p to punish the Emperor?" she faltered, when the
sprite told her he wanted her assistance. "I am but a helpless girl,"
and here she began to cry.

"Dry your tears," he said soothingly. "It will be very easy. Only let me
take your form for a little. When I am the Emperor's wife," laughing, "I
shall find a way to punish him, for no one can give a man more pain that
his wife can, if she desires to do so. You know, I am a servant of Lu-o
and can do anything I wish."

"But the Emperor won't have a fox for a wife," she sobbed.

"Though I am still a fox I shall look like the beautiful Ta-ki. Make
your heart easy. He will never know."

"Oh, I see," she smiled, "you will put your spirit into my body and you
will look just like me, though you really won't be me. But what will
become of the real me? Shall I have to be a fox and look like you?"

"No, not unless you want to. I will make you invisible, and you can be
ready to go back into your own body when I have got rid of the Emperor."

"Very well," replied the girl, somewhat relieved by his explanation,
"but try not to be too long about it, because I don't like the idea of
somebody else walking about in my body."

So Fox Sprite caused his own spirit to enter the girl's body, and no
one could have told by her outward appearance that any change had taken
place. The beautiful girl was now in reality the sly Fox Sprite, but in
one way only did she look like a fox. When the fox-spirit entered her
body, her feet suddenly shrivelled up and became very similar in shape
and size to the feet of the animal who had her in his power. When the
fox noticed this, at first he was somewhat annoyed, but, feeling that no
one else would know, he did not take the trouble to change the fox feet
back to human form.

On the following morning, when the viceroy called his daughter for the
last stage of their journey, he greeted Fox Sprite without suspecting
that anything unusual had happened since he had last seen Ta-ki. So well
did this crafty spirit perform his part that the father was completely
deceived, by look, by voice, and by gesture.

The next day the travellers arrived at the capital and Su-nan presented
himself before Chow-sin, the Emperor, leading Fox Sprite with him. Of
course the crafty fox with all his magic powers was soon able to gain
the mastery over the wicked ruler. The Great One pardoned Su-nan,
although he had fully intended to put him to death as a rebel.

Now the chance f