The Priest's Plan

Journey to the West 88 The Priest’s Plan

Help! ” cried Bajie. Spiderwebs now covered the pig so he couldn’t move at all. Wukong quickly grew tall. He swung his iron bar furiously at the young women. “ Oh no! ” cried one woman. “ The monkey is a powerful spirit! ” cried another. “ We must leave! ” cried the third.

Poof! The women vanished. Wukong ran into the house. He saw a large form wrapped in spiderwebs in a corner. “ Master! ” cried the monkey. He quickly pulled off the webs. “ Thank you, Wukong, ” said the monk breathlessly. “ Those women were planning to eat me! ” “ Those women are gone now, ” said Wukong. Then he smirked. “ Bajie scared them away. The pig was a real hero! ”

“ Wonderful, ” said the Tang Monk as they went outside. “ Where is Bajie now?” “ He’s right there. ” Wukong pointed and laughed. “ Bajie, the brave hero! ” Bajie was on the ground, still struggling to get out of the webs. He pretended to laugh. “ Ha-ha, Wukong. Very funny. ”

The road left the forest and headed up a mountain. The travelers arrived at a Daoist abbey. “ Maybe we can rest here, ” said Wujing. The group entered the abbey. An old priest was inside, mixing a potion. “ Visitors! ” said the priest. “ Come in, and make yourselves at home. ” “ Thank you, ” said the Tang Monk. The priest led them to a sitting area.

“ You’re Buddhists, ” the priest observed as everyone sat down. “ Where are you going?” The Tang Monk opened his mouth to answer, but Wukong spoke first. “ We’re on our way to visit friends, ” said the monkey. “ That’s nice, ” said the priest. “ Would you like some tea? I have plenty of food too. I will prepare a meal for us. ”