Output:
“Do not be afraid, Master,” said the Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle. “I’m much safer than those thick layers of ice. I’ll only fail in my spiritual endeavors if I roll to the side.”

“Master,” said Monkey, “no creature that can speak human language will tell a lie.” He then told Pig and Friar Sand to lead the horse forward.

When they reached the banks everyone in the village came to see them off with deep bows. Monkey led the animal on to the turtle’s white shell and asked the Tang Priest to stand to the horse’s right, Pig to its left, and Friar Sand behind it while he stood in front. Just in case the Soft-shelled Turtle tried to misbehave, Monkey undid his belt of tiger sinew, threaded it through the turtle’s nose, and held it like a halter. Then with one foot on the turtle’s shell and one on its head, and with his iron cudgel in one hand and the halter in the other, he shouted, “Take it easy, Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle. One roll from you and I’ll hit you on the head.”


Output:
“I’d never dare, I’d never dare,” the turtle said, and he started to walk across the water on his four feet as if going across dry land. All the people on the bank burnt incense, kowtowed, and recited, “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” This had indeed been a case of a true arhat coming down to the mortal world, and the appearance of a living Bodhisattva. Everyone bowed, watched them until they could be seen no more, and then went home.

In less than a day the master rode the White Soft-shelled Turtle across the 250 miles of the River of Heaven and landed on the other side with hands and feet still dry. When he had climbed ashore Sanzang put his hands together in thanks, and said, “Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle, I have put you to a great effort but I have nothing I can give you. I shall have to express my gratitude when I come back with the scriptures.”


Output:
“There is on need for any presents, venerable sir,” said the turtle. “I hear that the Lord Buddha in the Western Heaven has gone beyond death and life and knows everything in the past and the future. I have been cultivating my conduct here for over 1,300 years, and although I have prolonged my life and learned human speech I cannot escape from my shell. I beg you, venerable sir, to ask the Lord Buddha on my behalf when I will be rid of this shell and able to take human form.

“I shall ask, I shall ask,” Sanzang promised, at which the Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle plunged back into the water and Monkey helped Sanzang to mount the horse. With Pig shouldering the luggage and Friar Sand walking alongside, master and disciples took the main trail West. Indeed:

The emperor sent the priest on his journey to visit the Buddha;

Great were the hardships and long was the road over river and hill.

Firm was his will and sincere was his heart: for him death held no terror.


Output:
The River of Heaven he crossed standing high on the old turtle’s shell,

If you don’t know how much further they had to go, or what other terrible trials faced them, listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter Fifty

Feelings Run Wild and Nature Gets Loose Because of Desire

In Confusion of Spirit the Heart Is Disturbed and the Demon Encountered

The poem goes:

The heart must be frequently swept,

The dust of emotions removed,

Lest the Buddha be trapped in the pit.

Only when the essence is pure

Can the origin then be discussed.

Trim the candle of nature,

Breathe in the way that Master Caoxi taught,

Control the ape and horse of the mind.

Only when breath is calm by day and night

Can one achieve the true adept’s skill.


Output:
Can one achieve the true adept’s skill.

This poem is set to the tune Nan Ke Zi and it tells how the Tang Priest escaped disaster under the ice of the River of Heaven and crossed to the other bank on the shell of the white turtle. As the four pilgrims headed West it was now the depths of winter, but the mists in the forests were still light, and the bony shapes of the mountains could be seen rising in their purity above the waters. As master and disciples carried on along their way, they were obstructed by a big mountain. The road was rocky, and they and the horse found the going rough. Sanzang reined the horse in and called for his disciples.

Monkey led Pig and Friar Sand forward to stand in attendance and asked, “Master, what are your instructions?”

“You can see how high the mountain in front of us is,” said Sanzang. “I am worried that there may be tigers, wolves, monsters and demon beasts who will kill us. You must be very careful.”


Output:
“Don’t worry, Master,” said Monkey. “We three brothers have got on very well together since we were converted to the pursuit of the truth. With our magic powers to put down demons and monsters we’ve got nothing to fear from tigers, wolves or demons.” This greatly reassured Sanzang, who pressed ahead. When he reached the mouth of a gully and urged the horse up the slope he raised his head and saw that it was a splendid mountain:

Towering crags,

A steep and lofty range.

Towering crags pierced the heavens,

The steep and lofty range blocked out the azure shy.

Grotesque rocks were piled like sitting tigers,

Twisted, slanting pines seemed to fly like dragons,

Beautifully sang the birds on the ridge,

Heavy hung the scent of plum blossom by the scar.

Cold was the sluggish flow of the stream,

And menacing hung the dark clouds over the peak.

They saw whirling snow,

And an icy wind

Howling with the roar of hungry mountain tigers.

Cold rooks could find no perches in the trees


Output:
Cold rooks could find no perches in the trees

And wild deer did not know the way back home.

Hard it was indeed for the traveler to make progress

As he frowned with worry and covered up his head.

The four of them were trembling in the cold and the snow as they crossed that high ridge and saw in a distant hollow high towers and elegant houses. “Disciples,” said a relieved Sanzang from the back of his horse, “we have gone cold and hungry today, but there are many buildings in that hollow that I an sure must be a farm or a Buddhist or Taoist monastery. Let us go there and beg some food before we continue on our way.”

Monkey’s immediate response was to take a good look. He saw that evil-looking clouds and vapors hung over the place, so he turned back to the Tang Priest and said, “Master, that’s a bad place.”

“How could it possibly be a bad place with all those towers, pavilions and fine buildings?” Sanzang asked.


Output:
“You wouldn’t know, Master,” Monkey replied. “There are any number of evil spirits and monsters along this road to the West who are good at making buildings by magic. They can make anything from towers and houses to halls and pavilions, and all just as bait. As you know, one of the nine kinds of dragon is called the clam-dragon. Its breath comes out looking like fine buildings and pools. Clam-dragon buildings appear when there is a heavy mist over a great river. Birds flying by will perch on them for a rest. The clam-dragon eats everyone up, even if there are thousands of them. It’s a really lethal trick. The atmosphere over there looks thoroughly vicious: whatever you do don’t go there.”

“Even if I may not I am still very hungry indeed,” said Sanzang.

“Yes, Master, you really must be,” replied Monkey. “Would you like to dismount and sit on this level ground here while I go somewhere else to beg food for you?” Sanzang followed this suggestion.


Output:
While Pig held the halter Friar Sand put the luggage down, opened up one of the bundles, and took out a begging bowl that he handed to Monkey, who gave him these parting instructions as he took it: “Don’t go any further. Guard the master and make sure he stays sitting here until I come back with some food. Then we can carry on West.”

Friar Sand promised to do so. Monkey then spoke to Sanzang again: “Master, this is a very dangerous place. Whatever you do you mustn’t move away from here. I’m off now to beg for food.”

“No need to say any more,” replied Sanzang. “Be back as soon as you can. I shall wait for you here.”

Monkey turned and was about to go when he turned back to add, “Master, I know that you haven’t the patience to sit still, but I’ll make a spell to keep you safe here.” With that he took out his gold-banded cudgel and in a flash he drew a circle on the ground with it. He asked the Tang priest to sit in the circle with Pig and Friar Sand standing on either side and the horse and luggage nearby.


Output:
Then he put his palms together and said to the Tang Priest, “The circle I’ve drawn is stronger than a wall of bronze or iron. No tiger, leopard, wolf, demon, fiend or monster will dare come anywhere near it. But you must not step outside it. I guarantee that you’ll come to no harm as long as you sit inside the circle; but once you leave it very nasty things will happen to you. Please, please, please stay inside it whatever happens.” Sanzang did as he was told and they all sat down. Only then did Monkey set off due South on his cloud to beg for some food. When he saw the ancient trees of another farmhouse reaching up to the sky he brought his cloud down for a closer look. This is what he saw:

Willows bent down by cruel snow,

A square pool frozen hard.

A few sparse bamboos waving green,

The turquoise of a lofty and elegant pine.

Thatched cottages that looked covered with silver,

A slanting bridge that seemed paved with flour.

Daffodils by the fence were beginning to open,


Output:
Daffodils by the fence were beginning to open,

While icicles hung low beneath the eaves.

The icy wind carried many a strange fragrance;

The plum blossom was lost amid the driving snow.

As Monkey walked towards the farm to take a look at it he heard the creak of a wicker gate opening as an old man came out. He was leaning on a wooden stick and wearing a sheepskin hat, a tattered tunic, and rush sandals. He looked up to the sky and said. “The Northwest wind in blowing, so the sky will be clear tomorrow.” Before the words were out of his mouth a Pekinese dog came bounding out from behind him and started barking wildly at Monkey. Only then did the man turn to see Monkey carrying his begging bowl.

“Venerable benefactor,” said Monkey, “I’m with the monk sent to the Western Heaven by the emperor of Great Tang in the East to worship the Buddha and fetch the scriptures. As we were passing this way and my master is very hungry I have come to your honorable residence to beg for a vegetarian meal.”


Output:
The old man nodded, hit the ground with his stick and said, “Reverend sir, don’t beg here. You’ve lost your way.”

“No, I haven’t,” said Monkey.

“The main trail West is over three hundred miles North of here,” said the old man, “so why aren’t you on that?”

“That’s where I’ve come from,” Monkey replied. “My master is now sitting by the main trail waiting for me to bring him some food.”

“You’re talking nonsense, monk,” the old man replied. “How could your master be waiting by the main trail for you to bring him some food? Even if you could walk this far it would take you six or seven days to cover over three hundred miles and as long again to get back. By then he would have starved to death.”

“Honestly, benefactor,” replied Brother Monkey with a smile. “I have only just left my master, and it took me less time to get here than it would to drink a cup of tea. When I’ve been given the food I’ll take it back for his lunch.”


Output:
This alarmed the old man, who drew back at once, saying, “That monk’s a demon, a demon.”

He was just about to go back inside when Monkey took hold of him and asked, “Where are you going, benefactor? Give me some food at once.”

“It’s very difficult,” the old man said, “very difficult. Try somewhere else.”

“You really don’t understand, benefactor,” Monkey replied. “Just think, I’ve had to come over three hundred miles to get here, so it would probably be another three hundred miles to another house. You’re trying to make my master starve to death.”

“I tell you frankly,” the old man said, “that we can only put three pints of rice in the pot for the six or seven members of the family, and it’s still cooking. Try somewhere else first.”


Output:
“There is an old saying,” Monkey replied, “that it’s better to stay in one house than to call on three. I’m staying put.” The old man lost his temper with Monkey for being so persistent and raised his stick to hit him. This did not worry Monkey at all, who allowed the old man to hit him on his shaven pate seven or eight times: it felt like having the itches on his head scratched.

“You’re a monk who likes being hit on the head,” said the old man.

“Hit me as much as you like, oldy,” said Monkey. “I’m keeping the score and you’ll have to give me a pint of rice for every blow.”


Output:
When the old man heard this he dropped his stick, rushed inside, shut the gate and shouted: “A demon, a demon.” This made the whole household shake with fear as they shut the front and back gates in a great hurry. Watching the gates being shut Monkey thought, “I wonder if the old villain was telling the truth about the amount of rice they cook. As the saying goes, the good are converted by Taoism and the stupid by Buddhism. I’m going in to take a look round.” With that the splendid Great Sage made a spell with his hands to make himself invisible and went straight to the kitchen to look. He saw that the pot was steaming and half filled with grain, so he thrust his begging bowl into it, filled it to the brim, and went back on his cloud.

The Tang priest meanwhile, who had been sitting in the circle for a long time waiting for Monkey to come back, stretched, looked around and said, “Where has that ape gone to beg for food?”


Output:
“Goodness only knows where he is—probably fooling around,” said Pig with a laugh beside him. “Begging for food, indeed! He’s left us here in a pen.”

“What do you mean, in a pen?” Sanzang asked.

“That’s something else you wouldn’t know, Master,” Pig replied. “In the old days people used to draw circles on the ground to make pens. He draws a circle with his cudgel and says it’s stronger than a wall of bronze or iron. But how could it possibly keep out any tigers, wolves or evil monsters that came here? We’d be a meal served up to them on a plate.”

“What should we do about it, Wuneng?” Sanzang asked him.

“We’re not sheltered from the wind or the cold here,” Pig said. “If you ask me we should carry on West along the trail. Monkey went off begging on his cloud, so he’s bound to be back soon. He’ll catch up with us. If he’s got any food we can eat it before going on. All we’ve got from sitting here so long is cold feet.”


Output:
These words were to be Sanzang’s undoing: he followed the idiot’s advice and they all left the circle. The Tang Priest walked along the trail with Pig leading the horse and Friar Sand carrying the luggage. They soon reached the house with high towers, which was a South-facing compound. Outside the gates was a whitewashed wall, above which rose a multicolored gatetower shaped like lotuses leaning together. The gates stood half open. While Pig tethered the horse to a stone drum by the threshold Friar Sand put the luggage down and Sanzang sat on the doorsill out of the wind.

“Master,” said pig, “this looks like a nobleman or a minister’s house. There’s nobody at the gates, so I suppose they’re all inside warming themselves up by the fire. Sit down and let me take a look.”

“Do be careful,” said the Tang Priest. “Don’t go charging into their house.”

“I know,” said the idiot. “I’m a lot better mannered now I’m a Buddhist. I’m not a village yokel any more.”


Output: The idiot tucked his rake in his belt, straightened his black brocade tunic, and went in through the gate in a very affected way. He saw a large hall with high, curtained windows that was completely quiet and deserted. There were no tables, chairs or other furniture. When he went round the screen and further into the house he found himself in a passageway at the end of which stood a multi-storied building with upstairs windows half open through which yellow damask bed-curtains could be glimpsed. “I suppose they’re still in bed because it’s so cold,” thought Pig, whereupon he marched up the stairs without worrying about the propriety of invading the private quarters of the house. When the idiot lifted the curtain and looked inside he almost collapsed with shock: on the ivory bed inside the curtains was a pile of gleaming white bones, with a skull the size of a bushel measure and thighbones some four or five feet long.


Output:
When the idiot calmed himself the tears poured down his cheeks as he nodded to the skeletons and said with a sigh, “I wonder:

For what great dynasty you once were a marshal

In what country’s service did you hold high command?

Then you were a hero fighting for mastery,

But now you are only a pile of old bones.

Where are the widow and child making offerings?

Do no soldiers burn incense to honour your memory?

The sight is enough to make one sigh deeply:

Alas for the man who once was a conqueror.”


Output:
Alas for the man who once was a conqueror.”

As pig was sighing with grief there was a flicker of fire behind the curtain, “I suppose there must be attendants at the back to offer him incense,” the idiot thought. When he rushed round the bed-curtain to look he saw that it was the daylight shining through the windows, beside which stood a coloured lacquer table. On it were thrown some padded clothes in brocade and embroidery. When the idiot picked them up to look at them he saw that they were three quilted brocade waistcoats. Not worrying about whether it was right to do so the idiot took them downstairs and went out through the main hall and the gates.


Output:
“Master,” he shouted, “there’s no sign of life here—it’s a house of the dead. I went inside and went upstairs, where I found a pile of bones behind a yellow bed-curtain. On one side of the upper floor were three quilted brocade waistcoats, look—I’ve brought them back with me. We’re really in luck as they’re just what we need now that the weather has turned cold. Take your habit off, Master, and put one of these on underneath. You’ll be a lot more comfortable: it’ll keep the cold out.”

“No,” said Sanzang, “it’s forbidden. The law says, ‘Taking, whether openly or in secret, is always theft.’ If anyone found out, came after us and handed us over to the authorities we would definitely be found guilty of theft. You had better take them back in and put them where you found them. We shall just sit here for a while to shelter from the wind and carry on along our way as soon as Wukong is back. Monks should not be looking out for easy pickings like that.”


Output:
“But there’s nobody around who could know,” said Pig, “not even a chicken or a dog. The only people who know are ourselves. Who’s going to sue us? There’s no evidence. It’s just the same as if we’d picked it up. Taking or stealing just doesn’t come into it.”

“Nonsense,” said the Tang Priest. “Even if nobody else knew about it Heaven cannot be fooled. As the Lord of Origin teaches us, ‘Do no evil in a dark house: the eyes of the gods are like lightning.’ Take it back at once and stop hankering after what you have no right to.”

The idiot was having none of this. “Master,” he said to the Tang Priest with a grin, “I’ve worn several waistcoats in my life, but never have I seen quilted brocade ones like this before. Even if you don’t want to wear one, please let me just try one on to warm my back up. When Monkey comes back I’ll take it off and we can be on our way again.”


Output: “In that cast,” said Friar Sand, “I’d like to try one too.” The two of them took off their outer tunics and put the waistcoats on instead. As soon as they had tightened the belts they collapsed, unable to stay on their feet. The waistcoats were even worse than bonds. In an instant both of them had their hands tied together behind their backs. Sanzang stamped his foot in despair and indignation and rushed forward to untie them, but to no avail. The three of them set up endless yells that soon disturbed a demon king.


Output:
Now these buildings had indeed been created by the magic of an evil spirit who spent all his life lying in wait there to catch people. Hearing the howls of anger as he sat in his cave he rushed out to find that he had several victims tied up. The monster called for his little demons to go there with him as he made all the enchanted buildings vanish. They returned to the cave holding the Tang Priest, leading the horse, and dragging Pig and Friar Sand. The old demon took his seat on his throne while the little devils pushed Sanzang to the foot of the steps and forced him to kneel on the floor.

“Where are you from, monk,” the demon asked, “and how can you have the effrontery to steal my clothes in broad daylight?”


Output: “I have been sent to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven by the emperor of Great Tang in the East,” replied Sanzang. “As I was hungry I sent my senior disciple to beg for food. He has not come back yet, and it was because I ignored his good advice that I blundered into your immortal hall to shelter from the wind, never imagining that my disciples would be so grasping as to steal your clothes. As I have no such wicked thoughts I told them to take the clothes straight back, but they paid no attention and insisted on putting them on to warm their backs. Never did I imagine that we would fall into Your Majesty’s trap and be captured. I beg you in your mercy to spare our lives so that we can fetch the scriptures. We will be eternally indebted to Your Majesty and your praises will be sung for ever after we return to the East.”


Output:
“But I’m always hearing people say that if you eat the flesh of the Tang Priest, white hair can be turned black, and teeth that have fallen out will grow again,” said the demon with a grin. “You’ve come along today without even having been asked, and now you expect me to spare you! What’s your senior disciple called, and where has he gone begging?”

This question started Pig bragging: “My elder brother is Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who made havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago.”


Output: This news shocked the demon speechless. “I’ve long heard of that damned ape’s enormous powers,” he thought, “and now I’m meeting him when I least expected to. Little ones,” he ordered, “tie the Tang Priest up, take my precious coats off the other two, and fetch a couple of ropes to bind them. Take them to the back, and when I’ve caught the senior disciple we can scrub them all clean, put them in the steamer and cook them.” The little demons acknowledged his orders then bound the three of them together and carried them to the back. They tethered the white horse by the trough, took the luggage indoors, and sharpened their weapons ready to capture Monkey.


Output:
Monkey, meanwhile, who had filled his begging bowl with rice in the farmhouse to the South, rode his cloud back and landed it on a stretch of level ground on the mountainside to find the Tang Priest gone he knew not where. The circle he had drawn with his cudgel was still there, but travelers and horse had disappeared. When he looked towards where the buildings had been they had vanished too: all that could be seen were mountains and grotesquely shaped rocks.

“Don’t tell me!” he thought with horror. “They’ve been caught.” He rushed after them, following the horse’s prints Westwards.


Output:
About two miles later, when he was feeling thoroughly gloomy, he heard voices on the other side of the slope to the North of him. When he looked he saw an old man in felt clothes, a warm hat and a pair of worn oiled cloth boots holding a dragon-headed stick and followed by a slave boy. The old man had broken off a sprig of plum blossom and was singing a song as he came down the slope. Monkey put down his begging bowl and looked the old man in the face as he put his hands together and said, “Greetings, grandfather.”

“Where are you from, reverend sir?” replied the old man, returning his bow.

“We are monks from the East going to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and fetch the scriptures,” said Monkey. “There are four of us altogether, a master and three disciples. I went off to beg for some food as my master was hungry, so I told the other three to wait for me at a stretch of level ground on that mountainside. When I came back they had gone, and I don’t know which way they went. May I ask you if you


Output:
have seen them, grandfather?”

The question made the old man chortle. “Did one of the three have a long snout and big ears?” he asked.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Monkey replied.

“And was there another with an evil-looking mug leading a white horse, and a fat monk with a white face?”

“That’s right, that’s right,” said Monkey.

“Then you’ve all lost your way,” said the old man. “Don’t bother looking for them: It’s every man for himself.”

“The white-faced one is my master and the funny-looking ones are my brother disciples,” Monkey replied. “We’re all set on going to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. Of course I’ve got to look for them.”

“When I came this way just now I saw that they had lost their way and were heading straight into the demon’s mouth,” the old man said.

“I would be very grateful, grandfather,” replied Monkey, “if you could tell me which demon it is and where he lives. I want to call on him and ask for them back so that we can go on with our journey to the Western Heaven.”


Output:
“This mountain is called Mount Jindou and there is a Jindou Cave in front of it,” the old man replied. “In the cave lives the Great King Rhinoceros. His magic abilities are enormous and he is very powerful. All three of your people must be dead by now. If you go looking for them you might not even be able to keep yourself alive. The best thing would be not to go there. I won’t try to stop you or to keep you here—I simply leave you to think it over.”

Monkey bowed again to thank the old man and said, “Thank you, venerable sir, for your advice. But I have to search for them.” Tipping the rice out and giving it to the old man he put his begging bowl away, at which the old man put down his stick to accept the bowl, which he handed to his slave.


Output:
Then they both resumed their normal form, fell to their knees, and kowtowed saying, “Great Sage, we dare not try to deceive you. We two are the mountain deity and local god of this place, and we’ve been waiting here to receive you, Great Sage. We’ll look after the rice and your begging bowl to make it easier for you to use your magic powers. When you’ve rescued the Tang Priest you can do your duty to him by giving him the food.”

“Hairy devils,” shouted Monkey, “you deserve a flogging. If you knew I was here why didn’t you meet me earlier, instead of skulking around in disguise? It’s a disgrace!”

“Because you have such a quick temper, Great Sage, we did not want to rush in and offend you,” the local god replied. “That was why we disguised ourselves to tell you all that.”

“Very well,” said Monkey, “we’ll postpone that beating. Look after my bowl while I capture that evil spirit.”


Output:
The Great Sage then tightened his belt of tiger sinew, hitched up his tigerskin kilt, took his gold-banded cudgel in his hands, and headed straight for the mountain in search of the cave. As he rounded a sheer wall he saw a pair of stone doors set among rocks beside the blue-green rock-face. Outside the doors a crowd of little devils were practicing with sword and spear. Indeed, there were,

Auspicious clouds,

Green lichens,

Rows of strange and craggy rocks,

Steep paths winding around.

Apes howled and birds sang in the beauty of nature;

Phoenixes flew and danced in this land of immortals.

The first blooms were open on plum trees facing South;

A thousand bamboos were green in the sun’s warmth.

Under the cliff,

Deep in the gorge:

Under the cliff the snow was piled up white;

Deep in the gorge the stream had turned to ice.

Stands of cypress and pine preserved ancient beauty;

Camellia bushes all bloomed with the same red.


Output:
Camellia bushes all bloomed with the same red.

Without waiting to have a thorough look the Great Sage made straight for the doors and shouted at the top of his voice, “Little devils, go straight in and tell your master that I’m Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven and the disciple of the holy Tang Priest, Tell him to send my master out at once if you lot don’t all want to be killed.”

The little devils all hurried in to report, “Your Majesty, there’s a monk at the gate with a hairy face and a crooked mouth. He’s called the Great Sage Equaling Heaven Sun Wukong and he’s asking for his master back.”


Output:
The demon was delighted to hear this. “Just the person I wanted to come,” he said. “Ever since leaving my palace and coming down to the mortal world I’ve had no chance to try out my martial skills. Now that he’s here I’ll have a worthy foe. Bring me my weapons, little ones,” he ordered. All the big and little devils in the cave braced themselves and carried out as quickly as they could a twelve-foot-long steel spear that they handed to the old demon, who gave them their instructions: “Little ones, you must keep in neat formation. Those who advance will be rewarded, and anyone who retreats will be executed.”

Having been given their orders the little devils charged out through the doors behind the old demon, who shouted, “Who is Sun Wukong?” Monkey stepped across from beside the entrance to see how ugly and murderous the demon king looked:

A single jagged horn,

A pair of bright eyes.

The thick skin protruded above his head,

Black flesh shone by his ears.


Output:
Black flesh shone by his ears.

When he stretched his tongue he could lick his snout;

His mouth when opened wide showed yellow teeth.

His hair was indigo-blue,

His muscles hard as steel.

He was like a rhinoceros, but could not see through water,

Resembled a buffalo but could not plough.

Not useful like the ox who lows at the moon,

He could easily scare the sky and shake the earth.

His purple hands were knotted with muscle,

As he stood erect with his spear of steel.

One only had to consider his hideous looks

To see why he deserved to be called Rhinoceros King.

“Your grandpa Monkey is here,” said the Great Sage Monkey, stepping forward. “Give me back my master and neither of us will be hurt. But if there’s so much as half a ‘no’ from you I’ll kill you, and there’ll be nowhere to bury your remains.”

“I’ll get you, you impudent devil of an ape,” the demon roared back. “What powers do you have that give you the nerve to talk like that?”

“Evidently you’ve not seen them yet,” Monkey replied.


Output:
“Your master stole my clothes,” said the demon, “and now I’ve caught him and am going to cook and eat him. What sort of tough guy do you think you are, daring to come here to ask for him back?”

“My master is a loyal, upright and good monk: he couldn’t possibly have stolen any of your devilish goods,” Monkey replied.

“I made a magic villa by the mountain path,” the demon said, “and your master crept inside. He was so carried away by his greed that he stole three quilted brocade waistcoats. I caught him red-handed. If you really have any powers I’ll give you a fight. Hold out against me for three rounds and I’ll spare your master’s life; fail and you go to the underworld with him.”

“Shut up, damned beast,” Monkey replied. “A fight would suit me fine. Come here and try a taste of my cudgel.” The monster was not at all afraid to fight, and he thrust his spear at Monkey’s head, It was a superb battle. Just watch:

The gold-banded cudgel was raised,

The long-handled spear parried.


Output:
The long-handled spear parried.

The gold-banded cudgel was raised,

Flashing like a golden snake of lightning.

The long-handled spear parried,

Glistening like a dragon emerging from the sea.

Outside the doors the little devils beat their drums,

Drawn up in battle order to add to his might,

While the Great Sage showed his skill,

Displaying his abilities freely all around.

On one side a spear and spirits braced,

Against it a cudgel and martial prowess.

Indeed it was hero set against hero,

A pair of well-matched foes.

The demon king breathed out coiling purple mists

While the gleam of the Great Sage’s eyes formed coloured clouds

Only because the Tang Priest was in trouble

Did both of them fight so bitterly without quarter.


Output:
After thirty inconclusive rounds the demon king could see that Sun Wukong was a complete master of the cudgel who could advance or retreat without leaving any openings. “What a splendid ape,” he kept saying with admiration, “what a splendid ape. This was the skill that made havoc in Heaven.”

Monkey too was impressed by the demon king’s neat spearwork as he parried to left and right with great skill. “What a splendid spirit,” he said, “what a splendid spirit. He really is a demon who would know how to steal elixir pills.” The two of them then fought another ten or twenty rounds.

The demon king touched the ground with the tip of his spear and ordered his little devils forward. All those wretched fiends surrounded the Great Sage with their cutlasses, staves, swords and spears. Monkey was completely unafraid.


Output:
“I’m glad you’ve come along,” he shouted, “glad you’ve come along. Just what I wanted.” With his gold-banded cudgel he blocked and parried them in front and behind and to both sides, but the devils would not give ground. Losing his patience, Monkey threw his cudgel into the air, shouted, “Change!” and turned it into over a thousand cudgels that came raining down from the sky like flying snakes, terrifying the devils out of their wits and sending them scurrying back to their cave for their lives with their hands over their heads.

“Behave yourself, ape,” said the demon with a mocking laugh, “and watch this trick.” He immediately pulled out from his sleeve a gleaming white ring that he threw up into the air with a shout of “Get them!” It came whirling down, catching all the gold-banded cudgels inside it, and forcing Monkey to somersault away for his life as he was now disarmed. While the demon king returned to his cave in triumph Brother Monkey was at his wit’s end. Indeed:


Output:
The Way grew by one foot but the demon grew by ten.

Blind and confused, they failed to see that the house was fake.

Alas there was no place to be found for the dharma body:

In action and in thoughts they had made a great mistake.

If you don’t know how all this ended, listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter Fifty-One

In Vain Does the Mind-Ape Use a Thousand Tricks

Fire and Water Fail to Harm the Demon

The story tells how the Great Sage Equaling Heaven went empty-handed and beaten to sit down behind Mount Jindou, tears streaming from both eyes.

“Master,” he called out, “I had hoped

As Lord Buddha graciously brought us together

To go on to live with you, Master, for ever,

With you to train and to learn to be free.

Of the favours received ever mindful I’d be.

Our hearts were both joined and our fates were entwined;

As we studied the Way we shared the same mind.

I never expected to be at my wit’s end

Unable to win with no stick in my hand.”


Output:
Unable to win with no stick in my hand.”

Just when he was in the depths of misery Monkey thought, “That fiend knew who I was. I remember him saying something about the sort of skill that made havoc in Heaven when he was praising me during the fight. That means he can’t be a common mortal monster: he must be an evil star from Heaven come down to earth for love of worldly things. I don’t know where he come down from, so I’d better go up to Heaven to make some inquiries.”

Only then did Monkey start using his mind and taking the initiative again. At once he somersaulted up on an auspicious cloud, going straight to the Southern Gate of Heaven, where he looked up to see the Broad-visioned Heavenly King Virupaksa bowing to him in greeting and saying, “Where are you going, Great Sage?”

“There’s something I must see the Jade Emperor about,” said Monkey. “What are you doing here?”


Output:
“It is my turn today to supervise the Southern Gate of Heaven,” Virupaksa replied, and before he could finish the four marshals Ma, Zhao, Wen and Guan bowed and said, “Great Sage, we failed to greet you. Will you have some tea?”

“I’m busy,” Monkey replied, and taking his leave of Virupaksa and the four marshals he went in through the gate and headed straight for the Hall of Miraculous Mist, where the four Heavenly Teachers Zhang Daoling, Ge Xianweng, Xu Jingyang and Qiu Hongji, the Six Officers of the Southern Dipper and the Seven Originals of the Northern Dipper all raised their hands in greeting to him in front of the palace hall.

“For what purpose are you here, Great Sage?” they asked, adding. “Have you yet finished escorting the Tang Priest?”


Output:
“It’s too early to be talking like that yet,” Monkey replied. “It is a very long journey with many a demon along the way and we’ve only completed half of it. At present we are in trouble at the Jindou Gave in Mount Jindou, where a rhinoceros spirit has grabbed my master and taken him into the cave. When I went there and fought him he had such tremendous magic powers that he seized my gold-banded cudgel. It’s impossible for me to capture him. That’s why I’ve come to accuse the Jade Emperor of lax supervision.”

“You’re as wild and wicked as ever, you ape,” said Xu Jingyang with a smile.

“No I’m not,” Monkey replied. “I’ve spoken bluntly all my life as it’s the only way to get anywhere.”

“That’s enough of this talking,” said Heavenly Teacher Zhang Daoling. “We will report your arrival.”

“Thank you very much,” Monkey replied.


Output: The four Heavenly Teachers reported all this to the Hall of Miraculous Mist and then took Monkey to the jade steps to the throne. Monkey make a loud “re-e-er” of respect then said, “Well, old man, I’m here to bother you. I won’t bore you with all the dangers of escorting the Tang Priest to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven, but we’ve now reached the Jindou Cave on Mount Jindou where a rhinoceros demon has captured the Tang Priest and taken him to his cave. I don’t know whether the demon’s planning to steam, boil or dry him. When I went to the cave and fought him he knew who I was, and he really does have miraculous powers. He’s taken my gold-banded cudgel, so I can’t capture him. I think he must be an evil star from Heaven gone down to earth for the love of worldly things, which is why I’ve come here to submit a request. I beg Your Celestial Majesty in your mercy and perception to order an inspection of the evil stars and to send troops to capture the demon. I’m shaking with fear of Your Majesty.”


Output: demon. I’m shaking with fear of Your Majesty.” He then made a deep bow and added, “I beg to submit this report.”


Output:
Ge Xianweng, who was standing at the side of the hall, smiled as he said, “Why is it that you were recalcitrant before but are respectful now?”

“It’s not that,” said Monkey, “not that at all. I haven’t become respectful. It’s just that I don’t have my cudgel today.”


Output: Having heard Monkey’s memorial the Jade Emperor sent an order straight to the star officer Kehan: “Please inspect all the stars in all the heavens and find out if any of the divine kings of any of the constellations have gone down to earth out of love for worldly things. Report back afterwards.” Having been given this command the True Lord Kehan went off with the Great Sage to make his inspection. First they went to see the divine kings and the officials at the four gates of Heaven. Then they inspected all the True Ones within the Three Little Enclosures; the Thunder Officers Tao, Zhang, Xin, Deng, Gou, Bi, Pang and Liu; and the Thirty-three Heavens, every one of which was in place. Next they checked the twenty-eight zodiacal constellations: Horn, Gullet, Base, Chamber, Orion, Tail, and Winnower in the East; Dipper, Ox, Woman, Barrens, Roof, House and Wall to the West; and the constellations of the North and South as well; but every constellation was peacefully in its place. They inspected the Seven Powers


Output: in its place. They inspected the Seven Powers of Sun, Moon, Water, Fire, Wood, Metal, and Earth; and the Four Others—Rahu, Ketu, the Gases and the Comets. None of the stars in the sky had gone down to earth for love of worldly things.


Output:
“In that case,” said Monkey, “my journey to the Hall of Miraculous Mist was for nothing. I’ve disturbed His Jade Majesty—it was most inconvenient of me. You had better go and report back. I’ll be waiting here for your reply.” The True Lord Kehan did as he had been told, and Monkey began a long wait. He made up a poem to record his feelings that went,

Pure winds, a cloudless sky, and blissful peace;

Calm gods, bright shining stars, and blessings clear.

Still is the Milky Way; Heaven’s troubles cease;

Throughout the world no sounds of war we hear.

The True Lord Kehan reported back to the Jade Emperor on his thorough inspection: “No star or constellation in the sky is missing. All the regional gods ad officers are present, and nobody has gone down to earth for love of worldly things.” Having heard this report the Jade Emperor ordered that Sun Wukong was to select some heavenly generals to take down to earth to catch the demon.


Output:
When the four Heavenly Teachers had been given this order they left the Hall of Miraculous Mist and said to Monkey, “Great Sage, the Jade Emperor in his generosity orders you to select some heavenly generals to take down to earth to catch the demon as none of the stars has gone down there for love of worldly things.”

Monkey bowed down and thought, “Most of the heavenly generals are not as good as I am: few are any better. When I made havoc in Heaven the Jade Emperor sent a hundred thousand of his heavenly soldiers who spread out heaven-and-earth nets, but not one of those commanders dared to fight it out with me. The only one who was a match for me was the Little Sage Erlang he sent later. That demon’s powers are as good as mine, so how will I ever be able to beat him?”


Output:
“Times have changed,” said the Heavenly Teacher Xu Jingyang. “As the saying goes, everything can always be beaten by something. Would you dare to disobey an imperial edict? Choose some heavenly generals according to your illustrious judgement and don’t waste time: it could be disastrous.

“In that case,” said Monkey, “I am very grateful to His Majesty for his kindness, and I would not dare disobey his commands. Besides, I don’t want to have made this journey for nothing. So please ask the Jade Emperor to send Heavenly King Li the Pagoda-carrier and Prince Nezha. They have demon-subduing weapons, so let’s see what happens if they go down to earth and fight that fiend. If they can catch him I’ll be in luck, and if they can’t we’ll have to think again.”


Output:
The Heavenly Teacher reported this to the Jade Emperor, who ordered Heavenly King Li and his son Prince Nezha to take their heavenly troops to Help Monkey. The Heavenly King obediently went to see Monkey, who said to the Heavenly Teacher, “I am extremely grateful to the Jade Emperor for sending the Heavenly King. There is another request I would like you to pass on. I would like two thunder gods to stand in the clouds while the Heavenly King is fighting the demon and kill him by throwing thunder splinters at his head. This would be a very good method.”

“Splendid, splendid,” said the Heavenly Teacher, and he reported this request to the Jade Emperor, who then ordered the Office of the Nine Heavens to send the thunder gods Deng Hua and Zhang Fan to help Heavenly King Li capture the demon. They then went out through the Southern Gate of Heaven with the Heavenly King and the Great Sage.


Output:
They were soon there. “This is Mount Jindou,” said Monkey, “and the Jindou Cave is in it. I would like you gentlemen to decide which of you is going to be the first to challenge the demon to battle.” The Heavenly King brought his cloud to a stop and encamped his troops under the Southern slopes of the mountain.

“As you know, Great Sage,” he said, “my boy Nezha has put down the demons in ninety-six different caves, is very good at transformation, and always carries his demon-subduing weapons around with him. He should go into battle first.”

“That’s right,” said Monkey. “I’ll take him with me.”

The prince summoned up his martial prowess, leapt to the mountaintop with the Great Sage, and went straight to the entrance to the cave, where they found the doors tightly closed and not an evil spirit to be seen by the rock-face. “Vicious fiend,” shouted Monkey, going up to the doors, “open up at once and give me back my master.”


Output:
When the little devils guarding the doors saw this they hurried back to report, “Your Majesty, Sun the Novice has a little boy with him and he’s challenging you to battle outside the doors.”

“I’ve got his gold-banded cudgel,” the demon king said, “and he’d find it hard to fight me empty-handed, so I suppose he must have found some reinforcements. Fetch my weapons!” He then went outside to look, brandishing his spear. The little boy was a pure and remarkable sight, and full of strength and vigor. Indeed:

His face was like the moon when it is full,

Red lips, a square-cut mouth, and silver teeth.

His eye shot lightning from their fearsome pupils;

Over his broad and fine-hued brow were tufts of hair.

His sash danced in the wind like tongues of flame;

A silken gown gleamed golden in the sun.

Bright rings held a bronze mirror at his chest,

And precious armor set off well his warrior’s boots.

Tiny in body, but mighty in his voice,

Terrible Nezha, protector of the faith.


Output:
Terrible Nezha, protector of the faith.

“You’re Heavenly King Li’s third son, Prince Nezha,” said the demon with a smile. “Why have you come shouting at my door?”

“Because you have made trouble, vicious fiend, by harming the holy monk from the East. I’m here to arrest you at the command of the Jade Emperor.”

“I’m sure Sun Wukong must have asked you here,” said the demon king in a great fury. “Yes, I’m the demon who’s got the holy monk. I wonder what fighting skills you’ve got, little boy, if you dare to talk such nonsense. Stay where you are and see how you like my spear.”

The prince met the thrust at once with his demon-beheading sword. Once the two of them had come to blows the battle began. Monkey rushed round the mountain shouting, “Where are the thunder gods? Hurry up and strike the fiend with your thunder splinters to help the prince subdue him.”


Output: The thunder gods Deng and Zhang stepped at once on their clouds and were just about to strike when Prince Nezha used magic to give himself three heads and six arms that wielded six weapons with which he hacked at the monster. The demon king then gave himself three heads and six arms too, holding three long spears with which he parried them. The prince next used his demon-subduing dharma power and threw his six weapons up into the air. What were the six weapons? The demon-beheading sword, the demon-hacking cutlass, the demon-binding rope, the demon-quelling pestle, the embroidered ball and the fire-wheel.


Output:
Nezha shouted “Change!” and each one of them became ten, each ten a hundred, each hundred a thousand, and each thousand ten thousand of the same weapons that flew at the demon like a hailstorm. The demon king was not afraid in the least. Bringing out his gleaming white ring he threw it into the air with a shout of “Catch them!” and as it came whistling down it trapped all the six different kinds of weapons, so terrifying Nezha that he fled for his life empty-handed. The demon king returned to his cave in triumph.

When the two thunder gods saw this from up in the sky they smiled to themselves and said, “It’s a good thing we realized how things were going and didn’t throw our thunder splinters. If he’d caught them too we’d never have dared report back to the Heavenly Honoured Ones.” The pair of them landed their clouds and went with the prince to the Southern slope of the mountain.

“The demon king really has got enormous powers,” they told Heavenly King Li.


Output:
“The wretched demon’s magic powers are nothing much,” said Monkey with a laugh, “apart from that terrible ring. I wonder what sort of treasure it is and why it can catch everything when it’s thrown into the air.”

“You don’t have a shred of humanity in you, Great Sage,” said Nezha angrily. “We’re thoroughly upset after being beaten, and all for your sake too. What have you got to laugh about?”

“You may be upset, but what makes you imagine I’m not?” Monkey replied. “I’m at my wit’s end, and as I can’t cry about it, laughing’s the only thing I can do.”

“How are we going to bring all this to an end?” the Heavenly King asked.

“You lot can make whatever plans you like,” said Monkey, “but we can only capture him with what his ring can’t catch.”

“The best things his ring can’t catch are water and fire,” said Heavenly King Li. “As the saying goes, water and fire show no mercy.”

“You’re right,” Monkey replied. “Sit still here while I go up to Heaven again.”

“What for?” the two thunder gods asked.


Output:
“What for?” the two thunder gods asked.

“This time I won’t bother with a memorial to the Jade Emperor,” said Brother Monkey. “I’ll go straight in through the Southern Gate of Heaven to the Palace of Crimson Splendor to ask Yinghuo, the Star Lord of Fire, to come here and start a fire that will burn the demon and perhaps even reduce his ring to ashes so that we can capture him. Then you can have your weapons back and return to Heaven and my master can be saved.”

The prince was greatly cheered up to hear this. “Please don’t lose any time, Great Sage,” he said, “and get back as soon as you can. We’ll wait here.”

Monkey set his auspicious light going again and went straight back to the Southern Gate of Heaven, where Virupaksa and the four generals met him and asked, “Why are you back again, Great Sage?”


Output:
“Heavenly King Li sent Prince Nezha into battle,” Monkey replied, “but in their first fight the demon king took all his six weapons. I now want to go to the Palace of Crimson Splendor to ask the Star Lord of Fire to help us in the fight.” The four generals let him in, not daring to delay him any longer.

When he reached the Palace of Crimson Splendor the gods of fire all went in to report, “Sun Wukong is here to see you, my lord.”

The Star Lord of Fire of the South straightened up his clothes and came out to greet him with the words, “Kehan was here to inspect us yesterday, and nobody here is longing for earthly things.”

“I know,” Monkey replied. “Heavenly King Li and Prince Nezha have been defeated in battle and lost their weapons, which is why I have come here to ask for your help.”


Output:
“Nezha is the God of the Third Altar, the Seas, who first made his name by subduing ninety-six caves of demons,” the Star Lord of Fire replied. “His magical powers are tremendous, so if he can’t subdue the fiend what hope would I have of doing so?”

“I’ve discussed it with Heavenly King Li,” Monkey replied. “Water and fire are the most powerful things in heaven and earth. That fiend has a ring that can catch things. I don’t know what treasure it is. As they say that fire can destroy everything I’ve come here to ask you, Star Lord, to lead your fire forces down to the mortal world to burn up that evil monster and rescue my master.”


Output:
When the Star Lord of Fire heard this he mustered his divine troops and went with Monkey to the Southern slopes of Mount Jindou, where he exchanged greetings with the Heavenly King and the thunder gods. “Great Sage Sun,” said Heavenly King Li, “call that demon out again and I’ll start fighting him. When he throws his ring I’ll get out of the way and the Star Lord can lead his forces to burn him up.”

“Yes,” said Monkey. “I’ll go with you.” The Fire Star Lord stood with Prince Nezha and two thunder gods on a high peak to challenge the demon to battle.

When the Great Sage reached the mouth of the Jindou Cave he shouted, “Open up! Give me my master back at once.”

“Sun Wukong’s back,” the little devils reported with urgency, and the demon led his horde out of the cave to say to Monkey, “Impudent ape, what soldiers have you brought here?”

Heavenly King Li, the Pagoda-carrier, came forward to shout back, “Vicious monster, do you know who I am”


Output:
“Heavenly King Li,” replied the demon with a laugh, “no doubt you want to avenge your distinguished son and get his weapons back.”

“I want my revenge and his weapons,” replied the Heavenly King, “and I’m also going to catch you and rescue the Tang Priest. Stay where you are while I get you with my sword.” The demon dodged the cut and thrust back with his spear. The two of them fought a magnificent fight in front of the cave. Just watch:

The Heavenly King hacked with his sword,

The demon’s spear parried.

The sword gleamed cold and breathed out fire,

The sharp spear belched out baleful clouds.

One was the monster who had grown up in Jindou Cave;

The other had been sent from the Hall of Miraculous Mist.

One wished to use his might to oppress the dharma nature;

One was employing his greatness to rescue the priest.

The Heavenly King’s powers made sand and gravel fly,

The demon fighting back stirred up the dust.

The dust cast heaven and earth in darkness,


Output:
The dust cast heaven and earth in darkness,

The sand and gravel made seas and livers turbid.

The two of them struggled hard for victory

Because the Tang Priest wanted to see the Buddha.

When Monkey saw the two of them starting to fight he jumped up to the highest peak and said to the Star Lord of Fire, “Pay attention.” Watch as the demon produces his ring again when the fight is at its fiercest. When Heavenly King Li saw this he set his auspicious light moving and fled in defeat. At once the Star Lord of Fire issued the order to his troops from his peak to release all their fire together. It was a terrifying sight:

The Classic says that in the South is the essence of fire.

Even a single spark

Can burn a hundred thousand acres.

The might of the Star Lord

Could create a hundred different kinds of fire.

He had fire spears, fire swords,

Fire bows and crossbows,

And all his gods used different weapons.

The sky was filled with cawing crows of fire.

Fire horses galloped on the mountaintops.


Output:
Fire horses galloped on the mountaintops.

Fire rats came in twos,

Fire dragons in pairs.

The fire rats coming in twos breathed flame,

Making a thousand miles glow red;

The pairs of fire dragons belched thick smoke,

Casting a pall of darkness all around.

The fire carts were brought out,

The fire gourds opened up.

When fire banners waved the skies glowed sunset-red;

Fire cudgels made the whole earth blaze.

Compared with this the charge of burning oxen was nothing;

This beat Zhou Yu’s fire ships attacking Red Crag.

It was a terrible heavenly conflagration,

A blazing burning storm of fire.

But the onslaught by the fire did not frighten the demon in the least. He threw his ring up into the air, and as it came whistling down it caught the fire dragons, fire horses, fire crows, fire rats, fire swords, fire spears, fire bows and fire arrows. The demon then led his troops back to his cave in victory.


Output:
The Fire Star Lord, holding a useless banner, called back his officers and went to sit with Heavenly King Li and the others on the Southern slope of the mountain. “Great Sage,” he said to Monkey, “I’ve never seen so ferocious a demon before. Now I’ve lost all my fire-raising equipment what am I to do?”

“Stop complaining,” said Monkey with a smile. “Will you gentlemen please sit here for a while while I go off again?”

“Where are you going this time?” Heavenly King Li asked.

“If that fiend isn’t bothered by fire I’m sure he must be vulnerable to water. As the saying goes, water defeats fire. I’m going to the Northern Gate of Heaven to ask the Star Lord of Water, the planet Mercury, to use the power of water to flood the cave and drown the demon king. Then I’ll be able to return you all your things.”

“That’s a very good idea,” said the Heavenly King, “except that I’m afraid your master might be drowned too.”


Output:
“No problem,” said Monkey. “Even if he is drowned I have a way that will bring him back to life. But I’m wasting your time, gentlemen, and that is quite wrong.”

“In that case,” said the Star Lord of Fire, “please be on your way.”

The splendid Great Sage went straight to the Northern Gate of Heaven by his somersault cloud. He looked up to see the Heavenly King Vaisravana bowing to him and asking, “Where are you going, Great Sage Sun?”

“There is something about which I must see the Star Lord of Water in his Palace of Dark Vastness,” said Monkey. “What are you doing here?”

“It is my turn to patrol today.” Vaisravana replied. As he was speaking the four heavenly generals Pang, Liu, Gou and Bi greeted him courteously and offered him tea.

“As I’m in such a hurry I won’t trouble you,” said Monkey, and taking his leave of them he went straight to the Palace of Dark Vastness, where he sent all the gods of Water in to announce him.


Output:
“Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, is here,” they reported. As soon as he learned this the Star Lord of Water dismissed the gods of the Four Seas, the Five Lakes, the Eight Rivers, the Four Streams, the Three Great Watercourses and the Nine Tributaries, as well as all the dragon kings, then straightened his hat, tightened his belt, and went out through the gates of the palace to greet him and lead him inside.

“Yesterday Kehan came here on his inspection,” the Star Lord said. “He wondered if any of my Water gods had become demons because they longed for worldly things. We are checking all the gods of rivers, seas and streams but have not yet finished.”


Output:
“That demon king’s no river god,” said Monkey, “He’s a much more powerful spirit. The Jade Emperor sent Heavenly King Li, Prince Nezha and two thunder gods down to the lower world to capture him, but he caught Nezha’s six magic weapons with a ring. So I had to go up to the Palace of Crimson Splendor to ask the Star Lord of Fire to take all his fire gods to start fires, but the fiend caught the fire dragons, fire horses and everything else with his ring. I reckon that as he isn’t bothered by fire he must be vulnerable to water, which is why I’ve come here to ask you to deploy your water, capture the fiend for me, return the heavenly generals’ weapons, and rescue my master too.”

When the Star Lord of Water heard this he ordered the Earl of the Yellow River to go with the Great Sage to help him. “I can carry water in this,” said the river earl, taking a white jade bowl from his sleeve.

“But that can’t hold very much,” said Monkey. “How could it possibly drown the fiend?”


Output:
“I’m not lying when I tell you that this bowl can hold the waters of the Yellow River,” the earl replied. “Half a bowlful is half the river, and the whole bowlful is the whole river.”

“Half a bowlful will be all we need,” replied a delighted Monkey, who then took his leave of the Star God of Water and hurried out through the gates of Heaven with the Earl of the Yellow River.

The earl half filled his bowl in the Yellow River then went with the Great Sage to Mount Jindou, where he greeted the Heavenly King, the prince, the two thunder gods and the Star Lord of Fire, who started telling him what had happened until Monkey said, “Cut out the details. River earl, come with me. When I shout at the doors telling them to open up don’t wait till the doors are open. Tip the water straight in and drown the whole den of demons. Then I’ll fish out the master’s body and bring him back to life.”

The earl did as he was told, following Monkey round the mountain to the mouth of the cave.


Output:
“Open up, devils,” Monkey shouted, and when they recognized his voice the little devils hurried in to report that he was back, At this the demon king went out again, brandishing his spear and taking his treasure as the doors opened with a loud noise. The river god threw all the water in his white jade bowl into the cave. Seeing it coming, the demon threw down his spear and quickly took out his ring to seal the inner doors tightly. The water then all surged noisily out again, giving Sun Wukong such a fright that he had to give an immediate somersault and leap straight back up to the mountaintop with the river god. The Heavenly King and the rest of them then stood on their clouds in front of the peak looking at the great waves of the mighty flood. It was splendid water. Indeed:

A mere scoopful

Produces fathomless depths;

A divine achievement

Fills a hundred rivers for the general good.

Hear the great roaring shake the valley,

See the mighty waters flood the sky.


Output:
See the mighty waters flood the sky.

A sound like thunder fills the world with awe;

Fierce are the waves with curling crests like snow.

The towering waves now inundate the roads,

While countless billows wash against the mountains.

Cold they are as nephrite,

Rolling with the sound of strings.

As they crash against the rocks they scatter chips of jade;

The waters swirl in eddies as they ebb.

The current sweeps across all dips and hollows,

Filling ravines and joining all the streams.

The sight filled Brother Monkey with alarm. “This is terrible,” he said. “The water’s flooding the peasants’ fields, and going everywhere except into the demon’s cave. What are we to do?” He asked the river god to put

his water away at once.

“I can only let it out,” the earl replied. “I can’t put it away again. As the saying goes, spilt water can’t be picked up.” Oh dear! But as the mountain was both high and steep the water flowed down it fast and in a few moments had all gone away along gullies and ravines.


Output:
Some little devils leapt out from the cave and played around with great pleasure as before, shouting, yelling, shaking their fists, waving their sleeves, and brandishing their cudgels and spears. “So the water never got inside the cave at all,” said the Heavenly King. “All that effort was for nothing.” Unable to control the great anger that surged up him, Monkey charged the demon king’s doors, lashing out with both fists, shouting, “Where do you think you’re going? I’ll get you.”

The terrified little devils dropped their spears and cudgels and fled back into the cave to report in fear and trembling, “Your Majesty, he’s attacking again.”

The demon king went out through the doors, his spear at the ready, and said, “Impudent ape, you’re such a hooligan. You’ve tried and failed to beat me several times. Even fire and water have got nowhere near me. So why are you here again? To throw your life away?”


Output:
“You’ve got it the wrong way round, my boy,” said Brother Monkey. “It’s not me throwing my life away, but you throwing yours away. Come here and I’ll punch you one.”

“You’re just trying to be awkward, ape,” the demon king replied with a laugh. “You can use your fists, but I’ll use my spear. Your skinny little fist is no bigger than a walnut. It’s not even the weight of a small hammer. Very well then. I’ll put my spear down and we’ll try some boxing.”

“Well spoken,” said Monkey with a smile. “Come on then.”

The demon then hitched up his clothes and took up a stance with both of his fists raised. They were the size of the mallets used in oil-presses. The Great Sage spread his feet apart, summoned up his energy, and started to show his skill as he traded blows with the demon king in front of the doors of the cave, it was a splendid fight. Goodness!

They started with a foursquare stance,

Kicked with pairs of flying feet.

Each threw with menace at the other’s chest

Hard blows that could cut out the heart.


Output:
Hard blows that could cut out the heart.

The Immortal pointing the way

“Lao Zi riding his crane.”

Terrible as the tiger when he falls on his prey,

Vicious as the dragons sporting in the water.

The demon king did a dragon roll;

The Great Sage fought like a roebuck with his antlers.

They kicked up their heels like spitting dragons,

Twisting their wrists like sky-supporting camels.

The blue lion opened its jaws,

The carp leapt so high he risked breaking his back.

Flowers were scattered around their foreheads,

And ropes pulled tight around their waists.

The wind stayed close to the fan,

The driving rain made blossoms fall.

When the demon used a “Guanyin hand”

Monkey countered with an “arhat’s foot.”

The longer punches were open and relaxed,

Not as intense as the short jabs to the body.

When they had fought for several dozen rounds

Their skills were equal; no winner had emerged.


Output:
Their skills were equal; no winner had emerged.

While the two of them fought in front of the cave Heavenly King Li and the Star Lord of Fire were shouting and clapping in encouragement and admiration. The two thunder gods and Prince Nezha led the armies of the gods to leap down by where they were fighting to help Monkey, while on the other side the devilish horde all came forward to guard their master with banners, drums, swords and cutlasses. Seeing that things were going badly Monkey pulled out a handful of hairs, scattered them in the air, and with a shout of “Change!” turned them into three or four dozen little monkeys who rushed forward and held the demon still.


Output:
They put their arms round his legs, grabbed him by the waist, jabbed at his eyes, and pulled his hair. The demon in his alarm pulled out his ring. When Monkey arid the Heavenly King saw him doing this they turned their clouds away and fled back to the top of the mountain to keep out of the way of the fight. As soon as the demon threw the ring into the air it came whistling down, caught the three or four dozen little monkeys who were hairs transformed and turned them back into their original form. The demon took them into the cave when he led his troops back in triumph, shut the doors and celebrated.

“Great Sage,” said Prince Nezha, “you really are a tough guy. That was a superb display of boxing, as skilful as putting embroidery on brocade. And by magically dividing yourself up you showed him how good you are.”

“You gentlemen were all watching from here,” said Monkey with a smile. “How did the demon’s technique compare with mine?”


Output:
“His boxing was slack and his footwork slow,” said Heavenly King Li, “where you were neat and quick. When he saw us going he was worried, and when you used your self-dividing magic he was panicked, which was why he had to use his ring magic.”

“The demon king would be easy enough to deal with,” said Monkey, “if it weren’t for his ring. That’s hard one to beat.”

“If we’re to beat him,” said the Star Lord of Fire to the Earl of the Yellow River, “we have to get that treasure. We’ll be able to capture him then.”

“But how else are we to get it apart from by stealing it?” Monkey asked.

The two thunder gods laughed at this and said, “If we’re going to do him the honour of stealing it there’s nobody to compare with the Great Sage. When he made havoc in Heaven he stole imperial wine, magic peaches, dragon liver, phoenix bone-marrow and even Lord Lao Zi’s elixir. That was some skill! Now he ought to be using it to get that ring.”


Output:
“You are flattering me,” said Monkey, “you are flattering me. You’d better sit here while I go and spy things out.”

The splendid Great Sage sprang down from the peak and made his way stealthily to the mouth of the cave where he shook himself and turned into a most elegant fly. Look at him:

He had wings just as fine as membranes of bamboo,

A body as small as a plum blossom’s heart,

His hands and his feet barely thicker than hairs,

And eyes full of lights that both sparkle and dart:

He follows his nose when he smells something good,

And rides on the wind as he flies at great speed.

The scales would not move if he come to be weighed,

And yet he’s a lovable true friend in need.


Output: He flew quietly to the doors and crawled in through the narrow gap between them to see all the devils young and old dancing or singing in ranks on either side while the demon king sat on a high dais. Before him were set snakemeat, deer jerky, bears’ paws, camels’ humps, wild vegetables from the mountain and fruit. He had a celadon jug of wine as well as some delicious-smelling koumiss and coconut toddy, all of which he was drinking freely by the large bowlful. Monkey landed among the little devils and turned himself into a badger spirit. He inched his way nearer to the throne, but even after taking a long look he could not make out at all where the treasure was hidden. He quickly withdrew and went round behind the throne, where he saw hanging high from the ceiling in the rear hall the fire dragons groaning and the fire horses whinnying. He looked up to spy his gold-banded cudgel leaning against the Eastern wall. This made him so happy that his heart had an itch he could not scratch, and forgetting his


Output: an itch he could not scratch, and forgetting his disguise he went over, picked the cudgel up, resumed his own appearance, tried out some movements with it, and started to fight his way straight out of the cave. All the devils shook with terror, and there was nothing the demon king could do about it as Monkey opened up a trail of blood, pushing three over here and pulling a couple down there as he went straight out through the front doors. Indeed:


Output:
The demon was unready in his pride;

The cudgel went back to its owner’s side.

If you don’t know whether all turned out for good or for ill, listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter Fifty-Two

Monkey Makes Havoc in the Jindou Cave

The Buddha Gives a Hint About the Owner

The story tells how after recovering his gold-banded cudgel Monkey fought his way out of the cave and jumped up to the peak to see all the gods. He was very pleased with himself. “How did it go this time?” asked Heavenly King Li. “I did a transformation and went into the cave,” said Monkey, “where I saw the devils dancing, singing and drinking to celebrate their victory. But I heard nothing about where the demon keeps his treasure. When I went round to the back I heard the horses and dragons whimpering and realized they must be the fire beasts. My gold-banded cudgel was leaning against the Eastern wall, so I took it and fought my way out of the cave.”


Output:
“You have your treasure now,” said the gods, “but how are we going to get ours back?”

“Easy,” said Monkey, “easy. With this iron cudgel I can beat him whatever he does. I’ll recover your treasures.” As they were talking there rose from the mountainside a concerted sound of gongs and drums as well as earth-shaking shouts: the Great Rhinoceros King was leading his host of spirits out in pursuit of Monkey, who called out at the sight of them, “Great, great, Just what I want. Please sit down, gentlemen, while I go to capture him.”

The splendid Great Sage raised his iron cudgel and struck at the demon’s face with a shout, “Where do you think you’re going, damned demon? Take this!” Warding the blow off with his spear, the demon insulted him back: “Thieving ape! You’re a disgrace. How dare you steal my property in broad daylight?”


Output:
“I’ll get you, evil beast. Have the decency to die! All you can do is use your ring to steal our property in broad daylight. None of those things are really yours. Stay where you are, and take this!” Once again the monster parried with his spear. It was a splendid fight.

The Great Sage was ferocious,

The demon was not gentle.

Both sides fought with courage;

Neither would give in.

The iron cudgel was a dragon’s tail,

The long spear was a serpent’s head.

Blows from the cudgel whistled like the wind,

The spear’s moves flowed as smoothly as a stream.

The mountain darkened, wreathed in coloured mists;

Auspicious clouds hung heavy on the woods.

The birds in the air all stopped their flying;

The wild beasts of the field all hid away.

The demons on one side raised battle cries

While Monkey on the other was Ml of vigor.

An iron club that no one could withstand

Had fought its way along the long road West;

A long spear that was a worthy match,

And always held its power supreme on Mount Jindou.


Output:
Once they joined battle there could be no respite:

They swore to carry on until one conquered.

The demon king and the Great Sage had been fighting for six hours without either gaining the upper hand. As night was falling the evil spirit held out his spear and said, “Stop, Wukong. It’s too dark for fighting now. Let’s have a night’s sleep and I’ll go on having it out with you tomorrow.”

“Shut up, damned demon,” replied Monkey abusively. “I’ve only just warmed up. I don’t care how late it is: I’m going to carry on till one of us has won.” The demon gave a shout, made a feint with his spear, and fled for his life, leading his host of devils in retreat back to the cave, where they shut the doors tight.

When Monkey returned to the mountain top with his cudgel the gods from Heaven all congratulated him. “You really are strong and capable, Great Sage Equaling Heaven,” they said, “and your powers are boundless.”

“You’re overdoing your praises,” Monkey replied.


Output:
“You’re overdoing your praises,” Monkey replied.

“No,” said Heavenly King Li, coming up to him, “this is not empty praise. You really are a tough guy. The force you were up against today was as strong as the Heaven and Earth nets all those years age.”

“Let’s not go into all that ancient history,” said Monkey. “That demon must be exhausted after his fight with me. I haven’t been put to any trouble worth speaking of, so if you’ll all sit here and relax I’ll go back into the cave, find out where he keeps the ring, and steal it if I possibly can. Then I’ll capture the monster, find your weapons, and return them to you to take back to Heaven.”

“It’s late now,” said Prince Nezha. “You’d better have a good night’s sleep and go tomorrow morning.”

“You don’t understand life, my lad,” replied Monkey. “Who ever heard of a burglar liking to steal in broad daylight? This sort of groping about has to be done in secret under cover of darkness. That’s the way the job’s done.”


Output:
“Stop arguing, Your Highness,” said the Star Lord of Fire and the two thunder gods, “We don’t know anything about that sort of thing, and the Great Sage is an old hand. Let him make the most of the nighttime, when the demon is exhausted and nobody is expecting anything to happen. Please go at once.”

With a chuckle the splendid Great Sage tucked his iron cudgel away, jumped down from the peak and went to the mouth of the cave, where he shook himself and turned into a cricket. Indeed:

Hard mouth, black skin, and long antennae,

Bright eyes and legs that bend like branches.

In the clear wind and in moonlight he sings by the wall;

When the night is still he talks like a human.

As he weeps in the dew the scenery seems cold;

His marvellous voice now comes in fits and starts.

Just when the homesick traveler least wishes to hear him

He finds him lurking underneath the bed.


Output:
He finds him lurking underneath the bed.

With a few bounds of his mighty legs Monkey was at the doors. Squeezing through the narrow gap between them he squatted at the foot of the wall, looking carefully at where the light was coming from. He saw all the big and little devils devouring their food like wolves or tigers. Monkey chirped for a while, and a little later the banquet was cleared away and the devils all went to bed. About two hours later, when Monkey had just reached the room at the back, he heard the demon king ordering, “Little ones on the doors, stay awake! Sun Wukong may change himself into something and sneak in here to steal.”


Output: Those who were on watch duty that night were neatly turned out and sounding their clappers and bells. This made it even easier for the Great Sage, to go about his business. Creeping into the monster’s bedroom he saw a stone bed on either side of which stood powdered and painted mountain and tree spirits. They were spreading out the bedding and waiting on the old demon, taking off his boots and clothes. When the old demon was undressed Monkey could see the ring gleaming white on his left arm. It looked like a bracelet made from a string of pearls. Instead of taking it off the demon pushed it up his arm a couple of times to jam it more firmly into place before going to sleep. Seeing this, Monkey changed himself again, this time into a brown-skinned flea that jumped up on the bed, burrowed into the bedding, climbed on the monster’s arm, and bit him so hard that he sat up with a yell of, “Bloody slaves, you need some more flogging. You didn’t shake out the quilt or dust the bed, and I’ve just been bitten.” He


Output: or dust the bed, and I’ve just been bitten.” He rubbed the ring twice more and went back to sleep. Monkey climbed on the ring and bit him again, so that the monster sat up again, unable to sleep. “I’m itching to death,” he complained.


Output: Seeing that the security was so strict and that the demon kept the treasure on himself and was not going to take it off Monkey realized that he would be unable to steal it. So he jumped down from the bed, turned himself back into a cricket, left the bedroom, and went straight to the back, where he heard the groans and whimpers of the dragons and horses again, but now from behind tightly shut doors. Monkey turned back to his own form and went up to the doors to open the lock by magic. He said a spell and rubbed the lock, making its tongues both click open. He then pushed the doors open and rushed inside, where it was as bright as day in the light from all the fire instruments and creatures. He noticed some weapons leaning against the walls on either side: Prince Nezha’s demon-hacking cutlass and other arms as well as the fire bows, arrows and the rest of the Star Lord of Fire’s gear. Looking all around by the light of the fires he noticed to his delight a handful of hairs lying in a bamboo basket on a stone


Output: of hairs lying in a bamboo basket on a stone table behind the doors. Monkey picked them up, blew on them twice with warm breath, shouted “Change!” and turned them into three or four dozen little monkeys. He told them to take the cutlass, sword, pestle, rope, ball, wheel, bow, arrows, spear, carts, gourd, fire crows, fire rats, fire horses and everything else that had been caught in the ring; then he mounted the fire dragon and started a blaze burning from the inside outwards. There was a great roaring and loud cracks that sounded like thunder and cannons. All the big and little demons were thrown into such panic and confusion that they wrapped themselves in their quilts, covered their heads, shouted and wept. As they had nowhere to flee most of them were burnt to death. When the Handsome Monkey King returned in victory it was about midnight.


Output: When Heavenly King Li and the other gods spotted the dazzling fire from the mountaintop they rushed forward to see Brother Monkey riding the dragon and driving the little monkeys straight up to the peak. “Come and get your weapons,” he shouted, “come and get your weapons.” The Star Lord of Fire and Nezha shouted greetings, whereupon Monkey shook himself and put all the hairs back on his body. Nezha recovered his six weapons, and the Star Lord told his subordinates to collect the fire dragon and the rest of the fire creatures and implements. They were all laughing with pleasure as they congratulated Monkey.


Output:
The blaze in the Jindou Cave gave the Great Rhinoceros King such a fright that his souls left his body. He sat up at once, threw open the doors of his bedroom, and held the ring out in both hands to the East and the West to put out the fire. Then he ran all around holding out his treasure, which extinguished all the flames and smoke that filled the air, and tried to rescue his demons, most of whom were dead. He could only muster a hundred or so, male and female; and when he looked at where the weapons were kept he found them all gone. Going round to the back he saw Pig, Friar Sand and the Tang Priest still tied up there, the white horse still

tethered to the trough and the luggage still in the room.

“I wonder which careless little devil started that fire,” he said angrily. “Look what it has done!”

“Your Majesty,” said his attendants, “the fire was nothing to do with anyone in our household. It was probably a burglar who let all the fire creatures go and stole the magic weapons.”


Output: Only then did the demon realize what had happened. “I’m certain it was Sun Wukong,” he said. “It can’t have been anyone else. No wonder I couldn’t get to sleep. The thieving monkey must have turned himself into something to get in here and bite my arm twice. He must have been trying to steal my treasure but failed because I was wearing it too tightly. So he stole the weapons and released the fire dragon. What a vicious idea: he was trying to burn me to death. Evil monkey! Your cleverness will get you nowhere: you don’t know my powers yet. As long as I have this treasure I can go into the ocean without drowning and into fire without being burnt. If I catch that bandit I’ll chop him up into little bits and burn him as a torch. That’s the only way I’ll feel better about it.”


Output: After he had been talking to himself in his misery for a long time he did not notice the cocks crowing for the dawn. Up on the mountaintop Prince Nezha, who now had his six weapons back, said to Monkey, “Great Sage, it’s light now and we must lose no time. We should fight the demon while his morale is still low. We’ll support you with all the fire forces while you take him on, and this time I think you’ll be able to capture him.”


Output:
“You’re right,” said Monkey. “We’ll all pull together. Let’s have some fun.” Every one of them braced himself and displayed his martial prowess as they headed for the mouth of the cave. “Come out, damned demon,” shouted Monkey, “and fight with me.” The two stone doors had been reduced to ashes by the blaze, and the little devils inside were sweeping up and picking over the cinders. The approach of all the gods made them drop their brooms and their ash forks in panic as they rushed back inside to report, “Sun Wukong is here with a host of gods from Heaven demanding battle again.” The news caused the rhinoceros monster great alarm. He noisily ground his teeth of steel, his eyes bulged with fury, and he went out holding his spear and his treasure, pouring out insults: “I’ll get you, you thieving arsonist of an ape. What sort of powers do you have that give you the right to treat me with such contempt?”

“Damned devil,” retorted Monkey with a smile on his face, “if you want to know my powers I’ll tell you:


Output:
Since I was little my powers have been great;

My fame has spread in heaven and in earth.

As a bright young thing I learned to be immortal,

Acquiring the traditions of eternal youth.

I determined to visit the land of the heart

And reverently went to the country of the sages.

I learned the magic of infinite changes

And roamed at will through cosmic space.

My hobby was subduing the tigers on the hills;

When bored I forced the ocean dragons to submit.

I was monarch of the Mountain of Flowers and of Fruit,

And showed off my power in the Water Curtain Cave.

Often I decided to go up to Heaven

And in my folly I occupied the place above.

I was called the Great Sage Equaling Heaven

And given the title of Handsome Monkey King.

When they held a banquet of their magic peaches

I was most angry at not being invited.

Secretly I went to steal jade liquor,

Drinking this rare wine in their elegant pavilions.

Liver of dragons, the marrow of the phoenix,

And many other delicacies did I steal that day.


Output:
And many other delicacies did I steal that day.

I ate my fill of those immortal peaches,

And packed my stomach with pills of eternal life.

I then purloined all kinds of Heavenly marvel

And tucked away the treasures of that palace.

Because the Jade Emperor had learned of my powers

Heavenly soldiers were sent into battle

The Nine Bright Shiners I sent on their way;

I wounded all five of the evil constellations.

The generals of Heaven were no match for me:

A hundred thousand soldiers all lost their nerve.

The Jade Emperor then was forced to summon

The Little Sage Erlang to join in the fight.

We both went through our seventy-two changes,

Each of us showing his spirit and strength.

The Bodhisattva Guanyin came to their aid

With her vase of pure water and her sprig of willow,

And Lao Zi used his Diamond Jade

To take me a prisoner back up to Heaven.

They led me in chains to the Jade Monarch’s palace

Where legal officials determined my fate.

Strong soldiers were ordered to cut off my head,


Output:
Strong soldiers were ordered to cut off my head,

But the hacks at my scalp only made sparks fly

When they tried all their tricks but nothing killed me.

I then was escorted to the palace of Lao Zi.

The Six Dings refined me with the fire of their furnace

And made my whole body as hard as steel.

After seven times seven days the furnace was opened,

And out I jumped, more terrible than ever.

The gods all shut their gates, unable to resist,

And the sages decided to ask the Buddha’s help.

Great was the power of the Buddha’s dharma,

Indeed his wisdom is infinitely mighty.

I wagered with a somersault to jump out of his hand,

But he crushed me with a mountain that rendered me powerless.

Then the Jade Emperor celebrated peace

And the West was proclaimed to be a land of bliss.

I was crushed by the mountain for five hundred years

Never tasting a mouthful of tea or of food.

When the Golden Cicada came down to earth

He was sent from the East to visit the Buddha.


Output:
He was sent from the East to visit the Buddha.

He wants to bring the scriptures back to China,

So the Tang ruler could save his ancestors’ souls.

Guanyin converted me to the side of goodness,

To hold to the teachings and keep myself in check.

Since I was released from the agonizing mountain

I have been heading West to fetch the true scriptures.

Do not try to use your evil cunning, devil:

Return to me my master to worship the Buddha.”


Output:
Return to me my master to worship the Buddha.”

When he had heard all this the demon pointed at Monkey and replied, “So you’re the thief who robbed Heaven. Stay where you are and take this!” The Great Sage parried the spear whit his cudgel, and just as the two of them were starting to fight again Nezha and the Star Lord of Fire lost their tempers and flung all their magic weapons and fire-raising equipment at the demon king. Monkey was more ferocious than ever, while the thunder gods with their thunder splinters and the Heavenly King with his sword rushed into the fray together, not worrying about rank and seniority.


Output: The demon king gave a mocking and majestic laugh, discreetly brought the ring out of his sleeve and threw it into the air with a shout of “Catch them!” It came whistling down, catching the six magic weapons, all the fire-raising equipment and creatures, the thunder gods’ thunderbolt, the Heavenly King’s sword and Monkey’s cudgel. Once again the gods were all empty-handed and the Great Sage Sun disarmed. The triumphant demon turned round to say, “Little ones, fetch rocks to make new doors, and start digging and building to refurbish all the rooms inside. When that’s done I’ll slaughter the Tang Priest and his disciples as a thanksgiving to the local god, and you’ll all have a share.” The little demons all set to as they had been instructed.


Output:
When Heavenly King Li led his troops back up the mountain the Star Lord of Fire was grumbling about Nezha’s impatience and the thunder gods were angry with the Heavenly King for behaving badly. The only person keeping quiet was the Earl of the Yellow River. Seeing how they were all unwilling to look each other in the face and were worried, desperate, resentful and trying to make himself look cheerful, Brother Monkey said to them with a smile, “Don’t be upset. Victory and defeat are all part of the soldier’s routine. The demon’s only so-so in fighting skill. The only thing that makes him so dangerous is that ring which has caught all our weapons again. Don’t worry. I’ll go and make some more inquiries about who and what he is.”

“But last time you asked the Jade Emperor to have an inspection of the whole of Heaven you found no trace of him,” said Prince Nezha. “Where are you going to look for him now?”


Output:
“As I recall,” said Monkey, “the Buddha’s dharma is boundless. I’ll go to the Western Heaven to ask the Tathagata Buddha to look at all four continents with his all-seeing eyes and find out where the demon was born, where his home is officially registered, and what his ring really is. Whatever happens we must capture him to avenge you gentlemen and allow you to return to Heaven happy.”

“In that case,” said the gods, “don’t stay here a moment longer. Go at once.”

Splendid Monkey said, “Go!” and with one bound of his somersault cloud he was soon at Vulture Peak. Bringing down his auspicious right he looked all around. It was a wonderful place:

Nobly tower the sacred peaks,

Pure is the beauty of the many crags,

Magical summits rise to touch the jade-blue sky,

This is what holds the Western Heaven in place,

Dominating China with its great might.

Its primal energy permeates earth and sky,

Covering all with splendor as its majesty spreads.

The sounds of bells and chimes reverberate for long


Output:
While voices can be heard reciting holy sutras.

Under blue pines the faithful preach

While arhats stroll among the cypresses.

White cranes come with purpose to the Vulture peak;

Phoenixes choose to perch on its empty pavilions.

Monkeys in twos pick immortal fruit;

Pairs of deer present milk vetch.

The songs of hidden birds seem to pour out their woes;

One cannot put names to the strange and brilliant flowers.

Ridge upon ridge enfold here many times over;

Smooth are the ancient paths that wind around.

This is a place of purity and magic,

The noble home of the enlightened Buddha.

As Monkey was admiring the mountain scenery someone called to him, “Where have you come from, Sun Wukong, and where are you going?” He turned round at once to see it was an honorable bhiksuni, or nun.

“There is a matter on which I would like to see the Tathagata,” said Monkey with a bow.


Output:
“You’re so naughty,” said the bhiksuni. “If you’re here to see the Tathagata why don’t you go straight up to his monastery instead of admiring the scenery?”

“I only had the effrontery to look because this is my first visit,” Monkey replied.

“Come with me at once,” said the bhiksuni, and Monkey went with her to the gates of the Thunder Monastery, where their way was blocked by the eight vajrapanis, the ferocious guardian gods. “Wait here for a while, Wukong, while I make a report on your behalf,” said the bhiksuni. Monkey stood outside the gates while the bhiksuni went into the Buddha’s presence, put her hands together, and said, “Sun Wukong is here on a matter over which he wishes to see you, Tathagata.” The Buddha sent for Monkey, and the vajrapanis then allowed him in.


Output: When Monkey had made his kowtows the Buddha asked, “Why are you here by yourself? I was told that you were converted to the faith after the honorable Guanyin released you, and that you were escorting the Tang Priest here to fetch the scriptures. What has happened?”


Output: “I report to my Buddha,” said Monkey, his head touching the ground, “that your disciple has been escorting the Tang Priest Westwards ever since my conversion. At the Jindou Cave in Mount Jindou we’re up against an evil demon called the Great Rhinoceros King who has tremendous magic powers. He is holding my master and fellow disciples as prisoners in his cave. I have asked the demon to return them, but his intentions are evil. When we fought he grabbed my iron cudgel with a gleaming white ring. I thought he might be some officer from Heaven with a yearning for earthly things so I went straight up there, but on inspection could not find any missing. The Jade Emperor kindly sent Heavenly King Li and his son Nezha to help me, but the demon took the prince’s six weapons. Then I asked the Star Lord of Fire to burn him out, but he took all the fire-raising equipment and creatures. Next I asked the Star Lord of Water to drown him, but not a drop touched him. I went to a lot of effort to steal back the cudgel and all


Output: a lot of effort to steal back the cudgel and all the rest of it, challenged him to another fight, and lost it all to him again. I have no way of subduing him. That is why I have come to ask my Buddha to show his disciple mercy and look to see where the monster is from. Then I’ll be able to arrest his relations and neighbors, capture him and rescue the master. Then we’ll all be able to seek the true achievement together reverently.”


Output:
When the Buddha heard this his all-seeing eyes looked far away, and all was revealed to him at once. “I know who that monster is,” he said, “but I must not tell you. You cannot keep your mouth shut, little monkey, and once you put it about that I told you he would stop fighting you and come to make a row here on Vulture Peak. I would only be asking for trouble for myself. Instead I will give you some dharma power to help you capture him.”

“What dharma power will the Tathagata give me?” asked Monkey, kowtowing in thanks. The Tathagata Buddha then told his eighteen arhats to open their treasury and take eighteen grains of golden cinnabar sand with them.

“What does golden cinnabar sand do?” Monkey asked.

“Go and have another contest with the demon outside the cave,” the Buddha replied. “Lure him out so that the arhats can drop their sand on him and fix him to the spot. He will not be able to move his body or lift a leg, and you will be able to beat him up as you see fit.”


Output:
“Splendid,” said Monkey with a smile, “splendid. Let’s go straight away.” Not daring to delay, the arhats fetched the golden cinnabar sand and set out, while Brother Monkey thanked the Buddha once more. When they were on their way Monkey found on counting that there were only sixteen arhats.

“What sort of place is this if you let people bribe their way out of their duties?” Monkey asked.

“What do you mean, bribing their way out of their duties?”

“Eighteen of you were sent,” Monkey replied, “so why are there only sixteen of you now?”

Before the words were out of his mouth the arhats Dragon-subduer and Tiger-queller came up to him and asked, “Wukong, how can you be so wicked? We stayed behind to receive the Buddha’s instructions.”

“You’ve too tricky,” said Monkey, “too tricky. If I’d called out any later I dare say you wouldn’t have come at all.” All the arhats were laughing as they mounted their auspicious clouds.


Output:
They were soon at Mount Jindou. When Heavenly King Li saw them he led his hosts out in greeting and started to tell them all that had happened. “Spare us the details,” the arhats said, “Call him out as soon as you can.”

The Great Sage made a spell with his hands, went to the mouth of the cave, and started shouting insults: “Come out, you bloated fiend, come out and see if you can beat your grandfather Monkey.”

The little devils flew in to report, and the demon king said in fury, “Who’s the thieving ape asked along to help him in his wickedness?”

“There are no soldiers with him,” the little devils replied. “He’s there by himself.”


Output:
“How could he possibly dare to come back here alone?” the demon king wondered. “I’ve got his cudgel. Does he want another boxing match?” Taking his ring and brandishing his spear the demon told the little devils to clear away the rocks blocking the entrance and leapt outside. “Damned ape,” he shouted insultingly, “make yourself scarce. You’ve been beaten often enough. What are you here shouting for again?”

“Damned demon,” said Monkey, “you don’t know what’s good for you. The only way to stop me coming back is to surrender, apologize and give my master and my fellow disciples back. Do that and I’ll spare you.”

“I’ve already had those three monks of yours cleaned up,” the monster replied, “and soon I’m going to slaughter them. Don’t you realize that yet? Get lost!”


Output:
At the word “slaughter” Monkey stamped his feet, and his cheeks reddened as he could not hold back his anger for a moment longer. Dropping his guard he took a sidestep and swung his fist at the monster’s face. The monster struck back with his spear, and not realizing that Monkey was deliberately springing from side to side he allowed himself to be lured South further and further from the cave. Monkey then called on the arhats to throw their golden cinnabar sand at the demon all together. It was a marvellous display of divine power. Indeed:

At first it spread like mist or smoke

Drifting gently down from the sky.

A vast expanse of whiteness

In which nothing can be seen;

A blanket of obscurity

That hides one’s way in an instant.

The woodcutter loses his mate when gathering firewood;

The young Taoist gathering herbs cannot see his home.

The fine grains blow in the wind like flour,

The coarse ones roll like sesame seeds.

The world is lost to sight, the mountain peaks are dark,


Output:
And sunshine from the sky is blotted out.

This is not the dust kicked up by horses

Nor like the softness of a fragrant carriage.

This cinnabar sand is a merciless thing

Covering heaven and earth and capturing all demons.

Only because the monster attacked the true Way

Were the arhats commanded to show off its splendor.

In their hands they were holding pearls of brilliance

To shine with dazzling brightness at the right time.

When the demon was being blinded by the flying sand he bent down to see that it was already three feet deep on the ground. In his alarm he sprang up at once to the level above it, but before he had steadied himself it was already over two feet deeper. Now desperate, he pulled his feet free, took out his ring, and threw it up in the air with a shout of “Catch them!” As it came whistling down it caught all eighteen grains of golden cinnabar sand. The monster went back into his cave.


Output:
The empty-handed arhats stopped their clouds. “Why have you stopped dropping your sand, arhats?” asked Monkey as he came towards them.

“There was a noise just now and all our golden cinnabar sand disappeared,” they replied.

“That thing must have caught it too,” said Monkey with a laugh.

“If he’s as invincible as this however are we going to capture him?” the Heavenly King and the rest of them said. “When will we ever go back to Heaven, and how will we be able to face the Jade Emperor?”

Then the two arhats Dragon-subduer and Tiger-queller said to Monkey, “Wukong, do you know why we two were late setting out?”

“I was cross because I thought you were skulking somewhere and not coming,” said Monkey. “I didn’t know you were having a conversation.”