Prevod

During the Jian’an era of the Later Han, Chen Xian of Pei Commandery served as Commandant of Xihai. One of his men, Wang Lingxiao, ran away for no apparent reason, and Chen Xian wanted to have him killed. Before long, Lingxiao fled again. When he had been missing for some time, Chen Xian imprisoned his wife, who told him truthfully what she knew. “Some spirit must have lured him away,” Chen Xian said. “We must search for him.” He took several dozen men on foot and horseback, along with hunting dogs, and scoured the countryside outside the city. Sure enough, they found Lingxiao in an empty tomb. At the sound of the men and dogs, the creature fled. Chen Xian had his men help Lingxiao home. His appearance had already become rather foxlike. He scarcely responded to anyone, but only wept and cried out, “Azi!” Azi was the fox’s name. Only after ten days or more did he gradually recover his senses. He said, “When the fox first came, it appeared as a beautiful woman among the chicken roosts in a corner of the house. She called herself Azi and beckoned to me. This happened more than once. Then, all at once, I followed her away, and she became my wife. Every evening I would go home with her. I knew nothing of the dogs when they came. My happiness was beyond compare.” A Daoist priest said, “This is a mountain spirit.” The Records of Famous Mountains says, “The fox was once a wanton woman of ancient times. Her name was Azi, and she changed into a fox.” Thus these creatures often call themselves Azi.