Chapter 31

Zhu Bajie Rouses the Monkey King with Righteous Taunts; Pilgrim Sun Subdues the Monster by Stratagem

In righteousness they were knit as brothers; by the Law they returned to their native nature.Metal smoothed and wood made docile reaps the true fruit; the mind-ape joins the wood-mother to fuse the cinnabar source.Together they climb to the world of bliss; together they enter the gate that has no second.The scriptures are the high road of all practice; the Buddha matches the primal spirit of the self.Elder brother and younger meet to form the threefold accord; demon and devil answer in hue to the Five Elements.Cut away the appetites of the six gates, and at once set out for the Great Thunderclap.

Now the Idiot had been caught by a troop of monkeys, who hoisted, hauled, and dragged him until his one-piece cassock hung in tatters. Muttering under his breath, he grumbled to himself: "It's over, it's over. Once I go there, I'll be beaten to death for certain." In no time they reached the mouth of the cave. The Great Sage sat up on the rocky crag and cursed: "You sack of chaff, you lumbering blockhead! You could have gone and been done with it—why did you curse me?" Bajie knelt on the ground and said, "Brother, I never cursed you; if I did, may my tongue be chewed off at the root. I only said that if you would not go, I would go report to Master myself. How would I dare curse you?" Pilgrim said, "How could you put one over on me? When I pull this left ear upward, I can hear what they are saying in the thirty-three heavens; when I pull this right ear downward, I can hear the kings of the Ten Courts of Yama and their magistrates going over their ledgers. You cursed me as you walked—do you think I did not hear?" Bajie said, "Brother, I know your thieving head and ratlike brains—you must have turned into some creature or other and followed me to listen." Pilgrim called out, "Little ones, fetch the big cudgels! First give him twenty blows on the ankle-bones to greet him, then twenty across the back, and after that I will see him off with my iron staff." Terrified, Bajie kowtowed: "Brother, for Master's sake, spare me, I beg you." Pilgrim said, "Ah, what a paragon of kindness and honor that Master of mine is." Bajie said again, "Brother, if not for Master's face, then look to the face of the Bodhisattva over the sea, and spare me, I beg you."

When he heard the Bodhisattva mentioned, Pilgrim's heart softened a little, and he said, "Brother, since that is how it is, I will not beat you for now. But tell me plainly—no hiding anything. In what trouble has the Tang monk fallen, that you have come here to trick me?" Bajie said, "Brother, there is no trouble at all. We truly just miss you." Pilgrim cursed, "You thrash-worthy wretch—how dare you keep up this deception with me? Old Sun's body came back to Water Curtain Cave, but his heart ran after the scripture-seeking monk. That Master of ours meets disaster at every step and courts calamity at every turn. Tell me this instant, and spare yourself the beating." Hearing these words, Bajie kowtowed and pleaded: "Brother, I meant to keep you in the dark and simply ask you to come. I never dreamed you would be so sharp. Spare me the thrashing and let me get up to tell it." Pilgrim said, "Very well, get up and talk." The monkeys let go of him. The Idiot sprang to his feet, glancing this way and that. Pilgrim said, "What are you looking at?" Bajie said, "Seeing which road is open and clear—best for running." Pilgrim said, "And where would you run to? Even if I gave you three days' start, Old Sun has arts enough to run you down and haul you back. Out with it, and quickly: if this provokes my temper again, I will not forgive you."

Bajie said, "To tell you the truth, Brother: after you went back, Sha Monk and I were escorting Master forward when we came to a forest of dark pines. Master dismounted and told me to beg for our meal. We were a long way from any house, and I was worn out, so I lay down in the grass for a short nap. Who knew that Sha Monk would leave Master and come looking for me? You know Master has no patience for sitting; he went strolling the woods alone, admiring the scenery. Coming out of the woods, he saw a pagoda of gold beaming with light and took it for a monastery. He never dreamed that under the pagoda lurked a demon called Yellow Robe, who seized him. Later Sha Monk and I went back to look and found only the white horse and the luggage—no Master. Following the trail to the mouth of the cave, we fought that monster. Master was inside the cave, where a rescuing star proved his salvation. It was the third princess of the king of Baoxiang, whom the monster had carried off. She wrote a letter to her family and entrusted it to Master to deliver, and on that pretext she talked the monster round and freed him. Once in the kingdom, Master delivered the letter, and the king asked him to subdue the demon and bring the princess home. Brother, you know as well as I: could that old monk subdue a demon? The two of us went out to fight again, but that monster's powers proved so vast that he captured Sha Monk too. I fled the field and hid in the grass. The monster changed himself into a handsome scholar, entered the court, claimed kinship with the king, and turned Master into a tiger. Then the white dragon horse showed his dragon form by night and went looking for Master. He found no Master, but came upon the monster drinking wine in the Silver Peace Hall. He changed into a palace maid, poured the monster's wine and danced with a blade, hoping to strike when the moment came; instead the monster clubbed his leg with his great candelabrum, the Full Hall Red. It was he who sent me to invite you, Brother, saying: 'Your brother is a gentleman of benevolence and honor, and a gentleman does not bear old grudges. He is sure to come and free Master from this peril.' A hundred thousand times I beg you, Brother: remember the saying 'A teacher for a day is a father for life,' and save him from this danger."

Pilgrim said, "You Idiot! When I was leaving, did I not tell you over and over: 'If any demon captures Master, you tell them Old Sun is his eldest disciple'? Why did you never say my name?" Bajie thought to himself that rousing a general was not so good as stinging one, and said, "Brother, it would have been fine if we had not mentioned you—but the moment we did, he grew all the more insolent." Pilgrim said, "How so?" Bajie said, "I said: 'Demon, you will show respect, and you will not harm my master. I have an eldest brother called Pilgrim Sun, whose powers are vast, a past master at subduing demons; when he comes, he will leave you without so much as a grave to lie in.' At that the monster raged all the more and cursed: 'What sort of Pilgrim Sun is that? Am I afraid of him? If he comes, I will flay his skin, pull out his sinews, gnaw his bones, and eat his heart. Skinny ape though he is, I will mince him for mincemeat and fry him in oil.'" Hearing this, Pilgrim was so enraged that he clawed at his ears and scratched his cheeks, hopping about in a fury: "Who dares curse me like that?" Bajie said, "Calm your anger, Brother. It was that monster Yellow Robe who cursed you so; that is why I repeated it to you word for word." Pilgrim said, "Good brother, get up. It is not that I would not go—but since a demon dares curse me, I cannot let him go unsubdued. I will go with you. Five hundred years ago Old Sun wrecked the Heavenly Palace, and all the divine generals of heaven, at the sight of me, bowed their backs and bent their knees, hailing me Great Sage at every word. This demon is without manners—he dares curse me behind my back and before my face. When I go, I will seize him, hack his corpse into ten thousand pieces, and avenge the insult! And once the score is settled, I will come straight back." Bajie said, "Just so, Brother. You go seize the demon and avenge yourself; after that, come or do not come, just as you please."

The Great Sage leapt down from the crag, dashed into the cave, and stripped off his demon garb. He straightened his brocade cassock, cinched his tiger-skin kilt, took up his iron staff, and marched straight out the door. In a fluster the troop of monkeys blocked his way: "Great Sage, our grandfather, where are you going? Take us along for a few years of fun, why don't you?" Pilgrim said, "Little ones, what talk is that? The whole business of my guarding the Tang monk—heaven above and earth below know that Sun Wukong is the Tang monk's disciple. It was not that he drove me away; he sent me home for a visit, sent me home to enjoy myself at ease. Only this business calls me now. You must all watch over our household estate with care, plant your willows and pines in season, and let nothing fall into ruin. When I have gone back to guard the Tang monk and brought the scriptures home to the Land of the East, and the merit is complete, I will return to share these innocent joys with you again." The monkeys each and all accepted the order.

The Great Sage then took Bajie by the hand and they rode the clouds, leaving the cave, crossing the Eastern Ocean, and coming to its western shore, where he halted the cloud-light and called out: "Brother, you go on slowly without me; I am going down to the sea to wash myself clean." Bajie said, "We are hurrying on the road—what is all this about washing?" Pilgrim said, "You would not understand. In these few days since I came back, a demon's smell has gotten into my skin. Master is a man who loves cleanliness; I am afraid he would take me in disgust." Only then did Bajie understand that Pilgrim's heart was true, and that there was no other meaning in it.

In a moment he had washed, and they rode the clouds westward again until the golden pagoda's radiance came in sight. Bajie pointed: "Is that not Yellow Robe's home? Sha Monk is still inside it." Pilgrim said, "You stay in the air while I go down to see how things look outside the gate, so I can meet the demon in battle." Bajie said, "Do not go—the demon is not home." "I know," said Pilgrim. Brave Monkey King! He pressed down his auspicious light and went straight to look outside the cave's gate. There he saw two little boys playing at bat-and-ball, swinging curved-head clubs to knock a woolen ball about and scrambling for the nest. One was about ten or eleven, the other eight or nine. While they were at their play, Pilgrim rushed up on them and, caring nothing whose sons they were, seized one by the topknot and hauled him over. Terrified, the child screamed, half curses and half sobs. The alarm reached the imp-minions of Wave-Moon Cave, who hurried to report to the princess: "Mistress, some person unknown has carried off both the young princes!" Those two children, you see, had been born to the princess by the monster.

Hearing this, the princess hurried out of the cave gate and saw Pilgrim standing on the high crag, holding the two boys, on the point of dashing them down. The princess cried out shrilly, fright in every syllable: "You man there, I have done you no harm—why seize my sons? Their father is a dreadful one; if anything goes wrong, you will get no quarter from him." Pilgrim said, "You do not know me? I am Pilgrim Sun Wukong, eldest disciple of the Tang monk. I have a brother-disciple, Sha Monk, inside your cave. Go release him, and I will return these two children to you. Two for one like this—you are getting the better bargain." At these words the princess hurried inside, shouted back the imp-guards at the gate, and with her own hands unbound Sha Monk. Sha Monk said, "Princess, do not unbind me. When your monster comes home he will demand his captive of you, and you will bear the blame." The princess said, "Elder, you are my benefactor: you pleaded my case in that letter to my family and saved my life, and I have kept you in mind to set you free. Who would have thought that outside the cave gate you had an eldest brother, Sun Wukong, come to tell me to release you?"

Ah! The moment Sha Monk heard the three words "Sun Wukong," it was as if clarified butter had been poured over his crown, sweet dew moistening his heart; delight was born on his face, and spring filled his whole breast. It was not as if a man had merely come, but as if he had picked up a slab of gold and jade. See him brush off his sleeves and shake out his robe as he came out the gate, saluting Pilgrim: "Brother, you have truly descended from the heavens. A hundred thousand times I beg you, save me." Pilgrim laughed: "You Sha novice! When Master recited the Tight-Fillet Spell, were you willing to say one word in my defense? All mouth and flourish, the lot of you—if you are to guard Master, why are you not on the western road? What are you crouching here for?" Sha Monk said, "Brother, say no more. A gentleman lets bygones be bygones. We are beaten generals, fit to talk of no valor—only save me." "Come up, then," said Pilgrim. Sha Monk sprang up onto the rocky crag.

Now Bajie, standing in the air, saw Sha Monk come out of the cave, pressed down his cloud, and called: "Brother Sha, bear it, bear it!" Sha Monk, seeing him, said, "Second Brother, where have you come from?" Bajie said, "Yesterday I lost the battle; in the night I entered the city and met the white horse, and learned that Master was in trouble, turned by Yellow Robe's magic into a tiger. The white dragon horse and I took counsel together, and so we came to invite you, Brother." Pilgrim said, "Idiot, no time for catching up. Take the two children, one each, and go on ahead into the city of Baoxiang to goad the monster into coming; I will wait here to thrash him." Sha Monk said, "Brother, how do we goad him?" Pilgrim said, "The two of you ride a cloud and plant yourselves on the Golden Chime Hall, and without ceremony dash the children down before the white-jade steps. If anyone asks who you are, say you are the sons of the monster Yellow Robe, seized by the two of you and brought here. When the monster hears it, he is bound to come back, and I need not go into the city to fight him. If we brawled over the city walls, we would be sure to spew clouds and belch mists, stir up dust and scatter earth, and throw the court, the assembled officials, and the common people all into alarm." Bajie laughed: "Brother, whenever there is dirty work, you leave us holding it." Pilgrim said, "How do I leave you holding it?" Bajie said, "You snatched these two children yourself; you have scared them out of their wits—by now they have cried themselves hoarse, and in a little while they will surely die. When we dash them down and splatter them into a puddle of flesh, will the monster, hot in pursuit, let us go? He will be certain to demand our two lives in payment. And where will you be? Not one hair of you implicated—not so much as a witness! Is that not leaving us holding it?" Pilgrim said, "If he lays hold of you, the two of you fight him back here. There is open field for battle here; I will wait to take him on." Sha Monk said, "Right, right—Big Brother talks sense. Off we go." So the two of them, exulting in their might, carried the children away.

Pilgrim leapt down from the crag and came to the foot of the pagoda gate. The princess said, "You monk, you have no faith at all: you said that once your brother-disciple was freed, you would give me back my children. My brother-disciple is freed—yet my children you keep. What do you mean, showing up at my door?" Pilgrim said with an apologetic smile, "Princess, do not be offended. You have been away a long time; I am taking your sons to be presented to their grandfather." The princess said, "Monk, none of your rudeness. My Yellow Robe is not like other men; if any harm has come to my children, he will give you a scare to remember." Pilgrim laughed: "Princess, a person lives out his life between heaven and earth—how does presenting children to their grandfather constitute an offense?" The princess said, "I know." Pilgrim said, "What would a woman know of it?" The princess said, "From childhood in the palace I received my parents' instruction. I remember what the old books say: 'Of the three thousand offenses under the five punishments, none is greater than being unfilial.'" Pilgrim said, "You are indeed an unfilial person. For it is written: 'He gave me birth—my father; she nurtured me—my mother. Ah, ah, my father and mother, who bore me with toil and pain.' Filial devotion is the root of a hundred virtues and the foundation of all goodness. Yet how is it that you give your body to keep company with a demon, and never give a thought to your parents? If this is not the crime of unfiliality, what is it?" At these upright words the princess flushed red to her ears and face, and for a long while was covered with shame, wishing the ground would swallow her. Suddenly she blurted out: "The elder's words are the truest. Do you think I do not long for my parents? Only, this demon spirited and beguiled me here; his rules are strict and my steps are watched; the roads are long and the mountains far, and no one can carry a message for me. I have wanted to end my life, but I fear my parents would believe I had run away, and the matter would never be made clear. So, helpless, I drag out this remnant of breath—truly a great sinner between heaven and earth." When she had spoken, her tears gushed like a spring.

Pilgrim said, "Princess, grieve no more. Zhu Bajie told me you wrote a letter, and that letter saved my master's life, and that it was full of longing for your parents. Old Sun has come expressly to seize the demon for you, take you back to see the throne, and help you find a proper husband, to wait on your parents into old age. How does that suit you?" The princess said, "Monk, you are asking for death. Those two brother-disciples of yours, fine heroes as they are, could not beat my Yellow Robe. You—a scrawny ghost, all gristle and little bone, looking for all the world like a crab with its bones grown outside—what skill have you, that you dare talk of seizing a demon?" Pilgrim laughed: "So you have no eye in your head—you cannot judge men. As the saying goes, 'A bladder may be big and weigh no catties; a steelyard weight is small, yet it bears a thousand.' Those two are big to no purpose: they block the wind when they walk, waste cloth when they dress, hold no fire in their hollow middles, go soft at the crown and the waist, and get nothing from all their eating. Old Sun may be small, but he is solid to the ounce." The princess said, "Do you truly have such arts?" Pilgrim said, "You have yet to see my arts, but subduing demons I do supremely well, and taming monsters above all." The princess said, "Only do not fail me." Pilgrim said, "I will not fail you—decidedly not." The princess said, "If you can subdue demons and tame monsters, how will you take him now?" Pilgrim said, "You must keep out of the way, out of my sight: if he comes while you are near, I cannot fight freely—my fear is that your love has grown too deep, and you will not have the heart to give him up." The princess said, "How could I not have the heart to give him up? My lingering here is only what necessity forced on me." Pilgrim said, "Thirteen years a wife to him—no tenderness there? When I meet him there will be no child's play: each blow of the staff a true blow, each punch a true punch; I must lay him flat before you can return to see the throne."

The princess did as Pilgrim said and hid herself in a quiet place. So it was that her marriage destiny had run its course, and she met the Great Sage's coming.

Having hidden the princess, the Monkey King shook himself, changed into her exact likeness, went back into the cave, and waited there for the monster alone.

Now Bajie and Sha Monk carried the two children into Baoxiang and dashed them down before the white-jade steps. Pity them—they were smashed like meat cakes, fresh blood spurting, bones shattered to bits. The assembled court officials were thrown into an uproar, crying: "Disaster, disaster! Two people have been dashed down out of the sky!" Bajie shouted at the top of his voice: "These children are the sons of the monster Yellow Robe, seized by this old pig and Brother Sha and brought here!"

The monster was still in the Silver Peace Hall, his overnight wine not yet slept off. In the midst of his dreams he heard men calling his name, turned over, and raised his head to see Zhu Bajie and Sha Monk up in the clouds, bawling. The demon thought to himself: "Zhu Bajie might pass; but Sha Monk I bound at home—how did he get out? How could my wife consent to free him? How did my children come into their hands? I fear Zhu Bajie, unable to draw me out to battle, has devised this scheme to pin me down. If I accept the challenge and fight with him—hm! I am still drunk. Suppose he were to land a rake-blow on me: would that not snuff out my prestige and give the trick away? Let me go home first and see whether these are my sons or not; there is time enough to talk to them after that." Wily demon! Without taking leave of the king he turned back through the mountains and woods and made straight for the cave to find out the truth.

By now the court had learned that he was a monster. For in the night he had eaten one palace maid, and seventeen others had escaped with their lives; at the fifth watch they reported to the king all that he had done. And because he had left without taking leave, they knew all the more that he was a demon. The king accordingly set many officials to guard the false tiger—but of this no more.

Now the monster made straight back to the cave. When Pilgrim saw him coming he worked out how to beguile him: screwing up his eyes, he let tears fall like rain, stamped his feet and beat his breast, wailing to heaven and earth, and wept aloud in the cave. For the moment the monster did not recognize him; he came up and embraced him: "Wife, what troubles you so?" The Great Sage, with his pack of lies and his invented tale, told it through tears: "Husband, as the saying goes, 'A man without a wife has no master of his wealth; a woman without a husband is left empty-handed.' Yesterday you went to court to claim your kin—why have you not returned? This morning Zhu Bajie carried off Sha Monk and snatched away both my children; I begged him pitifully and he would not relent. He said he was taking them to court to be presented to their grandfather. Half the day now I have not seen my children and do not know if they live or die; you do not come home; how am I to bear the parting? That is why I cannot stop this heartbroken weeping." Hearing this, the monster raged within: "Is it true they are my sons?" "It is true," said Pilgrim. "Zhu Bajie has snatched them away."

The demon hopped about in fury: "It is over, it is over! My sons have been dashed to death—nothing can bring them back. Nothing for it but to seize that monk and make him pay with his life for my sons. Wife, weep no more. How do you feel now? Let me see about a cure." "Nothing ails me," said Pilgrim, "only grief for my children—weeping has given me a bit of a heartache." The demon said, "No matter—get up, pray. I have a treasure here: touch it once to the place that aches and the ache is gone. But be careful—do not flick it with your thumb; if you flick it with your thumb, my true form will show itself." Hearing this, Pilgrim laughed inwardly: "This brazen monster is honest after all—no torture needed, he has confessed of his own accord. When he brings out his treasure, I will give it a flick and see what manner of demon he is." The demon took Pilgrim by the hand and led him straight to a deep, sealed-off place in the cave. Then from his mouth he brought up a treasure the size of a hen's egg: a relic-pearl, an inner elixir of wondrous translucence. Pilgrim rejoiced inwardly: "A fine thing indeed! Heaven knows how many sessions of meditation went into it, how many years of trials refined it, how many pairings of yin and yang went to the making of this inner elixir, this relic-pearl. Today great destiny brings it to Old Sun." The monkey took it over—he had no aching place at all—and made a show of touching it, then gave it a flick with one finger. The demon panicked and grabbed for it. Just consider how nimble that monkey was: he sucked the treasure into his belly in one gulp. The demon balled his fists and struck. Pilgrim parried with one hand, passed the other over his face, and showed his true form, crying: "Monster, none of your rudeness. Take a good look—who am I?"

At the sight the demon was aghast: "Ai! Wife, how have you come by that face?" Pilgrim cursed: "You brazen monster! Who is your wife? You do not know your own ancestor when you see him." Suddenly the demon caught on: "I seem to know you somewhat." Pilgrim said, "I will hold off the blows—look again." The demon said, "Your face is familiar, but for the moment I cannot place your name. Who are you really, and where from? Where have you stashed my wife, that you come to my house to swindle me of my treasure? The impudence—infamous!" Pilgrim said, "You truly do not know me. I am the eldest disciple of the Tang monk, called Pilgrim Sun Wukong. I am your old ancestor of five hundred years ago." The demon said, "Nothing of the sort, nothing of the sort! When I captured the Tang monk I knew he had two disciples, Zhu Bajie and Sha Monk, and never heard tell of anyone surnamed Sun. You are some monster from who knows where, come here to trick me." Pilgrim said, "I did not come with those two. Because Old Sun made a habit of thrashing demons and did great slaughter, my master—a man of mercy and goodness—sent me home, and so I did not travel with them. That is why you do not know your ancestor's name." The demon said, "And a fine manly fellow you are! Once your master expelled you, what face had you to come among men again?" Pilgrim said, "You brazen monster—do you not know 'a teacher for a day is a father for life'? Do you not know 'between father and son no grudge survives the night'? You harmed my master; how could I not come to his rescue? That you should harm him might pass—but then to curse me behind my back and before my face, what do you say to that?" The demon said, "When did I ever curse you?" "Zhu Bajie said so," said Pilgrim. The demon said, "Do not believe him. That Zhu Bajie with his pointed snout is a hand at old-wife gossip—how can you credit him?" Pilgrim said, "Never mind this idle talk. The point is that Old Sun has come to your house today, and you have neglected a guest from afar. Though you offer no wine or food, you do have a head to give. Stick it out quickly, and let Old Sun land one blow of the staff by way of tea." At the word "blow" the demon roared with laughter: "Pilgrim Sun, your plan has miscarried. If you meant to deal blows, you should not have followed me in. I have a hundred and ten demons here, great and small; though your whole body were hands, you would never fight your way out of my gate." Pilgrim said, "No nonsense! Never mind a hundred and ten—if there were thousands upon tens of thousands, I would tally them one by one and give each his blow, no stroke wasted, and leave you cut off at the root, without a trace."

At this the demon hastily passed the order: all the demons before and behind the mountain, all the monsters inside and outside the cave, were mustered at once, each with his weapon in hand, to pack the three or four gates so close that nothing could pass. Pilgrim, seeing this, was delighted; he balanced the staff in both hands, gave a shout—"Change!"—and became three-headed and six-armed. He brandished the gold-banded staff, and it became three gold-banded staffs. See him, six hands wielding three staffs, striking his way along like a tiger among sheep, a hawk in the hen-run. Pity the lesser demons: those his staff struck had heads burst like powder; those it grazed bled in streams. Back and forth, every way at once, he moved as through a land without people. Only the old demon was left; he rushed out the gate cursing: "You brazen ape, the very picture of laziness and spite! What business have you coming to a man's own door to bully him?" Pilgrim swung round and beckoned with his hand: "Come on, come on—only knocking you down counts as merit." The monster raised his precious blade and chopped at his head; brave Pilgrim drew his iron staff and met him face to face. That was the battle, on the mountaintop, half in cloud, half in mist:

The Great Sage's powers were vast; the demon's arts were high.This one swung level a staff of raw iron; that one raised aslant a steel-quenched blade.Slowly the blade rose, bright as the dawn's red clouds; lightly the staff parried, drifting like woven cloud.Coming and going, each guarded his crown, turning many a time; back and forth, each wheeled his whole body, round after round.One changed his face as the wind changed; one stood planted, swaying his frame.That one strained fiery eyes and stretched his long ape arms; this one flashed golden pupils and bent his tiger's waist.You come, I go, the blades of war cross; blade meets staff, and neither gives quarter.The Monkey King's iron staff kept to the Three Strategies; the monster's steel blade followed the Six Secret Teachings.One, long practiced in his arts, was lord of demons; one, lavishing his magic, guarded the Tang monk.Fierce as he was, the Monkey King grew fiercer still; heroic as he was, the monster waxed more heroic.Reckless of life and death they fought in midair, all for the Tang monk's worship of the Buddha far away.

The two of them fought fifty or sixty rounds without a decision. Pilgrim rejoiced inwardly: "This brazen monster—that blade of his does hold out against Old Sun's staff. Let Old Sun leave him an opening and see if he knows how to take it." Brave Monkey King! He raised the staff in both hands in the stance of Reaching High for the Horse. The demon, blind to the ruse, saw an opening and swung his precious blade straight in low. Pilgrim swiftly shifted to Great Central Level, knocked that blade aside, then played the move called Stealing the Peach from Under the Leaf: one blow at the crown of the demon's head—and the demon vanished without a shadow or a trace. He snatched back the staff and looked—not a demon to be seen. Pilgrim was greatly startled: "My word! He could not stand a blow, and now he has been knocked clean out of sight. If he were truly beaten to death there would be some gore, would there not? How is there not a speck of trace? He must have fled." He sprang up into the clouds to look about; on every side, not a stir. "These eyes of Old Sun see at a sweep, wherever it is—yet how did he slip off so clean? Now I understand: the demon said he half knew me. He is no common earthly monster, I would wager, but a spirit come down from heaven."

The Great Sage could not contain his rage; gripping the iron staff, he turned a somersault and leapt straight up to the South Gate of Heaven. Such was the flurry of Pang, Liu, Gou, Bi, Zhang, Tao, Deng, Xin, and the rest, that they bowed from both sides, dared not bar him, and let him storm the gate of heaven all the way to the Hall of Universal Light. There the four great Celestial Masters—Zhang, Ge, Xu, and Qiu—asked him: "Great Sage, what brings you here?" Pilgrim said, "Guarding the Tang monk, I came to Baoxiang, where a demon has deceived a daughter of the realm and done harm to my master. Old Sun fought him, but in the midst of the fight the monster vanished. No common earthly monster, I judge, but a spirit from heaven. I have come to inquire which spirit left his post and slipped down this way." The Celestial Masters went in at once to the Numinous Mists Hall and reported. Those deputed to make the search found the Nine Luminaries, the Twelve Divisions of the Day, the Five Dippers of east, west, south, north, and center, the starry host of the River of Heaven, the gods of the Five Peaks and the Four Great Rivers, and all the divinities of heaven, each in his place—not one dared leave his station. Then they checked the Twenty-Eight Mansions outside the Dipper-and-Ox Palace and found, strangely, only twenty-seven there—one alone missing: the star Kui. The Celestial Masters reported back: "Kui the Wood Wolf has gone down to the world." The Jade Emperor said: "How long has he been absent from heaven?" "Four muster calls unmet. The muster falls every three days; thirteen days have now gone by." The Jade Emperor said: "Thirteen days in heaven is thirteen years below." He ordered the spirits of Kui's own department to take him back above.

The twenty-seven star officers of the Mansions received the edict, passed out of the gate of heaven, and each recited his spell, to rouse the star Kui. And where do you suppose he was hiding? He was one of the divine generals so beaten by the Great Sage in the old havoc of the Heavenly Palace that he had slunk into a mountain ravine to lie low in his calamity; the vapor of the water hid his demon clouds, and that is why he had not been seen. When he heard the star officers of his own department reciting the spell, he dared show his head and followed them up to heaven. The Great Sage barred the gate of heaven to thrash him, but the stars prevailed on him to desist, and the demon was escorted in to see the Jade Emperor. From his waist the demon drew his gold tablet and kowtowed below the steps to submit himself for punishment. The Jade Emperor said: "Kui the Wood Wolf, heaven above holds boundless splendors; instead of enjoying them you have gone off, without leave, to a corner of the world. Why?" The constellation Kui kowtowed and said: "Ten thousand years! Pardon your servant's capital offense. The princess of the king of Baoxiang was no mortal woman. She was a jade maiden who tended the incense in the Hall of Draped Fragrance, and wished to have a secret affair with me; I feared to stain the fair precincts of the heavenly palace. Longing for the world, she went down first and was reborn in the inner courts of the imperial palace. I, not to betray our former promise, took the form of a demon, occupied a famous mountain, carried her off to my cave, and lived with her thirteen years as her husband. 'Every sip and every peck was fixed beforehand.' Now Sun the Great Sage has come and accomplished the deed." Hearing this, the Jade Emperor took back the gold tablet and demoted him: he was to tend the fire in the Tushita Palace for the Supreme Lord Lao, keeping his stipend while under discipline; merit would restore his post, and further fault would bring heavier punishment.

Seeing the Jade Emperor settle it so, Pilgrim was delighted; he bowed to the throne with a deep salutation and said to the assembled gods: "My thanks to you all, gentlemen, for the trouble." The Celestial Masters laughed: "That monkey is as boorish as ever. We caught his demon spirit for him, and instead of thanking heaven for its grace he merely bows himself off." The Jade Emperor said: "So long as he does no harm, we may count ourselves fortunate to have heaven at peace."

The Great Sage pressed down his auspicious light and went straight back to Wave-Moon Cave on Bowl Mountain, brought out the princess, and was in the midst of telling her how the demon, grown homesick for the world, had come down from heaven and how he had been seized. From midair came the sharp cries of Bajie and Sha Monk: "Brother, there are demons—leave a few for us to thrash!" "The demons are finished to the last one," said Pilgrim. Sha Monk said, "Then with the demons destroyed there is nothing to hinder us. Let us bring the princess back to the court. Shut your eyes, princess; we brothers will work the art of shrinking the ground."

The princess heard only the wind whistle in her ears; in an instant they were back in the city, and the three of them led her up into the Golden Chime Hall. The princess paid her duty to her father the king and her mother the queen, greeted her sisters, and all the officials came to pay their respects. Then the princess made her report: "Thanks be to the elder Sun, whose powers know no bounds: he subdued the monster Yellow Robe and brought your servant home to the kingdom." The king asked: "What manner of monster is this Yellow Robe?" Pilgrim said, "Your Majesty's son-in-law is the star Kui of the upper realm, and your daughter the jade maiden who tended the incense; longing for the world, they came down among men. It is no small matter: all of it followed from bonds formed in a former life—the marriage was decreed. The demon—Old Sun went up to the heavenly palace and reported to the Jade Emperor, who found that he had missed four musters: thirteen days below, which is to say thirteen years. For one day in heaven is a year in the world below. The Emperor dispatched the star spirits of his own department to take him back above, where he has been demoted to earn back his merit in the Tushita Palace. And so Old Sun has rescued your daughter and brought her home." The king thanked Pilgrim for his grace and said: "Go now and see to your master."

The three of them went straight down from the jeweled hall and, with the officials, to the court antechamber, where they brought out the iron cage and struck the chains from the false tiger. To everyone else it was a tiger; to Pilgrim alone it was a man. For the spell had ridden the master down: he could not walk or stir, and though his mind was clear his mouth and eyes would hardly open. Pilgrim laughed: "Master, you are a good monk—how did you come to such a pass as this? You blamed me for violence and wickedness and drove me home; you set your whole heart on goodness—and look what a face you have worked yourself into!" Bajie said, "Brother, save him and be done—quit raking him over the coals." Pilgrim said, "You egg him on in everything—you are the favorite, the good disciple. If you will not save him, why hunt up Old Sun? I told you plainly: once I had subdued the demon and avenged the curses, I would come back." Sha Monk came forward, knelt, and said: "Brother, the ancients said, 'If not for the monk's face, then for the Buddha's.' Elder Brother, you have come all this way; a hundred thousand times I beg you, save him. Had we been able to save him ourselves, we would never have come so far to beg you here." Pilgrim took him by the hand and raised him: "Do you take me for one who would not save him? Water, quickly!" Bajie flew like a spark to the posthouse, fetched the luggage and the horse, took out the purple-gold alms bowl, filled it half full of water, and handed it to Pilgrim. Pilgrim took the water in his hands, pronounced the true words, and sprayed a mouthful full on the tiger's head; the demon spell receded and the tiger nature left him.

The elder regained his own form; gathering himself, he opened his eyes and at last recognized Pilgrim. He seized him and held him: "Wukong, where have you come from?" Sha Monk, standing in attendance, recounted it all: how they had invited Pilgrim, subdued the demon, rescued the princess, broken the tiger spell, and returned to court—all these matters from beginning to end. Tripitaka thanked him without end: "Worthy disciple, it was you, all you. Once we have gone on to the Western Heaven and come straight back to the Land of the East, and I report to the Tang king, your merit shall stand first." Pilgrim laughed: "Say no more, say no more. Only never chant that spell again, and I will feel the depth of your kindness well enough." When the king heard this he pressed thanks upon the four travelers once more, laid on a vegetarian feast, and threw open the eastern pavilion. Master and disciples accepted the imperial bounty, took leave of the king, and went west; the king with his assembled officials escorted them far. And this is how it was:

The king returns to his jeweled hall to settle the rivers and mountains; the monk goes on to Thunderclap to bow before the Buddha.

But what would happen after this, and when would they reach the Western Heaven? Listen to the next chapter to find out.

Zhu Bajie stirs the Monkey King with a sense of duty; Pilgrim Sun uses his wits to beat the monster

Brothers are bound by duty, and the law comes back to one's true nature.When Metal obeys and Wood is tamed, the true fruit is won; the mind-monkey and the wood-mother join to form the source of the elixir.Together they climb to the world of perfect joy; together they enter the one and only gate of the law.The scriptures are the main road for training the self; the Buddha matches one's own original spirit.Brother joins brother, and the three agree as one; demon and monster answer to the five elements by their colors.Cut off the pull of the six senses, and go straight to the great Thunderclap.

Now the Idiot had been caught by a troop of monkeys. They carried him, hauled him, and pulled at him until his robe tore. He kept muttering to himself: "It's all over. This trip will end with me beaten to death." Before long they reached the cave mouth. The Great Sage sat on the rock ledge above and cursed: "You stuffed sack of chaff, you clod! Going off would have been fine, but why did you curse me?" Bajie knelt on the ground and said, "Brother, I never cursed you. If I had, may my tongue be bitten off at the root. I only said that if you would not go, I would go back and report to Master myself. How would I dare curse you?" Pilgrim said, "How could you fool me? If I pull this left ear up, I hear what people say in the thirty-three heavens. If I pull this right ear down, I hear King Yama of the ten courts and his judges settling accounts. You cursed me as you walked. How could I fail to hear?" Bajie said, "Brother, I know how sly you are. You must have turned into something and followed me to listen." Pilgrim called, "Boys, pick out big sticks. Give him twenty blows on the front of his legs first, then twenty on his back, and then I'll use my iron staff to see him off." Bajie knocked his head on the ground in a panic and cried, "Brother, for Master's sake, spare me!" Pilgrim said, "So you think that Master of mine is full of kindness, do you?" Bajie said again, "Brother, if not for Master's sake, then for the sake of the Bodhisattva on the sea, spare me!"

When Pilgrim heard the Bodhisattva mentioned, he softened a little. He said, "Brother, since you put it that way, I'll skip the beating for now. But tell me the truth and hide nothing. What trouble is the Tang monk in, that you came here to trick me?" Bajie said, "Brother, there's no trouble. He really just misses you." Pilgrim cursed, "You whipping-boy of a wretch, how dare you play games with me? My body came back to Water Curtain Cave, but my heart follows the sutra-seeking monk. Step by step Master runs into trouble; everywhere he goes, disaster is due. Tell me now, and you'll avoid the beating." Hearing this, Bajie knocked his head on the ground and pleaded, "Brother, I meant to hide it from you and just ask you to come. I didn't expect you to be this sharp. Spare me the beating and let me up to talk." Pilgrim said, "Fine. Get up and talk." The monkeys let go. The Idiot jumped up and looked wildly this way and that. Pilgrim said, "What are you looking at?" Bajie said, "Checking which road is open, so I can run." Pilgrim said, "Run where? I could let you go three days ahead, and I would still have the skill to bring you back. Speak up quickly. This has roused my temper, and I will not spare you again."

Bajie said, "To tell you the truth, brother: after you left, Sha Monk and I were escorting Master along when we came to a wood of black pines. Master dismounted and told me to beg for food. There were no houses for a long way. I got tired and took a short nap in the grass. I did not know that Sha Monk had left Master to come look for me. You know Master cannot sit still. He walked alone in the wood, enjoying the scenery. When he came out of the wood, he saw a pagoda of gleaming gold shining with light, and he took it for a temple. But under the pagoda there was a monster called Yellow Robe, and the monster captured him. Later, Sha Monk and I went back to look for him and found only the white horse and the luggage, no Master. We followed the trail to the cave mouth and fought the monster. Master was inside the cave, and there he was saved by an unexpected helper: the third princess of the King of Baoxiang, whom the monster had carried off. She wrote a letter to her family and asked Master to carry it. She spoke up for him, and the monster freed him. In the capital, Master handed over the letter, and the king then asked him to subdue the monster and bring the princess home. Brother, you know that old monk. What does he know about subduing monsters? We two went to fight again, but the monster's powers were too great, and he captured Sha Monk too. I lost the fight and fled, and hid in the grass. The monster changed into a handsome scholar, went to court, claimed kinship with the king, and turned Master into a tiger. Then the white dragon horse showed his dragon form at night and went to look for Master. He did not find Master, but he did find the monster drinking wine in the Silver Peace Hall. The horse changed into a palace girl, poured the monster's wine, and danced with a knife, meaning to cut him down when the chance came, but the monster hit the horse's leg with his tall bronze lamp stand. It was the horse who sent me to ask you, brother. He said: 'Your eldest brother is a gentleman with a sense of right. A gentleman does not hold old grudges. He will surely come to free Master from this trouble.' I beg you, brother, remember the saying 'A teacher for a day is a father for life,' and save him."

Pilgrim said, "You Idiot. When I left, I told you again and again: 'If a demon captures Master, say that Old Sun is his eldest disciple.' Why did you not mention me?" Bajie thought to himself: "Asking politely is not as good as goading. Let me goad him a little." He said, "Brother, it would have been better not to mention you. But I did mention you, and that made him even ruder." Pilgrim said, "What do you mean?" Bajie said, "I said: 'Monster, don't be rude, and don't harm my master. I have an eldest brother called Pilgrim Sun. His powers are great, and he is good at beating monsters. When he comes, he'll leave you nowhere to bury your dead body.' When the monster heard that, he grew angrier still and cursed: 'What kind of Pilgrim Sun is that? Am I afraid of him? If he comes, I'll skin him, pull out his sinews, gnaw his bones, and eat his heart. Skinny monkey or not, I'll chop him up for mince and fry him in oil.'" Hearing this, Pilgrim scratched his ears and cheeks in fury and bounced around: "Who dares curse me like that?" Bajie said, "Calm down, brother. It was the monster Yellow Robe who cursed you like that. I was only quoting him for you." Pilgrim said, "Good brother, get up. It is not that I refused to go. But since the monster dares to curse me, I have no choice but to beat him. I'll go with you. Five hundred years ago Old Sun wrecked the Heavenly Palace. The divine generals of all heaven bowed low when they saw me, calling me Great Sage with every word. This monster is rude enough to curse me behind my back and to my face. I'll go catch him and cut his body into ten thousand pieces, to pay for the insults! When that is done, I'll come right back." Bajie said, "Right, brother. You go catch the monster and settle your grudge. After that, whether you come back is up to you."

Then the Great Sage jumped down from the ledge, rushed into the cave, and took off his monster clothes. He straightened his brocade robe, tied on his tiger-skin kilt, took up his iron staff, and came straight out the door. The monkeys hurried to block his way: "Granddad Great Sage, where are you going? Take us along for a few years of fun." Pilgrim said, "Boys, don't talk like that. Everyone in heaven and on earth knows that Sun Wukong is the Tang monk's disciple. He did not drive me out. He sent me home to look in on you and enjoy myself. It is only this business now. Watch the household carefully, every one of you. Plant your willows and pines on time, and let nothing go to ruin. Once I have gone back to protect the Tang monk, fetched the scriptures, and returned them to the Land of the East, I'll come back and enjoy the simple life with you again." Each monkey took the order.

Then the Great Sage took Bajie by the hand, and they rode the clouds away from the cave, crossed the Eastern Ocean, and stopped at the western shore. He halted the cloud and called, "Brother, go slowly a moment. I'm going down to the sea to wash." Bajie said, "We're in a hurry on the road. Why wash now?" Pilgrim said, "You wouldn't understand. Since I came back, these days here have given my body a bit of a monster smell. Master likes things clean. He might hold it against me." Only then did Bajie see that Pilgrim meant it honestly, with no other aim in mind.

Soon he finished washing, and they rode the clouds west again, until the golden pagoda shone into view. Bajie pointed: "Isn't that Yellow Robe's home? Sha Monk is still inside." Pilgrim said, "Wait in the air. I'll go down and see what the front of the place looks like, and get ready to meet the monster in battle." Bajie said, "Don't go. The monster isn't home." Pilgrim said, "I know." The fine Monkey King lowered his light, landed outside the cave door, and looked around. Two little boys were there playing: swinging crook-headed sticks, batting a woolen ball, scrambling over each other. One was about ten years old; the other eight or nine. While they played, Pilgrim ran up, and without caring whose house they belonged to, grabbed them by the topknot and lifted them over. Frightened, the boys screamed, cursing and crying all at once. The little demons of Wave-Moon Cave rushed to report to the princess: "Madam, someone unknown has carried off the two young masters!" The two boys were the children of the princess and the monster.

Hearing this, the princess hurried out of the cave door. She saw Pilgrim standing on the high ledge, holding the two boys, about to dash them down. The princess cried out in alarm: "You man there! I have done you no harm. Why have you taken my sons? Their father is dangerous. If anything goes wrong, he will not let you off." Pilgrim said, "You don't know me? I am Pilgrim Sun Wukong, the eldest disciple of the Tang monk. I have a junior brother, Sha Monk, in your cave. Go free him, and I'll give you back these two children. Two for one—that's a bargain in your favor." Hearing this, the princess hurried inside, shouted away the little demons guarding the door, and untied Sha Monk with her own hands. Sha Monk said, "Princess, don't untie me. When your monster comes home, he'll ask you where I am, and you'll suffer for it." The princess said, "Elder, you are my benefactor. You defended the letter I sent home, and it saved my life. I meant to free you anyway. And now your eldest brother Sun Wukong is here outside the cave door, and he tells me to free you."

Ah! The moment Sha Monk heard the name "Sun Wukong," it was like rich butter poured on the crown of his head, like sweet dew moistening his heart. Joy broke out all over his face; spring filled his chest. It was not like hearing that some man had come—it was like picking up a piece of gold or jade. See him shake out his sleeves, brush his robe, walk out the door, bow to Pilgrim, and say: "Brother, you truly dropped from the sky. I beg you a thousand times, save me." Pilgrim laughed: "You Sha novice. When Master recited the Tight-Fillet Spell, were you willing to put in one word for me? Nothing but big talk. If you meant to protect Master, why aren't you on the road west? What are you squatting here for?" Sha Monk said, "Brother, say no more. A gentleman does not blame what is past. We are beaten generals—no talk of courage. Just save me." Pilgrim said, "Come up here." Sha Monk leaped up onto the rock ledge.

Meanwhile Bajie stood waiting in the air. When he saw Sha Monk come out of the cave, he brought his cloud down and called, "Brother Sha, be patient, be patient." Seeing him, Sha Monk said, "Second Brother, where have you come from?" Bajie said, "I lost the fight yesterday. At night I went into the city and met the white horse, and learned that Master was in trouble—Yellow Robe had used his magic to turn him into a tiger. The horse and I planned this, to ask our eldest brother here." Pilgrim said, "Idiot, save the catching up. Each of you take one of these children, go into Baoxiang City first, and provoke the monster into coming out. I'll wait here and beat him." Sha Monk said, "Brother, how do we provoke him?" Pilgrim said, "You two ride your clouds up to the throne hall and, without caring how it looks, dash each child down in front of the white jade steps. If anyone asks who you are, say you are the sons of the monster Yellow Robe, seized by the two of you. When the monster hears of it, he is sure to come back, and I won't need to go into the city to fight him. If we fought on the city walls, we'd be spitting clouds and mist, throwing up dirt and dust, and the court, the officials, and the common people would all be alarmed." Bajie laughed: "Brother, whenever there's a job to do, you stick us with it." Pilgrim said, "How is that sticking you with it?" Bajie said, "You scared these two children out of their wits when you grabbed them. They've already cried themselves hoarse; in a little while they'll certainly die. We dash them down, smash them to a pulp of meat, and when the monster catches up with us, will he let us go? He'll demand our lives to pay. And you'll still be the clean one, with not even a witness against you. Isn't that sticking us with it?" Pilgrim said, "If he grabs you, fight him and draw him here. There's a wide open battlefield. I'll wait here to beat him." Sha Monk said, "Right, right. Eldest Brother makes sense. Let's go." The two then swaggered off with the children.

Pilgrim jumped down from the ledge to the pagoda gate below. The princess said, "Monk, you have no honor at all. You said that if I freed your brother, you'd give me back my children. Your brother is freed, but you keep my children. What are you doing at my door?" Pilgrim said with a smile, "Don't be angry, Princess. You have been away a long time. I'm taking your sons to meet their grandfather." The princess said, "Monk, don't be rude. My Yellow Robe is not like other men. If you have frightened my children, you'll get a good scare from him." Pilgrim smiled: "Princess, everyone lives between heaven and earth. How would that be a crime?" The princess said, "I know." Pilgrim said, "What would a woman know?" The princess said, "I grew up in the palace and was taught by my father and mother. I remember what the old books say: 'The five punishments cover three thousand offenses, and no crime is greater than being unfilial.'" Pilgrim said, "Then you are just such an unfilial person. 'Father, you gave me life; mother, you raised me. Ah, my parents, toiling and suffering to bring me up.' So filial devotion is the root of all good conduct, the base of all goodness. Yet you gave your body to a monster and never think of your parents. If that is not the crime of being unfilial, what is?" Hearing these honest words, the princess reddened, ears and face, and for a long while was too ashamed to look up. Then the words slipped out: "The elder's words are the best of all. Do you think I don't miss my parents? Only, this monster carried me off here by trickery. His rules are strict, and it is hard for me to move about. The road is long and the mountains far away, and no one can carry word to them. If I killed myself, I feared my parents would think I had run away, and the truth would never come out. So, helpless, I drag out this leftover life. I truly am a great sinner between heaven and earth." When she finished, her tears gushed like a spring.

Pilgrim said, "Princess, don't grieve. Zhu Bajie told me about your letter, how it saved my master's life, and how it showed your longing for your parents. Old Sun has come. I'll certainly catch the monster for you, take you back to court to see the king, and help you find a proper husband, so you can serve your parents into old age. What do you say?" The princess said, "Monk, don't go looking for death. Those two brothers of yours, strong men both, could not beat my Yellow Robe yesterday. You are a skinny wretch, all sinew and little bone, shaped like a crab, with its bones on the outside. What skill have you, that you dare talk of catching a demon?" Pilgrim laughed: "So you can't judge people at all. The saying goes: 'A bladder may be big, but it weighs nothing; a scale weight may be small, but it holds down a thousand catties.' Their looks are big and useless: they block the wind when they walk, they waste cloth when they dress, they are hollow in the middle when you set a fire going, they sag at the crown and the waist, and all the food they eat does them no good. Old Sun may be small, but he is solid." The princess said, "Do you really have the skill?" Pilgrim said, "You have never seen my skill. I can subdue demons and beat monsters, absolutely." The princess said, "Just don't fail me." Pilgrim said, "I will not fail you, certainly." The princess said, "If you can beat demons and monsters, how will you catch him now?" Pilgrim said, "Go hide somewhere out of sight, and stay away from my eyes. If he comes while you're near, it will be hard for me to raise my hands—I'm afraid your feelings for him run too deep to let him go." The princess said, "How could I be unable to let him go? I have stayed here only because I had no choice." Pilgrim said, "Thirteen years as his wife—who is to say there are no feelings? When I see him, I won't play games. Every stroke of the staff will be a stroke; every punch will be a punch. I must beat him down before you can return to court and see the king."

The princess did as Pilgrim said and hid in a quiet spot. It was also that her marriage luck had run out, and that is why she met the Great Sage.

The Monkey King hid the princess, shook himself, changed into the princess's own appearance, went back into the cave, and waited for the monster.

Meanwhile Bajie and Sha Monk carried the two children into Baoxiang's capital and dashed them down in front of the white jade steps. Poor things—they were smashed like meat cakes, fresh blood spurting out, bones ground to pieces. The officials of the whole court panicked and reported: "Disaster! Disaster! Two people have been dashed down from the sky!" Bajie shouted at the top of his voice: "Those children are the sons of the monster Yellow Robe! This old pig and Brother Sha have brought them here!"

The monster was still in the Silver Peace Hall, sleeping off his wine. In the middle of his dream he heard people calling his name. He rolled over, raised his head, and looked: there in the clouds were Zhu Bajie and Sha Monk, shouting. The monster thought to himself: "Zhu Bajie might manage it, but I tied Sha Monk up at home. How did he get out? How would my wife let him go? How did my children fall into his hands? I'm afraid Bajie could not get me to come out and fight him, so he is using this trick to tie me down. If I take the bait and go fight them—hah! I am still drunk. If that rake of his caught me one blow, wouldn't that ruin my name and expose my secret? Better to go home first and see whether these are my sons or not, then talk to him." The clever monster did not even take leave of the king. He turned back through the mountains and went straight to the cave to find out the news.

By now the court knew he was a monster. During the night he had eaten one palace girl, and seventeen others had escaped with their lives. At the fifth watch they reported it all to the king. And since he had left without taking leave, it was clearer than ever that he was a demon. The king set many officials to guard the fake tiger. But no more of that.

Now the monster went straight back to the cave mouth. When Pilgrim saw him coming, he played a trick to fool him: he squeezed his eyes, and tears fell like rain. He stamped his feet and beat his chest, crying out to heaven and earth, and wailed loudly in the cave. The monster could not tell for the moment. He came up and embraced him: "Wife, what is wrong? Why this grief?" The Great Sage, with made-up tales and invented words, told him through his tears: "Husband, the saying goes: 'A man without a wife has no master over his money; a woman without a husband is left empty.' Yesterday you went to court to claim your kin—why haven't you come back? This morning Zhu Bajie stole Sha Monk away and snatched my two children. I begged hard, but he would not relent. He said he was taking them to court to meet their grandfather. Half a day now and I haven't seen the children; I don't know whether they live or die. And you never came home. How can I bear it? That's why I can't stop this grieving and crying." Hearing this, the monster's heart filled with rage: "They really are my sons?" Pilgrim said, "They are. Zhu Bajie snatched them away."

The demon jumped about in fury: "It's over, it's over. My sons are dashed to death; they cannot live. All that's left is to take that monk and make him pay with his life for my sons. Wife, don't cry. How do you feel now? Let me treat it." Pilgrim said, "Nothing much. I just can't let go of the children, and all this crying makes my heart ache a little." The demon said, "No matter. Get up. I have a treasure here. Touch it where it hurts, and the pain stops. But be careful: don't flick it with your thumb. If you flick it with your thumb, you'll see my true form." Hearing this, Pilgrim laughed inside: "This brazen monster is honest. No torture needed—he has confessed all by himself. When he brings out the treasure, I'll give it a flick and see what kind of monster he is." The monster took Pilgrim by the hand and led him straight to a deep, sealed-off place inside the cave. Then from his mouth he brought out a treasure the size of a hen's egg: a gleaming, jewel-like inner-core elixir. Pilgrim was delighted inside: "Fine thing. Who knows how many hours of meditation went into it, how many years of trial to refine it, how many rounds of pairing yin and yang to make this inner-core relic? What luck today that it should meet Old Sun." The monkey took it. Where was there any pain? He touched it on purpose, then gave it a flick with one finger. The demon panicked and grabbed for it. But think how quick the monkey was: he sucked the treasure into his belly in one swallow. The demon balled his fists and struck. Pilgrim blocked with one hand, wiped his face, showed his true form, and said: "Monster, no rudeness. Take a good look—who am I?"

The monster was shocked: "Ai! Wife, how did your face turn into this?" Pilgrim cursed: "You brazen beast! Who is your wife? You don't even know your own ancestor." The monster suddenly realized: "I do seem to know you somehow." Pilgrim said, "I won't hit you yet. Look again." The monster said, "Your face looks familiar, but for the moment I can't place your name. Who are you really? Where are you from? Where have you hidden my wife, that you come to my home and trick me out of my treasure? That is plain rudeness. Shameless!" Pilgrim said, "You really don't know me. I am the eldest disciple of the Tang monk, Pilgrim Sun Wukong. I'm your old ancestor from five hundred years ago." The monster said, "Nonsense, nonsense. When I captured the Tang monk, I knew he had two disciples, Zhu Bajie and Sha Monk. No one ever mentioned anyone named Sun. You're some creature from who knows where, come here to cheat me." Pilgrim said, "I didn't come with those two. My master, being merciful and kind, sent me home because Old Sun liked beating monsters and had killed and wounded so many. That's why I wasn't traveling with them. And you don't know your ancestor's name." The monster said, "What a man you are! Driven out by your own master—what face do you have to show yourself to people?" Pilgrim said, "You brazen beast, don't you know 'a teacher for a day is a father for life'? And 'father and son hold no grudge overnight'? You hurt my master—how could I not come save him? That alone would be bad enough. But you also cursed me behind my back and to my face. What do you say to that?" The monster said, "When did I ever curse you?" Pilgrim said, "Zhu Bajie said so." The monster said, "Don't believe him. That long-mouthed Bajie is good at gossiping like an old wife. How can you listen to him?" Pilgrim said, "Never mind the chatter. The point is that Old Sun has come to your home today, and you have been a poor host to a guest from afar. No wine or food to offer—but you do have a head. Stick it out quickly, and let Old Sun give it a staff stroke instead of tea." At the word "hit," the monster roared with laughter: "Pilgrim Sun, you've made a mistake. If you wanted to hit me, you shouldn't have followed me inside. I have a hundred or more demons here, big and small. Even if you were covered in hands, you'd never fight your way out my door." Pilgrim said, "Don't talk nonsense. A hundred and more? Call it thousands or tens of thousands. I'll sort them out one by one and beat them all. Not one stroke wasted—I'll wipe them out root and branch."

Hearing this, the monster quickly passed the order. All the demons before and behind the mountain, all the monsters inside and outside the cave, were called up with weapons in hand. They packed the three or four gates so tight that no one could pass. Pilgrim was delighted. He gripped his staff with both hands and shouted, "Change!"—and became three-headed and six-armed. He shook the gold-banded staff, and it became three gold-banded staffs. Look at him: six hands wielding three staffs, fighting his way along, just like a tiger loose in a flock of sheep, a hawk in a chicken pen. Pity the little demons: those he struck full had heads like shattered pots; those he only grazed bled like streams of water. He crossed back and forth as if through empty ground with no one there. Only the old demon himself was left. He chased out the door cursing: "You brazen ape, how shameless! Coming to my own door to bully me?" Pilgrim turned quickly and beckoned with his hand: "Come here, come here. Beating you down—that is real achievement." The monster raised his precious blade and chopped at his head; the good Pilgrim drew his iron staff and met him face to face. This fight, on the mountaintop, half in cloud, half in mist:

The Great Sage's powers were vast; the demon's skills were high.This one leveled his raw iron staff; that one raised his steel-dipped blade on the slant.Slowly the blade rose, bright as dawn clouds; lightly the staff parried, drifting like colored cloud.Back and forth they guarded their heads, turning many times; round and round each whole body spun again and again.One shifted his face with the wind; one stood his ground, swaying his body.That one opened fiery eyes wide and stretched his ape arms; this one flashed golden pupils and bent his tiger waist.One came, one went, meeting in battle; blade met staff, and neither gave quarter.The Monkey King's iron staff kept to the Three Strategies; the monster's steel blade held to the Six Secret Teachings.One, practiced in his craft, was lord of demons; one, spending his magic freely, protected the Tang monk.The fierce Monkey King grew more fierce; the bold monster grew bolder still.Heedless of death or life, they fought in the air, all for the Tang monk's far journey to worship the Buddha.

The two fought fifty or sixty rounds with no winner. Pilgrim thought with secret joy: "This brazen monster—his blade actually holds up against Old Sun's staff. Let Old Sun leave an opening and see if he spots it." The fine Monkey King raised his staff with both hands and made the "High Probing Horse" stance. The monster did not see the trap. Seeing an opening, he whirled his precious blade and cut straight at the legs below. Pilgrim quickly shifted to "Great Center Level," flicked the blade aside, then used the "Stealing the Peach Under the Leaf" move and brought his staff down on the monster's head—hitting him so hard he vanished without a trace. He pulled back his staff quickly and looked: the monster was gone. Pilgrim was startled: "My boy, couldn't take a hit—he's gone already. If he were really dead, there would at least be some blood and gore. How is there not one speck of a trace? He must have fled." He leaped up into the clouds to look, but nothing stirred in any direction. "These eyes of Old Sun can sweep any place and see everything. How did he slip away so fast? I've got it. That monster said I looked familiar. He is probably no common earthly demon, but a spirit come down from heaven."

The Great Sage could not hold back his anger. Gripping his iron staff, he turned a somersault and jumped straight up to the South Gate of Heaven. This panicked the whole crowd of guards—Pang, Liu, Gou, Bi, Zhang, Tao, Deng, Xin and the rest. They bowed low on both sides, not daring to stop him, and let him fight his way through the gate of heaven, all the way to the Hall of Bright Light. The four great Celestial Masters—Zhang, Ge, Xu, and Qiu—asked at once: "Great Sage, why have you come?" Pilgrim said, "I was protecting the Tang monk as far as Baoxiang. A demon there deceived the king's daughter and hurt my master, and Old Sun fought him. In the middle of the fight the monster vanished. He is no earthly demon, I think, but a spirit from heaven. I've come to check: which way has some demon god slipped out?" Hearing this, the Celestial Master went up into the Lingxiao Hall and reported. The search found that the Nine Luminaries, the Twelve Month-Lords, the Five Dippers of east, west, south, north, and center, the star host of the Milky Way, the gods of the Five Peaks and the Four Great Rivers, and every holy one in heaven were all in the sky; not one had dared leave his place. They also checked the twenty-eight lunar mansions outside the Dipper-and-Ox Palace, and found only twenty-seven there—one alone was missing: the star Kui. The Celestial Master reported back: "Kui, the Wood Wolf, has gone down to the world below." The Jade Emperor said, "How long has he been absent from heaven?" The Celestial Master said, "He has missed four roll calls. There is one every three days, so it has been thirteen days now." The Jade Emperor said, "Thirteen days in heaven is thirteen years below." He ordered the stars of that department to take him back up to heaven.

The twenty-seven star officers took the edict, went out the gate of heaven, and each recited his spell, which shook the star Kui out of hiding. Where do you think he was hiding? He was one of the divine generals whom the Great Sage Sun had beaten so badly in the great havoc of heaven. He had dodged into a mountain ravine to lie low, and the damp vapor there hid his demon cloud, which is why no one had seen him. Only when he heard the star officers of his own department reciting the spell did he dare show himself, and he went back up to heaven with them. At the gate of heaven the Great Sage blocked the way, meaning to beat him, but the stars talked him down, and the monster was escorted in to see the Jade Emperor. The monster took the gold medal from his belt, knocked his head below the hall, and confessed his guilt. The Jade Emperor said, "Kui the Wood Wolf: heaven has boundless splendors, yet you would not enjoy them and went off on your own. Why?" The Kui star knocked his head and said: "Your Majesty, spare your servant's life. The princess of the King of Baoxiang is no mortal woman. She was the jade maiden who tended the incense in the Hall of Draped Incense, and she wanted to take me as her lover. I feared to stain the fair precincts of the heavenly palace. Longing for the mortal world, she went down first and was reborn inside the royal palace. I would not break our old promise: I became a demon, took a famous mountain, carried her to my cave, and lived with her thirteen years as husband and wife. 'Every sip and every peck is settled beforehand.' Now the Great Sage Sun has come and ended it." Hearing this, the Jade Emperor took back the gold medal and demoted him to the Tushita Palace to tend the fire for the Supreme Lord Lao. He kept his pay but was given servile work; if he earned merit his post would be returned, and if not, his guilt would be made heavier.

Seeing how the Jade Emperor settled it, Pilgrim was delighted. He bowed to the throne with a loud salute and said to the gods: "Thanks for the trouble, everyone." The Celestial Master laughed: "That monkey is still just as rough. We caught his demon god for him, and instead of thanking heaven for its grace, he just gives a bow and walks off." The Jade Emperor said, "So long as he stays out of trouble, heaven gets its peace. That is the lucky part."

The Great Sage lowered his light and went straight back to Wave-Moon Cave on Bowl Mountain, brought out the princess, and was just telling her the whole story: the star's longing for the mortal world, his descent to earth, and his capture. Then from mid-air came the loud voices of Bajie and Sha Monk: "Brother, leave a few monsters for us to hit!" Pilgrim said, "The monsters are all finished off." Sha Monk said, "If the monsters are all destroyed, there is nothing to hold us. Let's bring the princess back to court. Don't open your eyes, Princess; we brothers will use the land-shrinking spell."

The princess heard only wind in her ears, and in an instant they were back in the city. The three brought her up into the throne hall. The princess bowed to her royal father and mother and greeted her sisters. All the officials came to pay their respects. Then the princess reported: "Thanks to Elder Sun's boundless power, Yellow Robe is beaten, and I have been brought home." The king asked, "What kind of monster was Yellow Robe?" Pilgrim said, "Your Majesty's son-in-law is the star Kui of the upper heaven, and your daughter was the jade maiden who tended incense. She longed for the mortal world and came down to earth. No small matter—all of it came from a bond made in a former life; this marriage was owed. As for the monster, Old Sun went up to heaven and reported to the Jade Emperor. The Emperor's check found that Kui had missed four roll calls: thirteen days below, which is thirteen years—one day in heaven is one year below. The Emperor sent the stars of his own department to take him back up, and he has been demoted to the Tushita Palace to earn back his merit. Old Sun has brought your daughter home." The king thanked Pilgrim for his kindness and said, "Go see to your master."

The three went straight down from the hall, and with the officials to the court office. They brought out the iron cage and took the chains off the fake tiger. Everyone else saw a tiger; only Pilgrim saw a man. Master was pinned by the demon's magic: he could not move, and though his mind was clear, his mouth and eyes would not open. Pilgrim laughed: "Master, you're a good monk. How did you come to look so dreadful? You blamed me for violence and drove me home. You wanted to devote yourself to goodness. How did you wake up with a face like this?" Bajie said, "Brother, save him, and stop picking at him." Pilgrim said, "You egg him on at every turn. You're his fine, favored disciple. Why come looking for Old Sun if you won't save him yourself? I told you plainly: once I had beaten the monster and paid back the insults, I would go home." Sha Monk came forward and knelt: "Brother, the ancients say, 'If not for the monk's face, then for the Buddha's face.' Eldest Brother, you have come all this way. I beg you a thousand times, save him. If we could save him ourselves, we would never have asked you from so far away." Pilgrim took his hand and raised him up: "Do you think I meant not to save him? Quickly, bring water." Bajie flew like a shooting star to the post station, got the luggage and the horse, took out the purple-gold alms bowl, filled it half full of water, and handed it to Pilgrim. Pilgrim took the water in his hands, spoke the true words, and sprayed a mouthful straight at the tiger's head. The demon magic was driven out, and the tiger's form was released.

The elder showed his true body again. He steadied himself and opened his eyes, and at last he knew Pilgrim. He took hold of him: "Wukong, where have you come from?" Sha Monk stood by his side and told the whole story: how they had asked Pilgrim, beaten the monster, rescued the princess, lifted the tiger spell, and returned to court. Tripitaka thanked him over and over: "Worthy disciple, it is all thanks to you, thanks to you. On this journey, when we reach the West and return to the Land of the East and report to the Tang Emperor, your merit will be first." Pilgrim laughed: "Say no more, say no more. So long as you don't recite that spell of yours, I'll count your kindness well received." Hearing this, the king pressed thanks on all four of them again. He had a vegetarian feast prepared and opened the east hall wide. Master and disciples accepted the royal favor, took leave of the king, and went west. The king led his many officials to see them off far along the road. And so it is:

The king returns to his precious hall and settles the realm; the monk goes to Thunderclap to bow before the Buddha.

But what happened after this, and when would they reach the Western Heaven? Listen to the next chapter to find out.