in　the　River　Lands　was　for　the　construction　of　wooden　transport　animals　to　convey　grain。　It　will　be　very　advantageous；　as　they　will　require　neither　food　nor　water　and　they　can　keep　on　the　move　day　and　night　without　resting。〃

All　those　within　hearing　said；　〃From　old　days　till　now　no　one　has　ever　heard　of　such　a　device。　What　excellent　plan　have　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　to　make　such　marvelous　creatures？〃

〃They　are　being　made　now　after　my　plans；　but　they　are　not　yet　ready。　Here　I　have　the　sketches　for　these　mechanical　oxen　and　horses；　with　all　their　dimensions　written　out　in　full。　You　may　see　the　details。〃

Zhuge　Liang　then　produced　a　paper；　and　all　the　generals　crowded　round　to　look　at　it。　They　were　all　greatly　astonished　and　lauded；　〃The　Prime　Minister　is　superhuman！〃

A　few　days　later　the　new　mechanical　animals　were　plete　and　began　work。　They　were　quite　life…like　and　went　over　the　hills　in　any　desired　direction。　The　whole　army　saw　them　with　delight。　They　were　but　in　charge　of　Right　General　Gao　Xiang　and　a　thousand　soldiers　to　guide　them。　They　kept　going　constantly　between　Saber　Pass　and　the　front　carrying　grain　for　the　use　of　the　soldiers。

Along　the　Saber　Pass　mountain　roads

The　running　horses　bore　their　loads；

And　through　Xie　Valley's　narrow　way

The　wooden　oxen　paced　each　day。

O　generals；　use　these　means　today；

And　transport　troubles　take　away。

Sima　Yi　was　already　sad　enough　at　his　defeat；　when　the　spies　told　him　of　these　wooden　bullocks　and　horses　of　new　design　which　the　soldiers　of　Shu　were　using　to　convey　their　grain。

This　troubled　him　still　more；　and　he　said　to　his　generals；　〃I　knew　the　transportation　from　the　River　Lands　was　difficult；　therefore；　I　shut　the　gates　and　remained　on　the　def