原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
小喇嘛兒 Two Novices Fall Over Twice
有兩個小喇嘛兒跑出外去，看見行者，諕了一跌；見了八戒，又是一跌。有两个小喇嘛儿跑出外去，看见行者，諕了一跌；见了八戒，又是一跌。
逐句解 Line by line
有兩個小喇嘛兒跑出外去，看見行者，諕了一跌；
有两个小喇嘛儿跑出外去，看见行者，諕了一跌；
Two little lama novices ran out, saw Pilgrim, and fell over in fright;
The last 諕 of the chapter, xià. The 兒 on 小喇嘛兒 is a diminutive and reads ér, as it does everywhere in this edition.
見了八戒，又是一跌。
见了八戒，又是一跌。
then saw Bajie, and fell over again.
Eight characters, and the comic timing is exact. One fall for the monkey, a second for the pig, and the sentence stops before they can see Sha Monk.
This is the joke the whole chapter has been holding in reserve. The party has spent the afternoon arguing about whether a demon looks like a demon. Two novices take one look at the rescue party and hit the ground twice.
It is also the fourth time in the chapter somebody has fallen over from fright — Tripitaka managed two of them himself, over a bell. The book keeps putting terror and comedy in the same body.