The Fox Inkstone
The poor scholar Liu Ming copies books by moonlight; an old man surnamed Hu comes by night to help, the inkstone fills itself and he corrects the youth's errors. When Liu passes the exam and goes to thank him, only a scroll of red-ink corrections is left on the desk; as an official he lights a lamp each night, but the old man never returns.
A poor scholar, Liu Ming, studied by night in a ruined temple; having no candle, he copied his books by moonlight. One evening the moon was dark and he could not write, and sighed before his scrolls. Suddenly came a knock; an old man with hair white as a crane entered, saying his surname was Hu, that he lived on the mountain, had heard of the youth's hard study, and wished to help.
Next morning the inkstone on the desk was full of itself, its fragrance lasting the night; the old man would each evening by the lamp correct his errors, and Liu's writing improved daily. After half a year Liu passed the local exam and, before going to the capital, went to thank the old man. Entering the temple, he found it empty, only on the desk a scroll of red-ink corrections, its characters elegant beyond the common world.
Later Liu became an official of learning and each night lit a lamp awaiting the old man, who never came again.
The Chronicler of the Strange says: Strange meetings come to those in hardship not by magic but because diligence moves things. Liu copied by moonlight, his will both pitiable and admirable; the fox, who is of another kind, pitied his talent and aided him, while men who own bright lamps and eat well sometimes bind their books unread — set beside this, can they not be ashamed? A being of another kind knew to honor learning; that men should cast it aside is a thing to sigh at.