第二章 花和尚倒拔垂楊柳

 

第二章  花和尚倒拔垂楊柳

 

次日，眾潑皮商量湊些錢物，買了十瓶酒，牽了一個豬來請智深，都在廨宇安排了，請魯智深居中坐了，兩邊一帶，坐定那二三十潑皮飲酒。智深道：“甚麽道理叫你眾人們壞鈔？”眾人道：“我們有福，今日得師父在這裏與我等眾人做主。”智深大喜，吃到半酣裏，也有唱的，也有說的，也有拍手的，也有笑的。正在那裏喧哄，隻聽得門外老鴉哇哇的叫。眾人有叩齒的，齊道：“赤口上天，白舌入地。”智深道：“你們做甚麽鳥亂？”眾人道：“老鴉叫，怕有口舌。”智深道：“那裏取這話？”那種地道人笑道：“牆角邊綠楊樹上新添了一個老鴉巢，每日隻聒到晚。”眾人道：“把梯子去上麵拆了那巢便了。”有幾個道：“我們便去。”智深也乘著酒興，都到外麵看時，果然綠楊樹上一個老鴉巢。眾人道：“把梯子上去拆了，也得耳根清淨。”李四便道：“我與你盤上去，不要梯子。”智深相了一相，走到樹前，把直裰脫了，用右手向下，把身倒繳著，卻把左手拔住上截，把腰隻一趁，將那株綠楊樹帶根拔起。眾潑皮見了，一齊拜倒在地，隻叫：“師父非是凡人，正是真羅漢身體，無千萬斤氣力，如何拔得起？”智深道：“打甚鳥緊?明日都看灑家演武，使器械。”眾潑皮當晚各自散了。

 

注釋：

1．叩齒：上下齒敲擊。道家所行的禱告形式之一，認為可以驅祟降妖。民間在遇有不詳兆頭時，也習用這種方法解之。

2．赤口上天，白舌入地：“赤口”和“白舌”都是指邪氣。赤口上天，白舌入地，是祈求神助的咒語，意思是讓“赤口”上天，讓“白舌”入地，即消除邪氣。說這句話之前先要“叩齒”。下文的“怕有口舌”，其中的“口舌”即指“赤口”和“白舌”。

 

 

 

        Next day, after putting their heads together, the hooligans pooled some money and bought ten bottles of wine. Besides, they also brought a pig. Making a good preparation in the official residence, they invited Lu Zhishen to a dinner. Taking a seat in the center with the two to three decades of hooligans sitting along his sides, Lu drank wine joyfully. Zhishen said: “What’s the reason to make you go to this expense?”  The rascals replied: “We are the blessed to have you here to back us up.” Having had a glass too many, Zhishen was delighted with some people singing or talking and others clapping hands or laughing. During their uproarious talk and laughter, they heard some crows crying outside. Some people chattered their teeth and prayed together: “All evil things go away!” Zhishen said: “What the hell are you doing?” They replied: “The crows are crying. We’re afraid evil things will happen.” Zhishen asked: “What do you mean by saying this?” A monk said: “There is a new crow nest in the willow tree at the corner of the walls. The crows cry from dawn to dusk.” Others said: “We’d better find a ladder and climb onto the tree to break it down.” Some people said: “Let’s go and find a ladder.” With tipsy feeling, Zhishen went out to have a look and really found a crow nest in the willow tree. Quite a few people said: “Wait for the ladder and climb onto the tree and break it down so as to make this spot peaceful and quiet.” Li Si said: “I can climb the tree without a ladder.” Having a careful look and stepping up in front of the tree, and taking off his out wear, Zhishen stretched his right hand downward and held  the tree trunk with his left hand,  his body went backward and his waist moved a little, and in the end, the green willow was pull up by the roots.