Output:
Guessing that they would be coming for him next Brother Monkey freed himself and said, “This lamplight is just right for some action.” He then pulled out a hair, blew on it with magic breath, called, “Change!” and turned it into another Monkey he tied up with the hempen rope while extracting his real self in spirit form to spring into mid-air, look down and watch. Not realizing his deception, the crowd of demons picked up the false Monkey they saw and carried him to the third tray of the steamer, near the top. Only then did they drag the Tang Priest to the ground, tie him up, and put him into the fourth tray. As the dry firewood was stacked up a fierce fire blazed.

“My Pig and Friar Sand can stand a couple of boilings,” sighed the Great Sage up in the clouds, “but that master of mine will be cooked tender as soon as the water boils. If I can’t save him by magic he’ll be dead in next to no time.”


Output:
The splendid Great Sage made a hand-spell in mid-air, said the magic words “Om the blue pure dharma world; true is the eternal beneficence of Heaven,” and summoned the Dragon King of the Northern Ocean to him.

A black cloud appeared among the other clouds, and from it there came at once an answering shout, “Ao Shun, the humble dragon of the Northern Ocean, kowtows in homage.”

“Arise, arise,” said Monkey. “I would not have ventured to trouble you for nothing. I’ve now got this far with my master the Tang Priest. He’s been captured by vicious monsters and put into an iron steamer to be cooked. Go and protect him for me and don’t let the steam harm him.” The dragon king at once turned himself into a cold wind that blew underneath the cooking pot and coiled around to shield it from all the heat of the fire. Thus were the three of them saved from death.


Output: As the third watch was drawing to an end the senior demon chief announced a decision. “My men,” he said, “we have worn out brains and brawn to capture the Tang Priest and his three disciples. Because of the trouble we went to in escorting them we have not slept for four days and nights. I don’t think that they’ll be able to escape now that they’re tied up and being steamed. You are all to guard them carefully. Ten of your junior devils are to take it in turns to keep the fires burning while we withdraw to our living quarters for a little rest. By the fifth watch, when it’s about to get light, they’re bound to be cooked tender. Have some garlic paste, salt and vinegar ready and wake us up; then we’ll be able to eat them with a good appetite.” The devils did as they had been ordered while the three demon chiefs returned to their sleeping chambers.


Output:
Up in the clouds Brother Monkey clearly heard these instructions being given, so he brought his cloud down. As there was no sound of voices from inside the steamer he thought, “The fire is blazing away and they must be feeling hot. Why aren’t they afraid? Why aren’t they saying anything? Hmm… Could they have been steamed to death? Let me go closer and listen.” The splendid Great Sage shook himself as he stood on his cloud and turned into a black fly. As he alighted on the outside of the iron steamer’s trays to listen he heard Pig saying inside, “What lousy luck! What lousy luck! I wonder whether we’re being closed-steamed or open-steamed.”

“What do you mean by ‘closed’ and ‘open,’ brother?” Friar Sand asked.

“Closed steaming is when they cover the steamer and open steaming is when they don’t,” Pig replied.

“Disciples,” said Sanzang from the top tray, “the cover is off.”


Output:
“We’re in luck!” said Pig. “We won’t be killed tonight. We’re being open-steamed.” Having heard all three of them talking Monkey realized that they were still alive, so he flew away, fetched the iron steamer lid and placed it lightly on the steamer.

“Disciples,” exclaimed Sanzang in alarm, “they’ve covered us up.”

“That’s done it,” said Pig.

“That means closed steaming. We’re bound to die tonight.” Friar Sand and the venerable elder started to sob.

“Don’t cry,” said Pig. “A new shift of cooks has come on duty.”

“How can you tell?” Friar Sand asked.

“I was delighted at first when they carried me here,” Pig replied. “I’ve got a bit of a feverish chill and I wanted warming up. But all we’re getting at the moment is cold air. Hey! Mr. Cook, sir! What are you making such a fuss about putting more firewood on for? Am I asking for what’s yours?”


Output:
When Monkey heard this he could not help laughing to himself. “Stupid clod,” he thought. “Being cold is bearable. If it got hot you’d be dead. The secret will get out if he goes on talking. I’d better rescue him.... No! I’d have to turn back into myself to rescue them, and if I did that the ten cooks would see me and start shouting. That would disturb the old monsters and I’d be put to a lot more trouble. I’ll have to use some magic on the cooks first.” Then a memory came back to him.

“When I was the Great Sage in the old days I once played a guessing game with the Heavenly King Lokapala at the Northern Gate of Heaven and won some of his sleep insects off him. I’ve got a few left I can use on them.” He felt around his waist inside his belt and found that he had twelve of them left.


Output:
“I’ll give them ten and keep two to breed from,” Monkey thought. Then he threw the insects into the ten junior devils’ faces, where the insects went up their nostrils, so that they all started feeling drowsy, lay down and went to sleep. One of them, however, who was holding a fire-fork slept very fitfully, kept rubbing his head and face, pinching his nose and continuously sneezing. “That so-and-so knows a trick or two,” thought Monkey. “I’ll have to give him a double dose.” He threw one of his remaining insects into the demon’s face.

“With two insects the left one can go in when the right one comes out and vice versa,” Monkey thought. “That should keep him quiet.” With that the junior demon gave two or three big yawns, stretched himself, dropped the fork and slumped down, fast asleep. He did not get up again.

“What marvellous magic; it really works,” said Monkey, turning back into himself. Then he went close to the steamer and called, “Master.”

“Rescue me, Wukong,” said the Tang Priest when he heard him.


Output:
“Is that you calling to us from outside?” Friar Sand asked.

“If I weren’t out here would you prefer me to be suffering in there with you?” Monkey replied.

“Brother,” said Pig, “you slipped off and left us to carry the can. We’re being closed-steamed in here.”

“Stop yelling, idiot,” said Monkey with a laugh. “I’m here to rescue you.”

“Brother,” said Pig, “if you’re going to rescue us do it properly. Don’t get us put back in here for another steaming.” Monkey then took the lid off, freed the master, shook the hair of his that he had turned into an imitation Monkey and put it back on his body, then released Friar Sand and Pig, taking one tray at a time. As soon as he was untied, the idiot wanted to run away.


Output:
“Don’t be in such a hurry!” said Monkey, who recited the words of a spell that released the dragon before going on to say to Pig, “We’ve still got high mountains and steep ridges ahead of us on our way to the Western Heaven. The going’s too heavy for the master—he isn’t a strong walker. Wait till I’ve fetched the horse.”

Watch him as with light step he goes to the throne hall, where he saw that all the demons young and old were asleep. He undid the rope attached to the horse’s reins, being even more careful not to alarm him. Now the horse was a dragon horse, so had Monkey been a stranger he would have given him a couple of flying kicks and whinnied. But Monkey had kept horses and held the office of Protector of the Horses, and this horse was besides their own. That was why the animal neither reared nor whinnied. Monkey led the horse very quietly over, tightened the girth and got everything ready before inviting his master to mount. Trembling and shaking, the Tang Priest did so. He too wanted to go.


Output:
“Don’t you be in such a hurry either,” Monkey said. “There’ll be plenty more kings along our journey West and we’ll need our passport if we’re to get there. What other identity papers do we have? I’m going back to find the luggage.”

“I remember that when we came in the monsters put the luggage to the left of the throne hall,” said the Tang Priest. “The loads must still be there.”

“Understood,” said Monkey, who sprang off at once to search for it by the throne hall. When he suddenly saw shimmering lights of many colours Brother Monkey knew that they came from the luggage. How did he know? Because the light came from the night-shining pearl on the Tang Priest’s cassock. He rushed towards it and found that their load was unopened, so he took it out and gave it to Friar Sand to carry. While Pig guided the horse, the Great Sage took the lead.


Output:
They were hurrying to go straight out through the main Southern gate when they heard the noise of watchmen’s clappers and bells. They found the gates locked and paper seals over the locks.

“How are we going to get out if the place is so closely guarded?” Monkey wondered.

“Let’s get out the back door,” said Pig. With Monkey leading the way they rushed straight to the back gates.

“I can hear clappers and bells outside the back gates as well, and they’re sealed too,” Monkey said. “What are we to do? If it weren’t for the Tang Priest’s mortal body it wouldn’t bother us three: we could get away by cloud and wind. But the Tang Priest hasn’t escaped from the Three Worlds and is still confined within the Five Elements. All his bones are the unclean ones he got from his mother and father. He can’t lift himself into the air and he’ll never get away.”

“No time for talking now, brother,” said Pig: “Let’s go somewhere where there aren’t any bells, clappers or guards, lift the master up and climb over the wall.”


Output:
“That won’t do,” said Monkey. “We could lift him over now because we’ve got to, but you’ve got such a big mouth you’d tell people everywhere when we’re taking the scriptures back that we’re the sort of monks who sneak over people’s walls.”

“But we can’t bother about behaving properly now,” replied Pig. “We’ve got to save our skins.” Monkey had no choice but to do as he suggested, so they went up to wall and worked out how to climb over.

Oh dear! Things would have to work out this way: Sanzang was not yet free of his unlucky star. The three demon chiefs who had been fast asleep in their living quarters suddenly awoke and, fearing that the Tang Priest had escaped, got up, threw on their clothes and hurried to the throne hall of the palace.

“How many times has the Tang Priest been steamed?” they asked. The junior devils who were looking after the fires were all so soundly asleep because the sleep insects were in them that not even blows could wake them up.


Output:
The chiefs woke up some others who were not on duty, who answered rashly, “Ss…ss…seven times.” Then they rushed over to the steamer to see the steamer trays lying scattered on the floor and the cooks still asleep.

In their alarm they rushed back to report, “Your Majesties, th…th…they’ve escaped.”

The three demon chiefs came out of the throne hall to take a close look around the cauldron. They saw that the steamer trays were indeed scattered on the floor, the water was stonecold and the fire completely out. The cooks supposed to be tending the fire were still so fast asleep that they were snoring noisily.

The fiends were all so shocked that they all shouted, “Catch the Tang Priest! At once! Catch the Tang Priest!” Their yells woke up the demons senior and junior all around. They rushed in a crowd to the main front gates carrying their swords and spears.


Output:
Seeing that the sealed locks had not been touched and that the night watchmen were still sounding their clappers and bells they asked the watchman, “Which way did the Tang Priest go?”

“Nobody’s come out,” the watchmen all replied. They hurried to the back gates of the palace, only to find that the seals, locks, clappers and bells were the same as at the front. With a great commotion they grabbed lanterns and torches, making the sky red and the place as bright as day. The four of them were clearly lit up as they climbed over the wall.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the senior demon chief shouted, running towards them and so terrifying the reverend gentleman that the muscles in his legs turned soft and numb and he fell off the wall to be captured by the senior demon. The second demon chief seized Friar Sand and the third knocked Pig over and captured him. The other demons took the luggage and the white horse. Only Monkey escaped.


Output:
“May Heaven kill him,” Pig grumbled under his breath about Monkey. “I said that if he was going to rescue us he ought to do a thorough job of it. As it is we’re going to be put back in the steamer for another steaming.”

The monsters took the Tang Priest into the throne hall but did not steam him again. The second demon chief ordered that Pig was to be tied to one of the columns supporting the eaves in front of the hall and the third chief had Friar Sand tied to one of the columns holding up the eaves at the back. The senior chief clung to the Tang Priest and would not let go of him.

“What are you holding him for, elder brother?” the third demon asked. “Surely you’re not going to eat him alive. That wouldn’t be at all interesting. He’s no ordinary idiot to be gobbled up just to fill your stomach. He’s a rare delicacy from a superior country. We should keep him till we have some free time one rainy day, then bring him out to be carefully cooked and enjoyed with drinking games and fine music.”


Output:
“A very good suggestion, brother,” replied the senior demon with a smile, “but Sun the Novice would come and steal him again.”

“In our palace we have a Brocade Fragrance Pavilion,” said the third demon, “and in the pavilion is an iron chest. I think we should put the Tang Priest into the chest, shut up the pavilion, put out a rumour that we have already eaten him half raw and get all the junior devils in the city talking about it. That Sun the Novice is bound to come back to find out what’s happening, and when he hears this he’ll be so miserably disappointed that he’ll go away. If he doesn’t come to make trouble for another four or five days we can bring the Tang Priest out to enjoy at our leisure. What do you think?”


Output:
The senior and second demon chiefs were both delighted. “Yes, yes, you’re right, brother,” they said. That very night the poor Tang Priest was taken inside the palace, put into the chest and locked up in the pavilion. We will not tell how the rumour was spread and became the talk of the town.

Instead the story tells how Monkey escaped that night by cloud, unable to look after the Tang Priest. He went straight to Lion Cave where he wiped out all the tens of thousands of junior demons with his cudgel to his complete satisfaction. By the time he had hurried back to the city the sun was rising in the East. He did not dare challenge the demons to battle because

No thread can be spun from a single strand;

Nobody can clap with a single hand.


Output:
Nobody can clap with a single hand.

So he brought his cloud down, shook himself, turned himself into a junior demon and slipped in through the gates to collect news in the streets and back alleys. “The Tang Priest was eaten raw by the senior king during the night,” was what all the people in the city were saying wherever he went. This made Brother Monkey really anxious. When he went to look at the throne hall in the palace he saw that there were many spirits constantly coming and going. They were wearing leather and metal helmets and yellow cotton tunics. In their hands they held red lacquered staves, and ivory passes hung at their waists.

“These must be evil spirits who are allowed in the inner quarters of the palace,” thought Monkey. “I’ll turn myself into one, go in and see what I can find out.”


Output:
The splendid Great Sage then made himself identical to the demons and slipped in through the inner gates of the palace. As he was walking along he saw Pig tied to one of the columns of the throne hall, groaning.

“Wuneng,” Monkey said, going up to him.

“Is that you, brother?” asked the idiot, recognizing his voice. “Save me!”

“I’ll save you,” said Monkey. “Do you know where the master is?”

“He’s done for,” Pig replied. “The evil spirits ate him raw last night.” At this Monkey burst into sobs and the tears gushed out like water from a spring.

“Don’t cry, brother,” said Pig. “I’ve only heard the junior devils gossiping. I didn’t see it with my own eyes. Don’t waste any more time. Go on and find out more.” Only then did Monkey dry his tears and go to search in the inner part of the palace.

Noticing Friar Sand tied to a column at the back of the palace he went up to him, felt his chest and said, “Wujing.”


Output:
Friar Sand also recognized his voice and said, “Brother, is that you here in disguise? Save me! Save me!”

“Saving you will be easy,” said Monkey, “but do you know where the master is?”

“Brother!” said Friar Sand in tears. “The evil spirits couldn’t even wait to steam the master. They’ve eaten him raw.”

Now that both of them had told him the same story the Great Sage was cut to the heart. Instead of rescuing Pig and Friar Sand he sprang straight up into the sky and went to the mountain East of the city, where he landed his cloud and let himself weep aloud.

“Poor Master,” he said:

“I fought against heaven, was caught in its net,

Till you came along and delivered me, Master.

It became my ambition to worship the Buddha;

I strove to eliminate fiendish disaster.

“I never imagined that now you’d be murdered

And I would have failed on your journey to keep you.

The lands of the West were too good for your fate.

Your life’s at an end: in what way can I help you?”


Output: Deep in misery, Monkey said to himself, “It’s all the fault of our Buddha, the Tathagata, who had nothing better to do in his paradise than make the three stores of scriptures. If he really wanted to convert people to be good he ought to have sent them to the East himself. Then they would have been passed on for ever. But he couldn’t bring himself to part with them. He had to make us go to fetch them. Who’d ever have thought that after all the trouble of crossing a thousand mountains the master would lose his life here today? Oh well! I’ll ride my somersault cloud to see the Tathagata Buddha and tell him what’s happened. If he’s willing to give me the scriptures to deliver to the East then the good achievement will be propagated and we’ll be able to fulfil our vow. If he won’t give me them I’ll get him to recite the Band-loosening Spell. Then I can take the band off, return it to him and go back to my own cave to play the king and enjoy myself again.”


Output:
The splendid Great Sage jumped to his feet and went straight to India on his somersault cloud. In less than a couple of hours he could see the Vulture Peak in the near distance, and an instant later he had landed his cloud and was heading straight for the foot of the peak. He looked up and saw the four vajrapanis blocking his way and asking him where he was going.

“There’s something I want to see the Tathagata about,” Monkey replied with a bow.

Next he was faced by the Vajrapani Yongzhu, the indestructible king of Golden Glow Ridge on Mount Kunlun, who shouted, “Macaque, you’re an outrage! When the Bull Demon King was giving you such terrible trouble we all helped you, but now you’ve come to see us today you’re showing no manners at all. If you’re here on business you should submit a memorial first and wait till you’re summoned before going any further. This isn’t like the Southern Gate of Heaven, where you can come and go as you please. Clear off! Out of the way!”


Output:
Being told off like this when he was feeling so depressed drove Monkey into thundering roars of fury, and his uncontrollable shouts and yells soon disturbed the Tathagata.

The Tathagata Buddha was sitting on his nine-level lotus throne expounding the sutras to his eighteen arhats when he said, “Sun Wukong is here. You must all go out to receive him.” In obedience to the Buddha’s command the arhats went out in two columns with their banners and canopies.

“Great Sage Sun,” they said in greeting, “the Tathagata has commanded us to summon you to his presence.” Only then did the four vajrapanis at the monastery gates step aside to let Monkey enter. The arhats led him to the foot of the lotus throne, where he went down to kowtow on seeing the Tathagata. He was sobbing and weeping.

“Wukong,” said the Buddha, “what makes you weep so miserably?”


Output: “Your disciple has often received the grace of your instruction,” Brother Monkey replied, “and has committed himself to the school of Lord Buddha. Since being converted to the true achievement I have taken the Tang Priest as my master and been protecting him on our journey. No words could describe what we have suffered. We have now reached the city of Leonia near Lion Cave on Lion Mountain where three vicious monsters, the Lion King, the Elephant King and the Great Roc, seized my master. All of us disciples of his were in a very bad way too, tied up and put in a steamer to suffer the agony of fire and boiling water. Fortunately I was able to get away and summon a dragon king to save the others. But we could not escape our evil star: the master and the others were recaptured when I was trying to sneak them out last night. When I went back into the city this morning to find out what had happened I learned that those utterly evil and ferocious monsters ate my master raw during the night. Nothing is left of his


Output: raw during the night. Nothing is left of his flesh and bones. On top of that my fellow-disciples Wuneng and Wujing are tied up there and will soon be dead too. I’m desperate. That’s why your disciple has come to visit the Tathagata. I beg you in your great compassion to recite the Band-loosening Spell so that I can take the band off my head and give it back to you. Let your disciple go back to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit and enjoy himself.” Before he had finished saying this the tears welled up again. There was no end to his howls of misery.


Output:
“Don’t upset yourself so, Wukong,” said the Tathagata with a smile. “You can’t beat those evil spirits. Their magical powers are more than you can handle. That is why you are so unhappy.”

Monkey knelt below the Buddha and beat his breast as he replied, “Truly, Tathagata, I made havoc in Heaven all those years ago and was called Great Sage. Never in all my life had I been beaten before I met these vicious monsters.”

“Stop being so sorry for yourself,” said the Tathagata. “I know those evil spirits.”

“Tathagata!” Monkey suddenly blurted out. “They say those evil spirits are relations of yours.”

“Wicked macaque!” said the Tathagata. “How could an evil spirit be any relation of mine?”

“If they’re not relations of yours how come you know them?” retorted Monkey with a grin.


Output:
“I know them because I see them with my all-seeing eyes,” the Buddha replied. “The senior demon and the second demon have masters. Ananda, Kasyapa, come here. One of you is to take a cloud to Mount Wutai and the other to Mount Emei. Summon Manjusri and Samantabhadra to come and see me.” The two arhats left at once as they had been commanded. “They are the masters of the senior and the second demon chiefs. But the third demon does have some connection with me.”

“On his mother’s or his father’s side?” Monkey asked.


Output: “When the primal chaos was first separated the heavens opened up in the hour of the rat and the earth at the hour of the ox,” the Buddha replied. “Mankind was born at the tiger hour. Then heaven and earth came together again and all living creatures were born, including beasts that walk and birds that fly. The unicorn is the most senior of the beasts that walk and the phoenix is the most senior of the birds that fly. When the phoenixes combined their essential spirit they gave birth to the peafowl and the Great Roc. When the peafowl came into the world she was the most evil of creatures and a man-eater. She could devour all the people for fifteen miles around in a single mouthful. When I was cultivating my sixteen-foot golden body on the peak of the snowy mountain she swallowed me as well. I went down into her belly. I wanted to escape through her backside, but for fear of soiling my body I cut my way out through her backbone and climbed Vulture Peak. I would have killed her, but all the Buddha host


Output: I would have killed her, but all the Buddha host dissuaded me: to kill the peahen would have been like killing my own mother. So I kept her at my assembly on Vulture Peak and appointed her as the Buddha-mother, the Great Illustrious Peahen Queen Bodhisattva. The Great Roc was born of the same mother as she was. That is why we are relations of a kind.”


Output:
When Monkey heard this he said with a smile, “By that line of argument, Tathagata, you’re the evil spirit’s nephew.”

“I shall have to go and subdue that demon in person,” the Tathagata said. Monkey kowtowed as he respectfully replied, “I beg you to condescend to grant us your illustrious presence.”

The Tathagata then came down from his lotus throne and went out through the monastery gates with all the Buddha host just as Ananda and Kasyapa arrived bringing Manjusri and Samantabhadra. These two Bodhisattvas bowed to the Tathagata, who asked them, “How long have your animals been away from your mountains, Bodhisattvas?”

“Seven days,” said Manjusri.

“A mere seven days on your mountains is several thousand years in the mortal world,” the Tathagata replied. “Goodness knows how many living beings they have destroyed there. Come with me to recapture them at once.”

The two Bodhisattvas traveled at the Buddha’s left and right hand as they flew through the air with the host. This is what could be seen:


Output:
The shimmering clouds of blessing parted for Lord Buddha

As in his great compassion he came down from his shrine.

He taught the truth about all beings since creation,

Explaining how everything had been transformed in time.

Before him went five hundred holy arhats;

Behind him were three thousand guardians of the faith.

Ananda and Kasyapa were both in close attendance;

Samantabhadra and Manjusri came to conquer monsters.

The Great Sage had been granted this favour and succeeded in bringing the Lord Buddha and his host with him. It was not long before the city was in sight. “Tathagata,” said Monkey, “that’s Leonia, where the black vapors are coming from.”

“You go down into the city first,” said the Tathagata, “and start a fight with the evil spirits. Do not win. You must lose and come back up. Leave it to us to recapture them.”


Output:
The Great Sage then brought his cloud straight down to land on the city wall, where he stood on the battlements and shouted abusively, “Evil beasts! Come out and fight me at once!” This caused such consternation among the junior demons in the towers on the wall that they jumped straight down into the city to report, “Your Majesties, Sun the Novice is on the wall, challenging us to battle.”

“That ape hasn’t been here for two or three days,” the senior demon replied. “Now he’s back challenging us to battle. Can he have fetched some reinforcements?”

“He’s nothing to be scared of,” said the third demon chief. “Let’s all go and have a look.” The three chieftains, all carrying their weapons, hurried up on the wall where they saw Monkey. Without a word they raised their weapons and thrust at him. Monkey held them off by swinging his iron cudgel. When they had fought seven or eight rounds Monkey feigned defeat and fled.


Output:
“Where do you think you’re going?” the demon king asked with a mighty shout, and with a somersault Monkey sprang up into mid-air. The three spirits went after him on clouds, but Monkey slipped aside and disappeared completely in the Lord Buddha’s golden aura.

All that could be seen were the images of the Three Buddhas of Past, Future and Present, the five hundred arhats and the three thousand Protectors of the Faith who spread all around, encircling the three demon kings so closely that not even a drop of water could leak through.

“This is terrible, my brother,” said the senior demon chief, lashing out wildly, “that ape is a really sharp operator. How did he manage to bring my master here?”

“Don’t be afraid, elder brother,” said the third demon. “If we all charge together we can cut down the Tathagata with our swords and spears and seize his Thunder Monastery.” The demons, who had no sense of proper behavior, really did raise their swords to charge forward, hacking wildly.


Output: Manjusri and Samantabhadra recited the words of a spell and shouted, “Won’t you repent now, evil beasts? What else do you hope for?” The senior and the second demon chiefs gave up the struggle, threw down their weapons, rolled and reverted to their true images. The two Bodhisattvas threw their lotus thrones on the demons’ backs and flew over to sit on them. The two demons then gave up and submitted.


Output:
Now that the blue lion and the white elephant had been captured only the third evil monster was still unsubdued. Spreading its wings it dropped its heaven-square halberd and rose straight up to try to catch the Monkey King with a swing of its sharp talons, but as the Great Sage was biding in the golden aura the demon dared get nowhere near him. When the Tathagata realized what it was trying to do he made his golden aura flash and shook his head, the supreme meditator in the wind, to turn the creature into a bright red lump of bloody meat. The evil spirit seized it with a flourish of its sharp talons, whereupon the Lord Buddha pointed upwards with his hand, destroying the muscles in the monster’s wings. It could not fly or get away from the top of the Buddha’s head, and it reverted to its true appearance as a golden-winged vulture.

Opening its beak it said to the Buddha, “Tathagata, why did you use your great dharma powers to catch me like this?”


Output:
“You have been doing much evil here,” the Tathagata replied. “Come with me and you will win credit for a good deed.”

“You eat vegetarian food in great poverty and suffering at your place,” the evil spirit replied, “but here I can eat human flesh and live in no end of luxury. If you kill me by starvation you’ll be guilty of a sin.”

“In the four continents I control countless living beings who worship me,” the Buddha replied, “and whenever they are going to perform a service to me I shall tell them to make a sacrifice to you first.” The Great Roc would have escaped and got away if it could. As it was he had no choice but to accept conversion.

Only then did Monkey emerge to kowtow to the Tathagata and say, “Lord Buddha, today you have captured the evil spirits and removed a great bane, but my master is dead.”


Output:
At this the Great Roc said bitterly as it ground its teeth, “Damned ape! Why did you have to bring these ferocious men here to persecute me? I never ate that old monk of yours. He’s in the Brocade Fragrance Pavilion now, isn’t he?” When Monkey heard this he quickly kowtowed to thank the Lord Buddha. Not daring to release the Great Roc, the Buddha made him into a guardian of the dharma in his brilliant halo then led his host back to his monastery on their clouds. Monkey landed his cloud and went straight into the city, where there was not a single junior demon left. Indeed:

A snake cannot move without its head;

A bird cannot fly without its wings.

They had all fled for their lives when they saw the Buddha capturing their evil kings.


Output:
Monkey then freed Pig and Friar Sand, found the luggage and the horse, and said to his fellow-disciples, “The master hasn’t been eaten. Come with me.” He took the two of them straight into the inner compound where they found the Brocade Fragrance Pavilion. Opening the door and looking inside they saw an iron trunk from which could be heard the sound of Sanzang weeping.

Friar Sand used his demon-quelling staff to open the iron cage over the chest and raise its lid. “Master,” he called.

At the sight of them Sanzang wept aloud and said, “Disciples, how were the demons beaten? How did you manage to find me here?” Monkey told him all the details of what had happened from beginning to end and Sanzang expressed boundless gratitude. Then master and disciples found some rice in the palace and ate their fill of it before packing their things and leaving the city along the main road West. Indeed:

Only a true man can find the true scriptures;

The will’s shouts and the heart’s labors are in vain.


Output:
If you don’t know when on this journey they were to see the Tathagata listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter Seventy-Eight

In Bhiksuland the Hidden Gods Are Sent on an Errand of Mercy

In the Palace the Monster Is Revealed and the Way Discussed

A single thought at once disturbs a hundred monsters;

The hardest efforts are all to no avail.

One can only wash away each speck of dust,

Tidy everything and polish well.

Sweep all causation away and come to nirvana;

Waste no time and destroy the thousand demons.

You surely will be free from obstructions,

And rise to the Daluo Heaven when your deeds are done.

The story tells how the Great Sage Sun used all his ingenuity to fetch the Tathagata to subdue the demons and rescue Sanzang and the other two disciples, after which they left the city of Leonia and headed West. When they had been travelling for several more months it was winter, and this is what could be seen:

The plum on the ridge was like broken jade


Output:
The plum on the ridge was like broken jade

As the water in the pond slowly turned to ice.

All the red autumn leaves had fallen,

And the green of the pine looked fresher than ever.

The pale and scudding clouds were on the point of snowing;

Flat lay the withered grass upon the hills.

As far as the eye could see was chilly brightness

As the unseen cold went right into the bone.

Master and disciples braved the cold, sleeping out in the rain and dining off the wind, until as they were walking along another walled and moated city came into sight. “What sort of place is that over there, Wukong?” Sanzang asked Monkey, who replied, “We’ll know when we get there. If it’s the capital of a Western kingdom we’ll have to present our passport to be inspected and returned. If it’s a prefecture or county town we’ll go straight through.” Before master and disciples could finish their conversation they had arrived at the city gates.


Output:
Sanzang dismounted and the four of them went in through the curtain wall outside the gates. Noticing an old soldier sleeping shielded from the wind under the South-facing wall, Brother Monkey went up to him, shook him and said, “Sir!”

When the old soldier awoke with a start to open his bleary eyes and see Monkey he fell to his knees to kowtow and say, “My Lord!”

“There’s no need for such alarm,” said Monkey. “I’m no evil god, so why call me your lord?”

“Aren’t you Lord Thunder God?” the old soldier asked, kowtowing again.

“What a thing to say,” Monkey replied. “We’re monks from the East on our way to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven. We’ve just arrived here. Could I ask what this place is called?” This answer finally eased the old soldier’s mind.

With a yawn he got back on his feet, stretched and said, “Please forgive me, reverend gentlemen. This country used to be called Bhiksuland but its name has been changed to Boytown.”

“Do you have a king?” Monkey asked.


Output:
“Do you have a king?” Monkey asked.

“Yes, yes,” the old soldier replied.

Monkey then turned to report to the Tang Priest, “This country used to be called Bhiksuland but the name’s been altered to Boytown, though I don’t know what the change signifies.”

“If it was Bhiksuland before why is it Boytown now?” the Tang Priest wondered.

“I expect there was a King Bhiksu who died,” said Pig, “and they changed the name to Boytown when a boy succeeded him.”

“Impossible,” said the Tang Priest, “impossible. Let’s go in and make some enquiries in the street.”

“That’s right,” said Friar Sand. “The old soldier wouldn’t have known anyhow, and on top of that elder brother gave him such a fright that he talked nonsense. We’ll ask some more questions in the city.”

When they had gone through the third pair of gates they came to a great market on a main street. The people were well-dressed and their bearing distinguished.

A hubbub of voices came from bar and music hall;


Output:
A hubbub of voices came from bar and music hall;

High hung the curtains outside splendid shop and teahouse.

Business was good in firms by the thousand;

Wealth flowed free in shopping street and market.

The dealers in metal and silk were swarming like ants,

Caring only for money while struggling for fame and wealth.

With these noble manners, magnificent scenery

And peaceful waters it was a time of prosperity.


Output:
And peaceful waters it was a time of prosperity.

The master and his three disciples, who were leading the horse and carrying the baggage, spent some time walking around the streets as they admired the general air of prosperity. In the entrance to every house there was a basketwork coop of the sort geese are kept in. “Disciples,” said Sanzang, “why do all the people here put coops in their gateways?” Pig’s response to this was to look around and see that there were indeed lines of coops hung with satin curtains of many colours. “Master,” said the idiot with a smile, “today must be a lucky one for weddings and celebrations. Everybody’s having a wedding.”

“Nonsense,” said Monkey. “How could every single family possibly be having a wedding? There must be some other reason for this. I’m going over to take a look.”

“You’re not to go,” said Sanzang, grabbing hold of him. “You look so ugly that people might take offence.”

“I’ll go as something else,” Brother Monkey replied.


Output:
Making a spell with his hands the splendid Great Sage said the words of a spell, shook himself, turned into a bee, spread his wings, flew to one of the coops and slipped in through the curtains to take a look. A little boy was sitting inside. Monkey looked inside another family’s coop and there was a child in that too. He inspected eight or nine households and all of them had a child. All were boys: there was not a single girl. Some were sitting up in their coops and playing and some were crying; some were eating fruit and some were snoozing.

His inspection over, Monkey turned back into his normal self and reported to the Tang Priest, “There are little boys in the coops. The oldest is under six and the youngest only four. I don’t know why they’re here.” Sanzang wondered what the explanation could be.

Turning a comer they saw the gateway to an official building. It was a government hostel with golden pavilions. The venerable elder was delighted.


Output:
“Disciples,” he said, “we will go into this hostel. We can find out where we are, give the horse a rest and put up for the night.”

“Yes, that’s right,” said Friar Sand. “Let’s go straight in.” This the four of them happily did, a fact that the officials there reported to the hostel’s superintendent.

When the superintendent had led them inside greetings had been exchanged and they had all sat down, the superintendent asked, “Where have you come from, reverend sir?”

“I am a monk sent by the Great Tang in the East to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven,” Sanzang replied. “Now that we have arrived at this excellent establishment I will of course present my passport for inspection. Could we, I wonder, impose on your hospitality for the night?”


Output:
The superintendent ordered tea, and when it had been drank he saw to their entertainment and told the staff who were on duty to look after the pilgrims. After thanking him for this Sanzang went on to ask, “Could we go to the palace today to see His Majesty and have our passport inspected?”

“That will not be possible this evening,” the superintendent replied. “It will have to wait until tomorrow morning. I hope that you will spend a comfortable night in this humble hostel.”

A little later, when all had been prepared, the superintendent of the hostel invited the four travelers to take a vegetarian meal with him. He also told his staff to sweep out the guest rooms for them to spend the night in. Sanzang expressed endless gratitude. When they were all seated the venerable elder said, “I wonder if I could trouble you for information on something that I cannot understand. How do you raise children in your

country?”


Output:
country?”

“People are the same the whole world over, just as there are never two suns in the sky,” the superintendent replied. “Children are born when their time comes after the father’s seed has joined with the mother’s blood and they have been in the womb for ten lunar months. After they are born they are suckled for three years and their bodies gradually grow. Everybody knows that.”

“What you tell me is no different from how they grow in my humble country,” Sanzang replied. “But when we came into the city we saw a goose coop with a little boy inside in front of every house in the street. This is something I cannot understand, which is why I ventured to raise the question.”


Output:
“Ignore that, reverend sir,” whispered the hostel superintendent into Sanzang’s ear. “Don’t ask about it. Put it out of your mind. Don’t even mention it. Would you like to settle down for the night before starting your journey again tomorrow morning?” Sanzang’s response was to seize hold of the superintendent and demand an explanation.

“Watch your words,” the superintendent replied, shaking his head and wagging his finger, but Sanzang was not going to drop the matter. He insisted on being told all the details. The superintendent had no choice but to dismiss all the staff on duty.

When they were alone under the lamplight he whispered to Sanzang, “The goose coops you asked about are there because our king is a bad ruler. Why ever do you have to keep asking about it?”

“How is he a bad ruler?” Sanzang asked. “I will not be able to set my mind at ease until you give me an explanation.”


Output: “This country is really called Bhiksuland,” the superintendent replied. “Boytown is only what the people have started calling it. Three years ago an old man dressed as a Taoist came here with a girl just fifteen years old. She was a ravishing beauty, just like a Bodhisattva Guanyin. He presented her to our present king, who was so smitten by her charms that she became the favorite of all his women. She was given the title Queen Beauty. For some time now he’s had no eyes for any of his other queens or consorts. He’s so insatiable that he’s been at it day and night. The result is nervous exhaustion and physical collapse. He’s eating and drinking next to nothing. He might die at any moment. The Royal College of Physicians has tried every possible medicine without any success. The Taoist who presented the girl to the king was rewarded with the title of Elder of the Nation. He has a secret foreign formula for making people live a great deal longer. He’s been to ten continents and the three magic islands to


Output: to ten continents and the three magic islands to collect the ingredients. Everything is ready. The only problem is that it needs a terrible adjuvant to help it—a potion made from the hearts of 1,111 little boys. When he’s taken it he’ll have a thousand years of vigorous life ahead of him. All the little boys being kept in the coops are the ones that have been chosen. Their parents are so afraid of the king that none of them dares weep. That’s why they’ve put out the story that this place is now called Boytown. When you go to the palace tomorrow morning, reverend sir, you must only present your passport to be inspected and returned. Say nothing about any of this.” When he had said all this he left them.


Output:
Sanzang was so horrified by what he had heard that his bones turned soft and his muscles went numb. He could not help the tears that streamed down his face as he started sobbing aloud. “Foolish king,” he exclaimed, “foolish king. Your lechery has ruined your health, and now you are planning to destroy all those young lives. How could you? What misery! The pain of it all is killing me.” There is a poem about it that goes:

The wicked monarch’s folly makes him forget the truth;

His health is ruined by his unbridled lusts.

Pursuing eternal life by killing little children,

He slaughters his subjects to avoid Heaven’s punishment.

This is all more than the merciful monk can bear:

He cannot accept the official’s worldly wisdom.

Long are his sighs as he weeps in the lamplight;

Stricken with grief is the Buddha worshipper.


Output:
Stricken with grief is the Buddha worshipper.

“Master,” said Pig, going up to him, “what’s the matter with you? What you’re doing is like taking a stranger’s coffin to your own home and weeping over it. Don’t upset yourself like that. As the rhyme goes,

When a monarch insists that his subjects will die

None that are loyal to live will aspire;

When a father commands his own offspring to perish

Any dutiful son will most surely expire.

The people he’s going to kill are his own subjects. What are they to you? Take off your clothes, get some sleep and ‘don’t worry about the ancients.’”

“Disciple,” said Sanzang, his tears still flowing, “you haven’t a shred of compassion. The most important thing for us monks as we accumulate good deeds is to help others. How could this deluded king be so set in his wickedness? Never have I ever heard that eating human hearts could prolong life. How could something so terrible not grieve me?”


Output:
“Don’t grieve so, Master,” said Friar Sand. “When you present our passport tomorrow and seethe king you can talk to him about it. Even if he doesn’t accept your advice you’ll be able to see what the Elder of the Nation looks like. Probably he’s an evil spirit who’s thought all this up because he wants to eat human hearts.”

“Wujing is right,” said Brother Monkey. “Go to bed now, Master, and tomorrow morning I’ll go to court with you to see what this Elder of the Nation is like. If he’s human he’s probably a heretic who doesn’t follow orthodox ways but believes in drugs, and I’ll convert him with the essential teachings of intrinsic nature. If he’s an evil spirit I’ll catch him, show the king what he is, and urge the king to control his desires and build up his strength. Whatever happens I won’t let him kill those children.”


Output:
As soon as he heard this Sanzang bowed to Monkey with great courtesy and said, “What an excellent suggestion! But when we see the deluded king we must say nothing about this in case he thinks we are guilty of not knowing our place and spreading slander. What could we do if that happened?”

“I’ve got my magic powers,” Monkey replied. “First of all I’m going to get the little boys in the coops away from the city so that he’ll have nobody to take the hearts out of tomorrow. The local officials will of course report this and the king will be bound either to order a discussion with the Elder of the Nation or else to demand more information. This will give us a chance to submit our memorial without getting ourselves into trouble.” Sanzang was very pleased.

“How are you going to get the children out of the town now?” he asked. “If you really can rescue them you will be doing the greatest of good deeds, worthy disciple. But do it quick, because if you lose any time you may be too late.”


Output:
Summoning up his might Monkey stood up and gave Pig and Friar Sand their parting instructions: “Sit here with the master while I do my stuff. If you notice a magical wind blowing that’ll be the boys leaving the city.”

Sanzang and the other two disciples said, “We invoke the Saviour Bhaisajya-guru Buddha. We invoke the Saviour Bhaisajya-guru Buddha.”

Once outside the doors the Great Sage whistled, rose into mid-air, made a spell with his hands and said the magic words, called out “Om pure dharma world,” and summoned the city god, the local deities, the officiating immortals, the Protectors of the Faith of the four quarters and the center, the Four Duty Gods, the Six Dings and the Six Jias and the Guardians of the Teaching.

They all came to him where he was in midair, bowed and said, “Great Sage, what is the urgent business on which you have summoned us in the middle of the night?”


Output: “My journey has brought me to Bhiksuland,” Monkey replied, “where the king is a bad one who believes in evil doctrines. He wants to take the hearts out of little boys to make the adjuvant to a medicine that he hopes will make him live for ever. My master finds this utterly horrible and has asked me to rescue the boys and destroy the demon. That is why I’ve asked all you gentlemen here. I want you to use your magical powers to lift all the little boys, coops and all, over the city wall into a mountain hollow or somewhere deep in a forest. Keep them there for a day or two. Give them fruit to eat and don’t let them go hungry. Keep watch over them in secret and don’t frighten them or make them cry. When I’ve eliminated the evil, brought the country back to good government and persuaded the king to mend his ways and am about to leave, you must bring them back to me.”


Output:
The gods all listened to their orders then brought their clouds down to land so that they could use their magical powers. The city was filled with a blustering negative wind that brought with it an all-pervasive and sinister fog.

All the stars in the sky were obscured by the negative wind;

The moon was blacked out by the magical fog for many a mile.

At first the wind was gusty,

And then it blew like a hurricane.

When it was gusting

All ran to the gateways to rescue their children;

Then in the hurricane

They wanted to save their own flesh and blood in the coops.

The air turned so chilly that none dared show their heads;

The cold was so piercing that clothes froze like iron.

Vainly did parents look all around;

The families all were stricken with grief.

The sinister wind blew right across the land

As the boys in their baskets were carried off by the gods.

Although that was a night of bereavement and grief

Joy was coming to all the next day.

There is another poem about it that goes:


Output:
There is another poem about it that goes:

Compassion has always been strong in the Sakyamuni faith;

The achievement of goodness explains the Great Vehicle.

A multitude of holy ones all accumulate goodness;

For the Three Refuges and Five Precepts harmony is needed.

The land of Bhiksu was not to be ruined by its monarch

When a thousand little boys were to forfeit their lives.

Monkey and his master had brought them to safety,

Which conferred more merit than the Great Wisdom.

By the third watch of the night the gods had carried all the coops off and hidden them in all the safe places. Monkey then landed his auspicious light and went straight back to the government hostel, where to his secret delight he could hear the other three still chanting, “We invoke the Saviour Bhaisajya-guru Buddha.”

“Master,” he said, going up to them, “I’m back. What was the negative wind like?”

“Terrific,” said Pig.

“How did the rescue of the children go?” Sanzang asked.


Output:
“Every single one of them has been saved,” Monkey replied. “They’ll all be brought back when we set out again.” The master thanked him over and over again before finally going to sleep.

When Sanzang awoke at dawn he dressed himself in his best vestments and said, “Wukong, I am going to the early audience to present our passport.”

“If you go by yourself, Master,” Monkey replied, “I’m afraid that you won’t be able to manage. Let me go with you. Then I’ll be able to find out about the evil in this country.”

“If you go you will refuse to pay homage,” said Sanzang, “and the king may well take it amiss.”

“I won’t be seen,” said Monkey. “I’ll go with you in secret and protect you.” This pleased Sanzang very much. He had told Pig and Friar Sand to look after the luggage and horse and was just about to set out when the superintendent of the hostel came in to see him. The superintendent was struck by the difference between vestments he wore this day compared with what he had been wearing the day before.


Output:
His cassock was of brocade, set with exotic gems;

On his head he wore a gold-topped Vairocana mitre.

He held a nine-ringed monastic staff

And hid a divine radiance in his breast.

The passport was fastened tightly to his body,

Wrapped in brocade inside another cloth.

He moved like an arhat come down to earth;

His face was truly that of a living Buddha.

When the superintendent had greeted Sanzang courteously he murmured into his ear advice against meddling in matters that were none of his business. Sanzang nodded and assented. The Great Sage stole to a place by the gate, said the words of a spell, shook himself and turned into the tiniest of insects that flew with a high-pitched hum to Sanzang’s mitre.

Sanzang left the government hostel and headed straight for the palace.


Output: Arriving at the palace gates Sanzang saw a eunuch officer to whom he bowed and said, “This humble monk has been sent by the Great Tang in the East to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven. Now that I have reached your distinguished country I must present my passport to be inspected and returned. I beg Your Excellency to report this to His Majesty.” This the eunuch duly did.


Output: The king was very pleased. “A monk from afar must be a holy man,” he said, ordering that Sanzang be asked in. When the venerable elder had paid his respects at the foot of the steps of the throne hall he was invited to enter the hall and take a seat. Sanzang thanked the king and sat down. The king looked weak and enervated. When he raised his hands to make a polite salutation he could not do so properly, and he was incapable of continuous speech. His right was so blurred that he had to make several attempts to read the document that Sanzang handed to him before he could sign, seal and return it to the Tang Priest, who put it away again.


Output:
The king was just about to ask why they were fetching the scriptures when one of his aides reported, “His Excellency the Elder of the Nation is here.” Leaning on one of his young eunuch attendants the king struggled down from his throne to greet the Elder. Sanzang hastily got to his feet, stood to one side and looked round to see that the Elder of the Nation was an aged Taoist who advanced with a swagger towards the steps of the throne.

On his head he wore a goose-yellow silken cap,

Round his body a scented cloak of silk and crane feathers,

And at his waist a triple sash of blue velvet.

On his feet were sandals of hemp and grasscloth;

At the top of his rattan stick coiled a dragon.

The pouch at his chest was embroidered with dragon, phoenix and flowers.

His jadelike face radiated well-being;

A gray beard blew about his chin.

Flames shot from golden pupils

In eyes even longer than his eyebrows.

Clouds followed his steps

As he wandered through incense-laden mists.


Output:
As he wandered through incense-laden mists.

The officials below the steps received him with obeisances,

Announcing the presence of the Elder of the Nation.

When he reached the throne hall the Elder of the Nation performed no obeisance but arrogantly strode straight in. The king leaned forward in a bow and said, “We are most fortunate that you have condescended to make your immortal way here, Elder of the Nation.” He ordered that an embroidered stool be set on his left for the

Elder to sit on.

Taking a step forward Sanzang bowed and said, “Greetings, Elder of the Nation.” The Elder sat majestically on his seat, but instead of returning Sanzang’s courtesy he turned to the king and asked, “Where’s this monk from?”

“He has been sent by the Tang court in the East to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven,” the king replied, “and is here to present his passport for inspection.”

“The road West is dark and dismal,” said the Elder of the Nation with a smile. “There’s nothing good about it.”


Output: “The West has always been a land of bliss,” Sanzang replied. “How could it not be good?”


Output: “There is an old saying we once heard that monks are disciples of the Buddha,” said the king. “I wonder whether it is true that by being a monk and turning to the Buddha one can live for ever.” When Sanzang heard this he put his hands together and replied: “One who becomes a monk gets away from all kinds of causation. By understanding nature he learns that all dharmas are empty. Great wisdom is casual and drifts in non-living. The true secret is hidden; it wanders in extinction. When the three worlds are empty all origins are ordered; when the six sense-organs are purified all troubles are finished. To be resolute, single-minded and enlightened one must understand the heart. When the heart is purified it can shine alone; when the heart is sincere all regions are imbued with it. The true appearance has neither deficiency nor excess and can be seen in life. The images of illusion always decay. Why seek what is beyond one’s lot? The way to enter meditation is through meritorious deeds and by sitting in silence;


Output: meritorious deeds and by sitting in silence; the root of cultivating one’s conduct truly is charity and kindness. Great skill appears as clumsiness and knows that all deeds are achieved through inaction. The finest plans involve no calculation; everything must be left alone. It only needs one heart not to move for every action to be perfect. It is truly absurd to try to strengthen the male by drawing on the female and nonsensical to try to extend one’s years by taking elixirs. The only essential is that all the causation of every speck of dust must be discarded and that every type of matter should be empty. Live plain and pure; let your desires be few. Then naturally you will enjoy life without end for ever.”


Output:
When the Elder of the Nation heard this he laughed at it. “Phooey,” he said, pointing at the Tang Priest, “phooey! You’re talking a load of rubbish, monk. Fancy you talking about understanding nature, and you a member of the faith that preaches nirvana. You don’t have any idea of where nature comes from. Sitting still like a dead tree to enter dhyana is wasted effort as far as self-cultivation and tempering are concerned. In the words of the saying,

Sit, sit, sit;

Your backside’s split.

The fire’s too hot;

Good that’s not.

What you don’t realize at all is this:


Output: “One who cultivates immortality has strong bones; one who attains the Way has the most magical spirit. Carrying his bowl and ladle he goes into the mountains to visit his friends; he picks every kind of herb to succor humanity. He makes a rainhat from immortal flowers, plucks the fragrant orchid to make his bed. He sings, claps and dances, then goes to sleep. When expounding the Way he teaches the doctrines of the Supreme One; he eliminates the evil of the human world with holy water. He takes the finest breath of heaven and earth, gathers the essence of the sun and moon. By controlling the negative and positive forces he creates the elixir; through the mastery of fire and water the foetus is formed. On the sixteenth day of the month the negative is eliminated, hazily and obscurely. In the twenty-seventh day of winter the positive begins to grow, darkly and mysteriously. He gathers the herbs of each of the four seasons, refining his elixir to nourish the nine transformations. Astride his blue phoenix he


Output: nine transformations. Astride his blue phoenix he ascends to the purple palace; riding his white crane he goes to the jasper capital. He visits all the splendors of Heaven, showing the efficacy of the wonderful Way. Just compare it with the dhyana teachings of your Sakyamuni, your elimination of atman and your nirvana that enables you to shuffle off your stinking husk. None of this lifts you out of the worldly dust. Among the Three Teachings it is supreme; the Way alone has always been esteemed.”


Output:
The king was delighted to hear this exposition, and all the court officials exclaimed with admiration, “That’s splendid, ‘the Way alone has always been esteemed.’” Sanzang was overcome by humiliation at all this praise going to his rival. The king then told his department of foreign relations to lay on a banquet of vegetarian food for the monks from a far country when they left the city to travel West.

Sanzang thanked the king for his kindness and withdrew. As he was leaving the throne hall and going out of the palace Monkey flew down from the top of his mitre to say into his ear, “Master, the Elder of the Nation is an evil spirit, and the king has been bewitched. Go back to the hostel and wait for your meal while I get some information here.”

Sanzang understood this and left through the main gates of the palace.


Output:
Of him we will say no more. Watch Monkey as he flies straight to a jade screen in the throne hall and lands on it. From the ranks of officials the military commanders of the capital stepped forward to report, “Your Majesty, last night a cold wind carried away the little boys in their goose coops from every house in every ward of the city. They have vanished without a trace, coops and all.”

This report both alarmed and angered the king, who said to the Elder of the Nation, “Heaven must be destroying us. We had the good fortune to be given the formula for your elixir after months of serious illness that the royal physicians have been unable to cure. We were preparing to have the boys cut open at noon today and their hearts taken out to be made into the adjuvant for the elixir. Never did we imagine that a cold wind would blow them all away. If this is not Heaven destroying us what is it?”


Output:
“Don’t upset yourself,” the Elder of the Nation replied with a smile. “By blowing them away Heaven is giving Your Majesty eternal life.”

“How can you maintain that Heaven is giving me eternal life when they have just been blown away?” the king asked.

“When I was coming to court this morning,” the Elder of the Nation replied, “I saw a uniquely marvellous adjuvant that will be far superior to 1,111 little boys’ hearts. They would only lengthen Your Majesty’s life by a thousand years, but if you take my elixir with this other adjuvant you can live for a hundred million years.”


Output:
The king was mystified about what this adjuvant could be, but only after repeated questions did the Elder of the Nation reply, “The monk from the East who is being sent to fetch the scriptures has pure organs and regular features. His is the body of one who has cultivated his conduct for ten lifetimes. He has been a monk since childhood and has preserved his masculine purity, which all makes him ten thousand times better than those little boys. If you can make a decoction from his heart with which to take my elixir I can guarantee you an extremely long life.”

When the deluded king heard this he believed it completely. “Why didn’t you tell us before?” he said to the Elder of the Nation. “If it’s as good as you say we should have kept him when he was here just now and not let him go.”


Output: “This will present no problem,” the Elder of the Nation said. “You have already told the department of foreign relations to give him a vegetarian banquet. He can’t possibly leave the city before eating the meal. Urgent orders must be issued to have the gates firmly closed. Send troops to surround the government hostel and bring that monk here. First we will try to win his heart by treating him with courtesy. If he agrees we will cut it out and give him a royal burial, build him a temple and make offerings to him. If he will not agree we’ll use rough methods. We can tie him up and cut it out. There will be no problem.” The deluded ruler accepted this suggestion and ordered that all the gates be closed. He then sent the officers and men of the royal guard to surround the hostel.


Output:
Having found all this out Monkey flew straight to the hostel, turned back into himself and said to the Tang Priest, “Something terrible’s happened, Master, something terrible.” Sanzang had just begun to eat the king’s vegetarian banquet with Pig and Friar Sand when this sudden announcement scattered his three bodily spirits and made smoke come out of his seven orifices. He collapsed in the dust, pouring with sweat, and unable to see clearly or speak.

Friar Sand was so alarmed he came forward to help him back to his feet, calling, “Wake up, Master, wake up.”

“What’s so terrible?” Pig asked. “What’s so terrible? You should have broken the news gently instead of giving the master such a scare.”


Output:
“When the master left the palace I went back to keep an eye on things,” Monkey replied. “That Elder of the Nation is an evil spirit. A moment later the city garrison came to report about the cold wind carrying the little boys away. This upset the king, but the Elder of the Nation cheered him up by saying that this was Heaven giving him eternal life. He wants to use your heart as an adjuvant for the elixir of immortality, Master. The deluded king has accepted this wicked suggestion and ordered his best troops to surround this hostel. He’s also sent an aide to ask you for your heart, Master.”

“What a merciful and compassionate chap you are,” said Pig with a laugh. “You saved the boys and made the wind blow all right, but now you’ve got us in this disastrous mess.”

Trembling and shaking, Sanzang dragged himself to his feet, seized hold of Monkey and said imploringly, “Good disciple, how are we to get out of this?”

“If you want to get out of this,” said Monkey, “there’ll have to be a switch.”


Output:
“What do you mean by a switch?” Friar Sand asked.

“If you want to survive,” Monkey replied, “the disciple will have to become the master and the master the disciple. Do that and we’ll be safe.”

“Save my life,” said Sanzang, “and I will gladly become your disciple or even your disciple’s disciple.”

“In that case there must be no hesitation,” Monkey replied, continuing, “Pig, mix up some mud at once.” The idiot loosened some earth with his rake then, not daring to go outside for water, lifted his tunic to make some water himself. With this he mixed up a lump of foul-smelling mud that he handed to Monkey. Monkey had no option but to beat it out flat and press it against his face so that it looked like a monkey’s face. Then he told his master to stand up and neither move nor say anything while he placed the mask on his face, said the words of a spell, blew a magic breath and said, “Change!”


Output:
The venerable elder now looked just like Monkey. He took off his own clothes and put on Monkey’s while Monkey dressed in his master’s clothes, made a spell with his hands, said the magic words, shook himself and made himself look just like the Tang Priest. Even Pig and Friar Sand could not tell that he really was not.

Just when they had completed the disguises together there came the sound of gongs and drums as a dense forest of spears and swords appeared. The commanders of the royal guard had surrounded the hostel with their three thousand men. A royal aide came into the main hall of the hostel to ask, “Where is the reverend gentleman from the Tang court in the East?”

The superintendent of the hostel anxiously fell to his knees and said, pointing, “In the guest room over there.”

The aide then went into the room and said, “Venerable elder from Tang, His Majesty has sent for you.”


Output:
Pig and Friar Sand stood on either side of the imitation Monkey to guard him while the imitation Tang Priest went out through the door, bowed and said, “Your Excellency, what does His Majesty wish to say to me? Why has he sent for me?” The aide stepped forward to grab hold of him and say, “You and I are going to the palace. His Majesty must have some use for you.” Alas!

Wickedness was stronger than goodness and mercy;

Goodness and mercy only led to catastrophe.

If you don’t know whether they were to survive this departure listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Searching the Cave to Capture the Fiend They Meet Longevity

The Reigning Monarch Saves the Little Boys


Output:
The Reigning Monarch Saves the Little Boys

The story tells how the royal aide dragged the imitation Tang Priest out of the government hostel and marched him, heavily surrounded by royal guardsmen, straight to the gates of the palace, where he said to the eunuch gate officer, “Please be so good as to report to His Majesty that we have brought the Tang Priest.” The eunuch officer hurried into the palace to pass this on to the deluded king, who ordered that they be brought in.

All the officials knelt at the foot of the steps to the throne hall, leaving the imitation Tang Priest standing alone in the middle of them.

“King of Bhiksuland,” he shouted, “what have you summoned me here to say to me?”


Output:
“We are sick with a chronic illness that has dragged on for many a day without any improvement,” the king replied. “Now the Elder of the Nation has to our good fortune presented us with a prescription that has been made up. All that is needed now is an adjuvant. The reason we have sent for you, reverend sir, is to ask you for the adjuvant. If we recover we will build a temple to you in which offerings will be made in all four seasons and incense will be burnt to you in perpetuity by our country.”

“I am a man of religion,” the imitation Tang Priest replied, “and have brought nothing with me. I do not know what adjuvant the Elder of the Nation has told Your Majesty you need.”

“Your heart, reverend sir,” the deluded monarch replied.

“I will be frank with Your Majesty,” the imitation Tang Priest said. “I have a number of hearts. I don’t know which you want.”

“Monk,” pronounced the Elder of the Nation, who was standing beside the king. “I want your black heart.”


Output:
“Very well then,” the imitation Tang Priest replied. “Produce your knife at once and open up my chest. If there is a black heart there I shall offer it to you obediently.”

The deluded monarch thanked him delightedly and ordered an official in attendance to bring a small knife with a blade shaped like a cow’s ear that was handed to the imitation Tang Priest. Taking the knife, the imitation Tang Priest undid his clothes, thrust out his chest, pressed his left hand against his abdomen and cut the skin of his stomach open with the knife in his right hand. There was a whoosh, and out rolled a whole pile of hearts. The civilian officials all turned pale with fright; the military officers were numbed.

When the Elder of the Nation saw this from inside the throne hall he said, “This monk is a suspicious-minded character. He has too many hearts.”


Output:
The imitation Tang Priest then held up the hearts one by one, each dripping with blood, for all to see. They included a loyal red heart, a pure white heart, a yellow heart, an avaricious heart, a fame-hungry heart, a jealous heart, a calculating heart, an over-competitive heart, an ambitious heart, an overbearing heart, a murderous heart, a vicious heart, a frightened heart, a cautious heart, a heretical heart and a heart full of indefinable gloom. There was every kind of evil heart except a black one. The deluded ruler was horror-struck, unable to speak until he said in trembling tones, “Put them away! Put them away!”

The imitation Tang Priest had taken as much as he could, so he put his magic away and turned back into himself to say to the deluded monarch, “Your Majesty, you’re not at all perceptive. We monks all have good hearts. It’s only this Elder of the Nation of yours who has a black heart. His would make a good adjuvant for the medicine. If you don’t believe me I’ll take his out to show you.”


Output:
When the Elder of the Nation heard this he opened his eyes wide to take a careful look. He saw that the monk’s face had changed to something quite different. Heavens! Recognizing him as the Great Sage Monkey who had been so famous five hundred years ago he made a getaway by cloud. Monkey did a somersault and sprang up into mid-air to shout, “Where do you think you’re going? Take this from me!” The Elder used his stick with a dragon on its head to meet the blow from Monkey’s cudgel. The two of them fought a fine battle up in the sky:

The As-You-Will cudgel

And the dragon stick

Making clouds up in the sky.

The Elder of the Nation was really an evil spirit,

Using his fiendish daughter’s seductive charms.

The king had made himself ill through his lust;

The monster wanted to butcher the boys.

There was no escape from the Great Sage’s divine powers

To catch demons and to rescue their victims.

The cudgel’s blows to the head were really vicious;

Splendid was the way in which the stick met them.


Output:
They fought so hard that the sky was full of mist,

Casting city and people into darkness and fear.

The souls of civil and military officials went flying;

The faces of the queens and concubines turned pale.

The deluded king tried desperately to hide,

Trembling and shaking, unable to do anything.

The cudgel was as fierce as a tiger from the mountains;

The staff whirled round like a dragon leaving the sea.

Now they made havoc in Bhiksuland

As good and evil were clearly set apart.

When the evil spirit had fought over twenty hard rounds with Monkey his dragon staff was no longer a match for the gold-banded cudgel. Feinting with his staff, the spirit turned himself into a beam of cold light and dropped into the inner quarters of the palace to take the demon queen he had presented to the king out through the palace gates with him. She too turned into cold light and disappeared.


Output:
Bringing his cloud down, the Great Sage landed in the palace and said to the officials, “That’s a fine Elder of the Nation you have!” The officials, all bowed to him, thanking the holy monk.

“No need for that,” said Monkey. “Go and see where your deluded king is.”

“When our monarch saw the fighting he hid in terror,” the officials replied. “We do not know which of the palaces he is in.”

“Find him at once,” Monkey ordered them. “Perhaps Queen Beauty has carried him off.” As soon as the officials heard this they rushed with Monkey straight to the rooms of Queen Beauty, ignoring the fact that these were the inner quarters. They were deserted and there was no sign of the king. Queen Beauty was nowhere to be seen either. The queens of the main, the Eastern and the Western palaces and the consorts of the six compounds all came to kowtow in thanks to the Great Sage.

“Please get up,” Monkey said. “It’s too early for thanks now. Go and find your sovereign lord.”


Output:
A little later four or five eunuchs appeared from behind the Hall of Caution supporting the deluded king. All the ministers prostrated themselves on the ground and called out in union, “Sovereign lord! Sovereign lord! We are grateful that this holy monk came here to uncover the impostor. The Elder of the Nation was an evil spirit and Queen Beauty has vanished too.” When the king heard this he invited Monkey to come from the inner quarters of the palace to the throne hall, where he kowtowed in thanks to Monkey.

“Venerable sir,” he said, “when you came to court this morning you were so handsome. Why have you made yourself look different now?”


Output: “I can tell you for a fact, Your Majesty,” replied Monkey with a grin, “that the one who came this morning was my master Sanzang, the younger brother of the Tang Emperor. I’m his disciple Sun Wukong. There are two more of us disciples, Zhu Wuneng, or Pig, and Sha Wujing, or Friar Sand, who are both now in the government hostel. I turned myself into my master’s double and came here to defeat the monster because I knew that you had been deluded by his evil suggestions and were going to take my master’s heart to use as an adjuvant for your elixir.”


Output:
When the king heard this he ordered his ministers in attendance to go straight to the hostel to fetch Monkey’s master and fellow-disciples. The news that Brother Monkey had turned back into himself and had fought the evil spirit in mid-air gave Sanzang such a fright that his souls scattered. It was lucky that Pig and Friar Sand were able to hold him up. His face was still plastered with stinking mud and he was feeling thoroughly depressed and miserable when he heard someone call, “Master of the Law, we are ministers in attendance sent by the king of Bhiksuland to invite you to court to receive His Majesty’s thanks.”

“Don’t be afraid, master,” said Pig, “don’t be afraid. This time he’s not sending for you to take your heart out. I’m sure that elder brother has succeeded and they’re inviting you there to thank you.”

“Even if they have come to invite me there because he has succeeded I could not face anyone with this stinking mask on,” Sanzang replied.


Output:
“We’ve got no option,” said Pig. “We’ll just have to go to see my elder brother. He’s bound to have a solution.” The venerable elder really did have no choice but to go to the main hall of the hostel with Pig and Friar Sand carrying the luggage and leading the horse. When the ministers saw him they were all terrified.

“My lord,” they said, “they both have heads like monsters.”

“Please don’t take offence at our ugliness,” Friar Sand replied. “Both of us have the bodies that were left after an earlier life. If my master could see my elder brother he’d become handsome straight away.”


Output:
When the three of them reached the palace they went straight to the throne hall without waiting to be summoned. As soon as Monkey saw them he turned round and came down from the hall to meet them. Pulling the mud mask off his master’s face he blew on him with magic breath, called “Change!” and turned the Tang Priest back into himself. Sanzang was now in better spirits. The king came down from the throne hall to greet him as “Master of the Law” and “ancient Buddha.” Master and disciples then tethered the horse and went into the throne hall to be presented.

“Does Your Majesty know where the monsters came from?” Monkey asked. “Let me go and catch them both for you. Then we will have eliminated future catastrophe.”


Output: When all the queens, consorts and concubines of the three palaces and six compounds, who were behind the screen of bright green jade, heard Monkey saying that he was going to eliminate future catastrophe they cast aside all their inhibitions about appearing in front of an outsider, and a male one at that, as they came out to bow to him and say, “We beg you, holy monk and venerable Buddha, to destroy them completely, root and branch, with your dharma powers. That would be an act of the greatest kindness, and we would of course reward you richly.” Quickly responding to their bows Monkey insisted that the king tell him where the monsters lived.


Output: “We asked him when he came here three years ago,” the king replied shamefacedly, “and he told us that it was only some twenty miles to the South of the city, in Pure Splendor Grange on Willow Slope. The Elder of the Nation was old and had no son, only the daughter that his second wife had given him. She was just fifteen and unmarried. He offered to present her to us, and because we fancied the girl we accepted her. She was the favorite among all the palace women. We never expected that we would fall so ill that all the prescriptions of the Royal College of Physicians would be of no avail. Then he told us that he had a formula for an elixir for which a decoction of boiled little boys’ hearts was needed as the adjuvant. In our folly we believed him and chose some boys from among the common people. At noon today we were going to operate and take out their hearts. We never expected that you would come down to us, holy monk, and that at that very moment all the boys would disappear in their coops. Then he said


Output: boys would disappear in their coops. Then he said that as you were a holy monk who had cultivated the truth for ten lifetimes and not yet dissipated your primal masculinity your heart would be ten thousand times more effective than the little boys’ ones. In our temporary delusion we did not realize that you would see through the evil monster, holy monk. We hope that you will make full use of your great dharma to eliminate any future catastrophe. All the wealth of the nation will be given to you as your reward.”


Output:
“I will tell you the truth,” Monkey replied. “Because my master took pity on the little boys in the coops he told me to hide them. Don’t say anything about giving us wealth. When I capture the evil monsters that will be a good deed to my credit. Come with me, Pig.”

“Whatever you say, elder brother,” Pig replied. “The only thing is that I’ve got an empty belly: I’ll be rather weak.” The king then ordered the department of foreign affairs to prepare a vegetarian meal at once. Before long the food arrived.


Output:
Having eaten his fill, Pig braced his spirits and rose by cloud with Monkey. The king, queens, consorts and civil and military officials were all so astonished that they all kowtowed to the sky, exclaiming, “They really are immortals and Buddhas come down to earth.” The Great Sage led Pig twenty miles due South, stopped their wind and cloud and started searching for the demons’ home. All he could see was a clear stream running between banks on which grew thousands of willows: he had no idea where the Pure Splendor Grange might be. Indeed:

Endless expanses stretched out in his gaze;

The embankment had vanished amid willows and haze.

When he could not find the grange the Great Sage Sun made a spell with his hands, said the magic word “Om ” and summoned the local deity, who approached shivering and shaking, fell to his knees and called out, “Great Sage, the local god of Willow Bank kowtows to you.”


Output:
“Don’t be afraid,” Monkey said, “I’m not going to hit you. Tell me this: is there a Pure Splendor Grange on Willow Hill? And where is it?”

“There is a Pure Splendor Cave,” the local deity replied, “but there has never been a Pure Splendor Grange. I suppose you have come from Bhiksuland, Great Sage.”

“Yes, yes,” Monkey replied. “The king of Bhiksuland was hoodwinked by an evil spirit till I turned up, saw through the monster, defeated him and drove him away. He turned into a beam of cold light and I don’t know where he went. When I asked the king of Bhiksuland about it he told me that when the demon first presented him with the girl three years ago he asked the spirit about his background. The demon said that he lived in Pure Splendor Grange on Willow Hill twenty miles South of the city. I’ve found this place with its wooded hill but can’t see any Pure Splendor Grange. That’s why I asked you about it.”


Output:
“I beg your forgiveness, Great Sage,” said the local god, kowtowing. “This is part of the domain of the king of Bhiksuland, and I should have kept a closer watch on things. But the evil spirit had such terrible magical powers. If I had given away what he was doing he would have come and given me a bad time. That is why he has never been caught. Now that you are here, Great Sage, you need only go to the foot of the nine-forked willow on the Southern bank, walk round it three times to the left and three times to the right, hit the tree with both hands and shout ‘Open up’ three times. The Pure Splendor Cave Palace will then appear.”

On learning this the Great Sage sent the local god away again, jumped over the stream with Pig and went to look for that willow tree. There was indeed a tree with nine forks on a single trunk. “Stand well back,” Monkey ordered Pig, “while I make the gates open. When I’ve found the demon and chased him out you’re to help.”


Output:
In response to this order Pig took up his stand about three hundred yards from the tree while the Great Sage followed the local god’s advice and went round the tree three times to the left and three times to the right then hit it with both hands, shouting, “Open up! Open up!” An instant later a pair of double doors opened with a noisy whoosh and the tree was nowhere to be seen. Inside the doors was bright light of many colours but no sign of human life. Confident in his divine might, Monkey charged in. He could see that it was a fine place:

Shimmering clouds, from which

Sun and moon stole their brightness.

White clouds billowing from the caves,

Bright green lichens running wild in the courtyard.

Along the path rare flowers competed in beauty,

While plants on the steps vied in fragrant blossom.

Warm was the air

Where it was ever spring.

This was just like a fairyland,

Or Penglai, the paradise of immortals.

Creepers grew all over the benches;

Vines ran wild across the bridge.


Output:
Vines ran wild across the bridge.

Bees flew into the cave carrying flowers;

Butterflies flirted with orchids as they passed the screen of stone.

Hurrying forward for a closer look Monkey saw that on the stone screen was carved IMMORTAL PALACE OF PURE SPLENDOR. Unable to restrain himself, he jumped over the stone screen to see the old monster embracing a beautiful woman and telling her breathlessly what had happened in Bhiksuland.

“That was our chance,” they said together. “Three years’ efforts should have paid off today, but that ape’s ruined everything.”

Monkey charged up to them, brandishing his cudgel and shouting, “I’ll get you, you fools. What do you mean, that was your chance? Take that!” Pushing the woman aside, the old monster swung his dragon-headed stick to block the cudgel. It was a fine battle that the two of them fought in front of the cave, and quite unlike the previous one:

The upraised cudgel spat out golden light;

Vicious vapors came from the swinging staff.

The monster said,


Output:
The monster said,

“How dare you in your ignorance come to my home?”

Monkey replied,

“I intend to subdue evil monsters.”

Said the monster,

“My love for the king was no business of yours,

So why did you come to bully and interfere?”

Answered Monkey,

“A compassionate monk should bring misrule to an end:

We could not endure the slaughter of children.”

As they flung words at each other hostility grew:

Staff parried cudgel as blows struck at the heart.

Precious flowers were destroyed as they fought for their lives;

Green moss became slippery when trampled underfoot.

Pale grew the light in the cave as they struggled:

Crushed were the fragrant blooms on the crags.

At the clash of their weapons the birds dared not fly;

Their shouts sent the beauties all running in terror.

Only the monster and Monkey were left

To stir up a hurricane that roared over the earth.

Slowly their battle took them out of the cave

Where Wuneng gave play to his mindless wrath.


Output:
Where Wuneng gave play to his mindless wrath.

The sound of the commotion they were making inside so excited Pig where he was waiting outside that his heart itched. As he could get no relief from scratching he raised his rake, smashed the nine-forked willow to the ground, then hit it several times so hard that blood gushed straight out with a barely audible sound. “This tree’s become a spirit,” he said, “this tree’s a spirit.” Pig had just raised his rake for another blow when he saw Monkey drawing the monster after him. Without another word the idiot rushed forward, raised his rake and struck. The old monster was already finding Monkey too much to cope with, so that Pig’s rake made him more desperate than ever. Abandoning the fight he shook himself, turned back into a beam of cold light, and headed East again. The two of them would not let the demon go but headed Eastwards in pursuit.


Output:
Above the shouts of battle they heard the calls of the phoenix and the crane and looked up to see that it was the Star of Longevity from the Southern pole of the heavens. Placing a cover over the cold light the old man called out, “Don’t be in such a hurry, Great Sage; stop chasing him now, Marshal Tian Peng. This old Taoist offers his greetings.”

Monkey returned his courtesy and asked, “Where have you come from, Longevity my brother?”

“You’ve capped the cold light, so you must have caught the monster, old fat chops,” said Pig with a grin.

“Here he is, here he is,” said the Star of Longevity, smiling back. “I trust you two gentlemen will spare his life.”

“The old devil’s nothing to do with you, brother,” said Monkey, “so why have you come to plead for him?”

“He’s a messenger of mine,” replied the star with a smile. “I carelessly let him escape to become a monster here.”

“Since he’s yours make him turn back into what he really looks like for us to see,” said Monkey.


Output:
The Star of Longevity then let the cold light out and shouted, “Evil beast! Turn back into yourself at once if you want to be spared the death penalty.” The demon turned himself round and revealed that he was really a white deer. Picking the staff up the Star of Longevity said, “You’ve even stolen my staff, evil beast.” The deer lay down in submission, unable to speak, but only kowtowing and weeping. Look at him:

Brindled like a tablet of jade,

And carrying a pair of seven-branched antlers.

When hungry he used to find the herb garden;

On mornings when thirsty he drank from the misty stream.

In his lengthening years he had taught himself to fly

And through many a day had mastered transformation.

Now that he heard the call of his master

He resumed his own form and lay down in the dust.

Thanking Monkey, the Star of Longevity mounted his deer and was just leaving when Monkey grabbed hold of him and said, “Not so fast, brother. There are a couple more jobs still to be done.”


Output:
“What jobs?” the star asked.

“The girl hasn’t been caught yet and I don’t know what sort of monster she is,” Monkey replied. “We’ve also got to go back to Bhiksuland together to see the deluded ruler and show him what they really are.”

“In that case I’ll be patient,” the star replied. “You and Marshal Tian Peng can go down into the cave to capture the girl and take her back to show the king what she really is.”

“Just wait a little while,” said Monkey. “We’ll soon be back.”

Pig then summoned up his spirits and went straight into the Immortal Palace of Pure Splendor with Monkey. “Catch the evil spirit,” he shouted, “catch the evil spirit.” Hearing this great roar the beauty, who was trembling with fear and unable to escape, rushed behind the stone screen, but there was no rear exit.


Output:
“Where do you think you’re going?” Pig shouted. “I’ll get you, you man-trap, you whore spirit. Try my rake!” As the beauty was unarmed she could not fight back, so she dodged the blow and turned herself into a beam of cold light and fled, only to be stopped by the Great Sage, who with two thumping blows of his cudgel knocked her off her feet and laid her low in the dust. She turned back into her real form as a white-faced vixen. Unable to restrain himself, the idiot lifted his rake and struck her a blow on the head. The great beauty of so many smiles was now a hairy fox.

“Don’t smash her to pulp,” Monkey said, “keep her in that shape to show her to the deluded king.” The idiot grabbed her by the tail, not minding the filth, and dragged her out through the cave entrance with Monkey. Here he saw the Star of Longevity stroking the deer’s head and giving him a dressing-down.


Output:
“Evil beast,” he was saying, “why did you run away from me and come here to turn yourself into a spirit? If I hadn’t turned up the Great Sage Sun would certainly have killed you.”

“What’s that you’re saying, brother?” asked Monkey, springing out of the cave.

“I was telling the deer off,” the star explained, “telling the deer off.”

Throwing the body of the dead fox in front of the deer, Pig said, “Your daughter, I suppose.”

The deer nodded then stretched its head out to sniff the body and whimpered as if with grief at its bereavement until the Star of Longevity cuffed its head and said, “Evil beast. You’re lucky to have got away with your life. What are you sniffing her for?” He then took off the belt he wore round his gown, fastened it round the deer’s neck, and led it off with the words, “Great Sage, let’s go to Bhiksuland.”

“Wait a moment,” said Monkey, “I feel like cleaning the whole place up so that no other evil creatures can ever live here again.”


Output:
When Pig heard this he raised his rake and started to smash the willow down wildly. Monkey then said the magic word “Om ” and summoned the local deity once more. “Gather some dried firewood,” Monkey ordered him, “and start a roaring fire that will rid this place of yours of evil. Then you won’t be bullied any more.”

The local deity then turned around and with a roaring negative wind led his spirit soldiers to gather all sorts of withered vegetation that had dried out since the previous year: frostbitten grass, autumn grass, knotweed grass, mountain grass, dragonbone grass, rushes and reeds. Once set alight they would burn like oil or grease.


Output:
“There’s no need to go knocking trees over, Pig,” said Monkey. “Fill the mouth of the cave with all this and set it alight: that’ll burn the place clean out.” And indeed once they were lit they turned the evil demons’ Pure Splendor home into a fiery furnace. Only then did Monkey dismiss the local god and go with the Star of Longevity as they dragged the fox to the steps of the throne hall where he said to the king, “Here’s your Queen Beauty. Do you want to fool around with her now?”

This caused the king a terrible shock. At the sight of the Great Sage Monkey bringing the Star of Longevity with the white deer before the throne hall, monarch, ministers, consorts and queens all dropped to the ground to kowtow. Monkey went up to the king and held him up. “Don’t kowtow to me,” he said with a smile. “This deer is the Elder of the Nation. It’s him you should be kowtowing to.”


Output:
The king was now so overcome with shame that he could only say, “Thank you, holy monk, for saving the boys in my kingdom. It truly was an act of heavenly kindness.” He then ordered the department of foreign relations to prepare a vegetarian feast, had the Eastern hall of the palace opened up and invited the star, the Ancient of the Southern Pole, to take part in a thanksgiving feast with the Tang Priest and his three disciples. Sanzang bowed in greeting to the Star of Longevity, as did Friar Sand.

“If the white deer is one of your creatures, Star of Longevity,” they both asked, “how did he get here to become such a nuisance?”


Output:
“Some time ago the Lord of Eastern Splendor came to my mountain,” the Star of Longevity replied with a smile, “and I persuaded him to sit down for some chess. The wicked creature escaped before our first game was over. It was only when I couldn’t find him after my visitor had gone that I worked out by calculating on my fingers that he must have come here. I had just reached here in my search for him when I met the Great Sage Sun using his mighty powers. If I had been any later this beast would be dead.” Before he could finish his remarks it was announced that the banquet was ready. It was a splendid vegetarian feast:

The room was overflowing with color;

Exotic fragrances filled the hall.

Embroidered hangings made the tables magnificent;

Red carpets on the floor shimmered like the glow of dawn.

From duck-shaped censers

Curled the scented smoke of eaglewood;

Before the king’s place

Were fragrant vegetables.

See how high the towers of fruit were piled;

Sugar dragons and prowling animals.


Output:
Sugar dragons and prowling animals.

Molded mandarin ducks,

Lion confections,

Looking quite lifelike.

Parrot goblets,

Cormorant ladles,

Shaped like the real thing.

Every kind of fruit in abundance,

Each exquisite dish a delicacy.

Giant longans and tender bamboo-shoots,

Fresh lichees and peaches.

Sweet smelled the jujubes and persimmon cakes;

More fragrant than wine were the pine-nuts and grapes.

Many a sweet dish made with honey,

Steamed pastries of various kinds,

Sugar-drenched doughnuts

Piled up like bouquets of flowers,

Mountains of rolls on golden dishes,

Fragrant rice heaped high in silver bowls,

Long bean noodles in hot chili soup,

Tasty dishes came in succession.

There was no end of button mushrooms,

“Tree-ear” fungus,

Tender bamboo shoots,

Sealwort,

Vegetables of many flavors,

A hundred kinds of rare delights.

They came and went in endless succession,

All the abundant dishes offered at the feast.


Output:
All the abundant dishes offered at the feast.

The seating was arranged on the spot, the seat of honour going to the Star of Longevity and the next best place to the Tang Priest. The king sat between them while Brother Monkey, Pig and Friar Sand sat at the side places. There were also three senior ministers present to keep them company, and the musicians and singers of the court theatre were ordered to perform. Holding his purple cloud goblet, the king, toasted them one by one.

The only person who would not drink was the Tang Priest. “Brother,” said Pig to Monkey, “I’ll leave the fruit for you, but you must let me have a good feed of the soup, bread and rice.” With no further thought the idiot ate everything all at once. He devoured everything that was brought in and left nothing behind.


Output:
When the banquet was coming to an end the Star of Longevity took his leave of them. The king went up to him, knelt, kowtowed and begged the star to tell him the secret of eliminating disease and prolonging life. “I didn’t bring any elixir as I was here to search for my deer,” the Star of Longevity replied. “I would like to teach you the techniques of self-cultivation, but you are so weak in body and ruined in spirit that you would not be able to convert the elixir. All I have in my sleeve is these three jujubes that I was intending to offer to the Lord of Eastern Splendor to take with tea. As they haven’t been eaten I can offer them to you now.”

The king swallowed them, and he gradually began to feel lighter in body as the illness was cured. This was the origin of his later success in achieving immortality. As soon as Pig saw this he called, “Longevity, old pal, if you’ve got any fire jujubes give me some.”


Output: “I didn’t bring any,” the star replied, “but I’ll give you several pounds of them next time.” The Star of Longevity then went out of the Eastern pavilion, expressed his thanks, called to the white deer, sprang on his back and departed by cloud. We will not relate how the king, queens and consorts in the palace and the common people in the city all burnt incense and kowtowed.