After weary years of saving, a few cash each calendar, Hai Lee removed from the mountains, where nothing ever happens, and bought a tiny house that stood near Ying Ling toll road, which is the King’s road, and where strange sights are seen. In that region the people have a saying, “He who lives on the King’s road has seen the whole world.”
With him the newcomer brought his little brother, Hai Low. Hai Low was to keep house, while Hai Lee worked in field and forest. The new house was no larger than two by twice, and poorly furnished. Nevertheless, Hai Lee and Hai Low imagined it to be grand. For they had always lived in a mountain cave.
Many times Hai Lee cautioned his brother to take good care that no harm came to their magnificent house. And Hai Low promised faithfully to guard. His eyes would be unblinkingly open. Have no fear.
Upon the very first day, as Hai Low kept house, a fox dashed under the flooring. A band of hunters soon appeared. The hunters said, “We hope you enjoyed a tasty dinner.” That by way of greeting. “Our fox has hidden beneath your house. He is a very damage-doing fox, and we desire his ears. For permission to dig we will thank you a thousand times—and more if the fur be of good quality.”
Hai Low thought of his brother’s warning. Whereupon he replied to the hunters: “Your digging might injure the house, and my honorable brother has told me to keep all harm away. Therefore, excellent huntsmen, I must, in sorrow, give you no. Dig you cannot, for the house might fall.”
With soft voices the hunters wheedled. Hai Low said no. With harsh voices the hunters blustered and threatened. Hai Low said no. Money the hunters offered. Hai Low said no. His mind was fixed and nothing could move it. No once. No twice. No thrice. And again no. The hunters departed. The fox remained. And Hai Low believed he had done well for his first day of housekeeping. He imagined that his brother would praise him.
The opposite came to pass. Hai Lee frowned. “That was wrong and stupidly done, Small Brother. A little digging could have given no hurt. The fox is an evil enemy. He will catch all of our fowls, even to the last speckled hen. We must get rid of that scamp. If any more hunters come—tell them to dig.”
Upon the next day, as Hai Low kept house, he beheld two men with crossbows. In joy he rushed to greet them. With much bowing and scraping he said: “I hope that your rice was well cooked, and you had plenty of it. Will you not come to the house and dig?”
One of the men said, “This fellow reminds me of the way Wu Ta Lang got out of the cherry tree—it was quite simple.” But the other, who was more crafty, squinted an eye to say, “Be quiet.” Then, using his tongue, he spoke to Hai Low: “For nothing else we came. With all our hearts will we dig. Only open the door. Our rice was well cooked.” He entered the house and began to tear up stones from the hearth. Hai Low said, “Do you not think the fox will be alarmed and try to escape through the hole by which he entered?” The hunter replied: “A wise question, truly. What shall we do? Can you not sit with your back to the entrance? Then the fox will be unable to depart.” Hai Low readily agreed to aid. He went outside and sat with his back to the wall. The hunters struck many blows upon the hearth, laughing all the while. Presently they each said, “Oh,” and stopped digging. “Have you got it?” asked Hai Low. “We have,” the elder huntsman answered. “We have it in a sack. How fortunate that you invited us in. Our digging was most successful.” He was greatly pleased. The other hunter seemed equally as well pleased. Hai Low, too, was delighted. A very fine thing he thought it that the fox had been captured. He felt sure that his brother would speak words of praise.
But such was far from being. Hai Lee tossed a sack upon the table and said, “Oh, my Little Brother, a sad mistake you made this day. Not hunters, but thieves were those men. Not a fox, but all of our money they carried off in the sack. By chance alone, I regained it. But such good luck rarely happens a second time. Now heed my words. Never again permit strangers to enter the house. Never.”