譚晉玄，邑諸生也，篤信導引之術，寒暑不輟；行之數月，若有所得。一日，方趺坐，聞耳中小語如蠅，曰：「可以見矣。」開目即不復聞，合眸定息，又聞如故。謂是丹將成，竊喜，自是每坐輒聞，因（思）俟其再言，當應以覘之。一日，又言。乃微應曰：「可以見矣。」俄覺耳中習習然，似有物出。微睨之，小人長三寸許，貌獰惡如夜叉狀，旋轉地上。心竊異之，姑凝神以觀其變。忽有鄰人假物，扣門而呼，小人聞之，意張皇，繞屋而轉，如鼠失窟。譚覺神魂俱失，不復知小人何所之矣，遂得顛疾，號叫不休；醫藥半年，始漸愈。
譚晉玄是本縣的諸生，十分相信導引之術，不論寒暑都堅持練習。練了幾個月，似乎有了些收穫。一天，他正盤腿坐著，忽然聽見耳朵裡有細小的說話聲，像蒼蠅嗡嗡叫，說：「可以現身了。」他一睜眼，聲音就消失了；閉上眼睛，平定呼吸，又聽見同樣的聲音。他以為內丹快煉成了，暗自高興。從此，每回靜坐都能聽見，便想等那聲音再說話時，答應一聲，看看會怎樣。一天，那聲音又響了。他輕聲回答：「可以現身了。」不一會兒，便覺得耳朵裡有輕微的動靜，彷彿有什麼東西出來。他斜眼看去，只見一個約三寸高的小人，面貌兇惡，像夜叉一樣，在地上轉來轉去。他心裡覺得奇怪，暫且凝神看著，想看看接下來會發生什麼。忽然有鄰居來借東西，敲門呼喊。小人聽見，顯得十分驚慌，繞著屋子亂轉，像找不到洞穴的老鼠。譚晉玄覺得自己的魂魄全都失去了，也不知道小人去了哪裡，隨後便得了瘋病，不停地大喊大叫。經過半年的醫治，才漸漸好轉。
谭晋玄，邑诸生也，笃信导引之术，寒暑不辍；行之数月，若有所得。一日，方趺坐，闻耳中小语如蝇，曰：「可以见矣。」开目即不复闻，合眸定息，又闻如故。谓是丹将成，窃喜，自是每坐辄闻，因（思）俟其再言，当应以觇之。一日，又言。乃微应曰：「可以见矣。」俄觉耳中习习然，似有物出。微睨之，小人长三寸许，貌狞恶如夜叉状，旋转地上。心窃异之，姑凝神以观其变。忽有邻人假物，扣门而呼，小人闻之，意张皇，绕屋而转，如鼠失窟。谭觉神魂俱失，不复知小人何所之矣，遂得颠疾，号叫不休；医药半年，始渐愈。
谭晋玄是本县的诸生，十分相信导引之术，不论寒暑都坚持练习。练了几个月，似乎有了些收获。一天，他正盘腿坐着，忽然听见耳朵里有细小的说话声，像苍蝇嗡嗡叫，说：“可以现身了。”他一睁眼，声音就消失了；闭上眼睛，平定呼吸，又听见同样的声音。他以为内丹快炼成了，暗自高兴。从此，每回静坐都能听见，便想等那声音再说话时，答应一声，看看会怎样。一天，那声音又响了。他轻声回答：“可以现身了。”不一会儿，便觉得耳朵里有轻微的动静，仿佛有什么东西出来。他斜眼看去，只见一个约三寸高的小人，面貌凶恶，像夜叉一样，在地上转来转去。他心里觉得奇怪，暂且凝神看着，想看看接下来会发生什么。忽然有邻居来借东西，敲门呼喊。小人听见，显得十分惊慌，绕着屋子乱转，像找不到洞穴的老鼠。谭晋玄觉得自己的魂魄全都失去了，也不知道小人去了哪里，随后便得了疯病，不停地大喊大叫。经过半年的医治，才渐渐好转。
Tan Jinxuan was a licentiate of my county. He had a firm faith in the Daoist arts of guiding the breath and practised them winter and summer without a break. After some months he seemed to be getting somewhere. One day, as he sat cross-legged, he heard a small voice in his ear, like the buzz of a fly: “It can be seen now.” When he opened his eyes he heard nothing more. He closed them and stilled his breath, and heard it again as before. He thought the elixir was about to form, and was secretly pleased. From then on he heard it every time he sat. So he made up his mind to wait for it to speak again and answer it, to see what would happen. One day it spoke again. He answered softly, “It can be seen now.” At once he felt a rustling in his ear, as though something were coming out. He looked sidelong: a little man, three inches or so tall, as ugly and fierce as a yaksha, spinning round and round on the floor. Tan was secretly astonished, but for the moment he held his mind steady and watched to see what it would do. Suddenly a neighbour came to borrow something, knocking at the gate and calling out. Hearing this, the little man took fright and ran round and round the room like a rat that has lost its hole. Tan felt his spirit and soul leave him altogether, and never knew where the little man went. After that he fell into a madness and screamed without stopping. Only after half a year of doctors and medicine did he slowly recover.