Shanghai Animation Classic Story Series - 17 Zhu Bajie Eating Watermelon

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Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Tang Monk, Sandy, Pigsy, and Tripitaka all go to the West to fetch scriptures. Along the way, they arrive at a place and see a mountain in front. The mountain is covered with loose yellow soil and rocks, with no trees. The area below is also barren, with no houses. Tang Monk says, "Everyone is tired. Where should we rest?" Tripitaka looks up and says, "There's an old temple ahead. Let's hurry!" At that time, it was June, and the sun was high in the sky, making people's mouths dry and tongues parched. They had walked all morning without eating or drinking, feeling both hungry and thirsty. They really wanted to reach the temple to drink some cool tea and eat a few steamed buns. But to their surprise, no one was there when they arrived at the temple. Tripitaka says, "Don't hurry, Master. Let's rest here. I'll go find some fruits!" Saying this, he is about to leave. Pigsy overhears and thinks, "If I go with him, I can eat earlier if we find fruits." He quickly says to Tang Monk, "I'll go too!" Tang Monk says, "Alright, you all go early and come back!" Pigsy follows Tripitaka out the door. His feet step on the hot ground, making it unbearable. He regrets it but doesn't want to back out. After walking a bit, he sees a white poplar tree by the roadside. Pigsy thinks, "If I could rest under this tree for a while, that would be great!" He pretends to have a stomachache and says, "Oh, oh, my stomach hurts, I can't walk anymore. You go ahead, I'll wait here. If you find fruits, come back quickly and don't eat them all yourself." Tripitaka knows Pigsy is slacking off but doesn't call him out. He just says, "Alright, stay here and don't wander off. When I come back with fruits, we'll go see the Master and share them." Pigsy quickly agrees, "Okay, okay." Tripitaka nods and somersaults into the sky. Pigsy waits for him to leave and lies down by the big poplar tree. A cool breeze blows, making it very refreshing. He's about to take a nap when he suddenly sees something green and shiny at the foot of the mountain, glistening under the sunlight. Pigsy quickly gets up and walks over. It's a big watermelon. Pigsy is overjoyed. He carries the watermelon to the tree, pulls out his knife, but then puts it down. He says, "The Master and Sandy are waiting in the temple. I can't eat this watermelon all by myself." But he can't resist his craving. His eyes gaze at the green watermelon, and his mouth waters. He can't help but pick up the knife and cut the watermelon into four pieces. He says, "The Master! I cut this watermelon into four pieces. It's okay if I eat one first." Saying this, he picks up a piece and starts eating. Meanwhile, Tripitaka has somersaulted ten thousand and eight hundred li to the edge of the South Sea. Here, fragrant flowers bloom everywhere, and the trees are full of fruits—peaches, apricots, pears, and jujubes, of everything. It's a wonderful place. Tripitaka doesn't have time to look around and quickly climbs a tree to pick some honey peaches, sweet jujubes, jade pears, and yellow apricots. He ties his apron around his waist, fills it with a bundle, and puts it on his back. Another somersault, and he returns to the original spot. Just as he's about to land, he thinks, "Wait, let me see what Pigsy is doing." He stops in mid-air and looks down through the clouds. He happens to see Pigsy holding a piece of watermelon and eating it. Tripitaka thinks, "That rascal! He found a big watermelon and is hiding here eating it, forgetting the Master and us." Just as he wants to go down and talk, he sees Pigsy finish one piece and is muttering something. Tripitaka stops and listens. He hears Pigsy say, "One piece isn't enough to quench my thirst. I'll eat Tripitaka's piece too! Leaving two for the Master and Sandy is okay." Tripitaka thinks, "He still remembers the Master and Sandy. He ate the piece meant for me but doesn't say anything." Then he sees Pigsy finish that piece in a few bites and says, "The more I eat, the more I want. Hey! I'll eat Sandy's piece too and leave one for the Master." Saying this, he picks up another piece and starts eating. Tripitaka thinks, "This fool is so greedy. At least he still remembers the Master." While Tripitaka is thinking in the sky, Pigsy has already eaten another piece of watermelon. Unexpectantly, he picks up the last piece and says, "Master, Master! It's not that I don't want to give it to you, but I'm really thirsty. Also, taking a piece of watermelon back isn't very polite, so let me eat it for you." Saying this, he puts the watermelon in his mouth. Tripitaka watches and feels both annoyed and amused. He curses in his heart, "Greedy pig! Once you have food, you forget everything!" He calls out, "Pigsy!" Pigsy hears someone calling his name and gets nervous, holding the watermelon and not knowing what to do. Tripitaka calls out again, "Pigsy, where are you?" Pigsy doesn't dare to answer. He thinks, "If the monkey knows I'm eating the watermelon, it'll be so embarrassing." Thinking this, he quickly throws the watermelon rind far away and quickly picks up three rinds on the ground, throwing them as far as he can. Only then does he feel relieved. He pulls up his robe and wipes his hands, asking softly, "Who called me?" Tripitaka sees clearly from the sky and slowly descends. Pigsy runs over and says, "Brother, you worked hard!" Tripitaka pretends not to know anything and asks, "What have you been doing all this time?" Pigsy says, "Nothing, just resting under the tree for a bit." Saying this, he licks his lips. Tripitaka asks with a smile, "Did you dream about eating fruits?" Pigsy quickly says, "No, no, my mouth is still dry." Tripitaka says, "I picked some fruits, but since your stomach hurt earlier, I didn't give them to you." Pigsy has just eaten a big watermelon and his stomach is full, so he says, "No need, no need! Let's take it back to give to the Master and Sandy first. I'm not in a hurry." Tripitaka finds it amusing and says, "Alright, let's go." Pigsy follows Tripitaka back. After walking a few steps, Pigsy steps on a watermelon rind and falls down, his face swollen. Tripitaka quickly helps him up and asks, "Why are you so careless?" Pigsy looks down and sees it's his own watermelon rind he stepped on, so he doesn't dare to make a sound. Tripitaka scolds, "Who's the lazy one who threw the watermelon rind everywhere, making Pigsy fall down!" He also says to Pigsy, "You fell like this, as if you were kowtowing to the Master!" Pigsy quickly says, "It's okay, it's okay! I'm not hurt." Saying this, he quickly walks on. But after walking a dozen steps, he steps on another watermelon rind and falls down again. Tripitaka helps him up and calls out, "Ah! Who's the lazy one this time? Did they eat the watermelon and throw the rind everywhere?" Pigsy looks at the watermelon rind and thinks, "What a bad luck!" Tripitaka says, "Don't get angry. This fall is as if you are paying respects to Sandy!" Pigsy doesn't dare to say anything more and slowly walks forward. This time, Pigsy is more careful, looking down at the ground step by step. But just then, Tripitaka talks about how good the South Sea is, with plenty of fruits to eat. Pigsy listens and only thinks about going to the South Sea to eat fruits. Suddenly, his feet slip, and he falls down beside Tripitaka. Tripitaka laughs and helps him up, saying, "Pigsy! Why are you kowtowing to me?" Pigsy looks down and sees another watermelon rind. He thinks, "How strange!" As they arrive in front of the temple, Pigsy thinks, "Finally, I've arrived. Let me, the pig, go in and rest properly. This journey has been so hard with all these falls." His heart races, and he walks faster, not noticing that he falls again. Tripitaka laughs beside him and says, "What a good disciple! Before even entering the temple, you're kowtowing to the Master!" Tripitaka helps Pigsy inside. Tang Monk and Sandy see Tripitaka bringing back a big bundle of fruits and are very happy. They also see Pigsy's face half blue and half red, swollen in half, looking fatter. They quickly ask, "What happened?" Pigsy groans and says, "Don't mention it! It's my fault for eating the watermelon all by myself. That monkey has been asking me to eat four watermelon rinds along the way." Tripitaka laughs so hard his stomach aches.