A Tale of Sun Wu Kung's Visit with Death
The two administrators had been waiting outside the cave behind the waterfall for a few hours now. The sunset sky and cool mountain air were refreshing for the two, as they spent much of their time in the Nether World. The flowers confused them quite a bit, but they supposed they were part of the reason the island was called the Island of Flowers and Fruits.
They had been sent by the Ten Princes of the Dead to fetch the fearsome Sun Wu Kung, the Monkey King, for the beginning of his time in the land of the dead. The Monkey King had been a terror for his 324 years on this planet, having conquered many of the other spirit and animal kings around him, the most recent of which being the Dragon King of the Western Sea.
The two had been warned of the prowess of the Monkey King, but they had paid little attention to the warnings. They had been doing this job for eons and had successfully brought kings, monks, even minor gods to their time in the Nether World, all without a hitch.
So, they treated the Monkey King like any other powerful minor deity. Once he fell asleep, they snuck into his room and stole his spirit from his sleeping body and locked the spirit's wrists with chains. They then woke the Monkey King and began leading him to the Nether World. The monkey definitely was not with it and was still very close to sleep, so it didn't appear to the two administrators that he was any threat at all. What they did not realize is that the Monkey King thought that all of this was a dream.
When they arrived at the gates to the Nether World, however, this seemed to waken Sun Wu Kung. With a startled shout, he plucked the staff from behind his ear (the very staff he had just taken from the Dragon King and that he could will to change its size and weight whenever he desired). With that staff he crushed the two administrators into a grease spot on the road, it growing as he swung it down on the two.
At the sound of their administrators getting smote by a monkey, the Ten Princes of the Nether World come to see what the commotion is about. Seeing the Monkey King, they grow fearful for their lives. Sun Wu Kung begins raging at them for daring to try and bring an immortal being into the realm of the dead.
When the Monkey King is met with confused stares from the Princes, he demands to see the book of life, in which is determined the length of all living beings. Still fearful, the Princes give it to him and help him find the page on which his name is listed.
Beside his name is written "324 years and will die in his sleep." Outraged they could have missed such a massive clerical error; Sun Wu Kung takes a brush and blots out the line which foretold his death. Then, with a stroke of brilliance coming upon him, he blots out the dates of over seventy thousand of his monkey soldiers also; effectively rendering them all immortal.
With a smirk, Sun Wu Kung gives the defaced book back to the Princes and struts out of the Nether World, back to his newly immortal army back on the Mountain of Fruits and Flowers. As he leaves, the Princes turn to look at one another and say, in unison, "That monkey is going to be a bigger problem than the Nether World can now handle. We must get Heaven involved in this matter..."
Author's Note
This story is essentially a straight retelling of the original tale from the Chinese Fairy Book. Short backstory on the character: Sun Wu Kung is a monkey born from a rock on the Mountain of Fruits and Flowers which predates creation. He quickly becomes the leader of the monkeys on the island and then sets out on a quest to achieve immortality. He manages this in a few short years and returns to the island a triumphant hero. From there, he trains the monkeys as an army; an army so powerful that no force on Earth can stop it. In one of his final acts before this story, he attacks the Dragon King and takes this immensely powerful weapon from him so that Sun Wu Kung would have a weapon powerful enough to match his strength. Hope you enjoyed the story and hope the background helps fill in some of the plot holes!
Image Source: Flickr
Story Source: The Chinese Fairy Book
Good story Reid!
ReplyDeleteI have read some stories from other classmates which were variations of The Monkey King or The Dragon King, but I have yet to see a direct retelling of The Monkey King. I enjoyed finally getting to do so, and you retold it well. The story is broken up in a way that it flows really well, and I also like the beautiful picture you chose at the top of the post.
Great job!
Hi Reid!
ReplyDeleteFirst, I want to say how much I love the image you chose. It is so calming and peaceful.
I really enjoyed your retelling of the Monkey King. The flow is nice and the writing is descriptive. I would love to see this story continued and I hope you do. Great job!
Hey Reid! I really enjoyed your retelling here. I have so many questions! Why do you think the Ten Princes of the Dead dared or bothered to try to claim the soul of the Monkey King? Was it because the date of his death had already been written, and he changed his fate? It struck me that they would be so afraid of him, but would have sent the two administrators after him anyway, but I suppose they are bound by fate also?
ReplyDeleteReid,
ReplyDeleteVery cool story! The Monkey King definitely sounds like he is not a force to be reckoned with. Does the Ten Princes of the Nether World have any special powers or abilities? Is there any possible way the Monkey King can be taken down now that he is immortal? The story reminded me of the movie "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." Great story!