Prevod

South of Anyang stood a wayside lodge where no one could spend the night: anyone who did was invariably killed. A scholar versed in divination came to stay there, but the local people warned him, “You cannot spend the night here. Of all those who have stayed here, not one has come out alive.” The scholar said, “There is nothing to fear. I can look after myself.” He took up quarters in the lodge, sat upright, and recited from his books. After a long while, he stopped to rest. Sometime after midnight, a figure in an unlined black robe appeared outside the door and called to the master of the lodge. The master answered. “Have you seen anyone in the lodge?” the figure asked. “A scholar was reading here earlier,” came the reply. “He has just stopped, but he does not seem to be asleep yet.” The figure gave a low groan and left. Before long, another figure appeared, this one wearing a red headcloth, and called to the master of the lodge. The same questions and answers passed between them, and this figure too gave a low groan and departed. All was quiet after that. Knowing that no one else was coming, the scholar rose, went to the place from which the figures had called, and imitated their call to the master of the lodge. The master answered him as well. “Is there anyone in the lodge?” he asked. The master replied as before. The scholar then asked, “Who was that who came in black just now?” “The sow from the house to the north.” “And who was the one wearing a red headcloth?” “The old rooster from the house to the west.” “And who are you?” “I am an old scorpion.” The scholar then quietly resumed reciting from his books, not daring to sleep before dawn. When morning came, the local people arrived to look for him and exclaimed in astonishment, “How have you alone survived?” The scholar said, “Fetch me a sword at once, and I will rid you of these evil spirits.” Sword in hand, he went to the place from which the answers had come the night before and found, just as he expected, an old scorpion as large as a pipa, with a venomous sting several feet long. At the house to the west he found an old rooster, and at the house to the north an old sow. He killed all three creatures, and the evil haunting the lodge was laid to rest. Never again did any calamity befall those who stayed there.