Chiao Yen did exactly as he was directed, climbed the mountain and saw the two men seated beneath a tree playing chess. One was clad in white garments and his face was ghastly white, the other was dressed in flowing crimson robes and his face was the colour of the glowing sunrise. Chiao Yen' crept up, placed the food at the side of one of the players and slipped back into hiding. These two men were no other than Pei Tou, the spirit of the Northi Pole Star, or the God of Death, and Nan Tou, the spirit of the South Pole Star, the God of Life. They were playing a game, using the world as their chess board and the people and every living thing of the earth as chesgy men. Whenever Life gave petty advantage, Death would take a piece. But Life was always inventing new ways of gaining ground, producing more players, amd finally the game ended in a draw as it always does and the pieces were swept off and arranged for another game. Just then the players discovered the venison and wine and, greatly surprised, took it and ate. When they had finished Chiao Yen came out of his hiding place and threw himself at the feet
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.