Home > Journey to the West > 23-false-monkey-king

23 The False Monkey King

Journeying west to fetch the scriptures, the Tang Monk and his disciples this day came upon a high mountain blocking the way. The Tang Monk said, "The mountain ahead is high; I fear there may be monsters. Take care, my disciples!" Wukong said, "Set your mind at ease, Master. With us here, what monster is there to fear?" Over the ridge and down onto level ground, Bajie said, "Old Pig is hungry. Let's all walk faster and find some household to beg a meal from." Wukong said with a laugh, "Then I'll make the horse go quickly." So saying, he gave his golden-hooped rod a shake, and the white dragon horse took fright and galloped ahead. The Tang Monk could not hold the reins, so the horse ran more than twenty li before he could slow it to a walk. Just then, a gong clanged without warning, and from both sides of the road sprang more than thirty men, each brandishing sword or club, blocking the way and shouting, "Monk! Where do you think you're going?" The Tang Monk tumbled from his horse in fright, crying out, "Spare my life, my lord!" The leader of the band said, "Hand over your travel money and we'll let you go!" The Tang Monk put his palms together and said, "I am a monk who lives by begging. What money could I possibly have?" Hearing this, the bandit chief raised his club to strike. Seeing things going badly, the Tang Monk could only lie, saying, "Please, my lord, do not strike yet. My disciple has a few taels of silver on him; he will be along in a moment." The chief ordered his men to bind the Tang Monk and hang him from a tree. In a little while the three disciples came up. Gazing into the distance, Bajie roared with laughter and said, "Look, the Master got tired of waiting and has climbed a tree to swing!" Wukong looked more closely and said, "Fool, the Master is hanging from the tree — someone strung him up!" Wukong said to Bajie and Sandy, "You two walk slowly; I'll go on ahead and have a look." With that he transformed into a young monk carrying a bundle on his back, and walked toward the bandits. As soon as Wukong drew near, the bandits closed in around him, shouting, "Little monk, your Master says you have travel money. Hand it over and we'll spare your lives!" Wukong set down his bundle and said, "Don't shout, gentlemen. There is some gold and silver in this bundle. Release my Master, and I will give it all to you." The bandits were pleased and at once set the Tang Monk down. Once he was free, the Tang Monk leapt onto his horse at once and, without waiting for Wukong, galloped off along the road they had come. The bandit chief said, "Hand over the travel money." Wukong said, "What travel money would I have? Quick, share some of the gold and silver you have robbed from others with me." The chief flew into a rage and cursed, "You little monk, you don't know when you're beaten! You dare make sport of us! Take this!" The two chiefs swung their clubs and rained dozens of blows on Wukong's head, but when they saw he was unhurt they cried out in astonishment, "What a hard head!" Wukong said with a laugh, "You must be tired from the beating. Let Old Sun have a swing." So saying, he drew from his ear a tiny embroidery needle. Wukong shook the needle and it grew into a club as thick as a rice bowl. With a single light sweep, he smashed the two chiefs so that their brains burst out. The underlings, terrified, threw away their weapons and fled with their hands over their heads. At this moment the Tang Monk, Bajie, and Sandy came up. Seeing the two corpses on the ground, he could not help reproaching Wukong, saying, "Wukong, a man of religion should be merciful. Chastising them a little would have been enough — why did you have to kill them? How can you go west to fetch the scriptures in such a way?" Wukong was nettled by the Master's rebuke and shouted at Bajie, "Fool, go and bury them at once! If you dawdle, taste my rod!" Bajie, in a panic, used the nine-toothed rake to dig a pit and buried the bodies. The Tang Monk then gathered some earth, burned incense, and said a prayer, and the company went on its way.

 2/9   Home Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next Last