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10 Yellow Wind Ridge

The demon could not hold them. He turned away, faced the quarter of Xun, opened his mouth wide three times and blew out a breath that became a yellow wind; and as it swept into the sky the hundred little Wukongs were spun about in midair like so many spinning-wheels. Wukong shook himself and took the hairs back into his body, then raised his rod and pressed in again — but the demon blew a great mouthful of yellow wind full in his face, and his fiery eyes and golden pupils were squeezed tight shut and would not open, so that he was forced to flee. The demon did not pursue; he gathered in his wind and went back to the cave. As for Bajie: when he saw the yellow wind rise and heaven and earth go dark, he clung to the horse and the baggage and lay flat in the hollow, chanting the Buddha's name and making vows. He was still fretting when Wukong came groping toward him with his hands over his eyes and tears streaming down both cheeks. Bajie asked at once what had happened. "The old demon's evil wind is terrible," said Wukong, waving a hand. "He is hard to beat. Let us find some house to stay in for the night, and come back tomorrow to subdue him and rescue our master." Bajie agreed at once. Leading the horse and shouldering the baggage they came out of the hollow, and heard a dog barking on the slope south of the road. They stopped to look, and saw a farmstead; and they went there at once to ask for lodging. An old man came out of the farmstead with several farmhands carrying rakes and brooms. He asked where they came from, then invited them into the yard, gave them seats and tea, and when the tea was done brought out bowls of sesame rice to stay their hunger. Seeing that Wukong's eyes were red and swollen and weeping, the old man asked the reason, and Wukong told him what had befallen him at the Yellow Wind Cave. "That wind is called the Samadhi Divine Wind," said the old man. "It can darken heaven and earth, it can grieve ghosts and gods; it splits rocks and brings down cliffs, and the man it blows upon is dead. Only an immortal could come through it unharmed." "Old Sun is no immortal," said Wukong, "but his life is not in danger. It is his eyeballs that ache so." "An unusual man once gave me a remedy," said the old man, "called the Three-Flower Nine-Seed Salve, and it cures every wind-sore eye." Wukong begged him to treat him at once. The old man went into the inner room and brought out a small agate jar, drew the stopper, and with a jade hairpin took out a little of the eye-salve and put it in Wukong's eyes, charging him not to open them and to sleep in peace, and he would be well by morning. Bajie undid the bundle and spread the bedding and told Wukong to rest. Wukong groped about with his eyes shut, and Bajie laughed quietly to himself. Wukong sat on the bed and turned his spiritual power in circulation, and did not lie down until the third watch. At the fifth watch, as dawn approached, Wukong wiped his face and opened his eyes. "Good medicine indeed! My eyes are clearer than ever." He turned to look about him: there was no house, no windows or doors, only old locusts and tall willows — and the two of them lying on the grass beneath the trees. Bajie woke, and finding no house about him scrambled up in alarm. "Where is my horse?" "Is that not it, tethered to the tree?" "And the baggage?" "Is that not it, beside you?" "We must have slept uncommonly soundly," said Bajie. "They moved house and pulled the building down and we never heard a sound of it." "Donkey," said Wukong with a laugh, "no nonsense. See what paper is pasted on that tree." Bajie went and peeled it off, and there were four lines written on it: "This dwelling is no common man's abode; the Dharma-guarding Qielan built it to enlighten you. The wonder-drug will cure your eyes' pain; go down the demon with all your heart and do not hesitate." "It is the Dharma-protecting Qielan watching over us in secret," said Wukong. "The old man and the farmstead were all his transformations." "The mouth of the Yellow Wind Cave is not far from here," said Wukong. "You stay in the wood and watch the horse and the baggage. Old Sun will go into the cave and find out what has become of our master." "Get us certain news," said Bajie. "If our master is dead, we can each go our own way." "Do not talk nonsense," Wukong snapped. "I am off." And with a leap of his body he was at the cave mouth.

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