English Original
Once there was an elderly widow, Chen Ma, who lived with her only son in a forest in Shanxi Province. Her son was a licensed tiger hunter, continuing the family tradition. His earnings from selling tiger parts provided for their small hut.
All was well until a bitter winter. During a snowstorm, Chen Ma's son was separated from his fellow hunters and was killed by a hungry tigress.
After her grief subsided, Chen Ma, now utterly alone, implored the local magistrate for support. He decreed she receive a small share of profits from each tiger killed. The hunters, with their own families to feed, were displeased.
When they killed the tigress that ate her son, they decided not to give Chen Ma her share. Instead, they brought her the tigress's newborn cub—a small, quivering ball of golden fur with wobbly legs. The rope around its neck was choking it, and its jade-green eyes glistened with tears. Chen Ma's heart went out to the helpless creature.
After the hunters left, the cub wobbled to Chen Ma and lay at her feet. She bent down to rub his ears, and he licked her shoes.
Chen Ma sighed. "They told me to butcher you for food and warmth," she said. "But how can I? You are so young and vital, while I am so old and frail."
She untied the rope and fed him a paste of cooked roots. When firewood ran low, she slept curled against the cub for warmth.
Women from nearby villages brought Chen Ma sewing work, paying her with food. At first, the cub, no bigger than a piglet, didn't alarm them. But by spring, he had grown to the size of a calf, with full teeth and claws. The women told their hunter husbands, who came to kill the young tiger.
Chen Ma armed herself with her son's spear. "I've lost both husband and son. This tiger is my only companion. I will adopt him as my son," she declared.
The hunters jeered but, fearing the magistrate, followed her to his hall.
"Venerable Mother," said the magistrate. "Are you not afraid he might revert to his wild nature and devour you?"
"What is there to fear?" Chen Ma replied with tears. "My only worry is being left alone. He has become like a son to me."
Moved, the magistrate agreed. He had a document drawn up for the tiger's adoption. To protect him, he ordered a large copper pendant engraved with "Fu Chee" (Tiger Son) to hang around the tiger's neck. Grateful, Chen Ma knelt and knocked her forehead three times before leading Fu Chee home.
By the next winter, Fu Chee had grown to his full size. Chen Ma's hut was in danger of collapsing when he played, so she reluctantly let him live in a nearby cave.
Yet, the affectionate tiger often visited, bringing gifts like a dead deer or a large branch. He still liked to lick her shoes and have his ears rubbed. Chen Ma's needs were cared for as if her own son were alive.
After Chen Ma died past the age of one hundred, hunters noticed Fu Chee guarding her tomb nightly. They left him alone, as he never attacked people or animals. This continued for years until one day he was seen no more.
Out of respect and admiration, the hunters erected a stone monument at Chen Ma's tomb, engraving Fu Chee's story. Thus, Fu Chee became a household legend in that part of Shanxi.
中文翻译
从前，山西森林里住着一位年迈的寡妇，陈妈，和她唯一的儿子。她的儿子是官府许可的猎虎人，继承了家族事业。他售卖虎皮、虎肉和虎骨所得，足以维持母子二人在小泥屋里的生活。
一切安好，直到一个严酷的冬天。在一场暴风雪中，陈妈的儿子与同伴失散，葬身于一只饥饿的母虎之口。
悲痛稍缓后，孤苦无依的陈妈恳求当地县令给予补偿。县令裁定，此后猎人们每猎杀一只老虎，陈妈都可分得一小份利润。需要养家糊口的猎人们对此很不满意。
当他们杀死了吃掉陈妈儿子的那只母虎后，决定不给她分利。相反，他们带来了母虎的新生幼崽——一个腿脚不稳、瑟瑟发抖的金色毛团。套在它脖子上的绳子勒得它几乎窒息，碧玉般的眼睛闪着泪光。陈妈的心立刻被这无助的小生命攫住了。
猎人们离开后，虎崽摇摇晃晃地走到陈妈脚边趴下。她弯腰抚摸它的耳朵，它则用柔软的舌头舔她的鞋子。
陈妈看着虎崽叹了口气。“他们让我宰了你，用你的肉做储备，用你的皮做暖靴，用你的骨泡药酒缓解我的关节痛，”她说。“但是，唉，我怎能忍心杀你？你如此幼小充满生机，而我却如此老迈衰弱。”
于是，陈妈解开了小老虎脖子上的绳子，用手指喂它吃煮熟的根茎糊糊。当柴火将尽，无法烧暖炕时，她就蜷缩在虎崽身边，借它柔软温暖的皮毛御寒。
附近村庄的妇女时常带些针线活给陈妈做，用肉干和小袋谷物作为报酬。起初，虎崽只有小猪仔那么大，她们并不害怕。但春天来时，它已长到小牛犊般大小，露出了完整的牙齿和利爪。妇女们告诉了她们的猎人丈夫，男人们便来要杀死这只年轻的虎。
陈妈拿起儿子的猎矛武装自己，威胁要剖开任何胆敢伤害她爱宠之人的肚子。“我已失去丈夫和儿子。这只虎是我现在唯一的伴侣。我要去请求县令，收养它做我的儿子。”她宣称。
猎人们嘲笑她疯了。但由于她态度坚决，他们不敢未经县令许可就杀虎。于是他们跟着陈妈和她的虎一路来到了官府的公堂。
“老夫人，”县令说，“您的请求非同寻常。您不怕有一天这老虎野性复发，将您吞噬吗？”
“大人啊，”老寡妇眼含泪水回答，“有什么可怕的呢？我已经活得太久了。如今唯一的担忧就是孤身一人。请允许我收养这只小虎吧，他在我心中已如同儿子。”
仁慈的县令不忍拒绝这样一位老妇的恳求。他让助手起草了一份收养老虎的文书。为了保护老虎免受猎人弓箭矛枪的伤害，县令命人打造了一个大铜牌挂在虎颈上，上面刻着“虎子”二字。为了表达深深的感激，陈妈跪在县令面前磕了三个响头，然后领着虎子回到了森林里的家。
到了第二年冬天，虎子已长到最大体型。每当它玩耍时，陈妈的小屋都有坍塌的危险。她只得 reluctantly 允许虎子在附近的一个洞穴里安家。
然而，这只深情的虎仍常回来看望养母，嘴里总是衔着礼物——一只死鹿或一大段树枝。它依然喜欢舔她的鞋子和让她挠耳朵。陈妈的生活所需得到了照料，仿佛她的亲生儿子还在世一般。
陈妈在一百多岁的高龄去世后，猎人们发现虎子每夜守护着她的坟墓。他们不去打扰它，因为它从未攻击过人或家畜。这样过了许多年，直到有一天，老虎再也不见了踪影。
出于对这只孝虎深深的敬意和钦佩，猎人们在陈妈的墓前立了一块小石碑，上面刻下了虎子的故事。从此，虎子成了山西那个地区家喻户晓的传奇。