Waltey

Prevod

Long ago, a samurai who served at the governor’s residence in Kai Province left the residence one evening to return home. On the road he encountered a fox, chased after it, and shot a whistling arrow, striking it in the haunches. The fox tumbled over, crying piteously, then dragged its hindquarters into the grass. The man retrieved his arrow and rode on, but presently the fox appeared ahead of him, still dragging its hindquarters. He made to shoot it again, and it vanished. When he was within four or five chō of home, he saw the fox running some two chō ahead with fire in its mouth. “What can it mean, running with fire in its mouth?” he wondered, and urged his horse into a gallop. But the fox ran up to his house, changed into a human being, and set it alight. “So the stories people tell are true!” he exclaimed, nocking an arrow and spurring his horse onward. But by then the creature had finished setting the fire; it changed back into a fox, darted into the grass, and vanished. And so his house burned down. Even a creature such as this will take swift revenge for an injury. Let those who hear this tale take care never to torment such creatures.

Nalagam bralnik