The Fox Concubine

There was a scholar named Shen Heng of Huaiyou, poor of purse yet pure of heart. On a snowy eve at year's end he found a fox beneath his fence, its fur bloodied, and took pity; he wrapped it in his worn coat. Ten days passed, and the fox was gone—yet a woman came into his room, saying her name was Hu, and asking to keep his house. Shen took her as a concubine: gentle, discerning, she read his mind. By lamplight she mended his clothes, by the window trimmed his candle, and the village spoke of his good fortune. When the great examinations drew near, Shen would go to the capital, but his purse was thin. At night Hu went to market; she returned with a chest full of white silver. He asked, and she smiled and said, "A small art of mine, sir—go, and I shall keep the house." He went, and passed the exams in turn, and was given a magistracy. At his post Hu came with him. He grew proud, and sought a rich man's daughter for his wife, slighting Hu. One night the old locust behind the yamen split open, and Hu, arranging her robe, bowed and said, "Sir is honoured now. I am a fox of Qingqiu; once I owed you mercy at the fence, and came to repay it. Now that wealth has washed away your memory, I stay no longer." So saying she became a white fox and went off into the moonlight. He could not overtake her, and the silver in his chest turned all to paper ash. The Chronicler of the Strange remarks: The fox repaid a kindness with kindness; the man, once honoured, changed his heart. One chilled thought, and a thousand coins turn to ash. They who rise and cast off their first wife—before this fox, are they not ashamed?