第四十回 · 樹上孩童 The Child in the Tree — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

樹上孩童 The Child in the Tree

還hái未wèi曾céng坐zuò得de穩wěn，只zhǐ聽tīng又yòu叫jiào：「師shī父fù救jiù人rén啊a！」長zhǎng老lǎo擡tái頭tóu看kàn時shí，原yuán來lái是shì個gè小xiǎo孩hái童tóng，赤chì條tiáo條tiáo的de吊diào在zài樹shù上shàng。兜dōu住zhù韁jiāng，便biàn罵mà行xíng者zhě道dào：「這zhè潑pō猴hóu多duō大dà憊bèi懶lǎn，全quán無wú有yǒu一yì些xiē兒er善shàn良liáng之zhī意yì，心xīn心xīn只zhǐ是shì要yào撒sā潑pō行xíng兇xiōng哩lī！我wǒ那nà般bān說shuō叫jiào喚huàn的de是shì個gè人rén聲shēng，他tā就jiù千qiān言yán萬wàn語yǔ，只zhǐ嚷rǎng是shì妖yāo怪guài。你nǐ看kàn那nà樹shù上shàng吊diào的de不bú是shì個gè人rén麼me？」大dà聖shèng見jiàn師shī父fù怪guài下xià來lái了le，卻què又yòu覿dí面miàn看kàn見jiàn模mó樣yàng，一yì則zé做zuò不bù得dé手shǒu腳jiǎo，二èr來lái又yòu怕pà念niàn緊jǐn箍gū兒er咒zhòu，低dī著zhe頭tóu，再zài也yě不bù敢gǎn回huí言yán，讓ràng唐táng僧sēng到dào了le樹shù下xià。那nà長zhǎng老lǎo將jiāng鞭biān梢shāo指zhǐ著zhe問wèn道dào：「你nǐ是shì那nà家jiā孩hái兒ér？因yīn有yǒu甚shèn事shì，吊diào在zài此cǐ間jiān？說shuō與yǔ我wǒ，好hǎo救jiù你nǐ。」噫yī！分fēn明míng他tā是shì個gè精jīng靈líng，變biàn化huà得de這zhè等děng，那nà師shī父fù卻què是shì個gè肉ròu眼yǎn凡fán胎tāi，不bù能néng相xiāng識shí。还hái未wèi曾céng坐zuò得de稳wěn，只zhǐ听tīng又yòu叫jiào：「师shī父fù救jiù人rén啊a！」长zhǎng老lǎo擡tái头tóu看kàn时shí，原yuán来lái是shì个gè小xiǎo孩hái童tóng，赤chì条tiáo条tiáo的de吊diào在zài树shù上shàng。兜dōu住zhù缰jiāng，便biàn骂mà行xíng者zhě道dào：「这zhè泼pō猴hóu多duō大dà惫bèi懒lǎn，全quán无wú有yǒu一yì些xiē儿er善shàn良liáng之zhī意yì，心xīn心xīn只zhǐ是shì要yào撒sā泼pō行xíng凶xiōng哩lī！我wǒ那nà般bān说shuō叫jiào唤huàn的de是shì个gè人rén声shēng，他tā就jiù千qiān言yán万wàn语yǔ，只zhǐ嚷rǎng是shì妖yāo怪guài。你nǐ看kàn那nà树shù上shàng吊diào的de不bú是shì个gè人rén么me？」大dà圣shèng见jiàn师shī父fù怪guài下xià来lái了le，却què又yòu觌dí面miàn看kàn见jiàn模mó样yàng，一yì则zé做zuò不bù得dé手shǒu脚jiǎo，二èr来lái又yòu怕pà念niàn紧jǐn箍gū儿er咒zhòu，低dī着zhe头tóu，再zài也yě不bù敢gǎn回huí言yán，让ràng唐táng僧sēng到dào了le树shù下xià。那nà长zhǎng老lǎo将jiāng鞭biān梢shāo指zhǐ着zhe问wèn道dào：「你nǐ是shì那nà家jiā孩hái儿ér？因yīn有yǒu甚shèn事shì，吊diào在zài此cǐ间jiān？说shuō与yǔ我wǒ，好hǎo救jiù你nǐ。」噫yī！分fēn明míng他tā是shì个gè精jīng灵líng，变biàn化huà得de这zhè等děng，那nà师shī父fù却què是shì个gè肉ròu眼yǎn凡fán胎tāi，不bù能néng相xiāng识shí。

逐句解 Line by line

還hái未wèi曾céng坐zuò得de穩wěn，只zhǐ聽tīng又yòu叫jiào：「師shī父fù救jiù人rén啊a！」还hái未wèi曾céng坐zuò得de稳wěn，只zhǐ听tīng又yòu叫jiào：「师shī父fù救jiù人rén啊a！」

He had not yet settled firmly in the saddle when again he heard the cry: "Master, save me!"

還未曾坐得穩: 還 = hái ("yet"); complement 得 = de.

長zhǎng老lǎo擡tái頭tóu看kàn時shí，原yuán來lái是shì個gè小xiǎo孩hái童tóng，赤chì條tiáo條tiáo的de吊diào在zài樹shù上shàng。长zhǎng老lǎo擡tái头tóu看kàn时shí，原yuán来lái是shì个gè小xiǎo孩hái童tóng，赤chì条tiáo条tiáo的de吊diào在zài树shù上shàng。

The elder, lifting his head to look, saw that it was a small child, stark naked, hung up in a tree.

長老: 長 = zhǎng. 赤條條 = "stark naked."

兜dōu住zhù韁jiāng，便biàn罵mà行xíng者zhě道dào：「這zhè潑pō猴hóu多duō大dà憊bèi懶lǎn，全quán無wú有yǒu一yì些xiē兒er善shàn良liáng之zhī意yì，心xīn心xīn只zhǐ是shì要yào撒sā潑pō行xíng兇xiōng哩lī！兜dōu住zhù缰jiāng，便biàn骂mà行xíng者zhě道dào：「这zhè泼pō猴hóu多duō大dà惫bèi懒lǎn，全quán无wú有yǒu一yì些xiē儿er善shàn良liáng之zhī意yì，心xīn心xīn只zhǐ是shì要yào撒sā泼pō行xíng凶xiōng哩lī！

Reining in his horse, he at once cursed Pilgrim: "This wretched ape, what a heartless rogue — with not the least particle of goodness in him, his mind set on nothing but running riot and playing the ruffian!

一些兒: retroflex suffix 兒 = er on 些. 撒潑行兇: 行 = xíng.

我wǒ那nà般bān說shuō叫jiào喚huàn的de是shì個gè人rén聲shēng，他tā就jiù千qiān言yán萬wàn語yǔ，只zhǐ嚷rǎng是shì妖yāo怪guài。我wǒ那nà般bān说shuō叫jiào唤huàn的de是shì个gè人rén声shēng，他tā就jiù千qiān言yán万wàn语yǔ，只zhǐ嚷rǎng是shì妖yāo怪guài。

When I told you the crying was a human voice, you went on with a thousand words and ten thousand, bawling only that it was a demon.

我那般說: deictic 那 = nà ("in that way").

你nǐ看kàn那nà樹shù上shàng吊diào的de不bú是shì個gè人rén麼me？」你nǐ看kàn那nà树shù上shàng吊diào的de不bú是shì个gè人rén么me？」

Look there — isn't that a person hung up in the tree?"

你看那樹上: deictic 那 = nà. mechanical sandhi raises 不 to bú before 是 (4th tone), correctly.

大dà聖shèng見jiàn師shī父fù怪guài下xià來lái了le，卻què又yòu覿dí面miàn看kàn見jiàn模mó樣yàng，一yì則zé做zuò不bù得dé手shǒu腳jiǎo，二èr來lái又yòu怕pà念niàn緊jǐn箍gū兒er咒zhòu，低dī著zhe頭tóu，再zài也yě不bù敢gǎn回huí言yán，讓ràng唐táng僧sēng到dào了le樹shù下xià。大dà圣shèng见jiàn师shī父fù怪guài下xià来lái了le，却què又yòu觌dí面miàn看kàn见jiàn模mó样yàng，一yì则zé做zuò不bù得dé手shǒu脚jiǎo，二èr来lái又yòu怕pà念niàn紧jǐn箍gū儿er咒zhòu，低dī着zhe头tóu，再zài也yě不bù敢gǎn回huí言yán，让ràng唐táng僧sēng到dào了le树shù下xià。

The Great Sage, seeing the Master had turned his blame on him, and moreover coming face to face with the thing's appearance — on the one hand unable to make a move, on the other afraid of the Tight-Fillet Spell — lowered his head and, not daring to answer again, let the Tang Priest ride up to the foot of the tree.

怪下來了: aspect 了 = le. 做不得手腳: 得 = dé ("cannot manage—"). 緊箍兒咒: retroflex suffix 兒 = er. 低著頭: durative 著 = zhe. 到了樹下: aspect 了 = le.

那nà長zhǎng老lǎo將jiāng鞭biān梢shāo指zhǐ著zhe問wèn道dào：「你nǐ是shì那nà家jiā孩hái兒ér？那nà长zhǎng老lǎo将jiāng鞭biān梢shāo指zhǐ着zhe问wèn道dào：「你nǐ是shì那nà家jiā孩hái儿ér？

That elder, pointing with the tip of his whip, asked: "Whose child are you?

那長老: deictic 那 = nà; 長 = zhǎng. 將鞭梢: disposal 將 = jiāng; 指著: durative 著 = zhe. 那家孩兒: deictic 那 = nà; 孩兒兒 = ér (standalone, "child").

因yīn有yǒu甚shèn事shì，吊diào在zài此cǐ間jiān？因yīn有yǒu甚shèn事shì，吊diào在zài此cǐ间jiān？

For what reason are you hung up here?

因有甚事: 甚 = shèn ("what").

說shuō與yǔ我wǒ，好hǎo救jiù你nǐ。」说shuō与yǔ我wǒ，好hǎo救jiù你nǐ。」

Tell me, that I may save you."

好救你 = "so that I may rescue you" — the Master's compassion fully engaged.

噫yī！噫yī！

Ah!

噫 (yī): a narrator's interjection.

分fēn明míng他tā是shì個gè精jīng靈líng，變biàn化huà得de這zhè等děng，那nà師shī父fù卻què是shì個gè肉ròu眼yǎn凡fán胎tāi，不bù能néng相xiāng識shí。分fēn明míng他tā是shì个gè精jīng灵líng，变biàn化huà得de这zhè等děng，那nà师shī父fù却què是shì个gè肉ròu眼yǎn凡fán胎tāi，不bù能néng相xiāng识shí。

Plainly he was a sprite, transformed to this likeness; but that Master, being of fleshly eyes and mortal frame, could not recognize him.

分明: 分 = fēn ("clearly"). 變化得: complement 得 = de. 那師父: deictic 那 = nà. 不能相識: mutual 相 = xiāng.

總評 Commentary

The trap closes at last. The child, now hung less than half a li off, is finally near enough for the Master to see plainly — and the sight overturns the whole preceding contest in an instant. What Wukong's warnings, tricks, and evasions had held at bay through five passages, the mere appearance of a bound, naked child accomplishes in a moment: Tripitaka's compassion, which the demon had identified from the start as the one exploitable weakness, is fully and helplessly engaged.

Wukong's silence is the passage's pivot. Caught between three impossibilities — he cannot strike the child under the Master's eye, he cannot explain what he knows in the time available, and he dares not provoke the Tight-Fillet Spell whose threat still hangs over him from the previous passage — he simply lowers his head and lets the Master ride to the foot of the tree. The narrator's aside (分明他是個精靈…那師父卻是個肉眼凡胎, "plainly a sprite… but that Master, of fleshly eyes and mortal frame, could not recognize him") states the arc's governing condition outright: the difference between Wukong's 火眼金睛 and Tripitaka's mortal sight is the whole space in which the demon operates. The Master, seeing only a child in need, begins to question him gently — and the child, given his opening, begins to spin the elaborate lie that fills the next passage.