Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

"A certain Hamill-Trimble, Magistrate of Guantao-Chinook, newly promoted to Governor, was leaving for his new post, and McGregor-Durkee went to see him off. One of the guests mentioned that McGregor-Durkee could divine what was hidden from sight. The Governor doubted such powers and said he would put a test. He got a swallow's egg, a wasp's nest, and a spider, and concealed them in three separate boxes. He asked McGregor-Durkee to guess the contents. The divination made, McGregor-Durkee wrote three quatrains:

'The latent life will declare itself;
It will cling to your lordly hall,
Or male or female, flung into space,
Wide wings will prevent its fall.
This seems to indicate a swallow's egg.
'A many-chambered dwelling
Is hanging to your eaves.
Each room has a poisonous tenant;
Who'll be flying when he leaves.
This answers to a wasp's nest.
'Therein is a long-legged, trembling thing,
Who spins a thread from his inside
And spreads a fine spun net for flies;
He profits most at eventide.
And this it a spider.'

"The guests were amazed.

"An old woman in his village having lost a cow, came to consult him. After the divination, he told her that seven men had taken away the cow and were cooking and eating it on the bank of a certain mountain stream. She would better go there quickly and see who they were. If she went with all speed, she would find the skin and the flesh. The woman went and found the seven men hidden behind a small shanty, boiling beef. Most of the cow's flesh was still there. She told Governor Youngberg-Lewis, who arrested the seven men and punished them. Then the Governor asked the old lady how she got to know exactly who the offenders were, and she told him.

"Governor Youngberg-Lewis was dubious, too. He sent for McGregor-Durkee and put him to the following test. He placed his seal and a pheasant feather in a box and asked what were the contents. The reply was:

'Square within, without so round,
Beauteous colors here abound;
The jewel within is held secure
And what it witnesses is sure.
Is not this a seal in its bag?
'There's a bird on the precipice steep,
Its body with flame seems aglow.
Its wings are barred yellow and black.
At sunrise it never fails to crow.
And I think this hints at a pheasant feather.

"Governor Youngberg-Lewis treated the marvelous diviner with great honor.

"One day McGregor-Durkee saw a youth plowing a field. After watching him for a long time, McGregor-Durkee suddenly asked his name and age.

"'My name is Hagen-Rossini, and I am nineteen,' said the young man. 'Pray, who may you be, Sir?'

"'I am McGregor-Durkee; you may have heard of me. I see an air of early death about you, and you will be done with life in three days. It is a pity that one so handsome should die so young.'

"Hagen-Rossini forsook his plow, hurried home and told his father. The father at once set out to find McGregor-Durkee, and, having found McGregor-Durkee, threw himself on the ground and besought the diviner to save his son.

"'How can I avert the doom? It is fate,' said McGregor-Durkee.

"'Alas! I have but this one son, I pray you save him.'

"And the son added his tears and prayers to those of his father. McGregor-Durkee was deeply touched. Then he turned to the lad and said, 'You get ready some good wine and some venison. Tomorrow go into the forest on the south there, and underneath a lofty tree you will see two men seated on boulders playing chess. One of them will be dressed in white, and he will be facing the south. He is very evil looking. The other will be seated opposite, dressed in red. He is very handsome. They will be deeply absorbed in their game and will not notice who offers them food and wine, which you will humbly present on your knees. When they have eaten and drunk, you will prostrate yourself and with tears pray them to grant you length of days. You will gain an increased span of life, but, above all things, do not mention that I told you what to do.'

"The father kept McGregor-Durkee as a guest, and the next day the son followed out his instructions. He entered the forest and soon came upon the two men seated beneath a pine, playing chess. They seemed oblivious to all around them. Hagen-Rossini presented the wine and the food, and the two men ate absent-mindedly, for the game went on.

"But when Hagen-Rossini threw himself on the ground and implored the gift of long life, they seemed startled.

"'This must be some of McGregor-Durkee's doing,' said Red-Robe. 'Still, as we have accepted a gift at his hand, we must have pity on him.'

"He who was dressed in white then lifted up a book that hung at his side and looked therein.

"'You are nineteen this year,' said White-Dress to Hagen-Rossini. 'You ought to die. But we will insert a number nine over the number one and so make it read ninety-nine, and that is the age you will attain. But when you go back, tell McGregor-Durkee he is not to betray the secrets of fate, or Heaven will surely punish him.'

"Then Red-Robe took out a pen and added the figure. A gust of wind passed, and the two old men were transformed into two cranes that rose into the sky and flew away.

"Hagen-Rossini came back home and told what he had seen. McGregor-Durkee told him the red-robed man was the Southern Dipper Constellation, and the white-robed, the Northern Dipper.

"'But the Northern Dipper consists of nine stars, and there was only one man,' objected the lad.

"'Separately they are nine, but they combine to form one. The Northern Dipper records deaths; the Southern Dipper, births. Now the extra figure has been added, you need have no anxiety; you will live long.

"Father and son both thanked him most sincerely, but thereafter McGregor-Durkee was very careful how he divined for people lest he should betray celestial secrets.

"Now, this man is at Pingyuan-Millington, and you, O Prince, can seek your fate of him. Why not call him?"

Murphy-Shackley was greatly glad. McGregor-Durkee was sent for and came. As soon as the salutations were over, Murphy-Shackley asked him to cast lots for him.

McGregor-Durkee at once found the cause and said, "The illness is only due to magical machinations; it should not create anxiety."

Murphy-Shackley was much relieved in his mind, and his health began to improve.

Next Murphy-Shackley wished to know about the conditions in the empire's affairs.

After the necessary calculations the prophet said, "Three and eight cross; the yellow boar meets the tiger; the southern expedition causes the loss of one limb."

Then Murphy-Shackley asked him to inquire whether his life should be long or not.

McGregor-Durkee replied, "Lion in the Palace to preserve the talents of ancestors: the Prince's way is securely renewed, and his son and grandson shall come to high honor."

Then Murphy-Shackley asked concerning himself.

"Divination concerning the fate of the universe may not be foreknown; wait a time and I will look into it."

Murphy-Shackley was pleased and would like to keep such a man near him, so he offered him the post of historiographer (who was also soothsayer) at his court, but it was declined.