教官某，甚聾，而與一狐善；狐耳語之，亦能聞。每見上官，亦與狐俱，人不知其重聽也。積五六年，狐別而去。囑曰：「君如傀儡，非挑弄之，則五官俱廢。與其以聾取罪，不如早自高也。」某戀祿，不能從其言，應對屢乖。學使欲逐之，某又求當道者為之緩頰。一日，執事文場，唱名畢，學使退與諸教官燕坐。教官各捫籍靴中，呈進關說。已而學使笑問：「貴學何獨無所呈進？」某茫然不解。近坐者肘之，以手入靴，示之勢。某為親戚寄賣房中偽器，輒藏靴中，隨在求售。因學使笑語，疑索此物。鞠躬起對曰：「有八錢者最佳，下官不敢呈進。」一座匿笑。學使叱出之，遂免官。
有個教官，耳朵聾得很厲害，卻與一隻狐狸交好。狐狸在他耳邊說話，他也能聽見。他每次拜見上官，都帶著狐狸一起去，別人不知道他耳背。過了五六年，狐狸告辭離去，囑咐他說：「你就像個木偶，沒有人牽動操縱，五官就都不起作用。與其因為耳聾獲罪，不如早些主動辭官。」教官貪戀俸祿，不能聽從它的話，回答上官時常常答非所問。學使想把他免職，他又求有權勢的人替自己說好話。一天，他在考場辦事，點名完畢，學使退下來，同各位教官閒坐。教官們各自從靴筒裡摸出名單，遞上去，替名單上的人說情。過了一會兒，學使笑著問：「為什麼只有貴學沒有什麼遞上來？」教官茫然不懂。坐在旁邊的人用胳膊肘碰了碰他，又把手伸進靴筒，示意他這樣做。這教官替親戚寄賣房事用的假陽具，經常藏在靴筒裡，走到哪裡就在哪裡找人買。他見學使笑著說話，便以為學使要這種東西，於是起身鞠躬回答：「有賣八錢銀子的，最好，下官不敢獻上。」在座的人都忍著笑。學使把他呵斥出去，隨後免了他的官。
教官某，甚聋，而与一狐善；狐耳语之，亦能闻。每见上官，亦与狐俱，人不知其重听也。积五六年，狐别而去。嘱曰：「君如傀儡，非挑弄之，则五官俱废。与其以聋取罪，不如早自高也。」某恋禄，不能从其言，应对屡乖。学使欲逐之，某又求当道者为之缓颊。一日，执事文场，唱名毕，学使退与诸教官燕坐。教官各扪籍靴中，呈进关说。已而学使笑问：「贵学何独无所呈进？」某茫然不解。近坐者肘之，以手入靴，示之势。某为亲戚寄卖房中伪器，辄藏靴中，随在求售。因学使笑语，疑索此物。鞠躬起对曰：「有八钱者最佳，下官不敢呈进。」一座匿笑。学使叱出之，遂免官。
有个教官，耳朵聋得很厉害，却与一只狐狸交好。狐狸在他耳边说话，他也能听见。他每次拜见上官，都带着狐狸一起去，别人不知道他耳背。过了五六年，狐狸告辞离去，嘱咐他说：“你就像个木偶，没有人牵动操纵，五官就都不起作用。与其因为耳聋获罪，不如早些主动辞官。”教官贪恋俸禄，不能听从它的话，回答上官时常常答非所问。学使想把他免职，他又求有权势的人替自己说好话。一天，他在考场办事，点名完毕，学使退下来，同各位教官闲坐。教官们各自从靴筒里摸出名单，递上去，替名单上的人说情。过了一会儿，学使笑着问：“为什么只有贵学没有什么递上来？”教官茫然不懂。坐在旁边的人用胳膊肘碰了碰他，又把手伸进靴筒，示意他这样做。这教官替亲戚寄卖房事用的假阳具，经常藏在靴筒里，走到哪里就在哪里找人买。他见学使笑着说话，便以为学使要这种东西，于是起身鞠躬回答：“有卖八钱银子的，最好，下官不敢献上。”在座的人都忍着笑。学使把他呵斥出去，随后免了他的官。
There was a certain school instructor who was very deaf, but he was on good terms with a fox. When the fox whispered in his ear, he could hear. Whenever he called on his superiors, the fox went with him, and no one knew he was hard of hearing. After five or six years the fox took its leave. At parting it told him: “You are like a puppet: unless someone works the strings, all five of your senses are useless. Rather than get into trouble for your deafness, you had better retire early, of your own accord.” But the instructor was fond of his salary and could not follow its advice, and his answers were often wide of the mark. The education commissioner wanted to dismiss him, so he begged someone in power to put in a good word for him. One day he was on duty at the examination hall. When the roll had been called, the commissioner withdrew to sit at ease with the instructors. Each instructor felt in his boot for a list and handed it up, putting in a word for his candidates. Presently the commissioner smiled and asked him, “Why is it that your school alone has nothing to present?” The instructor stared blankly, not understanding. The man sitting next to him nudged him with an elbow, put a hand into his own boot and showed him what to do. Now, the instructor had been selling dildos on commission for a relative, and he always kept them in his boot and offered them for sale wherever he went. Since the commissioner was smiling as he spoke, he supposed it was one of these he wanted. He bowed, rose and answered: “The eight-qian ones are the best, but this humble official would not dare present one.” The whole company smothered their laughter. The commissioner shouted him out of the room, and he was dismissed from office.