home; I will sacrifice my
friend!" Then he drew up his report, in which the officer was
indicted. An imperial order was issued, the matter was investigated,
and the officer was condemned to death. My husband, however, was at
once increased in rank, and from that time on advanced rapidly. And
with the exception of myself no one ever knew anything of the matter.'
When my mother told them of her encounter with Wang in the Nether
World, the whole family burst into loud weeping. Four tents full of
Buddhist and Taoist priests were sent for, who fasted and read masses
for thirty-five days in order that Wang might be delivered. Whole
mountains of paper money, silk and straw figures were burned, and the
ceremonies have not as yet come to an end."

When Dung heard this he was very much frightened.

Two years later he received an order to journey to Taianfu in order to
arrest some robbers there. He thought to himself: "My friend, the
spirit, must be very powerful indeed, to have known about this trip so
far in advance. I must inquire for him. Perhaps I will see him again."

When he reached Taianfu he sought out an inn.

The inn-keeper received him with the words: "Are you Master Dung, and
have you come from the bay of Kaiutschou?"

"I am the man," answered Dung, alarmed, "how do you happen to know
me?"

The inn-keeper replied: "The constable of the temple of the Great
Mountain appeared to me last night and said: 'To-morrow a man by the
name of Dung who is a good friend of mine is coming from the bay of
Kaiutschou!' And then he described your appearance and your clothes to
me exactly, and told me to make careful note of them, and when you
came to treat you with the greatest consideration, and to take no pay
from you, since he would repay me lavishly. So when I saw you coming
everything was exactly as my dreams had foretold, and I knew you at
once. I have already prepared a quiet room for you, and beg that you
will condescend to make yourself at ease."

Joyfully Dung followed him, and the inn-keeper waited on him with the
greatest consideration, and saw that he had great plenty to eat and to
drink.

At midnight the spirit arrived. Without having opened the door, he
stood by Dung's bedside, gave him his hand, and asked how things had
gone with him since he had last seen him.

Dung answered all his questions and thanked him into the bargain for
appearing to the inn-keeper in a dream.

He continued to live for some days a