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With deep rust eaten,

Loud tells of ancient battles on the strand,

When Cao Cao was beaten.

Had eastern winds Zhou Yu's plan refused to aid

And fan the blaze,

the two fair Qiaos, in the Bronze Bird's shade,

Would have been locked at spring age.

But suddenly amid the merriment was heard the hoarse cry of a raven flying toward the south.

“Why does the raven thus cry in the night?” said Cao Cao to those about him.

“The moon is so bright that it thinks it is day,” said they, “and so it leaves its tree.”

Cao Cao laughed; by this time he was quite intoxicated. He set up his spear in the prow of the ship and poured a libation into the river and then drank three brimming goblets.

As he lowered the spear, he said, “This is the spear that broke up the Yellow Scarves, captured Lu Bu, destroyed Yuan Shao, and subdued Yuan Shu, whose armies are now mine. In the north it reached to Liaodong, and it stretched out over the whole south. It has never failed in its task. The present scene moves me to the depths, and I will sing a song in which you shall accompany me.”

And so he sang:

“When goblets are brimming then sang is near birth,

But life is full short and has few days of mirth,

Life goes as the dew drops fly swiftly away,

Beneath the glance of the glowing hot ruler of day.

Human's life may be spent in the noblest enterprise,

But sorrowful thoughts in his heart oft arise.

Let us wash clean away the sad thoughts that intrude,

With bumpers of wine such as Du Kang once brewed.

Gone is my day of youthful fire

And still ungained is my desire.

The deer feed on the level plain

And joyful call, then feed again.

My noble guests are gathered round.

The air is trilled with joyful sound.

Bright my future lies before me.

As the moonlight on this plain;

But I strive in vain to reach it.

When shall I my wish attain?

None can answer; and so sadness

Grips my inmost heart again.

Far north and south,

Wide east and west,

We safety seek;

Vain is the quest.

Human's heart oft yearns

For converse sweet.

And my heart burns

When old friends greet.

The stars are paled by the full moon's light,

The raven wings his southward flight.

And thrice he circles round a tree,

No place thereon to rest finds he.

They weary not the mountains of great height,

The waters deep of depth do not complain,

Duke Zhou 2 no leisure found by day or night

Stern toil is his who would the empire gain.”

The song made they sang it with him and were all exceedingly merry; save one guest who suddenly said, “When the great army is on the point of battle and lives are about to be risked, why do you, O Prime Minister, speak such ill words?”

Cao Cao turned quickly toward the speaker, who was Liu Fu, Imperial Protector of Yangzhou. This Liu Fu sprang from Hefei. When first appointed to his post, he had gathered in the terrified and frightened people and restored order. He had founded schools and encouraged the people to till the land. He had long served under Cao Cao and rendered valuable service.

When Liu Fu spoke, Cao Cao dropped his spear to the level and said, “What ill-omened words did I use?”

“You spoke of the moon paling the stars and the raven flying southward without finding a resting place. These are ill-omened words.”

“How dare you try to belittle my endeavor?” cried Cao Cao, very wrathful; and with that he smote Liu Fu with his spear and slew him.