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07 Eagle Grief Gorge

Wukong could do nothing but return. "Master, I fought the guilty dragon a long time; he fled into the water and dares not come out." "You claimed you could subdue dragons and tigers," said the Tang Monk. "Why can you not subdue this one?" Stung, Wukong flared up. "Say no more! I will go and settle the matter with him!" He sprang to the edge, thrust his rod into the ravine and stirred it until the waves surged and the muddy water rolled. Sitting in the depths, the dragon could get no peace; he sprang out cursing, "What devil from where, to insult me so!" Wukong saw him rise and struck. Wukong drove him all the way to the cliff; then, seeing he could not prevail, the dragon shook himself, turned into a water snake and slipped into the grass. Wukong beat the grass with his rod but found nothing. In a blaze of anger he recited a spell and summoned the mountain god and the earth god. "What monster is this in Eagle Sorrow Ravine, that dares eat my master's horse?" "There was never any demon in this ravine," they said. "Years ago Guanyin Bodhisattva saved a jade dragon and told him to wait here for the pilgrim. He did not know it was you, Great Sage, and so gave offence. Only ask the Bodhisattva to come, and the dragon will be taken." Wukong went with them to the Tang Monk, told them to guard him, and set off for the South Sea to fetch the Bodhisattva. But even then a voice called from the air, and looking closely Wukong saw Guanyin herself arriving. He sprang up to her and grumbled, "You might have left it at telling me to guard the monk on the road west. What did you want with that band spell to torment me?" "You are a disobedient ape," she said with a smile. "Without some restraint, you would run riot again, and who would clear up after you?" "Let that pass," said Wukong. "But why did you let that guilty dragon turn demon here and eat my master's horse?" "He is the son of the Dragon King of the Western Sea, guilty of a capital crime," said Guanyin. "I pleaded with the Jade Emperor for him, and he was sentenced to serve the pilgrim as a mount." "Go to the ravine," she went on, "and call out: 'Come forth, third prince of the Dragon King — the Bodhisattva of the South Sea is here.' He will come out." Wukong went to the edge and called, and the white dragon duly came leaping out through the waves. Taking human form, the dragon bowed toward the air. "I thank the Bodhisattva for my life. I have waited here a long time, and no pilgrim came." Guanyin pointed at Wukong. "This is the pilgrim's first disciple." "He never mentioned any pilgrimage while we were fighting," said the dragon in amazement. "You ape, you rely on your strength and must always be winning," said the Bodhisattva to Wukong. "Others will submit to you on this journey — you have only to name the quest, and you will spare yourself the trouble." She stepped forward, took the bright pearl from the dragon's neck, dipped the willow branch in sweet dew and brushed him with it, breathed an immortal breath upon him and cried, "Change!"

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