Monkey King sets off to seek the secret of everlasting life！
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When we left our story last, the stone monkey was no longer just a “stone monkey”! He had now become the Monkey King, beloved by all! What a carefree life the Monkey King led, there on the Mountain of Flower and Fruit!When he wished to eat – he ate! When he wished to drink – he drank! And when he wished to sleep, he slept! And just like this, 300 years passed…Yet the Monkey King was not happy.
上次我们说到，石猴已经不再是只简单的“石头猴子”了！ 如今，它已成为被大家喜爱的美猴王了！ 美猴王在花果山上过着自由自在的生活！ 想吃就吃，想喝就喝，想睡觉就睡觉! 就这样，三百年过去了 …但美猴王并不开心。
He frowned, brow furrowed… his tail twitching from left to right. And at last, a great big tear rolled down his cheek and fell to the ground. Surprised, the other monkeys asked their King: “What is wrong, great King? Why do you cry? “
它愁眉苦脸…尾巴从左到右来回摆动着。最后，一滴大大的眼泪从它的脸上流了下来，落到地上。 其他的猴子很纳闷,它们问猴王： “大王，怎么了？您为什么哭呢？”
And the Monkey King sighed, and replied: “I may not age as quickly as you all, but alas， I shall not live forever. One day, I too will grow old. One day, I too will face death. We may live a carefree life right now, but what about after we leave this place? For in the land of the dead, the Yanwang rules.
美猴王叹着气回答道： “我虽然没有你们老的快，唉！但我还是不能长生不老。总有一天，我也会老去。总有一天，我也会面对死亡。 我们现在虽然活得无忧无虑，不过咱们离开这里以后呢？阴间地狱（阴曹地府）可是归阎王管。
And in that place, there is nothing…
Nothing the eat
Nothing to drink
Not even light!
在那里，什么都没有…
没吃的
没喝的
连光线都没有！
To think that we will all have to go there one day! How dreadful a fate! ” And when the other monkeys heard this, they also began to cry: What to do, what do do?!!
“My Lord”
And an aged female monkey stepped forward. She said: “ If the Great King wishes to live forever, there is a way! In this world there are three kinds of beings, who are not subject to the Yanwang’s Rule”
想着有一天，我们终究会去那里， 真是糟糕的命运啊！ 群猴们听到这里，也都开始哭泣 怎么办，到底怎么办呢？
“大王”
一只非常老的母猴子站了出来。 她说： “若大王想长生不老，那还是有办法的！ 世上有三种人不被阎王所管” 美猴王坐了起来。
The Monkey King sat up. “Which three?” he asked
“The Buddhas, the Immortals, and the Holy Sages,” the old monkey replied. “They have learned the secrets of heaven and earth! Why don’t you find an immortal from whom you can learn the way of everlasting life? “
“哪三种？” 他问道。
“佛祖 神仙 圣人” 那只老猴子答道。 “ 他们知道了天地的秘密! 大王，您何不去找一位神仙，从他那里学个长生之道呀? ”
"Hao! I‘ll do as you say!" Cried the Monkey King, leaping up from his throne. “Come, my young ones, let us prepare! I shall set out tonight!”
So the monkeys went to work: They made a small boat out of bamboo, and collected the largest of leaves and fashioned them into sails. And finally, when the full moon rose, the Monkey King was off! As soon as little boat slid into the sea, the wind began to blow. The little boat carrying the Monkey King floated further and further away. And soon the Monkey King was nought but a spot in the ocean！ The waves glinted silver under the light of the moon, and the wind whispered softly of stories yet to come…
好的！ 就按你说的去做！ 美猴王喊了一声，从他的宝座上跳了起来。 “来吧，孩儿们，我们准备准备！我今晚就出发！” 猴子们便开始工作: 他们用竹子造了一个小船，又采来了大大的叶子来做船帆。 终于，当一轮满月在空中升起时，美猴王出发了！ 那艘Sōu小船刚划到海 里，风就吹了起来。那小船带着美猴王漂得越来越远。 没过多久，只看到美猴王是海洋中的一个小点儿！海浪反射着银色的月光… 风轻轻吹着，仿佛悄悄的说着接下来的故事…
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And that’s our story for today, Panda Cubs. Next week, we’ll follow the Monkey King in his search for the secret of everlasting life!
熊猫宝宝们，今天的故事就讲到这里了。下个星期，我们继续跟随美猴王，寻找他的长生不老之道。
Credits and Resources:
Music
“Dark Tension Rising” – Mattia Cupelli
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zvQoPyY2XE
p.s. ... I'm trying something new! Here is a version of this story overlaid with a time-lapse illustration! click below to "draw and listen"! :-)