One very hot morning, he was playing with a group of monkeys under the shade of some pine trees to escape the heat. So, after the monkeys had frolicked for a while, they went to bathe in the mountain stream.
Everyone splashed and played. After a while, a monkey said: “We know that the stream flows all the way to the ocean. But does anyone know where the stream begins?” They all looked at each other and chook their heads. The monkey continued, “Since we have nothing to do today, let us follow the stream up to its source to have some fun.” With a shriek of joy, they dragged along males and females, calling out to brothers and sisters, and scrambled up the mountain alongside the stream.
The Waterfall Cave
Reaching its source, they found a great waterfall. Mist filled the air. The water crashed down, roaring like thunder.
One old monkey said: “If any of us had the ability to penetrate the curtain and find out where the water comes from without hurting himself, we would honor him as king.”
They gave the call three times, when suddenly the stone monkey leaped out from the crowd. He answered the challenge with a loud voice, “I’ll go in! I’ll go in!”
Look at him! He closed his eyes, crouched low, and with one leap he jumped straight through the waterfall.
Opening his eyes, the stone monkey found there was a big bridge made of sheet iron.
The Stone Monkey opened his eyes and found himself in a vast stone cavern. At its center stood an iron-plank bridge, flanked by a stone tablet engraved with bold characters:
The Blessed Land of Flower-Fruit Mountain,
The Cave Heaven of Water-Curtain Cave.
The Stone Monkey leaped onto the bridgehead and began walking while looking around. To his delight, he discovered pots, stoves, stone benches, stone beds, stone basins, and stone bowls inside – all utterly charming. Overwhelmed with joy, the Stone Monkey exclaimed: “Splendid! Splendid! Splendid! This is truly a heaven-sent place to make our home! If we all move in here, it’ll spare us from enduring the sun’s scorching and the rain’s drenching outside, free from suffering nature’s whims!”
The Stone Monkey hurriedly extricated himself and darted outside, closing his eyes as he crouched down and leaped out of the water. He recounted the cave’s wonders to the group, and the monkeys listened with growing excitement, insisting on accompanying him to see for themselves. “Follow me!” declared the Stone Monkey. Swarming after him, the monkeys vaulted through the cascading water curtain and into the cave.
The monkeys vaulted over the bridgehead and immediately scrambled for basins, snatched bowls, seized stoves, and vied for beds, playing with unrestrained delight. True to their earlier agreement, they formally elected the Stone Monkey as their king. They brought out fragrant wines and gathered fresh fruits for a grand celebration. From that day forth, the Stone Monkey declared himself the “Handsome Monkey King.”
The Handsome Monkey King thus led a flock of gibbons and baboons, some of whom were appointed by him as his officers and ministers. They toured the Flower-Fruit Mountain in the morning, and they lived in the Water-Curtain Cave by night. Living in concord and sympathy, they did not mingle with bird or beast but enjoyed their independence in perfect happiness.
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