汾州判朱公者，居廨多狐。公夜坐，有女子往來燈下。初謂是家人婦，未遑顧瞻；及舉目，竟不相識，而容光艷艷。心知其狐，而愛好之，遽呼之來。女停履笑曰：「厲聲加人，誰是汝婢媼耶？」朱笑而起，曳坐謝過。遂與款密，久如夫妻之好。忽謂曰：「君秩當遷，別有日矣。」問：「何時？」答曰：「目前。但賀者在門，吊者即在閭，不能官也。」三日，遷報果至。次日，即得太夫人訃音。公解任，欲與偕旋。狐不可。送之河上，強之登舟。女曰：「君自不知，狐不能過河也。」朱不忍別，戀戀河畔。女忽出，言將一謁故舊。移時歸，即有客來答拜。女別室與語。客去乃來，曰：「請便登舟，妾送君渡。」朱曰：「向言不能渡，今何以云？」曰：「曩所謁非他，河神也。妾以君故，特請之。彼限我十天往復，故可暫依耳。」遂同濟。至十日，果別而去。
汾州的判官朱公，住的官舍裡有很多狐狸。一夜，朱公坐著，見一個女子在燈下來來往往。起初以為是家裡僕人的妻子，沒有顧得上看她；等抬眼看時，卻根本不認識，而且她容貌十分豔麗。他心裡知道她是狐狸，卻喜歡她的美貌，便急忙高聲叫她過來。女子停下腳步，笑道：「這麼大聲地喝斥人，誰是你的婢女婆子啊？」朱公笑著起身，拉她坐下，向她賠不是。從此兩人親密相好，長久相處，像夫妻一樣。一天，女子忽然對他說：「你該升官了，我們分別的日子也快到了。」朱公問：「什麼時候？」她答道：「就在眼前。不過，道賀的人剛到門口，弔喪的人就會跟著來到，你是做不成官的。」三天後，升遷的訊息果然到了。第二天，他就收到母親去世的訃告。朱公辭去官職，想帶著狐狸一起回家，狐狸不肯。她送他到河邊，朱公硬要她上船。女子說：「你還不知道，狐狸是不能過河的。」朱公捨不得與她分開，依依不捨地留在河邊。女子忽然出門，說要去拜訪一位老朋友。過了一會兒回來，隨即有個客人來回拜，女子在另一間屋裡和他交談。客人走後，她才來對朱公說：「請上船吧，我送你過河。」朱公說：「剛才說不能過河，現在怎麼又這樣說？」她說：「剛才拜訪的不是別人，是河神。我為了你，特地去求他。他限我十天之內往返，所以只能暫時陪著你。」於是兩人一起渡河。到了第十天，她果然告別離去。
汾州判朱公者，居廨多狐。公夜坐，有女子往来灯下。初谓是家人妇，未遑顾瞻；及举目，竟不相识，而容光艳艳。心知其狐，而爱好之，遽呼之来。女停履笑曰：「厉声加人，谁是汝婢媪耶？」朱笑而起，曳坐谢过。遂与款密，久如夫妻之好。忽谓曰：「君秩当迁，别有日矣。」问：「何时？」答曰：「目前。但贺者在门，吊者即在闾，不能官也。」三日，迁报果至。次日，即得太夫人讣音。公解任，欲与偕旋。狐不可。送之河上，强之登舟。女曰：「君自不知，狐不能过河也。」朱不忍别，恋恋河畔。女忽出，言将一谒故旧。移时归，即有客来答拜。女别室与语。客去乃来，曰：「请便登舟，妾送君渡。」朱曰：「向言不能渡，今何以云？」曰：「曩所谒非他，河神也。妾以君故，特请之。彼限我十天往复，故可暂依耳。」遂同济。至十日，果别而去。
汾州的判官朱公，住的官舍里有很多狐狸。一夜，朱公坐着，见一个女子在灯下来来往往。起初以为是家里仆人的妻子，没有顾得上看她；等抬眼看时，却根本不认识，而且她容貌十分艳丽。他心里知道她是狐狸，却喜欢她的美貌，便急忙高声叫她过来。女子停下脚步，笑道：“这么大声地喝斥人，谁是你的婢女婆子啊？”朱公笑着起身，拉她坐下，向她赔不是。从此两人亲密相好，长久相处，像夫妻一样。一天，女子忽然对他说：“你该升官了，我们分别的日子也快到了。”朱公问：“什么时候？”她答道：“就在眼前。不过，道贺的人刚到门口，吊丧的人就会跟着来到，你是做不成官的。”三天后，升迁的消息果然到了。第二天，他就收到母亲去世的讣告。朱公辞去官职，想带着狐狸一起回家，狐狸不肯。她送他到河边，朱公硬要她上船。女子说：“你还不知道，狐狸是不能过河的。”朱公舍不得与她分开，依依不舍地留在河边。女子忽然出门，说要去拜访一位老朋友。过了一会儿回来，随即有个客人来回拜，女子在另一间屋里和他交谈。客人走后，她才来对朱公说：“请上船吧，我送你过河。”朱公说：“刚才说不能过河，现在怎么又这样说？”她说：“刚才拜访的不是别人，是河神。我为了你，特地去求他。他限我十天之内往返，所以只能暂时陪着你。”于是两人一起渡河。到了第十天，她果然告别离去。
Zhu, the assistant magistrate of Fenzhou, had many foxes in his official residence. One night as he sat up late, a woman kept passing back and forth in the lamplight. At first he took her for the wife of one of his servants and did not trouble to look at her. When he did raise his eyes, she was a stranger, and radiantly beautiful. He knew she must be a fox, but he liked her, and called her over sharply. She stopped and laughed. “Shouting at people like that — who do you think I am, your maid?” Zhu laughed, rose, drew her to a seat and begged her pardon. After that they were close and tender, and for a long time lived as fondly as husband and wife. One day she said suddenly, “You are due for promotion. We shall be parting soon.” “When?” he asked. “Very soon,” she answered. “But the people who come to congratulate you will be at your door, and the people who come to mourn will be right behind them in the lane. You will not be able to take the post.” Three days later, word of his promotion did come. The next day came news that his mother had died. Zhu gave up his post and wanted to take the fox home with him. She would not go. She saw him off at the river, and he pressed her to board the boat. “You don’t know, then,” she said. “Foxes cannot cross rivers.” Zhu could not bear to part from her, and lingered on the bank. Suddenly she went out, saying she was going to call on an old acquaintance. After a while she came back, and at once a visitor arrived to return her call. She talked with him in another room. When the visitor had gone she came to Zhu and said, “Please board the boat now. I will see you across.” “You said before that you couldn’t cross,” said Zhu. “Why do you say this now?” “The one I called on was none other than the river god. I asked him specially, for your sake. He has given me ten days to go and come back, so I can stay with you for a little while.” So they crossed together. On the tenth day, just as she had said, she took her leave and went.