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30 The Kingdom of Lion-Camel

Sandy saw that the day was lost, feinted with his staff, turned on his heel and ran. But the second fiend flung out his trunk and coiled it about him, hands and all, and bore him off to the city. Wukong saw both brothers taken and knew he could not hold out alone. He beat aside the three demons' weapons with his golden-hooped rod and leapt away on his somersault cloud. But the third demon shook himself, resumed his true shape, spread his wings and overtook Wukong, seized him and carried him back to the city. The three demon chiefs went up to the throne hall and ordered their followers to bind master and disciples together in one place. The Tang Monk crouched beside Wukong and wept. "Disciple, now that you too are taken, how shall we come out alive?" Wukong said with a faint smile, "Set your heart at rest, Master. Whatever they do, we shall not be harmed." The old fiend ordered ten young demons to light the fire and twenty to bring out the iron steamer. The demons set to work together and laid Bajie on the lowest shelf and Sandy on the second. Judging that he would be next, Wukong plucked out a hair and turned it into a counterfeit of himself, while his true self slipped away and sprang into mid-air. The demons laid the false Wukong on the third shelf and then hoisted the Tang Monk upon the fourth. Dry faggots were piled beneath, and a fierce fire roared up. Up in the air, Wukong made a magic sign and spoke a spell, summoning Aoshun, the Dragon King of the North Sea, and gave him his instructions. At the command, Aoshun turned himself into a cold wind that blew beneath the pot and circled round to shield it. With no fire to heat the pot, the other three came to no harm. Then Wukong conjured sleep-insects and sprinkled them on the faces of the demons tending the fire; the insects crept into their nostrils, and one by one the demons nodded off and fell fast asleep. Wukong came forward, lifted the lid of the steamer and drew out his master, then freed Sandy and Bajie, shelf by shelf. After that he spoke a spell and dismissed the dragon. By now the three demon chiefs had each retired to their chambers and all the demons were sound asleep. Wukong went down to the golden throne hall, quietly led out the white dragon horse and found their baggage, and the four of them stole away from the demons' den. The four came to the Zhengyang Gate and found it locked, with a paper seal pasted across the lock; there was no way through. Bajie said, "Brother, let us carry our master on our backs and climb over the wall." Wukong could think of nothing better, and agreed. But the Tang Monk's star of calamity had not yet passed. The three demon chiefs, sleeping in the palace, woke suddenly and said the Tang Monk was escaping; they threw on their clothes and rose in haste. All the demons great and small got up and, clustering about them with blades and spears, came to the Zhengyang Gate. By the light of lanterns and torches they saw the Tang Monk and his three disciples climbing the wall. The old fiend rushed up shouting, "Where do you think you are going?" The Tang Monk's legs went weak and his sinews turned to water; he fell from the wall and was seized. The second fiend caught Sandy and the third took Bajie; the demons made off with the baggage and the white horse, and only Wukong escaped upon the clouds. The demons hauled the three of them into the hall and ordered Bajie bound to a pillar before it and Sandy to a pillar behind. Bajie muttered to himself, "Plague take it! Into the steamer again." The third demon said, "In my palace stands the Brocade Fragrance Pavilion, and in the pavilion an iron chest. My counsel is this: hide the Tang Monk in the chest and spread a rumour that we have eaten him half raw. When that ape hears of it, he will give up all hope and go away; and once he has been three or five days absent, we will bring the Tang Monk out and enjoy him at our leisure." The old fiend and the second fiend were delighted. "Brother, well spoken!" That very night they carried the Tang Monk in, hid him in the chest, shut up the pavilion, and spread the rumour through the whole city.

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