Tea with a Dragon

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?”