The Melon Field

Journey to the West 83 The Melon Field

Are you sure you can help?” Wukong asked the Buddha Maitreya. “ Yellow Brows is powerful. He captured everyone with a magic cloth. He trapped me in a pair of cymbals. ” “ I can defeat Yellow Brows, ” said Maitreya. “ He used to be my student. The cloth and cymbals are precious Buddhist treasures that he stole from me. ”

Wukong gulped. “ Sorry, but I, um . . . destroyed the cymbals. ” Maitreya smiled. “ Don’t worry about that. We must capture Yellow Brows. I’ll tell you my plan. ” Wukong stormed up to the monastery door again. “ Yellow Brows! ” he shouted. “ Return my friends or I’ll smash your entire mountain! ”

The door flew open, and Yellow Brows stepped out. “ How dare you threaten me? Do you know how powerful I am?” “ You’re not powerful, ” said the monkey. “ You just think you are because you have that cloth. I bet you’re too scared to fight me without it. ”

“ I’m not scared of you, ” said the demon. He went back inside and came back a moment later. He was holding a heavy wooden club. Wukong pulled out his iron bar as the demon rushed toward him. Wham! Their weapons smashed together again and again. As he fought the demon, Wukong took small steps backward. Slowly he moved the fight away from the monastery.

Soon they were fighting in the valley at the bottom of the mountain. Wukong took another swing at Yellow Brows and then pretended to be scared. “ You are too powerful! ” cried the monkey. “ I can’t fight you anymore! ” He turned and ran away. “ Hey! ” yelled Yellow Brows. “ Get back here, coward! ” The demon ran after Wukong.