話說李雲因家中無柴米，老母不能充飢，自己無法，來到山口，一撿兩條扁擔，兩把板斧。大蟒也並不吃他。李雲由蟒邊走過去，上山打柴，挑柴回來，仍由蟒旁邊過，大蟒也不動彈。後來一傳，嚷動了會稽縣知縣，來祭奠大蟒。知縣燒香說：「大蟒你真有道德，你快走，找深山洞府參修去，可以成正果，少得民間作亂。」果然一陣風，大蟒起在半懸空，往四外一看，見有一座山洞，洞裡有一股妖氣。大蟒搖身一變，變了一個老道，頭戴九梁巾，身穿藍道袍，白襪雲鞋，來到洞門。往裡一看，裡面有一個和尚，端然正坐，閉目參修。老道說：「這位道兄請了。」和尚一看說：「道兄從哪裡來的？」蟒老道說：「我原本在虎邱山禪家院參修，那裡有大造化人占了，我此時無地安身。師兄你怎么稱呼？在此何幹？」和尚說：「我乃飛龍僧是也，在洞中修真養性。未領教道兄怎么稱呼？修煉有多少年代？」蟒老道說：「我有八千多年的道行，我乃無名氏。你有多少年的功德？」和尚說：「我有五千年的道行。我雖是五千年，我可做了些功德事，常在外面施符水治病，瞭然功德，常常下山，不在洞內。道兄既是沒處去，何妨你就在我洞中一同參修，你我彼此也有個伴當。」老道說：「也好。」就同飛龍僧二人在一處，時常盤道說法。這天和尚說：「道兄，你在洞裡養靜罷，我要下山去做功德事。」老道說：「好，你去罷，我也不懂的做功德，我就懂的參星拜斗，務正參修，不求有功，但求無過。」
话说李云因家中无柴米，老母不能充饥，自己无法，来到山口，一捡两条扁担，两把板斧。大蟒也并不吃他。李云由蟒边走过去，上山打柴，挑柴回来，仍由蟒旁边过，大蟒也不动弹。后来一传，嚷动了会稽县知县，来祭奠大蟒。知县烧香说：「大蟒你真有道德，你快走，找深山洞府参修去，可以成正果，少得民间作乱。」果然一阵风，大蟒起在半悬空，往四外一看，见有一座山洞，洞里有一股妖气。大蟒摇身一变，变了一个老道，头戴九梁巾，身穿蓝道袍，白袜云鞋，来到洞门。往里一看，里面有一个和尚，端然正坐，闭目参修。老道说：「这位道兄请了。」和尚一看说：「道兄从哪里来的？」蟒老道说：「我原本在虎邱山禅家院参修，那里有大造化人占了，我此时无地安身。师兄你怎么称呼？在此何干？」和尚说：「我乃飞龙僧是也，在洞中修真养性。未领教道兄怎么称呼？修炼有多少年代？」蟒老道说：「我有八千多年的道行，我乃无名氏。你有多少年的功德？」和尚说：「我有五千年的道行。我虽是五千年，我可做了些功德事，常在外面施符水治病，了然功德，常常下山，不在洞内。道兄既是没处去，何妨你就在我洞中一同参修，你我彼此也有个伴当。」老道说：「也好。」就同飞龙僧二人在一处，时常盘道说法。这天和尚说：「道兄，你在洞里养静罢，我要下山去做功德事。」老道说：「好，你去罢，我也不懂的做功德，我就懂的参星拜斗，务正参修，不求有功，但求无过。」
Now, because there was no firewood or rice in the house and his old mother had nothing to ease her hunger, Li Yun was at his wits’ end. He went to the mouth of the valley and picked up the two carrying poles and the two hatchets. The great python did not eat him either. Li Yun walked right past the python, went up the mountain to cut firewood and carried it home, passing beside the python again, and the great python never stirred. Afterwards the story spread until the magistrate of Kuaiji County himself got wind of it and came to make offerings to the great python. The magistrate burned incense and said, “Great python, you truly have the Way and its virtue. Go quickly and find a cave in the deep mountains where you can cultivate. You may attain the true fruit, and you will stop making trouble among the people.” Sure enough, a gust of wind rose and the great python was lifted into midair. It looked about on every side and saw a mountain cave with a wisp of demonic vapour inside it. The great python shook itself and changed into an old Daoist in a nine-ridged Daoist cap, a blue Daoist robe, white socks and cloud shoes, and came to the mouth of the cave. Looking in, he saw a monk sitting bolt upright with his eyes closed, deep in cultivation. “My respects, Daoist brother,” said the Daoist. The monk looked at him. “Where have you come from, Daoist brother?” “I used to cultivate at the Chan cloister on Tiger Hill,” said the python Daoist, “but someone with great good fortune has taken the place over, and now I have nowhere to settle. And what do they call you, brother? What are you doing here?” “I am the Flying Dragon Monk (Feilong Seng),” said the monk, “and I cultivate my true nature in this cave. I have not yet had the honour of your name, Daoist brother. How many years have you been refining yourself?” “I have more than eight thousand years of attainment,” said the python Daoist, “and I am the Nameless One. How many years of merit do you have?” “I have five thousand years of attainment,” said the monk. “Only five thousand, but I have done some works of merit. I often go about giving charm water to cure the sick and building up my merit. I’m often down the mountain and seldom in the cave. Since you have nowhere to go, Daoist brother, why not cultivate here in my cave with me? Then each of us will have a companion.” “Very well,” said the Daoist. So he stayed together with the Flying Dragon Monk, and the two of them often talked over the Way and expounded the dharma. One day the monk said, “Daoist brother, stay in the cave and keep to your stillness. I’m going down the mountain to do works of merit.” “Fine, off you go,” said the Daoist. “I don’t know anything about works of merit. All I know is how to worship the stars and bow to the Dipper and keep to proper cultivation. I don’t ask to earn merit; I only ask to make no mistakes.”
和尚下了山，在外面治病。聽說白水湖妖精鬧的利害，飛龍僧想：「知府貼榜文，請人捉妖，我要把妖精除了，也是一件功德事。」自己一想：「我見知府，我說，我是飛龍僧，他準不恭敬我。聽說塵世有個濟顛僧，名頭高大，莫如我變做個濟顛僧，知府準恭敬我，他又沒見過濟顛僧什麼樣兒。」他自己想，濟顛必是個大羅漢樣子。他這才變了一個大和尚，赤紅臉，穿黃袍，一見知府很恭敬，焉想到一捉妖，他不是那湖裡妖精的敵手。他說回廟去取法寶，他是回了山了，一見蟒老道，提說在白水湖捉妖之故。飛龍僧說：「道兄，你幫我把妖精捉了，你我也是一件功德。」老道說：「我不行，我也不會法術。再說咱們兩個人也是妖精，又非正果，哪有妖去拿妖的道理，你自己去罷，我也不想有功，但求無過就是了。」飛龍僧一想：「蟒道真不懂交情，也罷，我也不用你，明天我自己去，跟白水湖妖精一死相拼，拼著我這五千年道行不要了，我捉不了他，我也就不回山了。倘如上天有眼，可憐我，也許我成了事。」
和尚下了山，在外面治病。听说白水湖妖精闹的利害，飞龙僧想：「知府贴榜文，请人捉妖，我要把妖精除了，也是一件功德事。」自己一想：「我见知府，我说，我是飞龙僧，他准不恭敬我。听说尘世有个济颠僧，名头高大，莫如我变做个济颠僧，知府准恭敬我，他又没见过济颠僧什么样儿。」他自己想，济颠必是个大罗汉样子。他这才变了一个大和尚，赤红脸，穿黄袍，一见知府很恭敬，焉想到一捉妖，他不是那湖里妖精的敌手。他说回庙去取法宝，他是回了山了，一见蟒老道，提说在白水湖捉妖之故。飞龙僧说：「道兄，你帮我把妖精捉了，你我也是一件功德。」老道说：「我不行，我也不会法术。再说咱们两个人也是妖精，又非正果，哪有妖去拿妖的道理，你自己去罢，我也不想有功，但求无过就是了。」飞龙僧一想：「蟒道真不懂交情，也罢，我也不用你，明天我自己去，跟白水湖妖精一死相拼，拼着我这五千年道行不要了，我捉不了他，我也就不回山了。倘如上天有眼，可怜我，也许我成了事。」
The monk went down the mountain and was out curing the sick when he heard that the demon of Baishui Lake was causing terrible havoc. “The prefect has posted a notice asking for someone to catch the demon,” the Flying Dragon Monk thought. “If I rid them of the demon, that will be a work of merit too.” Then he thought it over: “If I go to see the prefect and tell him I’m the Flying Dragon Monk, he’s sure not to treat me with any respect. I hear there’s a monk out in the world called Crazy Ji with a great name. I’d better change myself into Crazy Ji. Then the prefect is sure to treat me with respect, and he’s never seen what Crazy Ji looks like anyway.” He imagined that Crazy Ji must look like a great arhat, so he changed into a big monk with a scarlet face and a yellow robe. The prefect received him with great respect, but who would have thought that when it came to catching the demon, he would be no match for the demon in the lake? He said he was going back to his temple to fetch his magic treasures, but in fact he went back to his mountain. When he saw the python Daoist, he told him all about catching the demon at Baishui Lake. “Daoist brother,” said the Flying Dragon Monk, “help me catch this demon, and it will be a work of merit for us both.” “I can’t,” said the Daoist. “I don’t know any magic. Besides, the two of us are demons ourselves, and we haven’t attained the true fruit. Whoever heard of a demon going off to catch a demon? Go by yourself. I don’t want to earn merit either; I only ask to make no mistakes, and that’s all.” “That python Daoist really doesn’t understand friendship,” the Flying Dragon Monk thought. “Very well, I don’t need you. Tomorrow I’ll go by myself and fight the demon of Baishui Lake to the death. I’ll stake my five thousand years of attainment, and lose them if I must. If I can’t catch him, I won’t come back to the mountain at all. Perhaps Heaven has eyes and will take pity on me, and I may yet pull it off.”
到次日，這才來跟妖精拚命，偏巧遇見真濟公。他想：「濟公他老人家，乃是羅漢，我趁此機何不認聖僧為師，也可以學點法術。」濟公叫他戴著帽子，到湖裡把鱷魚頭上的婦人髒布搶了去，雷把鱷魚擊了。飛龍僧在暗中看著，知府給濟公備馬，請濟公上衙門。他暗中一打濟公這匹馬，馬往北跑走來，他這才由樹林繞出來，口稱：「聖僧別走，弟子給你老人家送帽子來了，求聖僧大發慈悲，收弟子做個徒弟罷。」
到次日，这才来跟妖精拼命，偏巧遇见真济公。他想：「济公他老人家，乃是罗汉，我趁此机何不认圣僧为师，也可以学点法术。」济公叫他戴着帽子，到湖里把鳄鱼头上的妇人脏布抢了去，雷把鳄鱼击了。飞龙僧在暗中看着，知府给济公备马，请济公上衙门。他暗中一打济公这匹马，马往北跑走来，他这才由树林绕出来，口称：「圣僧别走，弟子给你老人家送帽子来了，求圣僧大发慈悲，收弟子做个徒弟罢。」
The next day he came to fight the demon to the death, and as luck would have it he ran into the real Ji Gong. “The venerable Ji Gong is an arhat,” he thought. “Why not take this chance to make the holy monk my master? Then I could learn a little magic too.” Ji Gong had him wear the cap, go into the lake and snatch the woman’s filthy rag off the crocodile’s head, and the thunder struck the crocodile dead. The Flying Dragon Monk watched in secret as the prefect had a horse saddled for Ji Gong and invited him to the yamen. Unseen, he gave Ji Gong’s horse a blow, and the horse bolted off to the north. Only then did he come round out of the wood, calling, “Holy monk, don’t go! Your disciple has brought your cap, venerable sir. Holy monk, I beg you, show great compassion and take me as your disciple.”