《野狗》是《聊齋志異》中極具陰森氣息的短篇之一。故事以荒村、古寺與野狗為背景，描繪人性善惡與冤魂不散的傳說，在簡短篇幅中營造出令人不寒而慄的靈異氛圍。
“Wild Dog” is one of the darker supernatural tales in Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio. Set among abandoned villages, ancient temples, and eerie wilderness, it combines ghostly revenge, moral consequence, and unsettling folklore into a haunting narrative that lingers long after the story ends.
中文
清朝年間，某地有一座荒廢古寺，位於山林深處。寺院四周雜草叢生，殘垣斷壁隨處可見。由於多年無人居住，附近百姓都不願靠近，傳聞夜裡常有怪聲從寺中傳出。
距離古寺不遠有一個小村莊。村民們時常發現牲畜失蹤，有時甚至連墳地附近的新土也被翻開。有人懷疑是野狼作祟，但山中獵戶查看後卻沒有發現狼群蹤跡。
某日黃昏，一名樵夫經過古寺時，忽然看見一隻巨大的黑色野狗蹲伏在寺門前。那野狗毛色烏黑，雙眼泛著幽綠光芒，體型比尋常犬隻大上許多。
樵夫心中害怕，不敢停留，匆匆返回村中。
當晚，他將所見告知村民。老人們聞言臉色大變，因為多年以前，村中曾發生一宗慘案。
原來一名惡徒貪圖財物，殺害旅人後棄屍於古寺附近。死者冤屈難伸，兇手雖逃過官府追查，卻從此怪事不斷。據說有人曾在夜裡見到死者徘徊山間，而兇手最後離奇暴斃。
然而事情並未就此結束。
數十年來，每逢陰雨之夜，古寺附近總會出現一隻黑色野狗。牠並不攻擊路人，卻常在墳地與寺院周圍遊蕩，發出低沉嗚咽聲。
有人認為那是惡鬼化身，也有人說是冤魂借犬形現世。
數日後，一名外地商人因趕路錯過宿頭，只得在古寺借宿。
夜深時分，狂風大作，破敗的窗戶不停搖晃。商人蜷縮在角落，忽然聽見寺外傳來沉重腳步聲。
那聲音不像人，也不像普通野獸。
緊接著，一陣犬吠在黑夜中響起。
商人透過門縫窺視，只見月光下，一隻巨大的黑狗正站在庭院中央。牠抬起頭，彷彿正在注視某種看不見的東西。
忽然，一道白影從殘牆後浮現。
那是一名披頭散髮的男子，面容慘白，衣衫破碎，步履僵硬地向庭院走來。
黑狗立刻露出獠牙，發出低沉咆哮。
白影也停下腳步，空洞的雙眼死死盯著黑狗。
剎那間，陰風四起。
黑狗猛然撲上前去，與白影糾纏在一起。
商人驚恐萬分，只見黑霧翻湧，犬吠與淒厲慘叫交織於夜空之中。
不知過了多久，一切聲音突然停止。
天色漸亮。
商人戰戰兢兢走出寺外，只見庭院恢復平靜，地面卻留下無數深深抓痕。
而那隻黑狗早已不見蹤影。
回到村莊後，他將所見一五一十告知村民。
村中長者聽後沉思良久，最終說道：
「那黑狗並非妖物，而是守護亡魂的靈獸。多年來，它一直鎮守古寺，不讓怨氣四散害人。」
從那之後，村民對古寺不再只有恐懼。
每逢清明與中元，他們都會在寺外焚香祭拜，希望安撫亡魂，也感謝那隻神秘黑狗的守護。
又過了許多年，荒寺逐漸坍塌。
然而每當月色昏暗、山風呼嘯之夜，仍有人聲稱看見一道黑影靜靜坐在廢墟之上。
那雙幽綠色的眼睛依舊注視著黑暗深處。
彷彿仍在等待下一個不肯離去的亡魂。
English Version
Long ago during the Qing Dynasty, an abandoned temple stood deep within a lonely mountain forest. Broken walls, collapsed roofs, and tangled weeds surrounded the structure, giving it the appearance of a place forgotten by both men and gods.
Local villagers avoided the area whenever possible.
For years, strange incidents plagued the nearby settlement. Livestock vanished without explanation, and freshly buried graves were sometimes found disturbed by unknown creatures. Hunters searched the mountains for wolves but discovered no evidence of predators.
One evening, a woodcutter passing near the ruined temple noticed a massive black dog sitting silently before the entrance.
Its fur seemed darker than the night itself.
Its eyes glowed with an eerie green light.
The animal was far larger than any ordinary dog.
Terrified, the woodcutter hurried back to the village and shared what he had seen.
The elders immediately fell silent.
Many years earlier, a brutal murder had occurred near the temple. A greedy criminal had robbed and killed a traveler before abandoning the body in the wilderness. Although the murderer escaped legal punishment, rumors claimed he was later haunted by terrifying visions and eventually died under mysterious circumstances.
Yet the tragedy refused to fade.
Since that time, villagers reported sightings of a strange black dog whenever storms gathered over the mountains.
The beast never attacked innocent people.
Instead, it wandered among graves and ruins, howling mournfully into the darkness.
Some believed it was a demon.
Others whispered that it carried the spirit of the murdered traveler.
One autumn night, a merchant traveling through the region became trapped by bad weather and sought shelter inside the abandoned temple.
The wind screamed through broken windows.
Loose boards rattled violently.
Unable to sleep, the merchant sat in darkness while rain tapped against the ancient stones.
Near midnight, he heard footsteps outside.
Heavy.
Slow.
Unnatural.
Then came the sound of a deep growl.
Peering through a crack in the doorway, he saw the enormous black dog standing in the center of the courtyard beneath pale moonlight.
The creature appeared alert, staring toward the shadows beyond the ruined walls.
Moments later, a ghostly figure emerged from the darkness.
It resembled a thin man with tangled hair and torn clothing.
His face was pale as death.
His movements were stiff and unnatural.
The black dog lowered its head and revealed sharp fangs.
A low rumble echoed from its chest.
The ghost stopped.
The two figures faced each other in complete silence.
Suddenly, a freezing wind swept through the courtyard.
The dog lunged forward.
The spirit shrieked.
Dark mist exploded around them as the battle began.
The merchant watched in horror.
Howls and screams filled the night.
The air itself seemed to tremble beneath the supernatural struggle.
For what felt like hours, the sounds continued.
Then everything stopped.
Absolute silence returned.
When dawn arrived, the merchant cautiously stepped outside.
The courtyard was empty.
Only deep claw marks scarred the earth.
The black dog had vanished.
The ghost was gone as well.
After returning to the village, he told everyone what he had witnessed.
An elderly villager listened carefully before speaking.
“The black dog is no monster,” he said. “It is a guardian spirit. It remains here to prevent restless souls from spreading their hatred among the living.”
From that day onward, the villagers viewed the ruined temple differently.
Fear slowly gave way to respect.
During traditional festivals honoring the dead, they burned incense near the ruins and offered prayers for wandering spirits.
Years passed.
The ancient temple eventually collapsed into rubble.
Yet stories continued.
Travelers crossing the mountains on moonless nights sometimes reported seeing a dark silhouette seated upon the ruins.
Two green eyes glowed quietly in the darkness.
Watching.
Waiting.
Guarding the boundary between the living and the dead.
