纪昀·《阅微草堂笔记·高冠瀛言》英译

高冠瀛言，有人宅后空屋住一狐，不见其形，而能对面与人语。其家小康，或以为狐所助也。有信其说者，因此人以求交于狐，狐亦与款洽。一日，欲设筵飨狐，狐言老而饕餮，乃多设酒肴以待。比至日暮，有数狐醉倒现形，始知其呼朋引类来也，如是数四，疲于供给，衣物典质一空，乃微露求助意。狐大笑曰：“吾惟无钱供酒食，故数就君也，使我多财，我当自醉自饱，何所取而与君友乎？”从此遂绝。此狐可谓无赖矣，然余谓非狐之过也。

Gao Guanying told me that a fox-spirit lived in an empty room behind someone’s house, keeping out of sight but able to talk with people. That household was well-off, and word spread that the fox had something to do with this. A man who believed this persuaded the owner of the house to introduce him to the fox-spirit, who agreed to chat with hi. One day this man invited the fox to a feast. As the fox said he was old and gluttonous, he prepared plenty of food and drink to entertain him. That evening, when several foxes got drunk and revealed their forms, he realized that the fox had brought some of his friends.

After giving such feasts several times, the man had run out of money and was forced to pawn all his clothes and property. So he hinted that he needed help.

The fox-spirit laughed and said, “It was only because I had no money to buy food and wine that I came to you time and again. If I had plenty of money, I should feed myself and get drunk by myself. Why should I befriend you?”

（杨宪益 译）