《西游记》英译：第八章 圣僧收沙僧 八戒大战流沙河

《西游记》英译：第八章 圣僧收沙僧 八戒大战流沙河


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.

话说唐僧师徒三众，不一日，来到一条大河边。
三藏忙呼道：“徒弟，你看那前边水势宽阔，怎不见船只行走，我们从那里过去？”
八戒见了道：“果是狂澜，无舟可渡。”
那行者跳在空中，用手搭凉篷而看。
他也心惊道：“师父啊，真个是难，真个是难！这条河若论老孙去呵，只消把腰儿扭一扭，就过去了；若师父，诚千分难渡，万载难行。”
三藏道：“我这里一望无边，端的有多少宽阔？”
行者道：“径过有八百里远近。”
八戒道：“哥哥怎的定得个远近之数？”
行者道：“不瞒贤弟说，老孙这双眼，白日里常看得千里路上的吉凶。却才在空中看出：此河上下不知多远，但只见这径过足有八百里。”
长老忧嗟烦恼，兜回马，忽见岸上有一通石碑。三众齐来看时，见上有三个篆字，乃流沙河，腹上有小小的四行真字云：八百流沙界，三千弱水深。鹅毛飘不起，芦花定底沉。


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?”

师徒们正看碑文，只听得那浪涌如山，波翻若岭，河当中滑辣的钻出一个妖精。
只见他一头红焰发蓬松，两只圆睛亮似灯，不黑不青蓝靛脸，相貌丑陋无人形。而最奇特的是项下骷髅悬九个，手持宝杖甚峥嵘。
那怪一个旋风，奔上岸来，径抢唐僧，慌得行者把师父抱住，急登高岸，回身走脱。那八戒放下担子，掣出铁钯，望妖精便筑，那怪使宝杖架住。他两个在流沙河岸，各逞英雄。
他两个来来往往，战经二十回合，不分胜负。
那大圣撇下唐僧，前来帮八戒与那怪交战。那怪自知不是他们的对手，径钻入流沙河里。
八戒乱跳道：“谁着你来的！再不上三五合，我就擒住他了！”
行者道：“对不起。我本来是想帮助你一把。可那知那怪不识耍，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.


他两个转回见了唐僧。
唐僧道：“可曾捉得妖怪？”
二位徒弟道：“那妖怪不奈战，败回钻入水去也。”
三藏道：“徒弟，既然你们没有抓到妖怪，那我们该怎么过河呢？
八戒道：“师父别急。下一次我要叫妖怪来帮助我们过河。只要他同意，我就不再打他。”
三藏说：“对。”
八戒说：“哥哥！你去和那怪交战，让我来保护师父。
大圣道：“对不起，我不会水。”
八戒道：“那好，让我去抓它！”
大圣道：“如果你去打，千万别耽搁时间。只许败，不许胜。你的任务是把它从水里引出来，然后由我打。
“你这泼怪！”猪八戒钻进水里之后喊道。“你怎敢胆大包天挡住我们的去路？”
“我不是妖怪！”那怪答道。
“那你是谁？”八戒问。
那怪说：“我曾是天宫里的卷帘将军。只是因为打碎了玉瓶才被玉帝赶出天宫，来到流沙河。我只有在饿极了的时候才吃人。”
八戒还想说些什么，但一想起大圣的话，就设法将那怪引出水面。还没等大圣开打，那怪就再次转过身去。


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.”


行者和八戒赶到岸上，告诉师父那怪已然逃回河内。三藏一时间不知如何是好。
三藏道：“如此怎生奈何？”
行者道：“师父且莫焦恼。如今天色又晚，你和八戒坐在这崖次之下，待老孙去化些斋饭来吃。”
三藏道：“好，你快去快来。”
行者急纵云跳起去，到得一户人家化了一钵素斋，回献师父。
师父见他来得甚快，便叫：“悟空，你可曾求问他一个过河之策？”
行者笑道：“这家子远得很哩！相去有五七千里之路。他那里得知？”
八戒道：“哥哥又来扯谎了。五七千里路，你怎么这等去来得快？”
行者道：“你那里晓得，老孙的筋斗云，一纵有十万八千里。象这五七千路，只消把头点上两点，把腰躬上一躬，就是个往回，有何难哉！”


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，三藏要行者与八戒再战那怪，以便尽早过河。八戒将那怪引出来，但一见到行者便又逃入河中去了。
二人又到高岸，见了唐僧，备言详情。那长老满眼下泪。
行者道：“那怪实在难捉。师父莫要烦恼。待老孙往南海走走去来，求观音菩萨帮上一帮。”
师父和八戒连声称是。


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.”


行者即纵筋斗云，很快来到南海。
菩萨问曰：“你怎么不保唐僧？为甚难事又来见我？”
行者启上道：“菩萨，我师徒如今流沙河受阻。”
菩萨问道：“为何这样说？“
行者道：“河里有一妖怪总是挡路，我师徒无法过得河去。”
菩萨道：“你这猴子，又逞自满，不肯说出保唐僧的话来么？”
行者道：“我们只是要拿住他，教他送我师父渡河。我们还未有机会与他开战。只是悟能寻着他窝巢，与他打话，想是不曾说出取经的勾当。”


“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.”


菩萨道：“那流沙河的妖怪，乃是卷帘大将，只因打碎玉瓶，被罚下凡。我也曾劝化他，教他保护取经之辈。你若肯说出是东土取经人呵，他决不与你争持，断然归顺矣。”
行者道：“那怪不敢出水，如何得他归顺我师？”
菩萨即唤惠岸，袖中取出一个红葫芦儿。
菩萨吩咐道：“你带此葫芦随他们去，到流沙河水面上，只叫悟净，他就出来了。先要引他归依了唐僧，取下他那九个骷髅的项链，将骷髅穿在一处，放到河上，再把红葫芦放到上面，就会变成一船，那便是法船一只，能渡唐僧过流沙河界。”




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，猴王向师父备述端详。
惠安拿上红葫芦来到河边，腾空而起。
“悟净，悟净！”惠安道。“取经人在此。你为何不出来归顺于他？”
闻听有人呼他的法号悟净，心中便知因菩萨而发生了什么事。尤其是取经人三个字，简直魅力无穷，使得他不顾一切将头露出水面。
他认得惠安，连忙上前施礼道：“尊者失迎，菩萨今在何处？”
惠安道：“我师未来，先差我来吩咐你早跟唐僧做个徒弟。她叫你用项下挂的九个骷髅和我的红葫芦，变做一只法船，渡他过此弱水。”
悟净道：“取经人却在那里？”
惠安用手指道：“那东岸上坐的不是？”
悟净看见了八戒抱怨道：“他不知是那里来的个泼物，何曾言着一个取经的字儿？”
惠安道：“莫再抱怨，他们俱是唐僧的徒弟，怕他怎的？我且领你见唐僧去。”

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.

那悟净跳上岸来，立即去见唐僧。
他对唐僧双膝跪下道：“师父，弟子有眼无珠，不认得师父的尊容，多有冲撞，万望恕罪。”
长老道：“你果肯诚心皈依吾教么？”
悟净道：“那是当然。弟子向蒙菩萨教化，指河为姓，与我起了法名，唤做沙悟净，岂有不从师父之理！”
三藏道：“既如此，悟空，取戒刀来，与他落了发。”
悟净剃了头后，又来拜了三藏，拜了行者与八戒。
三藏见他真象个和尚家风，故又叫他做沙和尚。
惠安道：“既秉了迦持，不必叙烦，早与作法船去来。”
那悟净不敢怠慢，即将颈项下挂的骷髅取下，用索子结在一起，放到河面。惠安再把红葫芦放到上面，立即出现一条船。
师徒一行立即登船，不久便渡过河去，继续登程前行。