Journey to the West 15: Tea with a Dragon
The Tang Monk looked at the robbers. He was shaking. "I'm s-sorry," he said. "But . . . we're just monks. We don't have any money."
"Then give us whatever else you have," said one robber. He came closer.
"Please, sir," said the monk. "We—"
Wukong put up his hand. "I'll deal with these robbers, Master."
Wukong approached the men. They all laughed.
"Look at the little monkey!" said one of them.
Wukong laughed too. "Yes, I am a monkey. And I am rather small, it's true." He removed the iron bar from his ear. "But you should be scared of me anyway."
His iron bar grew, and his eyes flashed red with anger.
"The monkey is a spirit!" cried one man.
"Run!" cried another.
The robbers tripped over one another, trying to get away. Wukong raised the iron bar, ready to strike.
"Stop, Wukong!" cried the Tang Monk. "Don't hurt them!"
Wukong turned around as the men ran away. "Why not?" he asked. "They were going to hurt us."
"A Buddhist monk never hurts people," said the monk. "I would rather get hurt than hurt someone else."
Wukong laughed. "That's ridiculous. We should have beaten them up!"
The Tang Monk shook his head. "You are cruel and violent, Wukong."
Wukong was angry. "I just saved your life!" he cried. "How dare you scold me!" He paused. "I don't have to accept this treatment. I'm leaving!"
Wukong leaped into the air and was gone.
The Tang Monk sighed and then continued his journey. Later that day he saw an old woman.
"Monk," said the woman. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to the Western Paradise," said the Tang Monk.
"Don't you have anyone with you?" asked the woman. "You can't go there alone."
"I did have a companion," said the Tang Monk. "But he got angry when I scolded him for being violent. He left."
"Your companion will come back," said the woman. "When he does, trick him into putting this on." She pulled a metal headband out of her bag. "Whenever he misbehaves, recite the Tight Headband spell." The old woman whispered a magical spell to the Tang Monk.
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk. "But how did you—"
There was a flash of bright light, and the woman rose into the air.
"The bodhisattva Guanyin!" cried the Tang Monk. He got down from his horse and bowed.
* * *
Meanwhile Wukong sat in the palace of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea. He and the Dragon King were drinking tea.
"I hope you've learned from your punishment," said the Dragon King.
"Yes, I have," said Wukong. "I won't cause any more trouble for the Jade Emperor."
The Dragon King sipped his tea. "What will you do now?"
"I was traveling west with a monk, to get scriptures from Buddha," said Wukong. "I promised Guanyin I would do it."
The Dragon King smiled. "That's wonderful!"
Wukong shrugged. "Yes, well, I'm not doing it anymore."
The Dragon King put down his teacup. "Why not?"
"That monk had a bad attitude," said Wukong. "He yelled at me. He said I was cruel and violent."
The Dragon King coughed nervously. "Well, Wukong. The monk has a point."
Wukong glared at the king. "What do you mean?"
The king hesitated and then said, "You
are
violent sometimes."
Wukong folded his arms and looked at the ground.
The Dragon King continued. "Not only that, but you made a promise to Guanyin. Perhaps, Wukong, it is you who has a bad attitude?"
囙郢
囙郢
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