Bajie Tries to Sleep

Journey to the West 38 Bajie Tries to Sleep

Time passed, and it was soon spring. The air grew warm, flowers bloomed, and birds swooped from tree to tree. The road Wukong and the others were traveling began to go up a mountain. Wukong stopped the group. “ Bajie, go up the road and search the mountain. There might be a demon up there, and I don’t want Master to get hurt. ”

“ Ugh, ” moaned the pig. “ You make me do all the hard work. ” Dragging his feet, he headed up the mountain road. Wukong turned to the Tang Monk and Wujing. “ I’m going to follow the pig. I want to make sure he really searches the mountain. ” The monkey turned invisible and followed Bajie up the road.

The pig walked for a few minutes. When he was sure his companions wouldn’t hear him, he turned around. “ You dummies! ” shouted Bajie. “ You make me do all the hard work! Well, guess what? I’m not going to search this mountain. I’m going to take a nap instead. And when I come back, I’ll lie and say I searched the mountain! ”

Bajie found a big log. He lay down behind it and fell fast asleep. “ This pig is so lazy, ” thought Wukong. “ I’ll teach him a lesson. ” The monkey turned himself into a woodpecker and pecked the log. Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap! Bajie rolled over and mumbled. Wukong pecked again. Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap!

The pig sat up. “ Quit tapping, you annoying woodpecker! I’m trying to sleep! ” He fell asleep again. Wukong landed on Bajie’s head. Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap! “ Ouch! ” cried the pig, jumping to his feet. Wukong flew away. Bajie rubbed his head. “ I can’t even take a nap! ” He sighed. “ I guess I’ll go back down. ”