《西遊記》英譯：第八章 聖僧收沙僧 八戒大戰流沙河

《西遊記》英譯：第八章 聖僧收沙僧 八戒大戰流沙河


Chapter 8 Take on River Monster as the third disciple

1.

One day, they came to a big river.
“Look, disciples!” Tang Monk said. “This river is so wide. But I cannot
see any boats. How can we cross the river? ”
“Yes,” said Pig Bajie. “The river is really too wide. How can we cross
it without a boat?”
Jumping up to the sky, Monkey King overlooked the river.
“Master,” Monkey King shuddered with fear and said to Tang Monk. “It’s
really difficult for you! But it’s just a trifle for me. Slightly swing my waist,
that’s O.K.”
“How wide? ” Tang Monk asked.
“Eight hundred miles,” replied Monkey King.
“How do you know?” Bajie asked.
“You just don’t know,” said Monkey King. “My eyes are not ordinary
ones. In the daytime, I can see anything within a thousand miles. But I can
only see that it’s eight hundred miles wide but cannot see its end.”
With over-anxiety, Tang Monk sighed and began to walk back and forth with
the reins of the horse in his hand. Suddenly, he found a small stone tablet
with some words saying: the river is eight hundred miles wide and a
thousand feet deep. Goose feather cannot float and reed catkin sinks
definitely to the bottom.

話說唐僧師徒三眾，不一日，來到一條大河邊。
三藏忙呼道：“徒弟，你看那前邊水勢寬闊，怎不見船隻行走，我們從那裏過去？”
八戒見了道：“果是狂瀾，無舟可渡。”
那行者跳在空中，用手搭涼篷而看。
他也心驚道：“師父啊，真個是難，真個是難！這條河若論老孫去嗬，隻消把腰兒扭一扭，就過去了；若師父，誠千分難渡，萬載難行。”
三藏道：“我這裏一望無邊，端的有多少寬闊？”
行者道：“徑過有八百裏遠近。”
八戒道：“哥哥怎的定得個遠近之數？”
行者道：“不瞞賢弟說，老孫這雙眼，白日裏常看得千裏路上的吉凶。卻才在空中看出：此河上下不知多遠，但隻見這徑過足有八百裏。”
長老憂嗟煩惱，兜回馬，忽見岸上有一通石碑。三眾齊來看時，見上有三個篆字，乃流沙河，腹上有小小的四行真字雲：八百流沙界，三千弱水深。鵝毛飄不起，蘆花定底沉。


While reading the words, they heard a violent sound and found a monster
coming from under the water surface.
With a green face, two bright eyes and red hair, the monster had a very
ugly appearance. The most peculiar thing was his neck lace which was a
string of nine skulls. And his weapon was only a stick.
Rushing onto the river bank, the monster wanted to snatch Tang Monk. Hurriedly, Monkey King firmly held his master. And Bajie rushed toward immediately and stroke the monster with his rake.
After twenty rounds of fighting, still no one could predict who would win.
Just at this moment, Monkey King left his master and came to help Bajie.
Knowing he could be no match for them, the monster escaped into the river.
“Who asked you to come here?” Bajie cried to Monkey King. “Just three
or five rounds more, I’ll defeat the monster.”
“Terribly sorry!” laughed Monkey King. “It’s only because that I want
to help you. Who can expect the dirty monster will ran away?”

師徒們正看碑文，隻聽得那浪湧如山，波翻若嶺，河當中滑辣的鑽出一個妖精。
隻見他一頭紅焰發蓬鬆，兩隻圓睛亮似燈，不黑不青藍靛臉，相貌醜陋無人形。而最奇特的是項下骷髏懸九個，手持寶杖甚崢嶸。
那怪一個旋風，奔上岸來，徑搶唐僧，慌得行者把師父抱住，急登高岸，回身走脫。那八戒放下擔子，掣出鐵鈀，望妖精便築，那怪使寶杖架住。他兩個在流沙河岸，各逞英雄。
他兩個來來往往，戰經二十回合，不分勝負。
那大聖撇下唐僧，前來幫八戒與那怪交戰。那怪自知不是他們的對手，徑鑽入流沙河裏。
八戒亂跳道：“誰著你來的！再不上三五合，我就擒住他了！”
行者道：“對不起。我本來是想幫助你一把。可那知那怪不識耍，就走了。”


They came back to their master.
“Did you catch the monster?” Tang Monk asked.
“No,” the two disciples replied. “He escaped into the river.”
“Now that you didn’t catch the monster, how can we cross the river?”
Tank Monk sighed.
“Don’t be worried, Master!” said Bajie. “Next time we just ask the
monster to help us cross the river. So long as he agrees, we won’t fight
him anymore.”
“That’s right.” Tang Monk said.
“Brother!” Bajie said to Monkey King. “You go and catch him. Let me sit
here to safeguard our master.”
“Sorry,” said Monkey King. “I can’t swim.”
“All right,” Bajie said. “I’ll go and catch him.”
“If you fight him, don’t linger.” Monkey King told him. “No victory is
allowed, only failure. Your task is only to lure him out of the water and
then I’ll fight him.”
“You dirty monster!” after entering the water, Bajie cried to the
monster. “How do you dare to block our way?”
“I’m not a monster!” the monster asked.
“Then who are you?” Bajie asked.
“I was once the Curtain-rolling General in the heavenly palace,” said
the monster. “Only because I broke a jade vase, did Heaven King drive me
to this Liusha River. I eat people only when I’m terribly hungry.”
Bajie wanted to say something more but he thought of Monkey King’s words
and lured the monster out of the river. Seeing Monkey King, the monster
turned back again before Monkey King could fight him.


他兩個轉回見了唐僧。
唐僧道：“可曾捉得妖怪？”
二位徒弟道：“那妖怪不奈戰，敗回鑽入水去也。”
三藏道：“徒弟，既然你們沒有抓到妖怪，那我們該怎麽過河呢？
八戒道：“師父別急。下一次我要叫妖怪來幫助我們過河。隻要他同意，我就不再打他。”
三藏說：“對。”
八戒說：“哥哥！你去和那怪交戰，讓我來保護師父。
大聖道：“對不起，我不會水。”
八戒道：“那好，讓我去抓它！”
大聖道：“如果你去打，千萬別耽擱時間。隻許敗，不許勝。你的任務是把它從水裏引出來，然後由我打。
“你這潑怪！”豬八戒鑽進水裏之後喊道。“你怎敢膽大包天擋住我們的去路？”
“我不是妖怪！”那怪答道。
“那你是誰？”八戒問。
那怪說：“我曾是天宮裏的卷簾將軍。隻是因為打碎了玉瓶才被玉帝趕出天宮，來到流沙河。我隻有在餓極了的時候才吃人。”
八戒還想說些什麽，但一想起大聖的話，就設法將那怪引出水麵。還沒等大聖開打，那怪就再次轉過身去。


2.

Coming back to their master, they told Tang Monk that the monster escaped
into the river again.
Tang Monk just didn’t know what to do.
“Disciples, what can we do next?” Tang Monk asked.
“Don’t worry, Master.” Monkey King said. “It’s getting dark. You and
Bajie just sit here. Let me go and look for something to eat.”
“O.K.,” said Tang Monk. “Go quickly and come back soon.”
Rising into the sky and turning a somersault, Monkey King came to a
village and asked an old villager for a bowl of rice. He came back to Tang
Monk very soon.
Tang monk was very happy.
“Did you ask the villager how to cross the river?” Tang Monk asked.
“The village is five or seven thousand miles from here,” said Monkey
King. “I don’t think the old man know anything about crossing this river.”
“You’re cheating,” said Pig Bajie. “It’s five or seven thousand
miles from here. How can you come back so soon? ”
“You just don’t know,” said Monkey King. “So long as I turn a single
somersault, I can go one hundred and eighty thousand miles away
immediately. As for such a short distance of these five or seven thousand
miles, it only needs me to shake my head or twist my waist.”


行者和八戒趕到岸上，告訴師父那怪已然逃回河內。三藏一時間不知如何是好。
三藏道：“如此怎生奈何？”
行者道：“師父且莫焦惱。如今天色又晚，你和八戒坐在這崖次之下，待老孫去化些齋飯來吃。”
三藏道：“好，你快去快來。”
行者急縱雲跳起去，到得一戶人家化了一缽素齋，回獻師父。
師父見他來得甚快，便叫：“悟空，你可曾求問他一個過河之策？”
行者笑道：“這家子遠得很哩！相去有五七千裏之路。他那裏得知？”
八戒道：“哥哥又來扯謊了。五七千裏路，你怎麽這等去來得快？”
行者道：“你那裏曉得，老孫的筋鬥雲，一縱有十萬八千裏。象這五七千路，隻消把頭點上兩點，把腰躬上一躬，就是個往回，有何難哉！”


Next morning, Tang Monk urged his two disciples to fight the monster again
so as to cross the river as soon as possible. Bajie went into the river and
lured the monster to come out of the water. But the monster escaped into
the river again when he saw Monkey King.
When they came back and told their master what had happed, Tang Monk was
heartbroken and wept.
“It’s really difficult for us to defeat the monster,” said Monkey King.
“But never mind, we can ask help from Goddess of Mercy.” Monkey King said
continuously. “Bajie, you just stay here to protect our master. Let me go
to the South Sea.”
Both Tang Monk and Bajie agreed with him.



笠日清晨，三藏要行者與八戒再戰那怪，以便盡早過河。八戒將那怪引出來，但一見到行者便又逃入河中去了。
二人又到高岸，見了唐僧，備言詳情。那長老滿眼下淚。
行者道：“那怪實在難捉。師父莫要煩惱。待老孫往南海走走去來，求觀音菩薩幫上一幫。”
師父和八戒連聲稱是。


3.

Rising to the sky and turning a somersault, Monkey King came to the South
Sea very soon.
“Why don’t you protect your master to take the Buddhist ures?”
Goddess of Mercy asked. “Could it to be said that you have something too
difficult to do?”
“Yes,” replied Monkey King. “We’re troubled with a river.”
“Why?” asked Goddess of Mercy.
“There is a ferocious monster in the river,” said Monkey King. “He
always blocks our way. We just cannot cross the river.”
“You naughty monkey only know how to show your ability ,” said Goddess
of Mercy, “but never think of telling him that you’re protecting Tang
Monk to go west to take the Buddhist ures. Right?”
“Yes, you’re right,” said Monkey King. “We only want to subdue him so
as to force him to help my master cross the river,” added Monkey King. “I’ve
never had the chance to fight him. Only Pig Bajie went into the river
and fought him. Maybe Bajie never mentioned anything about taking the
Buddhist ures.”


行者即縱筋鬥雲，很快來到南海。
菩薩問曰：“你怎麽不保唐僧？為甚難事又來見我？”
行者啟上道：“菩薩，我師徒如今流沙河受阻。”
菩薩問道：“為何這樣說？“
行者道：“河裏有一妖怪總是擋路，我師徒無法過得河去。”
菩薩道：“你這猴子，又逞自滿，不肯說出保唐僧的話來麽？”
行者道：“我們隻是要拿住他，教他送我師父渡河。我們還未有機會與他開戰。隻是悟能尋著他窩巢，與他打話，想是不曾說出取經的勾當。”


“The monster was once the Curtain Rolling General in the heavenly palace,
” said Goddess of Mercy. “It’s only because he broke a treasured jade
vase that he was sent to the river in exile.” Goddess of Mercy said
continuously. “But I’ve already persuaded him into protecting you to take
the Buddhist ures. So long as you mention your master, he won’t
oppose you anymore.”
“But the monster doesn’t dare to come out of the river again.” Monkey
King said. “How can we ask him to come over and give allegiance to our
master?”
Goddess of Mercy called over her disciple Hui An and gave him a red gourd.
“Take this gourd and go with them.” Goddess of Mercy said to her
disciple. “So long as you call the name of Wujing, the monster will come
out immediately.” Goddess of Mercy added. “You take him to Tang Monk
first and then take off his neck lace of the nine skulls. You just put the
skulls on the water and lay the red gourd among them and they will turn
into a boat. That’s not an ordinary boat. That’s a Buddhist boat. It can
help them cross the river.”


菩薩道：“那流沙河的妖怪，乃是卷簾大將，隻因打碎玉瓶，被罰下凡。我也曾勸化他，教他保護取經之輩。你若肯說出是東土取經人嗬，他決不與你爭持，斷然歸順矣。”
行者道：“那怪不敢出水，如何得他歸順我師？”
菩薩即喚惠岸，袖中取出一個紅葫蘆兒。
菩薩吩咐道：“你帶此葫蘆隨他們去，到流沙河水麵上，隻叫悟淨，他就出來了。先要引他歸依了唐僧，取下他那九個骷髏的項鏈，將骷髏穿在一處，放到河上，再把紅葫蘆放到上麵，就會變成一船，那便是法船一隻，能渡唐僧過流沙河界。”




4.

Back at the river, Monkey King told the whole story to Tang Monk.
With the red gourd in hand, Hui An came to the river and then rose into
the sky.
“Wujing, Wujing,” Hui An called to the river. “The Buddhist ures
taker is here. Why don’t you come over and give allegiance to him?”
Hearing someone call him Wujing which was his Buddhist name, the monster
realized at once that something must have happened because of Goddess of
Mercy. Especially the words of Buddhist ures taker, they simply had a
magical power which made the monster pop his head out of the water without
being afraid of anyone.
Well knowing Hui An, the monster stepped up and gave him a salute.
“Where’s Goddess of Mercy?” he asked.
“My master doesn’t come,” said Hui An. “She’s dispatched me here. She
wants you to be Tang Monk’s disciple.” Hui An added. “My master asks you
to make a Buddhist boat with your neck lace of the nine skulls and my red
gourd. Then you can help them cross the river.”
“Where’s the Buddhist ures taker?” the monster asked.
“Just over there,” pointing at the eastern bank, Hui An told him.
Seeing Bajie and Monkey King, the monster complained, “This two demons
didn’t mention anything about the Buddhist ures taker.”
“Don’t complain,” Hui An said. “They are both the disciples of Tang
Monk.”
“Since they are Tang Monk’s disciples, what’s the need to be afraid of
them?” Hui An added . “Let me take you to see Tang Monk.”



返回到流沙河，猴王向師父備述端詳。
惠安拿上紅葫蘆來到河邊，騰空而起。
“悟淨，悟淨！”惠安道。“取經人在此。你為何不出來歸順於他？”
聞聽有人呼他的法號悟淨，心中便知因菩薩而發生了什麽事。尤其是取經人三個字，簡直魅力無窮，使得他不顧一切將頭露出水麵。
他認得惠安，連忙上前施禮道：“尊者失迎，菩薩今在何處？”
惠安道：“我師未來，先差我來吩咐你早跟唐僧做個徒弟。她叫你用項下掛的九個骷髏和我的紅葫蘆，變做一隻法船，渡他過此弱水。”
悟淨道：“取經人卻在那裏？”
惠安用手指道：“那東岸上坐的不是？”
悟淨看見了八戒抱怨道：“他不知是那裏來的個潑物，何曾言著一個取經的字兒？”
惠安道：“莫再抱怨，他們俱是唐僧的徒弟，怕他怎的？我且領你見唐僧去。”

5.

Coming onto the bank, the monster went to see Tang Monk immediately.
“Excuse me, Master!“ Kneeling before Tang Monk, the monster said. “I
can only blame myself because I failed to recognize you. If my words and
actions offended you, please forgive me!”
“Are you willing to be a monk?” Tang Monk asked.
“Yes, of course,” replied the monster. “Goddess of Mercy has already
given me instructions and named me Sha Wujing according to the name of the
river Liu Sha River.” Added the monster. “So you see, Master, how can I
have the reasons not to be your disciple?”
“In view of this condition,” said Tang Monk. “Wu Kong, look for a
razor, I’ll let him take the tonsure.”
Having his head shaved, Wujing kowtowed to Tang Monk and Monkey King and
Pig Bajie. Seeing Sha Wujing was just like a perfect monk, Tang Monk also
called him Sha Monk.
“Wujing, make a boat and help your master cross the river as soon as
possible,” Urged Hui An.
Acting accordingly, Sha Monk took off his neck lace and put the nine
skulls on the water surface. Hui An then laid the red gourd among the
skulls. A boat appeared on the river immediately.
Stepping into the boat, they cross the river before long. Then they
continued their long journey without any delay.

那悟淨跳上岸來，立即去見唐僧。
他對唐僧雙膝跪下道：“師父，弟子有眼無珠，不認得師父的尊容，多有衝撞，萬望恕罪。”
長老道：“你果肯誠心皈依吾教麽？”
悟淨道：“那是當然。弟子向蒙菩薩教化，指河為姓，與我起了法名，喚做沙悟淨，豈有不從師父之理！”
三藏道：“既如此，悟空，取戒刀來，與他落了發。”
悟淨剃了頭後，又來拜了三藏，拜了行者與八戒。
三藏見他真象個和尚家風，故又叫他做沙和尚。
惠安道：“既秉了迦持，不必敘煩，早與作法船去來。”
那悟淨不敢怠慢，即將頸項下掛的骷髏取下，用索子結在一起，放到河麵。惠安再把紅葫蘆放到上麵，立即出現一條船。
師徒一行立即登船，不久便渡過河去，繼續登程前行。