that she was very passable-looking.  Four or five ounces of silver was fixed as the marriage present, Ma making no difficulty on that score, but declaring he must have a peep at the young lady. [41] The go-between said she was a respectable girl, and would never allow herself to be seen; however, it was arranged that they should go to the house together, and await a good opportunity.  So off they went, Ma remaining outside while the go-between went in, returning in a little while to tell him it was all right.  “A relative of mine lives in the same court, and just now I saw the young lady sitting in the hall.  We have only got to pretend we are going to see my relative, and you will be able to get a glimpse of her.”  Ma consented, and they accordingly passed through the hall, where he saw the young lady sitting down with her head bent forward while some one was scratching her back.  She seemed to be all that the go-between had said; but when they came to discuss the money it appeared that the young lady wanted only one or two ounces of silver, just to buy herself a few clothes, etc., which Ma thought was a very small amount; so he gave the go-between a present for her trouble, which just finished up the three ounces his fox-friend had provided.  An auspicious day was chosen, and the young lady came over to his house; when lo! she was humpbacked and pigeon-breasted, with a short neck like a tortoise, and feet which were fully ten inches long.  The meaning of his fox-friend’s remarks then flashed upon him.

The Magnanimous Girl

At Chin-ling there lived a young man named Ku, who had considerable ability, but was very poor; and having an old mother, he was very loth to leave home.  So he employed himself in writing or painting [42] for people, and gave his mother the proceeds, going on thus till he was twenty-five years of age without taking a wife.  Opposite to their house was another building, which had long been untenanted; and one day an old woman and a young girl came to occupy it, but there being no gentleman with them young Ku did not make any inquiries as to who they were or whence they hailed.  Shortly afterward it chanced that just as Ku was entering the house he observed a young lady come out of his mother’s door.  She was about eighteen or nineteen, very clever and refined-looking, and altogether such a girl as one rarely sets eyes on; and when she noticed Mr Ku she did not run away, but seemed quite self-possessed.  “It was the young lady over the way; she came to borrow my scissors and measure,” said his mother, “and she told me that there is only her mother and herself.  They don’t seem to belong to the lower classes.  I asked her why she didn’t get married, to which she replied that her mother was old.  I must go and call on her to-morrow, and find out how the land lies.  If she doesn’t expect too much, you could take care of her mother for her.”  So next day Ku’s mother went, and found that