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07 Eagle Grief Gorge

Early the next day, after the vegetarian meal, he took leave of the monks and went on westward with his attendants. Two or three days on they came to Hezhou, on the Tang frontier. The garrison commander and the local clergy heard that the imperial envoy had arrived and received him with every reverence, lodging him at the Fuyuan Temple. Before dawn the next day he roused his men and pressed on. Under pale frost and a fading moon they went some tens of li further, and lost their way among the jagged hills. The Tang Monk dismounted to find the path, and as he went he slipped; all three, horse and men together, fell into a pit. They were terrified. Then came a roar: "Bring them here! Bring them here!" A wild wind rose, and fifty or sixty demons swarmed out and dragged them up. Trembling, the Tang Monk stole a glance and saw above him a demon king of most savage aspect. The demon king was about to order food and wine when a small demon came running in: "Lord Xiong of the Mountain and Scholar Te have arrived." The king rose hastily to greet them, and a dark-fellow and a fat fellow came swaggering in. After the greetings the king ordered his imps: "Cut out the hearts and livers of that monk's two attendants for my guests to enjoy, then chop them up and share them round." In moments the two attendants had been devoured clean, and the Tang Monk's soul nearly fled him. He drifted in a daze until the east grew pale and at last the demons dispersed. Then an old man came forward leaning on a staff; with a wave of his hand the bonds parted, and with a soft breath the Tang Monk slowly came to himself. The Tang Monk knelt to give thanks. "Those three were a wild-ox spirit, a bear spirit and a tiger spirit," the old man said. "The lesser imps were mountain sprites and tree-ghosts, strange beasts and grey wolves. But your original nature is pure and bright, and so they could not eat you. Come, let me set you on your way." The old man led him out of the demons' cave, then turned into a clear breeze and mounted a crane and rose into the sky. A slip of paper floated down from the cloud; reading it, the Tang Monk knew it was Taibai Jinxing, and bowed hastily toward heaven. He led his horse on. Half a day later two great striped tigers came roaring toward him, with venomous snakes coiled beside them. He could go neither forward nor back, and terror filled him. Seeing no escape, he closed his eyes and waited for death. But in an instant the tigers and snakes scattered. Opening his eyes he saw a burly fellow with a steel fork in his hand and bow and arrows at his belt, come running down the slope. "Spare me, my lord, spare me!" the Tang Monk cried, kneeling. The man helped him up and reassured him. "Do not fear, Venerable. I am a hunter of these hills, Liu Boqin, called Guardian of the Mountain. I came only to hunt the tiger, and I beg pardon for alarming you." His fear allayed, the Tang Monk explained his errand. "This is still Tang territory," said Liu Boqin. "Rest tonight at my house; tomorrow I will see you on your way." The Tang Monk was glad and thanked him again and again.

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