Yin then came forward and opened the gate. The noble youth dismounted and sat on a seat in the court, while his servants tethered the horse. The farmer chatted with his visitor, and Wu gazed at them in silence. Food was brought, and when the meal was finished, the youth thanked him for his hospitality and walked across the courtyard. Wu noticed that before one of the servants passed through the gate, he turned the umbrella upside down. When the youth had mounted his horse, he turned to the silent, observant boy and said: “I shall come again to-morrow.”
Wu bowed and answered: “Come!”
The strangers rode away, and Wu sat watching them until they had vanished from sight.
When evening came on, the farmer spoke to his son regarding the visitors, and said: “The noble youth knew my name and yet I have never set eyes on him before.”
Wu was silent for a time. Then he said: “I cannot say who the youth is or who his attendants are.”
“You watched them very closely, my son. Did you note anything peculiar about them?”
Said Wu: “There were no seams in their clothing; the white horse had spots of five colours and scaly armour instead of hair. The hoofs of the horse and the feet of the strangers did not touch the ground.”[19]
Yin rose up with agitation and exclaimed: “Then they are not human beings, but spirits.” [[90]]
Said Wu: “I watched them as they went westward. Rain-clouds were gathering on the horizon, and when they were a great distance off they all rose in the air and vanished in the clouds.”[20]
Yin was greatly alarmed to hear this, and said: “I must ask your grandmother what she thinks of this strange happening.”