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21 Jindou Cave

The Great Sage came to the front of Jindou Cave, shook himself into a fly, beat his wings, and squeezed through the crack of the door. Inside the demon's cave the imps were holding a great banquet, dancing and singing. Wukong flapped his wings and changed himself into a badger-headed spirit, mingled with the demons, and at the height of the noise slipped quietly into the rear cave. Wukong saw a thin gleam of light coming from the crack of the rear-cave door. He stopped, pushed the door open, and saw the fire gods - the fire dragons, fire horses and the rest - all hung up high inside, and the Wish-Fulfilling Golden-Hooped Rod leaning against the wall. Wukong was overjoyed. He resumed his true form, seized the golden-hooped rod and fought his way out. The imps were caught utterly off guard and trembling with fear, some killed and some wounded. The One-Horned King, beside himself with rage, led his demons out of the cave in pursuit, roaring, "You ape-thief! You stole my treasure in broad daylight. The very cheek of it!" Wukong cursed, "You doomed beast! When did your Grandpa Sun's golden-hooped rod become yours?" So saying, he raised the rod and struck at the One-Horned King. Wukong had long been gathering his strength; now once more in possession of the golden-hooped rod he was like a fierce tiger with wings. In this fierce fight the old demon was no match for him, retreating step by step and able only to parry. The old demon held out for more than fifty bouts, then braced his spear against the golden-hooped rod and said, "Ape! The day is late and this is no hour for fighting. Let us each return to camp and rest, and settle the matter tomorrow!" Wukong was in the heat of battle and would not hear of it. The old demon, seeing that a truce was impossible, made a feint with his spear and fled back into the demon cave, barring the door fast. Wukong returned to the southern slope and took counsel with the gods. "After today's fight the old demon must be tired. Tonight I shall go into the demon's cave again and have a look. If I can get hold of that steel ring and subdue him, I will of course return your weapons to each of you." The gods joined their hands and said, "A brilliant plan! A brilliant plan!" Wukong came to the front of Jindou Cave, tucked the golden-hooped rod into his ear, shook himself into a cricket, kicked open his long legs, and hopped through the crack of the door into the cave. Wukong came into the cave and saw that most of the imps were already asleep. Suddenly he heard the old demon order the guards at every gate, "Lads! Stay alert, all of you! Don't let that monkey steal the treasure again!" Wukong, hearing the voice, slipped round to the rear cave, and there saw several young female demons smoothing the bed and arranging the covers for the old demon, unlacing his clothes and loosening his sash. Seeing the old demon take to his bed, with the very steel ring on his left arm, Wukong slipped aside and changed himself into a flea, hopped onto the stone bed, and bit the old demon's left arm viciously twice. The old demon turned over, cursed a couple of times, pushed the steel ring up his arm a couple of inches, and slowly fell asleep again. Wukong, seeing that the One-Horned King and the ring were inseparable, had no choice but to hop down from the stone bed, change back into a cricket, slip out of the room, and hop on toward the inner cave. Wukong had hopped seven or eight steps when he heard faintly the sound of dragons neighing and horses whinnying from a side cave in the western wing. He stopped at once, resumed his true form, uttered an unlocking spell, and opened the door. Inside, the fire dragons, fire horses, fire crows and fire rats were hung up high, and on the east and west walls were displayed all manner of divine weapons. On a stone table behind the door a bamboo tray held a tuft of monkey hairs. Wukong was overjoyed. He took up the hairs, blew them into the air, and they became three or four dozen little monkeys who seized swords and knives, drove out the crows and rats, and rushed out of the cave in a body. Wukong at once ordered all the fire gods to blaze up a great fire, mounted the fire dragons and burned their way out of the cave. In an instant the cave was filled with blazing light and roaring flames. The demons howled and wept, each of them cornered with nowhere to turn, and the greater part were burned to death.

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