第四十回 · 蟒蛇綽魂 The Python-Sprite Snatches Souls — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

蟒蛇綽魂 The Python-Sprite Snatches Souls

三sān藏zàng依yī言yán，策cè馬mǎ又yòu進jìn。行xíng不bú上shàng一yì里lǐ之zhī遙yáo，又yòu聽tīng得dé叫jiào聲shēng：「救jiù人rén！」長zhǎng老lǎo道dào：「徒tú弟dì，這zhè個gè叫jiào聲shēng不bú是shì鬼guǐ魅mèi妖yāo邪xié。若ruò是shì鬼guǐ魅mèi妖yāo邪xié，但dàn有yǒu出chū聲shēng，無wú有yǒu回huí聲shēng。你nǐ聽tīng他tā叫jiào一yì聲shēng，又yòu叫jiào一yì聲shēng，想xiǎng必bì是shì個gè有yǒu難nàn之zhī人rén。我wǒ們men可kě去qù救jiù他tā一yí救jiù。」行xíng者zhě道dào：「師shī父fù，今jīn日rì且qiě把bǎ這zhè慈cí悲bēi心xīn略lüè收shōu起qǐ收shōu起qǐ，待dài過guò了le此cǐ山shān，再zài發fā慈cí悲bēi罷ba。這zhè去qù處chù兇xiōng多duō吉jí少shǎo。你nǐ知zhī道dào那nà倚yǐ草cǎo附fù木mù之zhī說shuō，是shì物wù可kě以yǐ成chéng精jīng。諸zhū般bān還hái可kě，只zhǐ有yǒu一yì般bān蟒mǎng蛇shé，但dàn修xiū得dé年nián遠yuǎn日rì深shēn，成chéng了le精jīng魅mèi，善shàn能néng知zhī人rén小xiǎo名míng兒er。他tā若ruò在zài草cǎo科kē裡lǐ，或huò山shān凹āo中zhōng，叫jiào人rén一yì聲shēng，人rén不bù答dá應yìng還hái可kě；若ruò答dá應yìng一yì聲shēng，他tā就jiù把bǎ人rén元yuán神shén綽chuò去qù，當dāng夜yè跟gēn來lái，斷duàn然rán傷shāng人rén性xìng命mìng。且qiě走zǒu，且qiě走zǒu。古gǔ人rén云yún：『脫tuō得dé去qù，謝xiè神shén明míng。』切qiè不bù可kě聽tīng他tā。」長zhǎng老lǎo只zhǐ得dé依yī他tā，又yòu加jiā鞭biān催cuī馬mǎ而ér去qù。三sān藏zàng依yī言yán，策cè马mǎ又yòu进jìn。行xíng不bú上shàng一yì里lǐ之zhī遥yáo，又yòu听tīng得dé叫jiào声shēng：「救jiù人rén！」长zhǎng老lǎo道dào：「徒tú弟dì，这zhè个gè叫jiào声shēng不bú是shì鬼guǐ魅mèi妖yāo邪xié。若ruò是shì鬼guǐ魅mèi妖yāo邪xié，但dàn有yǒu出chū声shēng，无wú有yǒu回huí声shēng。你nǐ听tīng他tā叫jiào一yì声shēng，又yòu叫jiào一yì声shēng，想xiǎng必bì是shì个gè有yǒu难nàn之zhī人rén。我wǒ们men可kě去qù救jiù他tā一yí救jiù。」行xíng者zhě道dào：「师shī父fù，今jīn日rì且qiě把bǎ这zhè慈cí悲bēi心xīn略lüè收shōu起qǐ收shōu起qǐ，待dài过guò了le此cǐ山shān，再zài发fā慈cí悲bēi罢ba。这zhè去qù处chù凶xiōng多duō吉jí少shǎo。你nǐ知zhī道dào那nà倚yǐ草cǎo附fù木mù之zhī说shuō，是shì物wù可kě以yǐ成chéng精jīng。诸zhū般bān还hái可kě，只zhǐ有yǒu一yì般bān蟒mǎng蛇shé，但dàn修xiū得dé年nián远yuǎn日rì深shēn，成chéng了le精jīng魅mèi，善shàn能néng知zhī人rén小xiǎo名míng儿er。他tā若ruò在zài草cǎo科kē里lǐ，或huò山shān凹āo中zhōng，叫jiào人rén一yì声shēng，人rén不bù答dá应yìng还hái可kě；若ruò答dá应yìng一yì声shēng，他tā就jiù把bǎ人rén元yuán神shén绰chuò去qù，当dāng夜yè跟gēn来lái，断duàn然rán伤shāng人rén性xìng命mìng。且qiě走zǒu，且qiě走zǒu。古gǔ人rén云yún：『脱tuō得dé去qù，谢xiè神shén明míng。』切qiè不bù可kě听tīng他tā。」长zhǎng老lǎo只zhǐ得dé依yī他tā，又yòu加jiā鞭biān催cuī马mǎ而ér去qù。

逐句解 Line by line

三sān藏zàng依yī言yán，策cè馬mǎ又yòu進jìn。三sān藏zàng依yī言yán，策cè马mǎ又yòu进jìn。

Tripitaka, complying with his words, whipped up the horse and pressed on.

三藏: 藏 = zàng.

行xíng不bú上shàng一yì里lǐ之zhī遙yáo，又yòu聽tīng得dé叫jiào聲shēng：「救jiù人rén！」行xíng不bú上shàng一yì里lǐ之zhī遥yáo，又yòu听tīng得dé叫jiào声shēng：「救jiù人rén！」

They had not gone a full li's distance when again they heard the voice calling: "Save me!"

行不上一里: 行 = xíng; mechanical sandhi (不 before 上, 4th tone) raises 不 to bú, correctly. 又聽得: 得 = dé ("came to hear"). 里 (a li) untranslated.

長zhǎng老lǎo道dào：「徒tú弟dì，這zhè個gè叫jiào聲shēng不bú是shì鬼guǐ魅mèi妖yāo邪xié。长zhǎng老lǎo道dào：「徒tú弟dì，这zhè个gè叫jiào声shēng不bú是shì鬼guǐ魅mèi妖yāo邪xié。

The elder said: "Disciple, this crying voice is no ghost or demon-sprite.

長老: 長 = zhǎng. 不是鬼魅: mechanical sandhi raises 不 to bú before 是 (4th tone).

若ruò是shì鬼guǐ魅mèi妖yāo邪xié，但dàn有yǒu出chū聲shēng，無wú有yǒu回huí聲shēng。若ruò是shì鬼guǐ魅mèi妖yāo邪xié，但dàn有yǒu出chū声shēng，无wú有yǒu回huí声shēng。

Were it a ghost or demon-sprite, there would be an outgoing voice but no echo in reply.

但有出聲，無有回聲: the folk-test the Master invokes — a spectral cry has no answering echo.

你nǐ聽tīng他tā叫jiào一yì聲shēng，又yòu叫jiào一yì聲shēng，想xiǎng必bì是shì個gè有yǒu難nàn之zhī人rén。你nǐ听tīng他tā叫jiào一yì声shēng，又yòu叫jiào一yì声shēng，想xiǎng必bì是shì个gè有yǒu难nàn之zhī人rén。

You hear him call once, and call again — he must surely be a person in distress.

叫一聲，又叫一聲: 一 sandhi → yì before 聲 (1st tone), both times. 有難之人: 難 = nàn ("distress, calamity").

我wǒ們men可kě去qù救jiù他tā一yí救jiù。」我wǒ们men可kě去qù救jiù他tā一yí救jiù。」

We ought to go and save him."

救他一救: the reduplicated verb frames a single act of rescue; 一 sandhi → yí before the 4th-tone 救.

行xíng者zhě道dào：「師shī父fù，今jīn日rì且qiě把bǎ這zhè慈cí悲bēi心xīn略lüè收shōu起qǐ收shōu起qǐ，待dài過guò了le此cǐ山shān，再zài發fā慈cí悲bēi罷ba。行xíng者zhě道dào：「师shī父fù，今jīn日rì且qiě把bǎ这zhè慈cí悲bēi心xīn略lüè收shōu起qǐ收shōu起qǐ，待dài过guò了le此cǐ山shān，再zài发fā慈cí悲bēi罢ba。

Pilgrim said: "Master, for today just fold up this compassionate heart a little and put it away; wait till we're past this mountain, and then show your mercy again.

略收起收起 = "put it away for a bit." 再發慈悲罷: sentence-final particle 罷 = ba (=吧), not the verb bà.

這zhè去qù處chù兇xiōng多duō吉jí少shǎo。这zhè去qù处chù凶xiōng多duō吉jí少shǎo。

This is a place of much peril and little luck.

這去處: 處 = chù (place). 兇多吉少 = "much ill fortune, little good."

你nǐ知zhī道dào那nà倚yǐ草cǎo附fù木mù之zhī說shuō，是shì物wù可kě以yǐ成chéng精jīng。你nǐ知zhī道dào那nà倚yǐ草cǎo附fù木mù之zhī说shuō，是shì物wù可kě以yǐ成chéng精jīng。

You know the saying about how things clinging to grass and fastening to trees can become sprites.

那倚草附木之說: deictic 那 = nà. 是物可以成精 = "such things can turn into sprites."

諸zhū般bān還hái可kě，只zhǐ有yǒu一yì般bān蟒mǎng蛇shé，但dàn修xiū得dé年nián遠yuǎn日rì深shēn，成chéng了le精jīng魅mèi，善shàn能néng知zhī人rén小xiǎo名míng兒er。诸zhū般bān还hái可kě，只zhǐ有yǒu一yì般bān蟒mǎng蛇shé，但dàn修xiū得dé年nián远yuǎn日rì深shēn，成chéng了le精jīng魅mèi，善shàn能néng知zhī人rén小xiǎo名míng儿er。

All the rest may pass; only there is one sort — the python — that, once it has cultivated itself over long years and deep days and become a sprite, is well able to know a person's little name.

諸般還可: 還 = hái ("still, even so"). 只有一般: 一 sandhi → yì before 般 (1st tone). 修得: 得 = dé. 小名兒: retroflex diminutive suffix 兒 = er.

他tā若ruò在zài草cǎo科kē裡lǐ，或huò山shān凹āo中zhōng，叫jiào人rén一yì聲shēng，人rén不bù答dá應yìng還hái可kě；他tā若ruò在zài草cǎo科kē里lǐ，或huò山shān凹āo中zhōng，叫jiào人rén一yì声shēng，人rén不bù答dá应yìng还hái可kě；

If it lies in the grass-thickets or in a hollow of the mountain and calls out to someone, and the person does not answer, all is still well;

山凹中: 中 = zhōng. 叫人一聲: 一 sandhi → yì before 聲 (1st tone). 人不答應: 應 = yìng ("to answer"); 還可還 = hái.

若ruò答dá應yìng一yì聲shēng，他tā就jiù把bǎ人rén元yuán神shén綽chuò去qù，當dāng夜yè跟gēn來lái，斷duàn然rán傷shāng人rén性xìng命mìng。若ruò答dá应yìng一yì声shēng，他tā就jiù把bǎ人rén元yuán神shén绰chuò去qù，当dāng夜yè跟gēn来lái，断duàn然rán伤shāng人rén性xìng命mìng。

but if the person answers so much as once, it will snatch away the person's primal spirit, come following that very night, and unfailingly harm his life.

答應一聲: 應 = yìng; 一 sandhi → yì before 聲 (1st tone). 綽去: 綽 = chuò ("to snatch away"). 當夜: 當 = dāng ("that very night").

且qiě走zǒu，且qiě走zǒu。且qiě走zǒu，且qiě走zǒu。

Let's go, let's go.

且走，且走 = "on, on" — Wukong pressing the pace.

古gǔ人rén云yún：『脫tuō得dé去qù，謝xiè神shén明míng。』古gǔ人rén云yún：『脱tuō得dé去qù，谢xiè神shén明míng。』

The ancients say: 'Get yourself away, and give thanks to the gods.'

脫得去: 得 = dé ("manage to get away"). A proverb urging escape over investigation.

切qiè不bù可kě聽tīng他tā。」切qiè不bù可kě听tīng他tā。」

On no account listen to him."

切不可聽他: mechanical sandhi leaves 不 as bù before 可 (3rd tone), correctly.

長zhǎng老lǎo只zhǐ得dé依yī他tā，又yòu加jiā鞭biān催cuī馬mǎ而ér去qù。长zhǎng老lǎo只zhǐ得dé依yī他tā，又yòu加jiā鞭biān催cuī马mǎ而ér去qù。

The elder, left with no choice but to comply, again plied whip to the horse and rode on.

長老: 長 = zhǎng. 只得: 得 = dé.

總評 Commentary

Wukong's tactic shifts from evasion to instruction. Unable to persuade the Master simply to ignore the cry, he now gives it a false but plausible identity: this is python-country, he says, and a python-sprite of long cultivation can learn a traveler's very name, calling out to lure a reply that will let it snatch the soul. The lore is invented on the spot — there is no python — but it is the kind of demonological warning the pilgrimage has made real often enough that Tripitaka cannot dismiss it out of hand.

The passage's deeper irony is that Wukong's fabricated warning is, in structure, exactly true. He describes a predator that works by luring compassion into a fatal response — "call out to someone, and if the person answers, it will snatch away his primal spirit" — which is precisely the mechanism of the actual demon hanging in the pine ahead. Wukong has diagnosed the trap correctly; he has only mislabeled the beast. And his prescription (略收起收起 this 慈悲心, fold up the compassionate heart and put it away, just until the mountain is behind them) asks of Tripitaka the one thing his nature cannot sustain. The Master complies for now, whip to horse, but the reader has been shown both the truth of the danger and the certainty that the Master's mercy will not stay folded up for long.