法苑珠林 31.60

31.60

安陽城南有一亭廟。不可宿也。若宿殺人。有一書生乃過宿之。亭民曰。此不可宿。前後宿此未有活者。書生曰。無苦也。吾自能諧。遂住廟舍。乃端坐誦書。良久乃休。夜半後有一人。著皂單衣來往戶外。呼亭主。亭主應曰諾。亭中有人耶。答曰。向者有一書生在此讀書。久適休似未寐。乃喑嗟而去。須臾復有一人。冠幘赤衣。呼亭主。亭主應諾。亦復問。亭中有人耶。亭主答如前。復喑嗟而去。於是書生無他。起詣向者呼處。微呼亭主。亭主亦應諾。復問亭中有人耶。亭主答如前。乃問。向者黑衣來者誰。曰北舍母猪也。又曰。赤冠幘來者誰。曰西舍老雄雞父也。曰汝復誰耶。曰我是老蠍也。於是書生密便誦書至明不敢寐。天明亭民來視驚曰。君何以得活耶。書生曰。汝捉索函來。吾與卿取魅。乃掘昨夜應處。果得老蠍。大如琵琶。毒長數尺。於西家得老雄雞父。北舍得母猪。凡殺三物。亭毒遂靜。永無災橫也。

South of the city of Anyang there was a postal pavilion temple where one could not lodge; if one lodged there, people were killed. A scholar passed by and stayed the night. The pavilion keeper said, 'One cannot lodge here. Hitherto, none who lodged here have survived.' The scholar said, 'No harm; I can handle it myself.' He then stayed in the temple quarters, sat upright, and chanted his books. Only after a long while did he rest. After midnight, there was a person wearing a plain black unlined robe who paced back and forth outside the door, calling for the pavilion master. The pavilion master answered, 'Yes.' 'Is there someone in the pavilion?' He answered, 'Earlier there was a scholar reading books here; he rested only just now and seems not yet asleep.' [The caller] then sighed deeply and left. Shortly after, there was another person, with a cap, headcloth, and red garments, who called for the pavilion master. The pavilion master answered, 'Yes.' He also asked, 'Is there someone in the pavilion?' The pavilion master answered as before. He too sighed deeply and left. Thereupon, finding no further trouble, the scholar rose and went to the place called earlier, whispering a call for the pavilion master. The pavilion master likewise answered, 'Yes.' He asked again, 'Is there someone in the pavilion?' The pavilion master answered as before. He then asked, 'Who was the one in black robes who came earlier?' [The master] said, 'The sow in the northern shed.' He further asked, 'Who was the one with the red cap and headcloth who came?' He said, 'The old rooster in the western shed.' He asked, 'And who are you?' He said, 'I am an old scorpion.' Thereupon the scholar quietly chanted his books until dawn, not daring to sleep. At daybreak, the pavilion keeper came to see him and said in astonishment, 'How did you manage to survive, sir?' The scholar said, 'Bring ropes and boxes; I shall capture the demons with you.' They then dug up the place where the voice had answered the night before and indeed found an old scorpion, as large as a pipa, with a venomous stinger several feet long. At the western house they found the old rooster, and at the northern shed they found the sow. In total they killed the three creatures. The pavilion's poison was thereupon quieted, and there were never any more calamities or untimely harms.