Midnight Hoof Echoes

The Lin family owned a black goat that had lived for twenty-one years; villagers, deeming the unusually old animal a source of potential malevolent mischief, demanded it be slaughtered. Reluctant to part with the animal, the mistress of the house, Zhao Guilan, hid it in the woodshed. Strange occurrences soon plagued their nights—the goat would wander out after dark and even mimic human speech—and when a neighbor's daughter, Xiaomei, went missing, the family was gripped by fear. Lin Jianguo consulted a blind seer and learned that the goat had become a spirit-imbued creature, driven solely by a desire to monopolize Zhao Guilan's affection. After repeated failed attempts to drive the animal away or keep it isolated, the family finally chose to accept it, and the goat subsequently settled down peacefully.