could　the　soldiers　of　Shu　stand　such　a　thing　as　that？　So　they　retreated；　and　the　Mangs　came　after　them　fiercely；　chasing　and　slaying　their　enemies　as　far　as　the　city　of　Three　Rivers。

Zhao　Yun　and　Wei　Yan　mustered　their　defeated　troops　and　went　to　their　leader　to　confess　their　failure。　Zhuge　Liang；　however；　was　neither　angry　nor　dejected。

〃The　fault　is　not　yours；〃　he　said。　〃Long　ago；　when　I　was　still　in　my　rustic　hut；　I　knew　the　Mangs　possessed　certain　powers　over　beasts；　and　I　provided　against　this　adventure　before　we　left　Shu。　You　will　find　twenty　big　sealed　carts　in　the　baggage　train。　We　will　use　half　of　them　now。〃

He　bade　his　staff　bring　forward　ten　of　the　red　box…carts；　the　other　ten　black　carts　were　left　untouched。　They　all　wondered　what　would　happen。　Then　the　carts　were　opened；　and　they　turned　out　to　be　carved　and　colored　models　of　huge　wild　beasts；　with　coats　of　worsted；　teeth　and　claws　of　steel；　each　could　acmodate　ten　people。　Choosing　one　hundred　beasts；　he　told　off　a　thousand　troops　and　bade　them　stuff　the　mouths　of　the　beasts　full　of　inflammables。

Next　day　the　army　of　Shu　marched　out　to　the　attack　and　were　arrayed　at　the　entrance　to　the　Silver　Pit　Ravine。　The　Mang　soldiers　went　into　the　ravine　and　told　their　king。　Mu　Lu；　thinking　himself　perfectly　invincible；　did　not　hesitate；　but　marched　out；　taking　Meng　Huo　with　him。　Zhuge　Liang；　dressed　in　the　simple　robe　of　a　Taoist；　went　out　in　his　light　chariot。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　feather　fan。　Meng　Huo；　who　recognized　his　enemy；　pointed　him　out　to　Mu　Lu。

〃That　is　Zhuge　Liang　in　that　small　chariot。　If　we　can　only　capture　him；　our　task　is　done。〃

Then　Mu　Lu　began　to　mutter　his　spells　and　to　ring　his　bell。　As　before；　the　wind　got　up　and　blew　with　violence；　and　the　wild　beasts　ca