The West, Chapter 83, The Melon Field.
Are you sure you can help?
Wukong asked the Buddha Maitreya.
Yellow Browse is powerful.
He captured everyone with a magic cloth.
He trapped me in a pair of symbols.
I can defeat Yellow Browse.
Said Maitreya.
He used to be my student.
The cloth and symbols are precious Buddhist treasures that he stole from me.
Wukong gulped.
Sorry, but I, um, destroyed the symbols.
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 Browse, he shouted.
Return my friends or I'll smash your entire mountain.
The door flew open and Yellow Browse 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 Browse 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 Browse.
Get back here, coward!
The demon ran after Wukong.
The monkey ran through some woods and into a melon field.
Yellow Browse chased him.
Where are you, Wukong? he shouted.
Then the demon noticed all the melons.
He licked his lips.
These melons look delicious, he said to himself.
A farmer was working nearby.
He had a big belly.
Hey, farmer, called Yellow Brows.
Give me one of your melons.
The farmer put down his rake and smiled.
He walked over to the demon.
I'll find a nice ripe melon for you.
The farmer searched the ground.
Finally, he held up a ripe melon.
Here you go.
Yellow Browse lifted the melon to take a bite.
Suddenly, the melon shrank to the size of a berry.
It leaped out of his hand and went right down his throat.
Gulp.
The demon fell to his knees.
What was wrong with that melon?
Inside the demon, Wukong punched and kicked.
Bumph!
Pow!
Bumph!
Pow!
Bumph!
Pow!
Cried yellow brows.
Then he noticed the farmer was gone.
Instead, Maitreya stood over him.
Maitreya glared at the demon.
Give me my magic cloth.
Y-yes, master.
Yellow Browse pulled the cloth from his robe and handed it to Maitreya.
You may come out now, Wukong, said Maitreya.
A tiny Wukong leaped from the demon's nose.
Maitreya threw the cloth at Yellow Browse.
It wrapped around the demon and became small.
Maitreya put the bundle into a pocket.
Wukong returned to his normal size.
He and Maitreya went to the monastery.
Maitreya recited a spell and the symbols repaired themselves.
He smiled at Wukong.
Good luck.
Then he vanished.
Wukong untied his companions and the other spirits.
The dragon, the turtle, and the serpent thanked the monkey and flew away.
Thank you, Wukong, said the Tang monk.
I'm sorry for not believing you when you warned us about this place.
Wukong laughed.
Maybe you'll believe me one of these days, master.
The travelers went outside and continued west.
