SOME FOLKS SAY that Marco Polo is the most famous traveler to traverse the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and Turkey. But most folks in that region remember Hsuan-zang, the Buddhist monk who made a famous pilgrimage from China to India along parts of the Silk Road in the seventh century AD.
The wind blew hard as Hsuan-zang labored up the steep mountain path. But the monk had no thoughts of turning back for he was on a sacred pilgrimage. Traveling with Hsuan-zang was his faithful white horse and one very mischievous monkey. Monkey Hanuman was quick and clever, but was known to be rude to everyone, even the Jade Emperor.
Years before, the Jade Emperor had locked up Monkey Hanuman for his impudence. But the gods had asked the Emperor to let Monkey out to accompany the monk on his pilgrimage. Monkey Hanuman had been frisking about since they set out, so happy to be free again, and his enthusiasm had helped keep his master's spirits lighter on this arduous trek.
This cold morning, the travelers came upon a rushing river, racing down the steep slope they had just climbed. As Hsuan-zang was looking around for a place to cross the roaring waters, a huge dragon came up out of the river and headed towards them. The monk stared in numb amazement, but quick-witted Monkey hastily pushed his master back from the river's edge. Monkey Hanuman scampered back to save the white horse but was too late. The dragon swallowed the dumbfounded horse in a single gulp.
The travelers were mourning this serious loss when the Golden Guardian Spirit spoke to them from above the high clouds, saying "Don't be upset for your cause is blessed and I am here to help you."
The monk immediately fell on his knees and bowed low before the spirit, but Monkey Hanuman was angry and shook his fist at the sky. "You say you are here to help? You haven't been much help so far! But if you want to help, stay here and watch over this good monk while I retrieve his horse from that wicked river dragon." And with that, Monkey tightened his belt, picked up a stout club and marched resolutely down to the river's edge.
"Give me back my horse!" Monkey Hanuman called to the River Dragon.
The dragon was digesting his breakfast and was displeased to be disturbed. He came to the water's surface and demanded in a booming voice, "Who are you and why do you make so much noise?"
"Give me back my horse!" Monkey Hanuman shouted again and swung his club hard at the dragon's head. The dragon slashed at the monkey with his long, fearsome claws. Monkey darted aside and bashed at the dragon with his club. The dragon snapped his terrible teeth at Monkey. Monkey swung again and again. The awful fight was long and fierce. Finally, exhausted and annoyed, the dragon retreated below the waters and would not come back despite Monkey's shouts.
So Monkey Hanuman returned to Hsuan-zang on the river bank with the sad news that he had failed to retrieve the horse. The monk was despondent but the Golden Guardian Spirit spoke to Monkey, "Have you not boasted many times that you could defeat dragons? So what is the problem now?"
Monkey Hanuman marched back down to the river's edge and the Golden Guardian Spirit stirred up the waters into a mighty swirling pool. The river dragon came up and demanded of Monkey Hanuman, "Who are you and why do you disturb the waters of the river?"
"Give me back my horse!" Monkey Hanuman shouted again, dancing around and swinging his club. Again the dragon and the monkey fought an awful fight. The dragon slashed at Monkey with his ferocious claws and Monkey slid away to avoid each hacking blow.
The dragon bit at Monkey Hanuman with his sharp teeth and growled, "How do you expect me to give you back the horse that I have already eaten?"
But Monkey Hanuman replied, "I will beat you with this club until you figure out a way, you miserable thief, to GIVE ... BACK ... MY ... HORSE!" but the dragon, weary of the battle and seeing little chance of catching and eating the monkey, changed himself into a small green snake and slithered away in the tall grass by the river. The monkey beat the grass with his club, but could not find the snake.
Returning to Hsuan-zang and the Golden Guardian Spirit on the river bank, Monkey Hanuman asked the Golden Guardian Spirit, "Where is my master's horse now?"
The Golden Guardian Spirit was perplexed. "I did not know you had a master. I have never known Monkey Hanuman to obey anyone."
"This is a sacred pilgrimage and I have been sent by the gods to help this good monk along his way. It is my duty to serve him on this journey. Now our undertaking is in danger of failing because of this cursed dragon. Tell me what you know of this dragon," Monkey retorted.
"The dragon is new in these parts. There never used to be a dragon in this river until recently. It is said that he was put here by Kuan Yin." The Golden Guardian Spirit's words troubled Monkey Hanuman. If Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, had placed this dragon here, great powers were involved indeed.
"Could you please ask Kuan Yin to come here and speak to us about this dragon?" Monkey Hanuman asked the Golden Guardian Spirit. Then, remembering that spirits have a different sense of time, Monkey imagined that he and Hsuan-zang could be frozen or starved or both before the Golden Guardian Spirit returned, and added, "I would appreciate it if you could bring her right away."
With a sudden rustling of wind, the Golden Guardian Spirit was gone. Hsuan-zang and Monkey Hanuman sat down side by side on the river bank. A few minutes later, there was a flash of bright light and Kuan Yin appeared before the two travelers.
Monkey was in a foul temper and started to shout, "What is the meaning of this? You should be helping us and instead you put this dreadful beast in our path. Now we have no horse and no one knows what we are going to do."
Kuan Yin smiled slightly and said, "We can get this straightened out." She turned to the rushing water and called out, "Come out, Third Son of the Great Dragon King, for I would speak with you!" and the dragon came out of the waters and bowed to Kuan Yin. Softly, she asked the dragon, "Is it true? Have you eaten the horse of this holy pilgrim?"
The dragon looked a bit sullen and said, "It's true that I was hungry earlier this morning and I did eat a horse that stood beside the river's edge. Then this monkey came and fought me because of it. But no one said anything about a holy pilgrim."
Kuan Yin nodded and asked, "Did you ask his name?"
"NO!" cried the monkey, jumping up and down.
"Yes, I did ask," the dragon answered Kuan Yin, looking only briefly at the chattering monkey. "I asked who was here and got no answer. This noisy monkey just kept complaining about the horse and trying to hit me with a club."
Then Kuan Yin turned to Hsuan-zang and said, "I have placed this dragon here to help you on your journey. You have crossed the desert and climbed this high mountain, but your passage is far from over. No ordinary horse would be able to make the perilous crossing that you must now undertake." She turned to the dragon and removed a jewel from under his chin. She placed her hands on either side of his great head and blew gently into the dragon's nostrils. The dragon transformed from head to toe into a horse that looked just like the one that had stood on the river bank earlier that day. "And now," Kuan Yin spoke to the dragon, "if you behave yourself and serve this good man well, and if you stop eating what doesn't belong to you, I will promise you shall become an enlightened creature at this journey's end." (In the Buddhist faith, everyone wants to become an enlightened creature.)
So the dragon-horse bowed low to Kuan Yin and vowed that he would do all that he was told. Kuan Yin admonished Monkey Hanuman that he was on a serious pilgrimage and should not be carousing and picking fights all around the countryside. She turned to Hsuan-zang and bade him good fortune on his journey. Then she vanished in a flash of light, just as she had come.
The goddess was correct that there were many more perils and adventures for Hsuan-zang and his monkey companion. But those tales are the subjects of other stories. This one, I believe, is at its end.
Please visit the Folklore Store for gifts and home decor with dragons, fairies, wizards and unicorns.
