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The Rain Lady
The lame old woman of Qingxi Town is in truth a lesser rain-god; in drought she tips her gourd and quietly makes rain, seen by young A-Mu, while the town thanks only the Dragon-King.
The Spirit Brush
In Old Zhou's brush-shop a wolf-hair brush has awakened a little spirit and will lay ink only for the sincere; the poor xiucai Shen Yan, pleading a widow's case, meets the brush that writes like thawing ice.
The Village God
The god of a ruined shrine shows his power not for sacrifice, but only to save a village's festival play—goodness seen in small things.
The Flower Spirit
The aged Wei-Purple peony turns to a spirit and loves the boy who waters her; when the bloom falls she returns, and her scent lingers on his robe.
The Loyal Dog
The black dog Wuzhui gives his body to save his drunken master from fire, and guards the grave three years after—villagers raise a stone for his righteousness.
The Fox Transform
The beauty who knocks at moonless nights is a great fox; the one who sees her true shape and does not flee reveals her loneliness.
The Thunder God
A filial-less son hides from the storm beneath a tree; the thunder-god splits the tree but spares the man, and leaves a verse behind.
The Turtle Spirit
An ancient turtle in the pond takes an old man's shape by night to play at go; lose a single game, and the rains fall out of season.