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29 The Spider Cave

In an instant Bajie's face changed colour, tears ran from Sandy's eyes, and foam came from the Tang Monk's mouth: all three fell fainting to the ground. Knowing well that he had been tricked, Wukong cursed the Daoist. "You beast, why have you poisoned us?" He hurled his teacup at the Daoist's face; the Daoist fended it off with his sleeve and the cup was dashed to pieces. "You bullied my sisters," said the Daoist with a cold laugh, "and do you still hope to live?" "So you are in league with the demons!" cried Wukong. "Do not run: take this staff!" He snatched up his golden-hooped rod and struck at the Daoist, who turned aside to dodge, drew his sword and fought back. The two fought and cursed as they fought, and the noise soon roused the she-demons inside, who came running out crying, "Do not fret, brother; let your sisters take him!" Wukong grew angrier still: he left the Daoist, whirled his staff in both hands and flung himself at the women. Then the seven women threw open their garments and thrust out their snow-white bellies, and by their magic silk cords gushed from their navels, weaving a great canopy that covered Wukong beneath it. Seeing the danger, Wukong turned a somersault, burst through the canopy and leaped into the air. Looking down, he saw the silk cords shooting to and fro without cease, thick and close-woven, until the whole Yellow Flower Temple was hidden from sight. A plan came into Wukong's mind. He plucked out some hairs, breathed a magic breath upon them and conjured seventy little Wukongs; then he turned his golden-hooped rod into seventy forked staves with two prongs, and each little Wukong was given one. The seventy little Wukongs stood outside the Yellow Flower Temple, set their forked staves to the silk cords, and with a shouted work-song heaved all together. After a dozen turns or so apiece, they had twisted every one of the cords in two. Wukong bade the little monkeys drag out seven spiders, each no bigger than a man's palm, all hunching their heads and drawing in their legs and crying, "Mercy, mercy!" "Give me back my master and my brothers!" Wukong roared. The spider demons cried out toward the temple, "Brother, give the Tang Monk back and save our lives!" But the Daoist ran out from within and said, "Sisters, I mean to eat the Tang Monk's flesh; I cannot save you." "Since you will not give back my master, then look upon your sisters!" cried Wukong in a fury. He raised his golden-hooped rod and beat the seven spider demons to a pulp, so that their matter and blood ran over the ground. When the Daoist saw his sisters struck dead, he too grew savage and levelled his sword at Wukong. Each nursing his anger, the two displayed all their magic powers: what a battle it was! After fifty or sixty bouts the Daoist gradually began to fail, and he untied his girdle and slipped off his long robe. Wukong said with a laugh, "My son, if you cannot win, stripping off your clothes will do you no good!" Who would have thought that when the Daoist stripped to the skin and raised both arms, a thousand eyes would appear beneath his ribs, blazing forth a fierce golden light that hemmed Wukong in as fast as an iron barrel. The golden light gave Wukong a headache past bearing; he could go neither forward nor back. In his extremity he gave himself a shake and turned into a pangolin, bored into the earth and tunnelled more than twenty li before he escaped the golden light.

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