朝天觀道士某，喜吐納之術。有翁假寓觀中，適同所好，遂為玄友。居數年，每至郊祭時，輒先旬日而去，郊後乃返。道士疑而問之。翁曰：「我兩人莫逆，可以實告：我狐也。郊期至，則諸神清穢，我無所容，故行遁耳。」又一年，及期而去，久不復返。疑之。一日忽至。因問其故。答曰：「我幾不復見子矣！曩欲遠避，心頗怠，視陰溝甚隱，遂潛伏卷瓮下。不意靈官糞除至此，瞥為所睹，憤欲加鞭。余懼而逃。靈官追逐甚急。至黃河上，瀕將及矣。大窘無計，竄伏溷中。神惡其穢，始返身去。既出，臭惡沾染，不可復游人世。乃投水自濯訖，又蟄隱穴中幾百日，垢濁始淨。今來相別，兼以致囑：君亦宜隱身他去，大劫將來，此非福地也。」言已，辭去。道士依言別徙。未幾而有甲申之變。
朝天觀有個道士，喜愛吐納養氣的修煉方法。有位老翁借住在觀裡，恰好也有同樣的愛好，兩人便成了修道的朋友。住了幾年，每到朝廷舉行郊祭的時候，老翁總要提前十天離開，等郊祭結束才回來。道士心裡疑惑，便問他緣故。老翁說：「我們兩人情投意合，可以實話告訴你：我是一隻狐狸。郊祭的時候，眾神要清除汙穢，我無處容身，所以只能離開躲藏。」又過了一年，老翁到時候便走了，卻久久沒有回來。道士很是疑惑。一天，老翁忽然來了，道士便問他為什麼離開這麼久。老翁回答：「我險些再也見不到你了！先前本想躲到遠處，心裡卻有些懶怠，看見一條陰溝十分隱蔽，便藏在卷甕下面。沒想到靈官清掃汙穢，來到這裡，一眼看見了我，發怒要用鞭子打我。我害怕，便逃了出去。靈官追得很緊，到了黃河邊，眼看就要追上了。我窘迫到了極點，無計可施，只好鑽進廁所躲著。靈官嫌那裡汙穢，這才轉身離去。我出來以後，身上沾滿了惡臭，無法再到人間活動，便跳進水裡洗乾淨，又在洞穴裡藏了將近一百天，汙濁才徹底消除。如今來向你告別，也順便囑咐你：你也該藏起行蹤，搬到別處去。一場大災難就要來了，這裡不是有福的地方。」說完，他便告辭離去。道士照他的話搬到了別處。不久，就發生了甲申之變。
朝天观道士某，喜吐纳之术。有翁假寓观中，适同所好，遂为玄友。居数年，每至郊祭时，辄先旬日而去，郊后乃返。道士疑而问之。翁曰：「我两人莫逆，可以实告：我狐也。郊期至，则诸神清秽，我无所容，故行遁耳。」又一年，及期而去，久不复返。疑之。一日忽至。因问其故。答曰：「我几不复见子矣！曩欲远避，心颇怠，视阴沟甚隐，遂潜伏卷瓮下。不意灵官粪除至此，瞥为所睹，愤欲加鞭。余惧而逃。灵官追逐甚急。至黄河上，濒将及矣。大窘无计，窜伏溷中。神恶其秽，始返身去。既出，臭恶沾染，不可复游人世。乃投水自濯讫，又蛰隐穴中几百日，垢浊始净。今来相别，兼以致嘱：君亦宜隐身他去，大劫将来，此非福地也。」言已，辞去。道士依言别徙。未几而有甲申之变。
朝天观有个道士，喜爱吐纳养气的修炼方法。有位老翁借住在观里，恰好也有同样的爱好，两人便成了修道的朋友。住了几年，每到朝廷举行郊祭的时候，老翁总要提前十天离开，等郊祭结束才回来。道士心里疑惑，便问他缘故。老翁说：“我们两人情投意合，可以实话告诉你：我是一只狐狸。郊祭的时候，众神要清除污秽，我无处容身，所以只能离开躲藏。”又过了一年，老翁到时候便走了，却久久没有回来。道士很是疑惑。一天，老翁忽然来了，道士便问他为什么离开这么久。老翁回答：“我险些再也见不到你了！先前本想躲到远处，心里却有些懒怠，看见一条阴沟十分隐蔽，便藏在卷瓮下面。没想到灵官清扫污秽，来到这里，一眼看见了我，发怒要用鞭子打我。我害怕，便逃了出去。灵官追得很紧，到了黄河边，眼看就要追上了。我窘迫到了极点，无计可施，只好钻进厕所躲着。灵官嫌那里污秽，这才转身离去。我出来以后，身上沾满了恶臭，无法再到人间活动，便跳进水里洗干净，又在洞穴里藏了将近一百天，污浊才彻底消除。如今来向你告别，也顺便嘱咐你：你也该藏起行踪，搬到别处去。一场大灾难就要来了，这里不是有福的地方。”说完，他便告辞离去。道士照他的话搬到了别处。不久，就发生了甲申之变。
A certain Daoist of the Chaotian Temple was devoted to the art of breathing exercises. An old man lodging at the temple happened to share the same pursuit, and the two became friends in the mysteries. For several years, whenever the time of the suburban sacrifice came round, the old man would leave ten days beforehand and return only after it was over. The Daoist grew suspicious and asked him about it. “We two are of one heart,” said the old man, “so I can tell you the truth: I am a fox. When the sacrifice comes, all the gods clear away whatever is unclean, and there is no place for me. So I go into hiding.” The next year he left when the time came and stayed away a long while. The Daoist wondered at it. Then one day the old man suddenly appeared, and the Daoist asked what had happened. “I very nearly never saw you again!” he said. “I meant to go far off, but I felt lazy. A drain looked well hidden, so I crept in under a jar there. I never thought the Spirit Officer would come sweeping that way. He caught sight of me, and in his anger he was going to take the whip to me. I fled in terror, and he chased me hard. By the time we reached the Yellow River he was almost on me. Desperate, with nowhere to turn, I dived into a privy. The god loathed the filth, and at last he turned and went back. Once I was out, I was so fouled with stench that I could not go among men again. I threw myself into the water and washed, then lay hidden in a burrow for nearly a hundred days before I was clean. Now I have come to say goodbye, and to warn you: you too should go and hide somewhere else. A great kalpa is coming, and this is no blessed place.” With that he took his leave. The Daoist did as he said, said goodbye and moved away. Not long after came the upheaval of the jiashen year.