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23 The False Monkey King

Toward evening they saw a farmstead ahead in the distance. The Tang Monk said, "Disciples, let us beg a night's lodging there." So they rode up to the house, dismounted, and went to knock on the door. An old man came out and asked, "Where do you come from, reverend?" The Tang Monk said, "I am a poor monk sent by Great Tang to seek the scriptures in the West. I am passing through your honored village, and as night is falling, I have come to beg a lodging." On hearing that a great Tang monk had arrived, the old man at once invited the travelers inside. The old man ordered his household to prepare a vegetarian meal, which he set before the Tang Monk and his disciples. The old man said his surname was Yang, and that he had a son who had sadly taken to bad ways, fallen in with a pack of low companions, and turned to robbery, murder, and arson. After a long sigh, the old man went to the back of the house, tidied a room, and let the travelers rest there. In the fourth watch of the night, old Yang heard knocking on the door, hastily threw on a coat, and went to open it. He saw his son burst in with a band of men, shouting, "We're hungry! Hungry! Get us some food at once!" These, in fact, were the very bandits whom Wukong had scattered in the woods. Old Yang said, "Last night a few monks came to beg a lodging. Keep your voices down." When his son heard, he clapped his hands with a great laugh, saying, "What a small world for enemies! Brothers, when the food is ready and we've all eaten well, let us kill those bald donkeys and avenge our chiefs!" Hearing this, old Yang took advantage of the time while they were cooking to slip round to the back room and wake the travelers, saying, "That worthless son of mine has come back. He has learned you are here and means to harm you. Pack up at once and leave by the back door!" The Tang Monk thanked him again and again. The Tang Monk took leave of the old man and at once told Bajie to lead the horse, Sandy to shoulder the luggage, and Wukong to take up the nine-ringed staff, and they slipped quietly out by the back door. When daylight came, shouts were heard from behind. The Tang Monk looked back and cried, "The bandits are chasing us! What shall we do?" Wukong said, "Set your mind at ease, Master! Let Old Sun go and drive them off!" The Tang Monk urged him, "On no account hurt them; just frighten them off." The bandits caught up and closed in around Wukong, cursing, "Give us back our chiefs' lives!" With that, they slashed and thrust at him with sword and spear. Wukong flew into a rage, swept his golden-hooped rod around, and where it swept the bandits died — those it touched perished on the spot. Seeing Wukong kill so many more, the Tang Monk tumbled from his horse in terror. He gathered his wits, sat on the ground, and began reciting the band-tightening spell. Wukong clasped his head in agony, somersaulting and standing on his head on the ground, crying out, "Master, stop! Stop!" The Tang Monk said angrily, "You violent ape! Killing so many people — you are no pilgrim. I want nothing more to do with you. Be off!" Wukong kowtowed and said, "Master, you would send me away? I'm afraid without me you cannot reach the West." The Tang Monk said in a fury, "Be off, be off! Lest I recite the spell again!" Frightened, Wukong said quickly, "Master, don't recite! I'm going!" He mounted his somersault cloud and vanished in a moment without a trace. Wukong thought to himself in the air: This monk has repaid my devotion with ingratitude. I shall go and tell the Bodhisattva Guanyin. With that thought, he mounted his somersault cloud and set off across the southern seas.

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