Dec 5, 2017 5 min read

The story so far: Monkey, disguised as Lotus-Feet Immortal, tries to sneak into the Jade Emperor’s Peach Banquet, but he stops first and drinks the entire pot of Laughing Liquid.

• Chapter THIRTEEN

Monkey at the

Peach Banquet

Still laughing uncontrollably, Monkey managed to get to his feet. Although he was chortling, chuckling, guffawing, and giggling, he knew he was in deep trouble. “I -ha! ha! – had better – hee! hee! – slip away,” he snorted. He sprang to the kitchen doorway to make his escape.

When he looked out from the kitchen, he saw that the Jade Emperor himself was seated at the head of the great banquet table. All around him were dozens of high gods and immortals. For once Monkey didn’t know what to do.

As Monkey hesitated in the doorway, Jade Emperor looked up. “Ah! Lotus-Feet Immortal, where have you been?”

Monkey suddenly remembered he was disguised as the old goddess. He opened his mouth to say something polite. But instead of words, great gales of laughter burst out.

All the gods and goddesses at the table turned and stared at him.

“Has something funny happened?” Jade Emperor asked with a frown.

“No … ” Monkey sputtered. “Just a … silly thought.”

“Well, whatever it is, Lotus-Feet Immortal,” the Jade Emperor said, “come join us. But please don’t laugh. We are discussing an extremely serious matter.”

Biting his lips to keep from laughing, Monkey made his way to the table. To his amusement, he was seated right across from the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea! It was almost too much! Monkey had to press his lips together hard to keep in his glee.

“Now, to answer your question, Dragon King,” said Jade Emperor, “I have put Monkey in charge of the Celestial Peach Garden. But my real plan – “

Monkey King could no longer restrain himself. He burst into laughter. “Ha! Ha! Ha!”

Jade Emperor looked gravely round at Monkey. “Lotus-Feet Immortal, what do you find so funny?”

“Noth-noth-nothing,” Monkey sputtered. Before he burst out with laughter again, he slapped his paws over his mouth. Only now he grew redder and redder until he was about to explode with laughter.

“Very well,” Jade Emperor said severely. “But do try to control yourself. Now, as I was saying,” he continued, “I have Monkey King working in the Peach Garden. It’s a kind of an arrest, although he doesn’t know that – “

Arrest! Monkey was furious! But all he could do was throw his head back and laugh more uproariously than ever. He laughed so wildly that just for a moment he lost control of his transformation.

Across from Monkey, the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea blinked. Had his eyes deceived him? He jumped up, ran around Monkey’s chair, and screamed. “Look! A monkey’s tail. Your Majesty! This isn’t Lotus-Feet Immortal! It’s. . . It’s Monkey. In disguise!”

Monkey peeked over his shoulder. Sure enough, his tail was showing. It was clearly time for him to go home! Laughing all the while, he leaped to his feet. Before the gods and goddesses could do anything, he was racing through the Southern Gate of Heaven. At the edge of Heaven he dove into the sky and cloud-soared down to Earth.

Meanwhile, at the Jade Pond, all was in confusion. No sooner did Monkey escape than the seven fairies who had been frozen in the Peach Garden came running in. Monkey’s spell had worn off.

“Great Jade Emperor,” the fairies cried. “Forgive us. That Monkey has eaten your peaches!”

They had hardly spoken when the real Lotus-Feet Immortal zoomed in on her cloud. “Your Majesty, forgive me for being so late, but a monkey told me this banquet was at the Cloud Palace.”

Then another servant ran forward, panic-stricken. “Your Majesty, forgive me. The Laughing Liquid is gone!”

Jade Emperor was furious! “Such chaos is totally unacceptable. Thousand-League-Eye, Thousand-League-Ear, search out Monkey and see where he has gone. I am going to punish him severely!”

Both ministers rushed off. In less than half a blink of an eye, they were back.

“Monkey is already back at the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits,” gasped Thousand-League-Eye.

“And he is still laughing,” huffed Thousand-League-Ear.

Jade Emperor turned to his bravest general. “Vaisravana,” he said, “I order you to take one hundred thousand soldiers and arrest this rascal, this no good … this … Monkey! Bring him to me immediately. He shall regret the day he ever came to Heaven!”

• NEXT WEEK:
• Monkey under attack