石发穴，靡计不施，迄无济。即捕三两头，又劣弱，不中于款。宰严限追比，旬余，杖至百，两股间脓血流离，并虫不能行捉矣。转侧床头，惟思自尽。时村中来一驼背巫，能以神卜。成妻具资诣问，见红女白婆，填塞门户。入其室，则密室垂帘，帘外设香几。问者爇香于鼎，再拜。巫从旁望空代祝，唇吻翕辟，不知何词，各各竦立以听。少间，帘内掷一纸出，即道人意中事，无毫发爽。成妻纳钱案上，焚香以拜。食顷，帘动，片纸抛落。拾视之，非字而画，中绘殿阁类兰若，后小山下怪石乱卧，针针丛棘，青麻头伏焉；旁一蟆，若将跳舞。展玩不可晓。然睹促织，隐中胸怀，折藏之，归以示成。成反复自念：「得无教我猎虫所耶？」细瞩景状，与村东大佛阁真逼似。乃强起扶杖，执图诣寺后，有古陵蔚起。循陵而走，见蹲石鳞鳞，俨然类画。遂于蒿莱中侧听徐行，似寻针芥，而心、目、耳力俱穷，绝无踪响。冥搜未已，一癞头蟆猝然跃去。成益愕，急逐之。蟆入草间，蹑迹披求，见有虫伏棘根，遽扑之，入石穴中。掭以尖草不出，以筒水灌之始出。状极俊健，逐而得之。审视：巨身修尾，青项金翅。大喜，笼归，举家庆贺，虽连城拱璧不啻也。土于盆而养之，蟹白栗黄，备极护爱。留待限期，以塞官责。
县里有个叫成名的人，一直在读书准备考秀才，却多年没有考中。他为人迂腐，不善言辞，便被狡猾的小吏报上去，派他充当里正。他想尽办法，也没能摆脱这项差役。不到一年，他那点微薄的家产就被接连耗尽了。恰好又要征收蟋蟀，成名不敢向各家各户搜刮，自己又没有钱赔补，忧愁苦闷，简直想死。妻子说：“死了有什么用？不如自己去寻找，说不定还有万分之一的希望。”成名觉得她说得对。他每天早出晚归，提着竹筒和铜丝笼，到破墙、草丛一带翻石头、挖虫洞，什么办法都试过了，始终没有收获。即使捉到两三只，也都又差又弱，不合要求。县令定下严厉的期限，催逼他交纳，逾期就打。十多天里，他挨了一百板，两条大腿上脓血淋漓，连出去捉虫也办不到了。他躺在床上翻来覆去，只想着自尽。这时，村里来了一个驼背巫师，能借神灵的力量占卜。成名的妻子备好钱去求问，看见年轻女子和白发老婆婆挤满了门口。走进屋里，只见内室挂着帘子，帘外摆着香案。求问的人在香炉里点上香，拜了两拜。巫师站在旁边，朝着空中替他们祷告，嘴唇一张一合，谁也听不懂说的是什么，大家都恭敬地站着听。不一会儿，帘子里就扔出一张纸，上面说的正是求问者心里的事情，丝毫不差。成名的妻子把钱放在案上，烧香行礼。过了一顿饭的工夫，帘子动了，一张纸飘落下来。她捡起来一看，上面没有字，只有一幅画。画的中央是一些殿阁，像是一座寺院；后面一座小山脚下，怪石横七竖八地散布着，丛丛荆棘尖刺密布，一只青麻头蟋蟀伏在那里，旁边还有一只蛤蟆，像是正要跳起来。她展开画，反复端详，却看不明白。不过，看见画上有蟋蟀，觉得暗合自己的心事，便把纸折好收起来，回家给成名看。成名反复琢磨：“莫非这是在指点我捉虫的地方？”他仔细看画中的景物，发现与村东的大佛阁十分相像。于是他勉强起身，拄着拐杖，拿着画来到寺后。那里有一座隆起的古坟。他沿着坟地走，看见一块块石头层层排列，果然和画里一样。他便在野草中侧耳倾听，慢慢前行，像是在寻找一根针、一粒细小的草籽，费尽了心思，用尽了眼力和耳力，却始终看不到虫的踪迹，也听不到虫声。他还在苦苦搜寻，一只癞头蛤蟆突然跳了出去。成名越发惊讶，赶紧追上去。蛤蟆钻进草丛，他顺着它的踪迹，拨开草寻找，看见一只蟋蟀伏在荆棘根下。他急忙扑过去，蟋蟀却钻进了石洞。他用尖细的草叶拨弄，虫不出来；又用竹筒往洞里灌水，它才出来。那虫看起来十分俊健，他追上去捉住了。仔细一看，只见它身躯硕大，尾巴修长，脖颈青绿，翅膀金黄。他高兴极了，把虫装进笼子带回家，全家都来庆贺，就算价值连城的美玉，也比不上它珍贵。他在盆里铺上土，把虫养在里面，用蟹肉和栗子仁喂它，百般爱护，准备留到规定的日期，交上去完成官府的差事。
In that county there was a man named Cheng Ming, who had long been a candidate for the licentiate examination and had never passed. He was a pedant and slow of speech, so the crafty clerks put him down for the duty of village head, and though he tried every scheme he could not get out of it. Before the year was out, his small property was all used up. Then came the levy of crickets. Cheng did not dare squeeze the households, and he had nothing of his own to pay with. He was so worried and wretched he wished he were dead. “What good will dying do?” said his wife. “Better go and hunt for them yourself. There may be one chance in ten thousand.” Cheng agreed. He went out early and came home late, with a bamboo tube and a cage of copper wire, turning over stones and digging out holes among broken walls and thick grass. There was no method he did not try, and none of them worked. When he did catch two or three, they were poor, weak things that did not meet the standard. The magistrate set him a strict deadline and had him flogged each time it passed. In ten days and more he took a hundred strokes; pus and blood ran between his thighs, and he could not even go out to catch crickets any more. Tossing on his bed, he thought only of killing himself. At that time a hunchbacked witch came to the village who could divine through the spirits. Cheng’s wife got some money together and went to consult her. She found the doorway packed with young women and white-haired old women. Inside was a closed room with a curtain hanging down, and an incense table set before the curtain. Those who came to ask burned incense in the censer and bowed twice. The witch, standing to one side, gazed into the empty air and prayed for them. Her lips opened and closed, but no one could tell what she said. Each of them stood listening in awe. After a little while a slip of paper would be thrown out from behind the curtain, and it would tell exactly what the asker had in mind, without a hair’s breadth of error. Cheng’s wife laid her money on the table, burned incense and bowed. In about the time it takes to eat a meal the curtain stirred, and a slip of paper dropped out. She picked it up and looked. It was not writing but a picture. In the middle was a hall like a temple; behind it, at the foot of a little hill, strange rocks lay every which way among bristling thorns, and a Green Hemp-Head crouched there. Beside it was a toad, as if about to leap. She studied it but could make nothing of it. Still, seeing the cricket, she felt it touched what was hidden in her heart. She folded it away and took it home to show Cheng. Cheng turned it over and over in his mind. “Can it be showing me where to hunt for crickets?” He looked closely at the scene: it was the very image of the Great Buddha Pavilion east of the village. So he forced himself up and, leaning on a stick, took the picture to the back of the temple. There an ancient grave mound rose, thick with growth. He walked along the mound and saw squatting rocks, row on row like fish scales, just as in the picture. So he moved slowly through the weeds, head cocked to listen, as if hunting for a needle or a mustard seed. But though he strained mind, eyes and ears to the utmost, there was no trace, no sound. He was still searching blindly when a scabby-headed toad suddenly leapt away. Cheng was more startled than ever and went after it fast. The toad went into the grass. Following its track, parting the grass, he saw a cricket crouching at the root of a thornbush. He pounced, but it went into a hole in the rocks. He poked at it with a sharp blade of grass, but it would not come out; only when he poured in water from his tube did it come out. It looked very fine and strong. He chased it and caught it. He examined it: a big body and a long tail, a green neck and golden wings. Overjoyed, he caged it and took it home. The whole family celebrated; a jade disc worth whole cities would not have been more precious. He kept it in a bowl of earth and fed it crab meat and chestnut kernels, caring for it with every attention. He was keeping it for the deadline, to meet the magistrate’s demand.