Original Text
Judge Zhu of Fenzhou Prefecture had many foxes in his official residence. One day, as Zhu sat at night, a woman passed back and forth beneath the lamp. At first he took her for one of the household women and paid no heed, but when he looked up, he realized he did not know her, and her countenance was radiantly beautiful. Zhu understood in his heart that she was a fox, yet, drawn by his fondness for her, he called out loudly for her to approach. The woman halted and said with a smile, "Calling so loudly—am I your maidservant or old nurse?" Zhu rose with a laugh, drew her over, and made her sit, offering his apologies. Thus they conversed intimately, and as time passed, they became as close as husband and wife. One day, the woman suddenly said to Zhu, "You are about to be promoted, and the day of our parting draws near." Zhu asked, "When will that be?" She replied, "It is imminent. But when the congratulatory guests arrive at your door, mourners will also reach the lane of your hometown, and you will not hold this office."
Three days later, the joyful news of his promotion indeed arrived. Yet on the very next day, he received the obituary of his mother's passing. Lord Zhu resigned from his post and intended to take the woman back to his hometown. The woman refused, seeing him off only to the riverbank. When Lord Zhu tried to force her onto the boat, she said, "You do not know this, but a fox cannot cross the river." Lord Zhu could not bear to part, lingering reluctantly by the riverside. Suddenly, the woman left, saying she was going to visit an old friend. After some time, she returned, and soon a guest came to return the visit; the woman entertained the guest in another room. Only after the guest departed did she come back, saying, "Please board the boat now; I will see you across the river." Lord Zhu asked, "Did you not just say you could not cross the river? How is it that you can now?" The woman replied, "The one I visited just now was none other than the River God. For your sake, I specially sought his permission. He has granted me ten days to go and return, so I may temporarily accompany you." Thus, they crossed the river together. On the tenth day, the woman indeed parted and left.
Commentary
Although foxes are widely distributed across our country's regions, they are primarily found in the north, that is, the areas north of the Yellow River. This boundary at the Yellow River, with only a sparse presence south of it, likely forms the basis for the folk legend that foxes cannot cross the river and only gain passage after negotiating with the River God.
"Fox of Fenzhou" is structured around three episodes: first, the encounter and friendship with the fox; second, the fox's prophecy to Judge Zhu of Fenzhou that "while the congratulator is at the gate, the mourner is already in the lane"; and third, the fox initially declaring it "cannot cross the river," but later, after communicating with the River God, being permitted to cross for ten days. However, the narration of the first two episodes merely serves as a prelude to the third and most intriguing episode—the fox's inability to cross the river.