That night, he dreamt the ox sprouted a pair of wings and soared away, filling his heart with a sense of foreboding.

The next day, he led the ox to the market and sold it for a low price, receiving a few taels of silver. He wrapped the coins in a piece of cloth and tied it securely around his arm.

On his way back, halfway down the road, he spotted an eagle squatting on the ground, feeding. As he approached, he saw the eagle was remarkably tame and showed no fear of humans.

The man’s heart leaped at the sight—a perfect prize. He took the cloth bundle, tied both ends into a knot, secured it around the eagle's leg, and set the bird upon his arm.

The eagle struggled mightily. In a moment of distraction, the bird took flight, carrying the cloth bundle with it.

The silver inside the cloth was gone, spirited away by the bird in the same instant.

The man suddenly understood: the meaning behind the flying ox was simply this.