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Chapter 8: The Clever Battle with the Red Boy

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Chapter 8: The Clever Battle with the Red Boy

火云洞前huǒ yún dòng qián,红孩儿hóng hái ér喷出pēn chū三昧神火sān mèi shén huǒ,烧得shāo de八戒bā jiè哇哇叫wā wā jiào。

In front of the Fiery Cloud Cave, Red Boy spewed Samadhi divine fire, burning Bajie so that he wailed.

八戒哇哇叫bā jiè wā wā jiào:“师父shī fù,烤猪蹄kǎo zhū tí真成啦zhēn chéng la!”

Bajie wailed, 'Master, the roasted pig trotters are perfectly done!'

悟空wù kōng找zhǎo龙王lóng wáng下雨xià yǔ,可kě神火shén huǒ遇yù水shuǐ更旺gèng wàng!

Wukong sought rain from the Dragon King, but the divine fire only grew fiercer when it met water!

悟空wù kōng变biàn牛魔王niú mó wáng:“儿啊ér a,爹来啦diē lái la!”

Wukong transformed into the Bull Demon King: 'Son, your father is here!'

红孩儿hóng hái ér疑心yí xīn:“爹怕不怕火diē pà bù pà huǒ?”

Red Boy suspiciously asked, 'Father, aren’t you afraid of fire?'

悟空wù kōng忙máng跳开tiào kāi,露了馅lù le xiàn!

Wukong hurriedly jumped aside, revealing his ruse!

最后zuì hòu,悟空wù kōng请qǐng观音菩萨guān yīn pú sà。

Finally, Wukong invited Guanyin Bodhisattva.

菩萨pú sà把bǎ莲台lián tái变biàn刀山dāo shān,红孩儿hóng hái ér一坐上去yī zuò shàng qù疼得téng de求饶qiú ráo。

The Bodhisattva transformed her lotus seat into a mountain of knives; when Red Boy sat on it, he cried in pain and begged for mercy.

菩萨pú sà给gěi他tā套上tào shàng金圈jīn quān:“做善财童子吧zuò shàn cái tóng zǐ ba!”

The Bodhisattva placed a golden hoop on him and said, 'Become the Child of Good Wealth!'

唐僧Táng sēng叹气tàn qì:“早知zǎo zhī让ràng菩萨pú sà帮忙bāng máng,何必hé bì让ràng悟空wù kōng受委屈shòu wěi qū……”

Tang Sanzang sighed, 'Had I known to ask Guanyin for help earlier, there would have been no need to let Wukong suffer…'

寓意yù yì:遇到yù dào困难kùn nán,学会xué huì向xiàng他人tā rén求助qiú zhù。

Moral: When faced with difficulty, learn to seek help from others.

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 58 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
火云洞前 huǒ yún dòng qiánin front of the Fire Cloud Cave
红孩儿 hóng hái érRed Boy (mythical character)
喷出 pēn chūspout; spray; belch; to well up; to puff out; to spurt out
三昧神火 sān mèi shén huǒdivine fire of Samadhi
烧得 shāo deburned to
八戒 bā jièZhu Bajie, character in Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记, with pig-like characteristics and armed with a muckrake
哇哇叫 wā wā jiàocry loudly
八戒哇哇叫 bā jiè wā wā jiàoBajie crying loudly
师父 shī fùmaster; mentor (used in Taiwan)
烤猪蹄 kǎo zhū tíroasted pig's trotter
真成啦 zhēn chéng lareally done
悟空 wù kōngSun Wukong, the Monkey King, character with supernatural powers from the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1…
找 zhǎoto look for; to seek
龙王 lóng wángDragon King (mythology)
下雨 xià yǔto rain
可 kěcan; may; able to (used as a modal or prefix)
神火 shén huǒdivine fire
遇 yùto meet; to encounter
水 shuǐwater
更旺 gèng wàng(of fire, business etc.) even stronger; more flourishing; blazing more fiercely
变 biànto change; to transform
牛魔王 niú mó wángGyuumao
儿啊 ér achild (affectionate address)
爹来啦 diē lái laDad is here!
疑心 yí xīnsuspicion; to suspect
爹怕不怕火 diē pà bù pà huǒIs Dad afraid of fire?
忙 mángbusy
跳开 tiào kāijump away
露了馅 lù le xiàngave oneself away
最后 zuì hòufinal; last; finally
请 qǐngplease; to invite
观音菩萨 guān yīn pú sàGuanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion or Goddess of Mercy (Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara)
菩萨 pú sàBodhisattva (in Buddhism)
把 bǎto hold; (structural particle indicating the object before the verb)
莲台 lián táilotus seat
刀山 dāo shānmountain of knives (metaphor for danger)
一坐上去 yī zuò shàng qùas soon as (someone) sits on it
疼得 téng deso painful that
求饶 qiú ráoto beg forgiveness
给 gěito give; for, to (sb)
他 tāhe; him
套上 tào shàngput on (a loop or ring)
金圈 jīn quāngolden ring
做善财童子吧 zuò shàn cái tóng zǐ babecome the Child of Good Wealth (a Buddhist figure)
唐僧 Táng sēngXuanzang (602-664) Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator, who traveled to India 629-645
叹气 tàn qìto sigh; to let out a sigh
早知 zǎo zhīto know in advance
让 ràngto let; to allow; to cause (someone) to feel something
帮忙 bāng mángto help; to lend a hand
何必 hé bìthere is no need to; why should one
受委屈 shòu wěi qūsuffer grievance
寓意 yù yìmoral (of a story); lesson to be learned; implication; message; import; metaphorical meaning
遇到 yù dàoto come across; to run into
困难 kùn nándifficult; challenging
学会 xué huìto learn; to master
向 xiàngtoward; to
他人 tā rénanother person; sb else; other people
求助 qiú zhùto ask for help; to seek assistance