法苑珠林 70.67

70.67

漢定襄太守竇奉妻生子武。并生一蛇。奉送蛇之于林。及武長大有海內俊名。母死將葬未窆。賓客聚集。有大蛇從林草中出。徑來棺下。委地俯仰。以頭擊棺。血涕并流。若哀慟者。

The wife of Dou Feng, the Grand Administrator of Dingxiang in the Han dynasty, gave birth to a son, Wu, and also gave birth to a snake. Feng sent the snake away into the forest. When Wu grew up, he gained great renown throughout the realm. When his mother died and was about to be buried, before the coffin was lowered into the pit while the guests were assembled, a great snake emerged from the brush of the forest. It went straight beneath the coffin, coiled on the ground, bowed and reared up, striking its head against the coffin with blood and tears flowing together, as if weeping in deep sorrow.