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34 The Linked Caves

Wukong meant to bring his rod down and pound the demon like garlic in a mortar, but he feared a blow struck from behind would ruin his good name. He rolled his eyes, hit upon a plan, and turned back to where his master lay hidden. "I took the wind for a demon's wind and the mist for a demon's mist," said Wukong, "but it turns out there is a village a little way ahead, steaming white rice and white-flour buns to feed the monks. This mist is only the hot vapour rising from their steaming baskets." At this Bajie's mouth began to water, and he said at once, "Master, since the villagers are so kindly of heart, let me go and beg a little food for you." The Tang Monk charged him to be careful, and told him to go quickly and return quickly. Bajie was on the point of leaving when Wukong caught hold of him. "The village yonder feeds only the handsome," he said, "and never the ugly." So Bajie shook himself into a short, fat monk, and off he went tapping his wooden fish and humming. Meanwhile the old demon had gathered in his wind and drawn in his mist, and ordered the lesser demons to spread out in a ring across the high road, there to wait for travellers to walk into the net. Before long Bajie came strolling up, and at once the demons seized his hands and feet and closed about him. "Let go," said Bajie hurriedly. "Let me eat at each house in turn." "Monk," said the demons, "what is it you wish to eat?" "You are feeding monks here," said Bajie, "so I have come for my meal." "We are all demon immortals who have attained the Way," they answered, "and we have been waiting to steam a monk like you and eat him. And you talk of coming here to be fed!" Only then did Bajie know that Wukong had played him false. He resumed his true shape at once, drew the rake from his waist, and with a wild flurry of blows drove the lesser demons off. Seeing this, the old demon came forward and asked who he was, and Bajie told him the plain truth. "So you are the Tang Monk's disciple," said the demon. "It is you I have been wanting to catch!" He swung his iron club at Bajie's head, and Bajie raised his rake to meet him. Now Wukong, seeing Bajie go, had feared some mishap might befall him; he left a false body beside his master and flew up into the air to look down upon the fight. Below, Bajie was fighting hard with his rake, yet slowly getting the worse of it. "Do not panic, Bajie," called Wukong. "Old Sun is here!" At the sound of his voice Bajie's courage redoubled, and he rained blow after blow upon the old demon. Unable to hold out, the old demon gathered his demons about him and fled the field in defeat. Seeing the demons routed, Wukong turned his cloud about, went back to the Tang Monk, and shook his hairs back into his body. The Tang Monk, being but mortal flesh, noticed nothing at all. Presently Bajie came panting back, with snivel running from his nose and white froth flecking his mouth. The Tang Monk looked at him in astonishment. "Bajie," he asked, "how have you come to such a sorry pass?" Bajie told them all that had happened. Wukong denied it at first, but when he saw he could hide it no longer, he spoke Bajie fair, coaxing him to be their path-breaker and promising that if the demon were beaten the credit should all be his.

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