Original Text
In the county there was a man who purchased an ox, which was very sturdy. One night, he dreamed that the ox grew two wings and flew away; he considered this dream an ill omen and feared the ox would be lost. He led the ox to the market and sold it at a reduced price. He wrapped the money from the sale in a cloth headband and wound it around his arm. On his way home, he saw a hawk feeding on a rabbit; as he approached, the hawk did not flee but remained quite tame. So he tied the hawk's foot with the corner of his headband and carried it on his arm. The hawk kept fluttering, and when he loosened his grip slightly, the hawk flew off with the headband containing the money. Although this was fated by destiny, if this man had not believed in the dream's portent and had not been greedy for an easy gain by picking up the hawk, how could a beast of the land have taken flight?
Commentary
A certain man from the county, trusting in a dream, sold his ox at a reduced price, and on the way, coveting another man's hawk, lost the money from the sale—truly a case of "losing both wife and soldiers," reflecting Pu Songling's complex mindset of believing in fate while distrusting dreams.