萬福字子祥，博興人，幼業儒，家貧而運蹇，年二十有奇，尚不能掇一芹。鄉中澆俗，多報富戶役，長厚者至碎破其家。萬適報充役，懼而逃，如濟南，稅居逆旅。夜有奔女，顏色頗麗，萬悅而私之，問姓氏。女自言：「實狐，然不為君祟。」萬喜而不疑。女囑勿與客共，遂日至，與共臥處。凡日用所需，無不仰給于狐。
萬福，字子祥，是博興人，從小讀書，準備科舉。他家境貧寒，運氣又不好，二十多歲了，還沒有考中秀才。當地民風刻薄，常有人告發富戶，讓他們承擔差役，老實厚道的人甚至因此傾家蕩產。萬福恰好被人報上去充當差役，害怕起來，便逃到濟南，在客店租房住下。一天夜裡，有個女子主動來找他，容貌頗為美麗。萬福喜歡她，便與她私下相好，又問她的姓名。女子說：「其實我是狐狸，不過不會害你。」萬福聽了很高興，毫不懷疑。女子囑咐他不要讓客人與他同住，此後每天都來，與他一同起居。萬福日常所需的一切，都靠這狐狸供給。
万福字子祥，博兴人，幼业儒，家贫而运蹇，年二十有奇，尚不能掇一芹。乡中浇俗，多报富户役，长厚者至碎破其家。万适报充役，惧而逃，如济南，税居逆旅。夜有奔女，颜色颇丽，万悦而私之，问姓氏。女自言：「实狐，然不为君祟。」万喜而不疑。女嘱勿与客共，遂日至，与共卧处。凡日用所需，无不仰给于狐。
万福，字子祥，是博兴人，从小读书，准备科举。他家境贫寒，运气又不好，二十多岁了，还没有考中秀才。当地民风刻薄，常有人告发富户，让他们承担差役，老实厚道的人甚至因此倾家荡产。万福恰好被人报上去充当差役，害怕起来，便逃到济南，在客店租房住下。一天夜里，有个女子主动来找他，容貌颇为美丽。万福喜欢她，便与她私下相好，又问她的姓名。女子说：“其实我是狐狸，不过不会害你。”万福听了很高兴，毫不怀疑。女子嘱咐他不要让客人与他同住，此后每天都来，与他一同起居。万福日常所需的一切，都靠这狐狸供给。
Wan Fu, styled Zixiang, was a man of Boxing. He had studied for the examinations since boyhood, but his family was poor and his luck was bad, and at past twenty he had still not managed to pick a single sprig of cress. The custom in his district was mean: people were forever reporting each other as rich households liable for service, and honest, open-handed men were ruined by it. Wan happened to be reported for the service. Afraid, he ran away to Jinan and rented a room at an inn. One night a woman came to him of her own accord. She was quite beautiful. Wan was pleased and took her to bed, then asked her name. “The truth is, I am a fox,” she said, “but I will do you no harm.” Wan was glad and did not doubt her. She told him not to share his room with anyone, and after that she came every day and lived and slept with him. For everything he needed from day to day, he depended on the fox.
居無何，二三相識，輒來造訪，恒信宿不去。萬厭之，而不忍拒，不得已以實告客。客愿一睹仙容，萬白于狐。狐曰：「見我何為哉？我亦猶人耳。」聞其聲，不見其人。客有孫得言者，善謔，固請見，且曰：「得聽嬌音，魂魄飛越。何吝容華，徒使人聞聲相思？」狐笑曰：「賢孫子！欲為高曾母作行樂圖耶？」眾大笑。狐曰：「我為狐，請與客言狐典，頗愿聞之否？」眾唯唯。狐曰：「昔某村旅舍，故多狐，輒出祟行客。客知之，相戒不宿其舍，半年，門戶蕭索。主人大憂，甚諱言狐。忽有一遠方客，自言異國人，望門休止。主人大悅，甫邀入門，即有途人陰告曰：『是家有狐。』客懼，白主人，欲他徙。主人力白其妄，客乃止。入室方臥，見群鼠出于床下。客大駭，驟奔，急呼：『有狐！』主人驚問。客怒曰：『狐巢于此，何誑我言無？』主人又問：『所見何狀？』客曰：『我今所見，細細幺麼，不是狐兒，必當是狐孫子？』」言罷，座客粲然。孫曰，「既不賜見，我輩留勿去，阻爾陽臺。」狐笑曰：「寄宿無妨。倘有小迕犯，幸勿介懷。」客恐其惡作劇，乃共散去，然數日必一來，索狐笑罵。狐諧甚，每一語即顛倒賓客，滑稽者不能屈也。群戲呼為「狐娘子」。
住了沒多久，便有兩三個熟人常來拜訪，往往接連住上兩夜還不走。萬福心裡厭煩，卻不忍心拒絕，只好把實情告訴客人。客人想看看狐仙的容貌，萬福便向狐狸轉達。狐狸說：「看我做什麼呢？我也不過和人一樣罷了。」大家只聽見她的聲音，看不見她的人。客人中有個孫得言，很會開玩笑，堅持請求見她，還說：「聽見你嬌美的聲音，我的魂魄都飛走了。為什麼捨不得讓我們看看你的美貌，只讓人聽著聲音苦苦相思呢？」狐狸笑道：「你這好孫子！想給你老祖宗畫一幅遊樂的畫像嗎？」眾人哈哈大笑。狐狸說：「我是狐狸，就給各位講個狐狸的故事，願意聽嗎？」眾人連聲答應。狐狸說：「從前有個村子的客店，原本就有許多狐狸，常出來作祟，擾害過路的客人。客人知道後，互相告誡，不要住那家店，半年下來，店裡冷冷清清。店主十分發愁，最忌諱別人說起狐狸。忽然來了個遠方的客人，自稱是外國人，看見店門，就停下來歇腳。店主大喜，剛把他請進門，便有個過路人悄悄告訴他：『這家有狐狸。』客人害怕，告訴店主，想搬到別處。店主極力說那是胡話，客人才留下來。他進屋剛躺下，便看見一群老鼠從床底下鑽出來，嚇得猛然跑出去，急喊：『有狐狸！』店主吃驚，問他怎麼回事。客人怒道：『狐狸就在這裡做窩，你為什麼騙我說沒有？』店主又問：『你看見的是什麼樣子？』客人說：『我剛才看見的，都是些細小的東西，不是狐狸的兒子，就一定是狐狸的孫子！』」說完，滿座客人都笑了起來。孫得言說：「既然不肯讓我們見你，我們就留下不走，妨礙你們親熱。」狐狸笑道：「住下也沒關係。要是稍有冒犯，還請不要放在心上。」客人怕她捉弄自己，便一起離開了。不過，每隔幾天，他們總要來一次，找狐狸說笑，聽她挖苦。狐狸極為詼諧，每說一句話，都能逗得客人笑得東倒西歪，再會說笑的人也鬥不過她。大家便戲稱她為「狐娘子」。
居无何，二三相识，辄来造访，恒信宿不去。万厌之，而不忍拒，不得已以实告客。客愿一睹仙容，万白于狐。狐曰：「见我何为哉？我亦犹人耳。」闻其声，不见其人。客有孙得言者，善谑，固请见，且曰：「得听娇音，魂魄飞越。何吝容华，徒使人闻声相思？」狐笑曰：「贤孙子！欲为高曾母作行乐图耶？」众大笑。狐曰：「我为狐，请与客言狐典，颇愿闻之否？」众唯唯。狐曰：「昔某村旅舍，故多狐，辄出祟行客。客知之，相戒不宿其舍，半年，门户萧索。主人大忧，甚讳言狐。忽有一远方客，自言异国人，望门休止。主人大悦，甫邀入门，即有途人阴告曰：『是家有狐。』客惧，白主人，欲他徙。主人力白其妄，客乃止。入室方卧，见群鼠出于床下。客大骇，骤奔，急呼：『有狐！』主人惊问。客怒曰：『狐巢于此，何诳我言无？』主人又问：『所见何状？』客曰：『我今所见，细细幺麽，不是狐儿，必当是狐孙子？』」言罢，座客粲然。孙曰，「既不赐见，我辈留勿去，阻尔阳台。」狐笑曰：「寄宿无妨。倘有小迕犯，幸勿介怀。」客恐其恶作剧，乃共散去，然数日必一来，索狐笑骂。狐谐甚，每一语即颠倒宾客，滑稽者不能屈也。群戏呼为「狐娘子」。
住了没多久，便有两三个熟人常来拜访，往往接连住上两夜还不走。万福心里厌烦，却不忍心拒绝，只好把实情告诉客人。客人想看看狐仙的容貌，万福便向狐狸转达。狐狸说：“看我做什么呢？我也不过和人一样罢了。”大家只听见她的声音，看不见她的人。客人中有个孙得言，很会开玩笑，坚持请求见她，还说：“听见你娇美的声音，我的魂魄都飞走了。为什么舍不得让我们看看你的美貌，只让人听着声音苦苦相思呢？”狐狸笑道：“你这好孙子！想给你老祖宗画一幅游乐的画像吗？”众人哈哈大笑。狐狸说：“我是狐狸，就给各位讲个狐狸的故事，愿意听吗？”众人连声答应。狐狸说：“从前有个村子的客店，原本就有许多狐狸，常出来作祟，扰害过路的客人。客人知道后，互相告诫，不要住那家店，半年下来，店里冷冷清清。店主十分发愁，最忌讳别人说起狐狸。忽然来了个远方的客人，自称是外国人，看见店门，就停下来歇脚。店主大喜，刚把他请进门，便有个过路人悄悄告诉他：‘这家有狐狸。’客人害怕，告诉店主，想搬到别处。店主极力说那是胡话，客人才留下来。他进屋刚躺下，便看见一群老鼠从床底下钻出来，吓得猛然跑出去，急喊：‘有狐狸！’店主吃惊，问他怎么回事。客人怒道：‘狐狸就在这里做窝，你为什么骗我说没有？’店主又问：‘你看见的是什么样子？’客人说：‘我刚才看见的，都是些细小的东西，不是狐狸的儿子，就一定是狐狸的孙子！’”说完，满座客人都笑了起来。孙得言说：“既然不肯让我们见你，我们就留下不走，妨碍你们亲热。”狐狸笑道：“住下也没关系。要是稍有冒犯，还请不要放在心上。”客人怕她捉弄自己，便一起离开了。不过，每隔几天，他们总要来一次，找狐狸说笑，听她挖苦。狐狸极为诙谐，每说一句话，都能逗得客人笑得东倒西歪，再会说笑的人也斗不过她。大家便戏称她为“狐娘子”。
Before long two or three acquaintances began to call, and they would often stay two nights at a stretch. Wan was tired of them but could not bring himself to turn them away, and in the end he had to tell them the truth. The guests wanted a look at the immortal’s face, and Wan put it to the fox. “Why see me?” she said. “I am just like anyone else.” They heard her voice but saw no one. Among the guests was one Sun Deyan, a great joker, who pressed to see her. “To hear your sweet voice sets my soul flying,” he said. “Why grudge us your lovely face, and leave us pining after a voice?” The fox laughed. “What a good grandson! Do you want to paint a portrait of your great-great-grandmother at her ease?” Everyone roared. “I am a fox,” she said, “so let me tell you gentlemen a story about foxes. Would you care to hear it?” They all said yes. “Once there was an inn in a certain village that had long had many foxes, and they would come out and trouble travellers. Travellers came to know it and warned each other not to stay there, and for half a year the place stood empty. The innkeeper was very worried, and would not have the word fox spoken. Then one day a traveller from far away, who said he came from a foreign country, saw the gate and stopped to rest. The innkeeper was overjoyed. He had only just invited him in when a passer-by whispered to the traveller, ‘There are foxes in this house.’ The traveller was frightened and told the innkeeper he wanted to go elsewhere. The innkeeper swore it was nonsense, and the traveller stayed. He went to his room, and had just lain down when he saw a swarm of rats come out from under the bed. He was terrified. He rushed out crying, ‘Foxes!’ The innkeeper, alarmed, asked what was wrong. ‘There’s a nest of foxes here,’ said the traveller angrily. ‘Why did you lie to me and say there weren’t?’ ‘What did they look like?’ asked the innkeeper. ‘What I saw just now,’ said the traveller, ‘were tiny little things. If they weren’t the fox’s sons, they must have been the fox’s grandsons!’” When she finished, the guests burst out laughing. “Since you won’t let us see you,” said Sun, “we’ll stay and not leave, and spoil your nights at the Yang Terrace.” The fox laughed. “Stay the night by all means. But if I give you some small offence, please don’t take it to heart.” The guests were afraid she would play some trick on them, and they all went off together. Still, every few days they would come back and get the fox to tease and abuse them. The fox was very witty. Every word she said turned the guests upside down, and even the sharpest jokers could not get the better of her. They took to calling her Lady Fox.