【小狐貍west043】A Visit from Laozi
(lf5 - Journey to the West - 043)


【臺(tái)詞】
Golden Horn scowled at Wukong. "I doubt you have a gourd like mine."
"I do," said Wukong. He held up the real gourd.
The demon looked carefully at the gourd. "That does look like my gourd. But my gourd is magical."
"My gourd is magical too," said Wukong.
The demon rubbed his chin. "What can your gourd do?"
"It can hold a demon," said Wukong. "All I have to do is say the demon's name. The demon will get sucked in and then turn into liquid."
Golden Horn raised his eyebrows. "My gourd can do that too. Let's see whose gourd works better. I'll go first. Um, I forgot your name."
"Kong Sunwu," said Wukong.
"Oh yes. Now I remember." Golden Horn held up his gourd. "Kong Sunwu!"
Nothing happened.
Golden Horn looked at his gourd. "Why isn't my gourd working?"
"Let me try mine," said Wukong. "Golden Horn!"
Shloomp!
Instantly the demon was sucked into the gourd.
"Ha-ha!" Wukong laughed. "Golden Horn will soon be turned into liquid!" He closed the gourd and ran into the cave.
Several demons were inside. The monkey waved his iron bar at them. "Get out of here before I clobber you all!" he shouted.
"Ahh!" The demons screamed and ran out of the cave.
After a quick search of the cave, Wukong found his companions.
"We thought you were trapped under mountains," said the Tang Monk.
"I was freed a couple of hours ago," said Wukong. He untied the monk.
"A couple of hours ago?" asked Bajie. "What were you doing for all that time? We were scared to death in here!"
Wukong shrugged. "I couldn't free you right away. I had to get rid of the demon first."
The monkey untied Bajie and Wujing. They all went outside.
"It's still early in the afternoon," said Wujing. "Let's start walking now."
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "I want to be as far from this mountain as I can by nighttime."
The travelers hurried west along the road. They hadn't gone far when an old man approached them.
"Give me back my gourd!" said the old man.
Wukong stepped forward. "What gourd? I don't have a gourd."
"I know you have my gourd," said the man.
"I don't know what you're talking about," said the monkey.
There was a flash of light. Then Laozi the sage stood before the travelers. He looked angry.
"Give me my gourd, Wukong!" boomed the sage.
Wukong laughed. "Relax, Laozi. I was just joking around. I knew it was you. Here's your gourd."
Wukong took the gourd out of his robe and handed it to the sage.
"Why did that demon have your gourd?" asked the monkey.
"Golden Horn works for me," said Laozi. "I sent him here to cause trouble for you. Buddha wanted to make sure you are all serious about reaching the Western Paradise. You fought well, Wukong."
Wukong glanced at the gourd. "Golden Horn is probably all liquid by now."
"No," said Laozi. "The gourd won't harm him. Good-bye." The sage vanished.
The group continued west. As night fell they arrived at a monastery. After a small dinner with the monastery's monks, everyone went to bed.
The Tang Monk was almost asleep when he heard a moaning sound from outside. The monk sat up, trembling with fear. Was a ghost approaching?
Slowly his door creaked open. A man stood in the doorway, dripping wet. He looked at the monk and held out his hands. "Please help me!"