ls。

〃To　cook　this　perch　one　needs　purple　sprout　ginger　though；〃　said　the　Taoist。

〃Can　you　also　produce　that？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃Easily。〃

Zuo　Ci　told　them　to　bring　in　a　silver　bowl；　which　the　magician　filled　with　water。　Very　soon　the　ginger　filled　the　bowl；　and　he　presented　it　to　the　host。　Cao　Cao　put　out　his　hand　to　pick　some；　when　suddenly　a　book　appeared　in　the　bowl　and　the　title　was　Cao　Cao's　New　Treatise　on　the　Art　of　War　。　He　took　it　out　and　read　it　over。　Not　a　word　of　his　treatise　was　missing。

Cao　Cao　became　more　mystified。　Zuo　Ci　took　up　a　jade　cup　that　stood　on　the　table；　filled　it　with　fine　wine；　and　presented　it　to　Cao　Cao。

〃Drink　this；　O　Prince；　and　you　will　live　a　thousand　years。〃

〃Drink　of　it　first　yourself；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

The　Taoist　took　the　jade　pin　from　his　headdress　and　drew　it　across　the　cup　as　if　dividing　the　wine　into　two　portions。

Then　he　drank　one　half　and　handed　the　cup　with　the　other　half　to　Cao　Cao。　But　Cao　Cao　angrily　refused　it。　The　Taoist　then　threw　the　cup　into　the　air；　where　it　was　transformed　into　a　white　dove　which　circled　round　the　banquet　hall　and　then　flew　away。

All　faces　were　turned　upward　following　the　flight　of　the　dove；　and　so　no　one　had　noticed　the　going　of　the　Taoist。　But　he　was　gone；　and　soon　the　gate　warden　reported　that　he　had　left　the　Palace。

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃A　magician　like　this　ought　to　be　put　to　death；　or　he　will　do　some　mischief。〃

The　redoubtable　Xu　Chu　and　a　pany　of　three　hundred　armed　men　were　sent　to　arrest　the　Taoist。　They　saw　the　Taoist；　still　wearing　his　wooden　clogs；　not　far　ahead　but　striding　along　quickly。　Xu　Chu　rode　after　Zuo　Ci；　but　in　spite　of　all　his　horse　could　do；　he　could　not　e　up　with　Zuo　Ci。　Xu　Chu　kept　up　the　chase　right　to