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30 The Kingdom of Lion-Camel

Wukong was secretly alarmed: the demons did not frighten him, but he must beware that vase. He went on, "Of your three kings, do you know which one wants to eat the Tang Monk?" The little wind-borer said, "The Eldest and Second kings have long lived on the Lion-Camel Ridge. The Third king lived four hundred li to the west, where stands a city called the Lion-Camel Kingdom." "Five hundred years ago he devoured the king of that city and all his officials, and every man, woman and child in the place was eaten clean away. Then, some year or other, he heard that a monk had been sent from the east to fetch the scriptures in the Western Heaven, and that one bite of his flesh would grant immortality. So he came here and swore brotherhood with our two kings, and together they mean to seize the Tang Monk." Wukong flew into a rage. "Outrageous demons!" He ground his iron teeth, whipped out his rod and brought it down on the young demon's head, and the little creature was crushed into a lump of flesh. Wukong took off the demon's pass and hung it at his own waist, slung the "Order" banner across his back, hung the bell at his side and took the clapper in his hand. Then he made a magic sign in the wind, shook himself into the very shape of the little wind-borer, and turned back the way he had come, seeking out the cave to spy upon the three old demons. Deep in the mountains he suddenly heard the shouting of men and the neighing of horses. He looked up, and there before the mouth of the Lion-Camel Cave were tens of thousands of young demons drawn up with spears and swords and halberds, with banners and plumes flying. Wukong thought to himself, "The words of Li Changgeng were no lie!" Beating his clapper and ringing his bell, Wukong marched straight up to the mouth of the Lion-Camel Cave. The young demons of the outer camp stopped him: "Is that the little wind-borer?" Wukong did not answer, but walked on with lowered head. When he reached the second camp the demons caught hold of him again. "You went out to patrol this morning. Did you happen upon Sun Wukong?" "I did," said Wukong. "He was crouching by the stream there, like a god who clears the way, holding an iron rod as thick as a bowl. He scooped up water from the rocky bank and was sharpening his staff." At this the young demons were stricken with terror, their souls scattered and their wits fled. Wukong went on, "There are not many pounds of flesh on that Tang Monk, and little enough will come to you. Better we each go our own way." The demons were but wolves and insects, tigers and leopards, birds and beasts; they cried "Well spoken!" and with a howl scattered away. Wukong went some seven or eight li further and came to the third gate. Peeping in, he saw three old demons seated high above: in the middle the blue-haired lion fiend, on his left the yellow-tusked old elephant, on his right the great roc that flies ninety thousand li. Below them on either side stood a hundred captains great and small, every one of them grim and terrible, bristling with killing air. Wukong strode boldly through the gate and cried upwards, "Great kings!" The three old fiends asked, smiling, "You went to patrol the mountain. Did you learn where Sun Wukong is?" So Wukong told the three old fiends the very tale with which he had frightened the young demon. At his words the old fiend broke out all over in sweat. Wukong went on, "He said he would flay the Eldest King, strip the bones of the Second King and draw the sinews of the Third. He can transform himself, and at any moment he may turn into a fly and slip in through a crack in the gate. What will you do then?" The old fiend cried in alarm, "Brothers, be watchful! If any fly comes in, it is Sun Wukong." Wukong chuckled to himself: I will turn into a fly and give them a fright. He reached behind his head, plucked out a hair, blew a breath of immortal air upon it, and turned it into a golden fly that flew straight at the old fiend's face and butted him. The old fiend panicked, and all the demons great and small snatched up rakes and brooms and rushed forward, swatting wildly. Wukong could not help laughing aloud, and the laugh brought back his true face. The third demon king leapt forward and seized him. "Brother, this is not the little wind-borer who spoke before. It is Sun Wukong himself!" The old fiend laughed. "Brother, he answered the roll call three times today. I know him for the little wind-borer." Wukong said in flurried haste, "I am the little wind-borer." The third demon king said, "He turned aside and laughed a moment ago, and a thunder-god's beak showed through." He ordered the young demons to bring ropes; they threw Wukong down and bound him hand and foot. When they lifted his clothes they saw a body of yellow fur, two red haunches and a tail: plainly Bimawen himself. The old fiend was overjoyed and ordered wine to be set out in celebration. But the third demon king said, "Not so fast! Sun Wukong knows the arts of escape. Have the lads bring out the vase and shut him in it; then we can drink in peace." The old fiend picked thirty-six young demons, who opened the treasury and carried the vase out. It was a treasure of the two breaths of yin and yang, and it took thirty-six men, the number of the heavenly stars, to lift it.

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