Xuanzang Gets Hanuman ' s Powers
Clearwater Bay School , Butani , Khrish - 9
One sunny afternoon in Tianjin , China , a young monk named Xuanzang was sitting under a tree reading a book about the Indian god Hanuman . He loved learning about Indian culture and learnt about it every second he could . Xuanzang really liked the book and wanted to get Hanuman ’ s special powers such as flying across the ocean , changing shapes and sizes , but most importantly , he wanted to go to India . Suddenly … BING ! A light bulb shone on top of Xuanzang ’ s head , even though he couldn ’ t get Hanuman ’ s powers he could still go to India . As fast as lightning , Xuanzang started racing around the village canvassing people to help him make a special type of boat . Lots of people agreed to help when they learnt that the boat will be made of wood and cloth . Villagers were cutting down trees to get wood . A young man brought the cloth . “ WOW !” Xuanzang exclaimed surprised at the amount of cloth the man brought . A few days later , Xuanzang showed the ship to the people who had helped him . “ We are going to India on this ship ,” Xuanzang proudly announced to the shocked crowd . Everyone boarded the ship and sailed away from the city . They travelled for many days , and many nights . One night a storm hit the ship . The ship tossed and turned but Xuanzang still had control of it . The ship was a drunk person driving a car . After the terrible storm , the crew decided to turn around and go home , “ This trip is impossible !” someone wailed . “ We might reach Africa instead of India !” another person squeaked . “ We are not going HOME !” screamed Xuanzang who had enough of this nonsense . Every day felt like a week and every week felt like a month . Xuanzang was about to turn the ship around and head home , when someone shouted , “ LAND HO ! LAND HO !” At first no one believed him , but Xuanzang said “ He is telling the truth .” At that moment , everyone crowded around the edge of the ship except Xuanzang who could see from where he was standing . “ We have arrived at Gujarat in Western India ,” Xuanzang told the crew . When they came off the ship , a talking pig and a friar greeted them . “ Hello ,” the pig croaked . “ Namaste ,” the friar kindly muttered . The talking pig helped them to his house as they dragged their tired bodies along the ground . The next day , Xuanzang came sprinting towards the dining table at breakfast , “ The rishis who sleep in mandir told me that the sculptures of Hanuman had been stolen …” Everyone gasped in fright , “ But the doors of the mandir where not broken so the culprit was most probably sleeping there .” The friar who had come over for breakfast grinned , it seemed like he expected this news . Strange . Very strange . Xuanzang spent the whole day looking for clues in the mandir , he spotted a trail of mud leading towards the sculptures of god . When the sun set , Xuanzang asked his men , “ Did you find any clues ?” They just told Xuanzang that they played with the friar and he taught them how to make mud castles . “ Aha !” Xuanzang exclaimed “ The friar stole the sculptures of Hanuman ! He was the one who made a trail of mud into the mandir !” Xuanzang looked for the friar , the talking pig had advised them to get his bow and arrows before finding the sculptures of Hanuman . Xuanzang crawled to the friar ’ s sleeping bag and got the bow and arrows from under his mattress . Then he tiptoed towards the terrific mandir , behind the god ’ s he found a deep hole , all the sculptures of Hanuman were inside . When Xuanzang was walking back home he ran into the friar , “ What are you doing here ?” the friar asked suspiciously . Xuanzang quickly responded , “ Praying to Hanuman .” Xuanzang then darted towards home and told his men about his discovery . Xuanzang then asked his men if they would be his army against the friar . The next morning , Xuanzang ’ s army went to make the friar confess . “ Huh ?” the friar mumbled looking surprised . Xuanzang asked the friar “ Did you steal the sculptures of …” “ Yes I did , how do you know ?” “ Uhhhh , I don ’ t know ,” Xuanzang mumbled . “ Tell me or die ,” said the friar and took out a bow and arrow . Xuanzang gasped , that was the best arrow ever , the Brahmastra . “ I hate to do this to you …” the friar laughed and released the Brahmastra … The arrow hit Xuanzang in his heart , “ Gone for good …” but the friar spoke too soon , Xuanzang just jumped off the ground and announced “ The Brahmastra made me stronger , ha ha ha . Now , let me put the sculptures back and arrest you , or I shoot you then get the sculptures back to it ’ s original place .” The friar thought for a second , “ Arrest me ,” he answered and took his hands behind him . Xuanzang ' s men tied a rope around the friar ’ s hands and feet while Xuanzang himself was putting the sculptures in their original place . His men carried friar to prison . Xuanzang and his men became famous overnight . The next morning tons of young earthlings came to ask him questions about how he caught the thief . Xuanzang answered all of their questions then sent them back home . In the afternoon , Hanuman appeared before Xuanzang , “ I have been impressed in the way you