The 4 boxes of Dr Fang

Good day, my name is Dr Fang and I wonder if you would be interested in seeing my 4 miraculous boxes. They were made centuries ago by a chinese magician who was servant to a great emperor.
Perhaps I can show you the first one and if you don't want to see any more, you only need tell me and I'll pack them up and be on my way.
As you can see it is a very finely crafted box covered in gold and enamel and has a beautiful painted butterfly design upon the lid but the real beauty of the box is whats inside for when I open the box, as you can plainly see there is a little chinese princess inside, see her beautiful royal robes, isn't she pretty and if you want her to she will even dance and sing.
Now would you like to see the next of my 4 boxes? Hmm.
An excellent decision, I assure you, for my next box is even more spectacular than the last.
As you can see it is as beautifully crafted as the first box with gold and enamel but this box has the design of a fierce fire breathing dragon on the lid and inside, would you believe, an actual chinese warrior, just like one of those terracotta soldiers who guarded the Emperor Chins magnificent tomb only this little fellow can move and will show you his fighting skills if you ask.
Impressive, yes? Would you like to see the third box? You don't have to, remember, you can always choose to see no more and I will happily shut up my boxes and be on my way.
Good choice. Ahh, now this third box is very special. It is by far the most ornate and exquisitely carved of the three and as you see it has a beautiful picture of strutting, proud peacock on the lid fanning his golden tailfeathers and when you open this one up, would you believe there is actually a tiny emperor inside dressed in his royal robes with a crown upon his head, even a little jewlled throne to sit upon and if you ask him he will bellow and shout like a king giving orders.
There now, wasn't that nice. So would you like to see the very last of my four magical boxes? Just nod yes or no. You really don't have to you know, you can always tell me you've seen enough and I'll happily pack up all my boxes and leave.
You would like to see the last box? Well thats marvellous. It really is the best part of the show. As you can see, it is as beautifully carved and decorated as the other boxes but on the lid of this box is a picture of a cricket, a cricket in a box.
Whats inside? Well, I'll show you. Oh but first let me tell you a little more about the history of the boxes.
Once, a long time ago, in China there was an old Wizard named Fang and he was very much in love with a beautiful princess, as lovely as a butterfly, but the princess was shallow and could not see past the wizards age so she rejected him and instead gave her heart to the captain of the Emperors imperial guard, as fierce as a dragon but a bore and a buffoon.
The wizard went to the Emperor and pleaded, "Please your majesty, for all the loyal service I have given to you and for all that I will do for you, will you grant me your daughters hand in marriage?".
But, sadly, the Emperor would not listen. He ordered that the wizard be thrown out of the palace so then the wizard plotted his revenge.
He made three magical boxes and the first he took to the princess and when he saw the Princess in her apartments, combing her hair with her jade comb, he opened up the box and said to her, "Get into the box".
Immediately the Princess shrunk to the size of a tiny cricket and leapt into the box and when the magician closed the lid of the box, the princess couldn't get out.
Oh how she cried and begged but, hearing her, the Wizard just laughed.
"That is what you get for breaking my heart, Princess", he said.
Then the Wizard went to the house of her lover, the captain of the imperial guard and did the same; he opened the box and commanded "Get into the box" and immediately the captain of the guard shrank up to the size of a little toy soldier and leapt into the box and, when the Wizard shut the lid, the little captain was trapped in it forever.
Oh he struggled and fought with all his might to open it but, try as he might the little captain of the guard could not escape and had to listen to the laughter of the clever old wizard echoing in his ear.
Then finally the wizard went to the palace of the Emperor asking to beg forgiveness but when he was presented to the Emperor the wizard simply opened the third box and ordered him, "Get into the box" and when he did, just like his lovely daughter the princess and the fierce captain of the guard before him the Emperor was trapped within the box and has been ever since.

 

Why am I telling you all this? Well, so that you will understand the contents of the 4th box when I show it to you and why I say to you now,
"Get into the box".