CII. A Taoist Devotee

Chü Yao-ju was a Ch‘ing-chou man, who, when his wife died, left his home and became a priest. Some years afterwards he returned, dressed in the Taoist garb, and carrying his praying-mat over his shoulder; and after staying one night he wanted to go away again. His friends, however, would not give him back his cassock and staff; so at length he pretended to take a stroll outside the village, and when there, his clothes and other belongings came flying out of the house after him, and he got safely away.