甘玉，字璧人，廬陵人。父母早喪。遺弟珏，字雙壁。始五歲，從兄鞠養；玉性友愛，撫弟如子。後珏漸長，丰姿秀出，又惠能文。玉益愛之。每曰：「吾弟表表，不可以無良匹。」然簡拔過刻，姻卒不就。適讀書匡山僧寺，夜初就枕，聞窗外有女子聲。窺之，見三四女郎席地坐，數婢陳肴酒，皆殊色也。一女曰：「秦娘子，阿英何不來？」下座者曰：「昨自函谷來，被惡人傷右臂，不能同游，方用恨恨。」一女曰：「前宵一夢大惡，今猶汗悸。」下座者搖手曰：「莫道莫道！今宵姊妹懽會，言之嚇人不快。」女笑曰：「婢子何膽怯爾爾！便有虎狼啣去耶？若要勿言，須歌一曲，為娘行侑酒。」女低吟曰：「閒階桃花取次開，昨日踏青小約未應乖。付囑東鄰女伴少待莫相催，著得鳳頭鞋子即當來。」吟罷，一座無不歎賞。談笑間，忽一偉丈夫岸然自外入，鶻睛熒熒，其貌獰醜。眾啼曰：「妖至矣！」倉卒鬨然，殆如鳥散。惟歌者婀娜不前，被執哀啼，強與支撐。丈夫吼怒，齕手斷指，就便嚼食。女郎踣地若死。玉憐惻不可復忍，乃急袖劍拔關出，揮之，中股；股落，負痛逃去。扶女入室，面如塵土，血淋衿袖；驗其手，則右拇斷矣。裂帛代裹之。女始呻曰：「拯命之德，將何以報？」玉自初窺時，心已隱為弟謀，因告以意。女曰：「狼疾之人，不能操箕帚矣。當別為賢仲圖之。」詰其姓氏，答言：「秦氏。」玉乃展衾，俾暫休養；自乃襆被他所。曉而視之，則床已空；意其自歸。而訪察近村，殊少此姓；廣托戚朋，並無確耗。歸與弟言，悔恨若失。
甘玉，字璧人，是廬陵人，父母很早就去世了，留下弟弟甘珏，字雙壁。甘珏當時才五歲，由哥哥撫養長大。甘玉天性愛護弟弟，把他當自己的孩子一樣養育。後來甘珏漸漸長大，容貌俊秀，又聰明，會寫文章，甘玉更加疼愛他，常說：「我弟弟這麼出眾，一定要給他找個好妻子。」可是他挑選得太苛刻，婚事始終沒有定下來。甘玉有一陣在匡山的一座寺廟裡讀書。一天夜裡，他剛躺下，就聽見窗外有女子說話。他偷偷看去，見三四個年輕女子坐在地上，幾個婢女擺著酒菜，個個都十分美貌。一個女子說：「秦娘子，阿英怎麼沒來？」坐在下首的女子說：「她昨天從函谷來，被壞人傷了右臂，不能跟我們一起出來，正為這事懊惱呢。」另一個女子說：「前天晚上我做了個很不好的夢，到現在想起來還冒汗心慌。」坐在下首的女子連忙擺手說：「別說，別說！今晚姐妹們歡歡喜喜地聚在一起，說這些嚇人的事，多掃興。」那女子笑著說：「你這丫頭怎麼膽小成這樣！難道還會有虎狼把你叼走嗎？要我不說，你就得唱一曲，給姐妹們喝酒助興。」坐在下首的秦娘子便低聲唱道：「閒靜的臺階旁，桃花一朵接一朵地開了；昨天約好一起踏青，可不能失約。囑咐東鄰的女伴稍等一會兒，別催我；等我穿好鳳頭鞋，就來。」唱完後，滿座的人無不讚賞。大家正說笑著，忽然有個高大的男子從外面大模大樣地走進來，兩眼像鷂鷹的眼睛一樣閃著光，面目猙獰醜陋。眾女子哭喊道：「妖怪來了！」頓時亂作一團，像鳥一樣四散逃走。只有唱歌的女子身子柔弱，沒能逃開，被他抓住，哭著哀求，竭力掙扎。那男子憤怒地吼叫著，咬住她的手，咬斷一根手指，當場嚼著吃了。女子倒在地上，像死了一樣。甘玉看得心痛，再也忍不住，急忙把劍藏在袖中，拔開門閂出去，一劍砍中那男子的大腿，腿被砍斷了，那男子忍著疼逃走。甘玉扶女子進屋，見她臉色灰白，衣襟和袖子上滿是鮮血。檢視她的手，原來右手拇指斷了，便撕下綢布替她包紮。女子這才呻吟著說：「你救了我的命，我該怎麼報答呢？」甘玉從最初偷偷看見她時，就暗暗想讓她嫁給弟弟，於是把自己的意思告訴了她。女子說：「我如今傷殘了，不能料理家務，做人妻子了。我會另替你的好弟弟物色一個。」甘玉問她的姓氏，她回答：「姓秦。」甘玉便鋪好被褥，讓她暫且休息養傷，自己抱著被褥到別處睡。天亮後去看，床上已經空了，他以為她自行回家了。可是到附近村莊打聽，姓秦的人家很少，又廣泛托親友尋訪，也沒有得到確切的訊息。他回家把這事告訴弟弟，心裡悔恨，像丟了什麼寶貴的東西一樣。
甘玉，字璧人，庐陵人。父母早丧。遗弟珏，字双壁。始五岁，从兄鞠养；玉性友爱，抚弟如子。后珏渐长，丰姿秀出，又惠能文。玉益爱之。每曰：「吾弟表表，不可以无良匹。」然简拔过刻，姻卒不就。适读书匡山僧寺，夜初就枕，闻窗外有女子声。窥之，见三四女郎席地坐，数婢陈肴酒，皆殊色也。一女曰：「秦娘子，阿英何不来？」下座者曰：「昨自函谷来，被恶人伤右臂，不能同游，方用恨恨。」一女曰：「前宵一梦大恶，今犹汗悸。」下座者摇手曰：「莫道莫道！今宵姊妹懽会，言之吓人不快。」女笑曰：「婢子何胆怯尔尔！便有虎狼啣去耶？若要勿言，须歌一曲，为娘行侑酒。」女低吟曰：「闲阶桃花取次开，昨日踏青小约未应乖。付嘱东邻女伴少待莫相催，着得凤头鞋子即当来。」吟罢，一座无不叹赏。谈笑间，忽一伟丈夫岸然自外入，鹘睛荧荧，其貌狞丑。众啼曰：「妖至矣！」仓卒哄然，殆如鸟散。惟歌者婀娜不前，被执哀啼，强与支撑。丈夫吼怒，龁手断指，就便嚼食。女郎踣地若死。玉怜恻不可复忍，乃急袖剑拔关出，挥之，中股；股落，负痛逃去。扶女入室，面如尘土，血淋衿袖；验其手，则右拇断矣。裂帛代裹之。女始呻曰：「拯命之德，将何以报？」玉自初窥时，心已隐为弟谋，因告以意。女曰：「狼疾之人，不能操箕帚矣。当别为贤仲图之。」诘其姓氏，答言：「秦氏。」玉乃展衾，俾暂休养；自乃襆被他所。晓而视之，则床已空；意其自归。而访察近村，殊少此姓；广托戚朋，并无确耗。归与弟言，悔恨若失。
甘玉，字璧人，是庐陵人，父母很早就去世了，留下弟弟甘珏，字双壁。甘珏当时才五岁，由哥哥抚养长大。甘玉天性爱护弟弟，把他当自己的孩子一样养育。后来甘珏渐渐长大，容貌俊秀，又聪明，会写文章，甘玉更加疼爱他，常说：“我弟弟这么出众，一定要给他找个好妻子。”可是他挑选得太苛刻，婚事始终没有定下来。甘玉有一阵在匡山的一座寺庙里读书。一天夜里，他刚躺下，就听见窗外有女子说话。他偷偷看去，见三四个年轻女子坐在地上，几个婢女摆着酒菜，个个都十分美貌。一个女子说：“秦娘子，阿英怎么没来？”坐在下首的女子说：“她昨天从函谷来，被坏人伤了右臂，不能跟我们一起出来，正为这事懊恼呢。”另一个女子说：“前天晚上我做了个很不好的梦，到现在想起来还冒汗心慌。”坐在下首的女子连忙摆手说：“别说，别说！今晚姐妹们欢欢喜喜地聚在一起，说这些吓人的事，多扫兴。”那女子笑着说：“你这丫头怎么胆小成这样！难道还会有虎狼把你叼走吗？要我不说，你就得唱一曲，给姐妹们喝酒助兴。”坐在下首的秦娘子便低声唱道：“闲静的台阶旁，桃花一朵接一朵地开了；昨天约好一起踏青，可不能失约。嘱咐东邻的女伴稍等一会儿，别催我；等我穿好凤头鞋，就来。”唱完后，满座的人无不赞赏。大家正说笑着，忽然有个高大的男子从外面大模大样地走进来，两眼像鹞鹰的眼睛一样闪着光，面目狰狞丑陋。众女子哭喊道：“妖怪来了！”顿时乱作一团，像鸟一样四散逃走。只有唱歌的女子身子柔弱，没能逃开，被他抓住，哭着哀求，竭力挣扎。那男子愤怒地吼叫着，咬住她的手，咬断一根手指，当场嚼着吃了。女子倒在地上，像死了一样。甘玉看得心痛，再也忍不住，急忙把剑藏在袖中，拔开门闩出去，一剑砍中那男子的大腿，腿被砍断了，那男子忍着疼逃走。甘玉扶女子进屋，见她脸色灰白，衣襟和袖子上满是鲜血。查看她的手，原来右手拇指断了，便撕下绸布替她包扎。女子这才呻吟着说：“你救了我的命，我该怎么报答呢？”甘玉从最初偷偷看见她时，就暗暗想让她嫁给弟弟，于是把自己的意思告诉了她。女子说：“我如今伤残了，不能料理家务，做人妻子了。我会另替你的好弟弟物色一个。”甘玉问她的姓氏，她回答：“姓秦。”甘玉便铺好被褥，让她暂且休息养伤，自己抱着被褥到别处睡。天亮后去看，床上已经空了，他以为她自行回家了。可是到附近村庄打听，姓秦的人家很少，又广泛托亲友寻访，也没有得到确切的消息。他回家把这事告诉弟弟，心里悔恨，像丢了什么宝贵的东西一样。
Gan Yu, courtesy name Biren, was a man of Luling. His parents died early and left him a younger brother, Jue, courtesy name Shuangbi, who was only five. Jue was brought up by his elder brother. Yu was by nature a loving brother and raised Jue like a son. As Jue grew up he became strikingly handsome, quick-witted too, and a good writer. Yu loved him all the more. “My brother stands out from the crowd,” he would say. “He must not go without a good match.” But he was too exacting in his choice, and no marriage was ever settled. Yu happened to be studying at a Buddhist temple on Mount Kuang. One night, just as he had gone to bed, he heard women’s voices outside the window. He peeped out and saw three or four young women sitting on mats on the ground while several maids set out food and wine. All of them were remarkable beauties. One of the women said, “Miss Qin, why hasn’t A-Ying come?” The one in the lowest seat said, “She came from Hangu Pass yesterday, and some villain wounded her right arm. She couldn’t join us, and she’s terribly vexed about it.” One of the women said, “I had a very bad dream the night before last. I’m still sweating and shaking from it.” The one in the lowest seat waved her hand. “Don’t say it, don’t say it! Tonight we sisters are having a happy party. Talk like that frightens people and spoils the fun.” The other laughed. “What a coward the girl is! Do you think a tiger or a wolf is going to carry you off? If you don’t want me to tell it, you must sing a song to go with the ladies’ wine.” The girl sang softly: ‘By the idle steps the peach blossoms open one by one; / yesterday’s little promise to go walking on the spring grass must not be broken. / I tell the girl next door to the east: wait a little, don’t hurry me — / as soon as I have my phoenix-toed slippers on, I’ll come.’ When she had finished, everyone sighed with admiration. In the midst of their talk and laughter, a huge man suddenly strode haughtily in from outside, with glittering falcon’s eyes and a hideous, savage face. The women cried, “The demon is here!” and in an uproar they scattered like birds. Only the singer, too delicate to get away, was seized. She wept and pleaded and struggled against him. The man roared with rage, bit her hand, severed a finger, and chewed it up then and there. The girl fell to the ground as if dead. Yu’s pity was more than he could bear. He hurried out with a sword in his sleeve, threw back the bolt, and slashed at the man, striking his thigh. The leg fell off, and the man fled in pain. Yu helped the girl inside. Her face was the colour of dust, and blood soaked her collar and sleeves. He looked at her hand: the right thumb had been bitten off. He tore a strip of silk and bound it for her. At last she moaned, “You have saved my life. How can I ever repay you?” From the moment he first peeped at her, Yu had quietly been thinking of his brother, so he told her what he had in mind. “A maimed woman cannot hold the broom and dustpan,” she said. “I will find someone else for your good brother.” He asked her family name. “Qin,” she said. Yu spread out his quilt so that she could rest for a while, and took his own bedding elsewhere. At dawn he went to look, and the bed was empty. He supposed she had gone home. But when he made inquiries in the nearby villages, hardly anyone had that name, and though he asked all his friends and relations, no one had any sure news. He went home and told his brother, and was as full of regret as if he had lost something.