Journey to the West 9 The Peach Garden Wukong plucked a peach from a branch and bit into it. “This peach tastes wonderful!” he said. He ate another peach. And then he ate another one. Each morning after that, Wukong secretly ate more and more peaches. After eating he climbed into a tree and took a nap. Time went by, and Wukong enjoyed his life in Heaven. Meanwhile the queen of Heaven was busy. It was almost time for the annual Peach Festival. She called for her maidens, Red Gown and Blue Gown. “How may we help you?” asked Red Gown. “The Peach Festival is tomorrow,” said the queen. “All the important gods and spirits in Heaven will be here. I also invited the bodhisattva Guanyin, the goddess of mercy. Go to the Peach Garden now, and pick plenty of ripe peaches.” Red Gown and Blue Gown went to the garden. As soon as they went through the gate, both maidens gasped. “Where are all the peaches?” cried Red Gown. “They’re . . . gone!” cried Blue Gown. “This is terrible!” said Red Gown. “The queen will be angry!” Wukong had been sleeping up on a branch. When he heard the maidens, he woke up. “Who’s making all this noise?” he asked, jumping down to the ground. “I’m trying to sleep!” The maidens were startled. “We’re sorry to wake you, sir,” said Red Gown. “We came to pick peaches for the Peach Festival. Do you know what happened to—” “The Peach Festival?” said Wukong. His eyes lit up. “I didn’t hear about that.” “Oh, it’s a wonderful festival,” said Blue Gown. “All the important gods and spirits will be there.” “That sounds like fun,” said Wukong. “I’m sure I’m invited, right?” Red Gown bit her lip. “Um, I don’t think so.” Wukong was furious. “The queen did not invite me? I’m just as important as any other spirit or god!” The maidens looked nervous. “Sir,” said Blue Gown. “Where are the peaches?” “I ate them,” said Wukong. “I ate every single one! And they were delicious!” “Oh no!” cried Red Gown. “We must tell the queen.” “No, you’re not going to tell the queen,” said Wukong. He quickly said a spell. Instantly Red Gown and Blue Gown fell asleep. Wukong looked at all the empty peach trees. He shook his head. “I’m in big trouble.” When Red Gown and Blue Gown woke up, they ran back to the Cloud Palace. “Your Majesty!” cried Red Gown. “Something terrible has happened! Sun Wukong ate all the peaches!” “He got very angry and cast a spell on us,” added Blue Gown. “When we woke up, he was gone.” The queen’s eyes flashed with anger. She went to the royal court and told the Jade Emperor. “That horrible monkey!” cried the emperor. He turned to his captain. “Gather 100,000 soldiers. I want Wukong arrested!” The captain nodded and then left the palace. Meanwhile the bodhisattva Guanyin left her home on Mount Potalaka in the South Sea. She soon arrived at the Cloud Palace. “I’m sorry to tell you this,” said the queen. “But there won’t be a peach festival.” “Why not?” asked Guanyin. “A monkey named Sun Wukong ate all the peaches,” said the emperor. “I sent 100,000 soldiers to arrest him. They’ll bring him back to Heaven soon.” Just then a messenger ran into the court. “We need more soldiers, Your Majesty!” “What?” cried the emperor. “Wukong defeated the entire army,” said the messenger. The Jade Emperor put his head in his hands. “We don’t have any more soldiers!” | pluck 英 [plʌk] 美 [plʌk] v.摘；猛拉；拔；拨弹（乐器） n.猛拉；勇气；动物内脏 branch 英 [brɑːntʃ] 美 [bræntʃ] n.分部；部门；分店；分支；树枝 v.分岔；分支 bit 英 [bɪt] 美 [bɪt] n.少量；小块；片刻；马嚼子；（烟头等的）咬嘴；钻头；钥匙齿；一角二分半钱；[计]比特 v.给（马等）上嚼口；约束 动词bite的过去式和过去分词 bite 英 [baɪt] 美 [baɪt] v.咬；叮；蜇 n.咬；一口；(被咬的)伤痕 secretly 英 ['siːkrətli] 美 ['siːkrətli] adv.秘密地；背地里 nap 英 [næp] 美 [næp] n.小睡；绒毛；纳普牌 vi.打盹；疏忽 meanwhile 英 ['miːnwaɪl] 美 ['miːnwaɪl] adv.其间；同时 annual 英 ['ænjuəl] 美 ['ænjuəl] adj.每年的；年度的；一年生的 n.年刊；一年生植物 call for 要求；需要；提倡；邀请；为……叫喊；前往接某人 maiden 英 ['meɪdn] 美 ['meɪdn] n.未婚女子；少女；断头机；从未赢过的赛马 adj.未婚的；处女的；初次的 gown 英 [ɡaʊn] 美 [ɡaʊn] n.长袍；长外衣 bodhisattva 英 [ˌbɒdɪ'sɑːtvə] 美 [ˌboʊdɪ'sɑːtvə] n.[佛教]菩萨 =boddhisattva. goddess 英 ['ɡɒdes] 美 ['ɡɑːdəs] n.女神；受崇拜的女性 mercy 英 ['mɜːsi] 美 ['mɜːrsi] n.仁慈；怜悯；恩惠；宽恕 ripe 英 [raɪp] 美 [raɪp] adj.成熟的；熟的 gasp 英 [ɡɑːsp] 美 [ɡæsp] v.喘气；喘息；渴望 n.喘气 startle 英 ['stɑːtl] 美 ['stɑːrtl] v.（使）吃惊；（使）惊愕 n.吃惊；惊恐 lit up light up 的过去式 light up 英 [laɪt ʌp] 美 [laɪt ʌp] 照亮；点亮；面露喜色 lip 英 [lɪp] 美 [lɪp] n.嘴唇；唇状物 v.接吻；说话；拍打 furious 英 ['fjʊəriəs] 美 ['fjʊriəs] adj.狂怒的；猛烈的 single 英 ['sɪŋɡl] 美 ['sɪŋɡl] adj.单一的；单个的；特指某人或某物；单身的；单人的；单程的 n.单程票；单曲；单人房间；单身者；一元纸币；(网球)单打比赛；(板球)一分打；(棒球)一垒打 v.挑选(一个) instantly 英 ['ɪnstəntli] 美 ['ɪnstəntli] adv.立即地；即刻地 cast 英 [kɑːst] 美 [kæst] v.掷；抛；投；铸造；指定演员；加起来；投射(目光)；投(票)；预测 n.演员阵容；投掷；[医]固定用敷料 flash 英 [flæʃ] 美 [flæʃ] v.闪光；闪现；掠过；忽然...；亵渎性暴露 n.闪光（灯）；恍然大悟；一刹那；闪现；[计算机]Adobe公司的动画技术 horrible 英 ['hɒrəbl] 美 ['hɔːrəbl] adj.可怕的；令人毛骨悚然的；令人讨厌的 arrest 英 [ə'rest] 美 [ə'rest] vt.逮捕；拘留 n.逮捕；拘留 nod 英 [nɒd] 美 [nɑːd] v.点头；打盹；（使）摆动 n.点头；同意 defeat 英 [dɪ'fiːt] 美 [dɪ'fiːt] n.挫败；败北 vt.战胜；击败；使...不能实现 entire 英 [ɪn'taɪə(r)] 美 [ɪn'taɪər] adj.全部的；完整的；全面的 |
