Home > Journey to the West > 30-kingdom-of-lion-camel

30 The Kingdom of Lion-Camel

Wukong seized the second fiend's trunk and dragged him forward with all his might, and the fiend had no choice but to follow step by step. So Wukong led him by the nose while Bajie, rake-handle in hand, gave him a blow at every step, all the way down to the foot of the slope. At the sight, the Tang Monk cried, "Goodness! Goodness!" At the Tang Monk's bidding Sandy came forward. "Our master says that if the fiend truly sees us over the mountain, his life is not to be harmed." The second fiend fell to his knees at once and said, whimpering, "Spare my life, and I will bring a chair to carry you." "We are all men of good will," said Wukong, "and we will spare you this once. But change your mind again and, once caught, you will not be spared a second time!" Wukong let go of the fiend's nose, and the second fiend knocked his head and went his way. Meanwhile the old fiend and the third demon heard that the second fiend had been led away by the nose at Wukong's hands, and were filled with dread. When the second fiend came back alone they questioned him, and he told them all that had happened. "Send him on his way at once," he said. The third demon smiled. "If we send him, it suits my plan of luring the tiger down from the mountain." The old fiend and the second fiend did not understand. The third demon said, "Some four hundred li westward lies my own city, with troops there to answer my call. Once we reach the city, we need only do thus and so; master and disciples will be cut off head from tail, and seizing the Tang Monk will be as easy as turning one's hand." At these words the old fiend woke as from a dream. He mustered his demons: thirty he chose first and sent to pitch wayside tents and make the Tang Monk welcome; sixteen more he picked to bear a fragrant rattan sedan chair. The old fiend led his demons to the high road and, seeing the Tang Monk, said with the deepest respect, "Pray mount the chair, good Master Tang, and cross the mountain betimes." The Tang Monk, being but mortal eyes and common clay, saw nothing of the plot and returned their courtesy. Wukong thought it no more than the fruit of his own clemency, and never guessed the demons' scheme. The Tang Monk sat upright in the chair; eight young demons bore it, while another eight went ahead crying the way, and the three demon chiefs walked at either side. Bajie strapped the baggage on the horse and followed with Sandy, and Wukong led the way. So the whole company climbed the high mountain and took the great road westward. After thirty li the demons offered a vegetarian meal; after fifty li more, another. At nightfall they halted and begged the Tang Monk to rest. All along the road all was orderly: three fine meals a day to their hearts' content, and a good night's lodging in comfort. Four hundred li and more they travelled westward, when a city came in sight. Wukong, who was but a li from the chair, saw a great cloud of evil air hanging over the town, and was so shaken that he stumbled and could not get up. Suddenly he heard the wind whistle behind him, and turned to see the third demon king raising a painted halberd in both hands to strike at his head. Wukong rolled over and sprang up, and met the blow with his golden-hooped rod. The old fiend gave the signal and raised his steel blade against Bajie. Bajie panicked, dropped the horse, whirled his rake and hacked wildly about him. The second fiend levelled his long spear at Sandy, who met him with his demon-quelling staff. As for the sixteen young demons, they snatched the white horse and the baggage and hurried the chair, with the Tang Monk in it, straight to the city, whose gates the demons there flung wide. The Tang Monk was dazed and bewildered, with not a friendly face to turn to. The three brothers fought side by side with all their strength against the three demon chiefs, and for a while the sky darkened with spouted mist and cloud, and nothing was heard but howling and roaring. They fought a long while, till Bajie could hold out no longer and fled, dragging his rake behind him. The old fiend slashed at him with his blade; Bajie dodged his head, but a few bristles were shorn away. The old fiend pressed on, resumed his true form, opened his jaws and gripped Bajie by the collar, and carried him into the city.

 9/13   Home Previous 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next Last