When we left our story last, the Master Puti had agreed to take the Monkey King on as a disciple, and had even given him a new name: Sun Wukong. From that day on, Wukong began his studies at the Cave of the Slanting Moon. Every morning, Wukong and the other disciples went to the inner hall to hear the Master teach. Every afternoon, they went out to the garden to tend to the flowers and vegetables. And when the weather cooled, they went into the mountain and chopped firewood for their wood burning stove. 

上次我们说到，菩提祖师答应收美猴王为徒弟，还给他取了个新名字：“孙悟空”。从那天起，悟空便开始在斜月三星洞中学习。每天早上，悟空和师兄们去内厅听师父讲课。每天下午，他们去园子里养花种菜。天气变冷了，他们就去山上砍柴 – 带回来烧火炉. 

And just like this, spring became summer, then autumn turned to winter…year after year passed. Yet, the master still did not teach Wukong the power of immortality! One day, the Master sat upon his dais, speaking to the group. As Wukong listened, he began to laugh! The Master paused, and spoke: “Wukong, why are you laughing, instead of paying attention? ” “Master,” Wukong replied, laughing “It’s just that you spoke so wonderfully… I couldn’t help but laugh out loud!” The Master Puti thought to himself: this monkey has actually recognized the secret meanings behind my words! He is indeed made of the right stuff” And so he said to Wukong:

“Today, I will teach you a new kind of magic.”

就这样，春夏秋冬，过了一年又一年。 不过，师父一直都没有教悟空长生不老的本事。有一天，师父坐在台上给大家讲课。 听着听着，悟空笑了起来。师父停了下来，说：“悟空，你不好好听课，在那边笑什么？” “师父！”悟空笑着答道“是您讲得实在太妙了，我才忍不住笑了出来！” 菩提祖师心想：这猴子，竟然听出了我话中的奥妙，真是块儿好材料！” 于是，他便对悟空说：

“今天我教你个新法术“

Wukong was delighted!  He thought: The master is finally going to teach me the power of immortality! “Yes, yes! What will master teach his student today?” “How would you like for me to teach you how to turn stone into gold?” the Master asked Wukong. “Gold?” Wukong replied, “What use do I have for gold? Anyway, I came out of a stone myself. Stones are quite nice! Master, please teach me something else.” The Master stroked his beard, and spoke to Wukong again: “Alright, would you like me to teach you how to read the minds of men?” And Wukong replied: “Master, my own mind is enough for me to ponder, I don’t have the time to ponder the thoughts of others. This…I won’t learn either! ” The other disciples were astonished! What on earth was this wild Monkey up to? 

悟空高兴极了，心想：师父终于要传给我长生不老的本事了！ “好呀好呀！师父要教弟子什么？” “我教你如何把石头变成黄金，你觉得如何？”师父问悟空。“黄金？”悟空说，“我拿黄金来干什么？何况，我就是从石头里出来的。石头挺好的. 师父，您教我其他的吧！” 师父摸了摸胡须，又对悟空说：“那么，我教你如何读懂其他人的心思怎样？” 悟空答道：“师父,我自己的心思已经足够让我去琢磨了，我可没功夫去琢磨别人的心思。这个…我也不学！” 其他的徒弟都惊呆了——这野猴到底想干什么？

The Master thought for a long time. Finally, he said: “Alright… I shall give you the ability to see the future, what do you think of that?” Wukong responded again: “Master, if we knew all the secrets of what is to come, where is the fun in living? To live is to see and learn new things! This I won’t learn either! ” Hearing Wukong speak thus, the Master suddenly stood up. “You Monkey, you won’t learn this, and you won’t learn that, what on earth do you want to do?” And with this, the Master walked forth, and struck three blows to Wukong’s stone hard head!

祖师琢磨了好一阵子。终于说道：“好…我传给你看到未来的本领，你看如何？” 悟空答道：“师父，知道了未来所有的秘密，活着就不好玩了！活着就是要看到、学到新东西呀！这个我也不学！” 听到悟空这样说，师父突然站了起来。“你这个猴子，这也不学，那也不学，到底想做什么？” 说完，师父走向前，往悟空石头硬的头上打了三下!

Bam! Bam! Bam!

嘭!嘭! 嘭!

And without another word, the Master turned, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked out through the back doors. “Slam!” went the doors as they closed. The other disciples began to complain immediately. They pointed to Wukong and said: “You wild monkey, now look what you’ve done! The Master is angry, and who knows when he’ll be back? ”But Wukong, why, he wasn’t worried at all! In fact, he was secretly laughing inside! Because he knew, he had guessed the answer to the Master’s final riddle!

然后二话不说，师父转身，背着手从后门走了出去，“嘭”的一声，把门关上了。其他的徒弟立刻开始抱怨. 他们指着悟空说：“你这个野猴，看你做的好事！ 师父生气了。谁知道他什么时候才会回来！” 可是悟空呀，他一点也不担心。他心里还暗暗偷笑呢！因为他知道，自己猜透了师父给他设的最后一个谜了！

*

Panda Cubs, we end this week’s story here. What on earth did the Master mean? What secret signal did he give Wukong? We will continue this story, next time. 

熊猫宝宝们，我们这周的故事就讲到这里了。师父到底是什么意思呢？他给了悟空什么暗示吗？我们下次再说！