Page:Ernest Bramah - Kai Lungs Golden Hours.djvu/59

 beyond the river. On his return at nightfall he invariably turned aside on reaching the bridge, well knowing that he could not prudently rely upon his feet among so insecure a crossing, and composed himself to sleep among the rushes. While in this position one night he was discovered and pushed into the river by a devout ox (an instrument of the high destinies), where he perished incapably.

Those who found his body, not being able to withdraw so formidable a weight direct, cast a rope across the lower branch of a convenient willow-tree and thus raised it to the shore. In this striking manner Fa Fai's definite opinion achieved a destined end.