The Magic Mirror by Pu Songling
Fêng-hsien gives Liu a mirror in which her expression changes with his diligence or neglect of his studies. Guided by its images, he earns his degree after three years, and she appears beside him.
By Pu Songling · Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Short Story · 514 words
First lines
Note on the title: The following is merely a single episode taken from a long and otherwise uninteresting story. Miss Fêng-hsien was a fox; hence her power to bestow such a singular present as the mirror here described, the object of which was to incite her lover to success -- the condition of their future union.
Genres
- Supernatural Fiction — Fêng-hsien is identified as a fox who gives Liu a mirror containing her responsive image and later appears beside him.
- Short Story — The brief narrative follows one episode from the gift of the mirror through Liu's lapses, renewed study, and eventual degree.
Tags
magic mirrors · fox spirits · studying · academic achievement · self-discipline
What this Textopian page supports
The Magic Mirror is listed on Textopian as a short story by Pu Songling, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Pu Songling
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Supernatural Fiction, Short Story
- Length: 514 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Magic Mirror by Pu Songling
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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