ABSTRACT
Unfortunately, on one occasion, after Mo Li Shou had let the rat out of the bag, the brute devoured Yang Chien (.fIa), a nephew of the Jade Emperor, who, being a magician himself, had no difficulty in cutting his way out. As he could transform his shape at will, he assumed the guise of his victim, and the owner put the wrong Hua Hu Tiao back into his sack. The four brothers celebrated their victory with a too generous allowance of liquor, and Yang Chien seized the opportunity to emerge from his bag with intent to deprive them of their weapons. He only succeeded, however, in carrying off the umbrella but, in a subsequent engagement, Na Cha, son of the God of Thunder, broke the ring of Mo Li Ch'ing. Huang Tien Hua ('l~~), one of their adversaries, was armed with a spike, enclosed in a silk sheath, called the "Heart piercer", which emitted so strong a ray of light as to induce blindness. With this he overcame first Mo Li Ch'ing, and then two of his brethren. There only remained the owner of the Hua Hu Tiao who was still unaware of the transformation which had taken place in his sack. When he inserted his hand to loose his pet the beast bit it off at the wrist which rendered him an easy prey. So he died, and took his place with his brothers on each side at the entrance to Buddhist sanctuaries. As long as they keep on good terms with the Taoist hierarchy they are probably effective guardians against such spirits as beset their doors, but the Jade Emperor'~ family is certainly not to be trifled with.
