Great Protectors

Journey to the West 23 Great Protectors

The creature had a pig’s snout and ears. But he ran on two legs like a person. He swung the rake again. Wukong blocked the rake with his iron bar. Clang! Then he swung the bar at the pig’s feet. “ Oof! ” cried the pig. He fell facedown in the dirt. He jumped back up. “ You’ll wish you hadn’t done that! ”

Wukong leaped out of the way as the pig’s rake slammed down, smashing a boulder. The two fought, kicking up dust and rocks. The Tang Monk hid behind his horse. “ Surrender now! ” Wukong swung his iron bar again. “ I am Sun Wukong. Five hundred years ago, I caused lots of trouble in Heaven. The Jade Emperor’s entire army couldn’t stop me! ”

“ I’ve heard of you, ” said the pig. “ But you don’t seem so powerful to me! ” He lunged at the monkey again. Wukong jumped out of the way. “ I thought you were being punished, ” said the pig. He swung his rake again. “ Weren’t you trapped under a mountain?” “ I’m free now, ” said Wukong. “ I’m going to the west with the Tang Monk to—”

“ The Tang Monk! ” cried the pig. He dropped his rake. “ I’m supposed to go with him too! ” “ You are?” asked Wukong. “ I was sent to Earth as a punishment, ” said the pig. “ My name is Zhu Bajie. I caused trouble in Heaven too. Guanyin said I would be forgiven if I helped protect the Tang Monk. ”

Wukong rubbed his chin. “ Okay, ” he said. “ You can carry the bags. ” Zhu Bajie joined the group, and the three of them continued west. As they traveled, the pig kept complaining. “ These bags are so heavy! Do we really need to bring them?” “ Stop complaining, ” snapped Wukong. “ Going to the Western Paradise is supposed to be difficult. ”