天津某寺，鸛鳥巢於鴟尾。殿承塵上，藏大蛇如盆，每至鸛雛團翼時，輒出吞食淨盡。鸛悲鳴數日乃去。如是三年，人料其必不復至，而次歲巢如故。約雛長成，即徑去，三日始還。入巢啞啞，哺子如初。蛇又蜿蜒而上。甫近巢，兩鸛驚，飛鳴哀急，直上青冥。俄聞風聲蓬蓬，一瞬間，天地似晦。眾駭異，共視一大鳥，翼蔽天日，從空疾下，驟如風雨，以爪擊蛇，蛇首立墮，連摧殿角數尺許，振翼而去。鸛從其後，若將送之。巢既傾，兩雛俱墮，一生一死。僧取生者置鐘樓上。少頃，鸛返，仍就哺之，翼成而去。
天津有座寺廟，一對鸛鳥在屋脊的鴟尾上築了巢。大殿天花板上藏著一條粗如盆口的大蛇，每當小鸛的翅膀漸漸長成，它就出來，把小鸛吞吃得一隻不剩。鸛鳥悲鳴幾天才離去。這樣的事接連發生了三年，大家猜想它們一定不會再來了，可第二年，它們仍在原處築巢。等到小鸛快要長成時，鸛鳥便徑直飛走，過了三天才回來。它們飛進巢裡，呀呀地叫著，像從前一樣餵養幼鳥。那條蛇又蜿蜒爬了上來。剛靠近鳥巢，兩隻鸛鳥便受了驚，一邊飛，一邊急切地哀鳴，直衝高空。不一會兒，眾人聽見呼呼的風聲，轉眼間，天地彷彿暗了下來。大家又驚又奇，一同看見一隻大鳥，雙翅遮住了天空和太陽，從空中疾衝而下，來勢如同驟起的風雨。它用爪子猛擊大蛇，蛇頭立刻掉了下來，連大殿屋角也被毀掉了幾尺。大鳥隨即振翅飛走，鸛鳥跟在它後面，像是在送它。鳥巢已經翻倒，兩隻小鸛都掉了下來，一隻活著，一隻死了。僧人把活著的那隻放到鐘樓上。過了一會兒，鸛鳥回來，仍到那裡餵養它，等它羽翼長成後，才一同離去。
天津某寺，鹳鸟巢于鸱尾。殿承尘上，藏大蛇如盆，每至鹳雏团翼时，辄出吞食净尽。鹳悲鸣数日乃去。如是三年，人料其必不复至，而次岁巢如故。约雏长成，即径去，三日始还。入巢哑哑，哺子如初。蛇又蜿蜒而上。甫近巢，两鹳惊，飞鸣哀急，直上青冥。俄闻风声蓬蓬，一瞬间，天地似晦。众骇异，共视一大鸟，翼蔽天日，从空疾下，骤如风雨，以爪击蛇，蛇首立堕，连摧殿角数尺许，振翼而去。鹳从其后，若将送之。巢既倾，两雏俱堕，一生一死。僧取生者置钟楼上。少顷，鹳返，仍就哺之，翼成而去。
天津有座寺庙，一对鹳鸟在屋脊的鸱尾上筑了巢。大殿天花板上藏着一条粗如盆口的大蛇，每当小鹳的翅膀渐渐长成，它就出来，把小鹳吞吃得一只不剩。鹳鸟悲鸣几天才离去。这样的事接连发生了三年，大家猜想它们一定不会再来了，可第二年，它们仍在原处筑巢。等到小鹳快要长成时，鹳鸟便径直飞走，过了三天才回来。它们飞进巢里，呀呀地叫着，像从前一样喂养幼鸟。那条蛇又蜿蜒爬了上来。刚靠近鸟巢，两只鹳鸟便受了惊，一边飞，一边急切地哀鸣，直冲高空。不一会儿，众人听见呼呼的风声，转眼间，天地仿佛暗了下来。大家又惊又奇，一同看见一只大鸟，双翅遮住了天空和太阳，从空中疾冲而下，来势如同骤起的风雨。它用爪子猛击大蛇，蛇头立刻掉了下来，连大殿屋角也被毁掉了几尺。大鸟随即振翅飞走，鹳鸟跟在它后面，像是在送它。鸟巢已经翻倒，两只小鹳都掉了下来，一只活着，一只死了。僧人把活着的那只放到钟楼上。过了一会儿，鹳鸟回来，仍到那里喂养它，等它羽翼长成后，才一同离去。
At a temple in Tianjin, storks nested on the owl’s tail at the end of the roof ridge. Above the ceiling of the main hall lived a great snake, as thick as a basin. Every time the stork chicks began to grow their feathers, it came out and swallowed every last one. The storks would cry mournfully for several days and then leave. This went on for three years. People were sure they would never come back, but the next year they nested as before. When the chicks were nearly grown, the storks flew straight off and did not come back for three days. Then they went into the nest, croaking, and fed their young as before. Again the snake came winding its way up. It had just come near the nest when the two storks took fright and flew up, crying in desperate distress, straight into the blue sky. A moment later there came a rushing of wind, and in an instant heaven and earth seemed to go dark. Everyone was alarmed. Together they saw a huge bird, its wings blotting out the sun, swooping down from the sky as sudden as a storm. It struck the snake with its claws, and the snake’s head dropped off at once; several feet of the corner of the hall came crashing down with it. Then the bird beat its wings and was gone. The storks flew after it, as if seeing it off. The nest had tipped over, and both chicks had fallen, one alive and one dead. A monk took the live one and put it up in the bell tower. Soon the storks came back and went on feeding it there, and when its wings were grown, it flew away.