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36 The Rake Feast

The demon dodged aside in alarm, ran to the back and fetched a four-pointed spade. Wheeling round he shouted, "Who are you, that dare cheat me of my treasure?" "Shameless demon!" cried Wukong. "You stole our weapons, and now you lay the blame on us. Today old Sun will let you taste his power!" He swung his rod, and the demon raised his spade to guard. After a few rounds the demon could hold out no longer. He made a feint with his spade, caught up a wind, and fled towards the south-east. Wukong and his brothers did not pursue. They went to the cave mouth, slew every one of the hundred-odd demons, set fire to the cave, and returned to the city of Yuhua. All night the yellow lion demon pressed on, and at dawn he reached the Winding Cave of Nine Turns on Bamboo-Knot Mountain. He flung himself down before the nine-spirited sage and wept aloud. The nine-spirited sage was amazed. "Good grandson," he said, "I was even now setting out for your Rake Feast. Why have you come?" With tears in his eyes the lion demon told how Wukong had taken back the weapons. The nine-spirited sage flew into a rage. "That ape must be Sun Wukong, who wrecked the heavenly palace in years gone by. I will avenge you!" With that he mustered the lion demons of the cave; each rode a wild wind, and away they swept to Leopard Head Mountain. When the lion demons reached Leopard Head Mountain, Cunning and Queer were wailing in the drifting smoke. "What are you two crying for?" the yellow lion demanded, and the pair told how Wukong had frozen them and burned the cave. At this the demon's tears gushed forth. He stamped his foot and raged, "My cave burnt, my fair lady burnt to death, it is enough to kill me with vexation!" He would have dashed his head against the cliff, but the nine-spirited sage caught hold of him. "It is done," he said. "Grief will not mend it. Let us take that monk and have our revenge!" Thereupon all the demons mounted a black wind that whipped up sand and stones, and bore down on the city of Yuhua. The townsfolk, seeing demons come, scattered in terror. Wukong bade the prince and his sons array their soldiers in defence, while he, Bajie and Sandy took their weapons, rose into the clouds, and went out beyond the walls to meet the foe. At the sight of Wukong the yellow lion's eyes grew red with hate. He swung his spade and slashed at Wukong's head. Wukong met the blow with his rod, and Bajie and Sandy pressed in as well, till all were locked in battle. They fought half the day, and evening came before they knew it. Bajie's legs gave way with weariness; a blow fell across his back and he was seized. "Brother, save me!" he cried. Seeing the demons so many and so strong, Wukong plucked a handful of hairs from his body, breathed on them with immortal breath, and turned them into a hundred little Wukongs, who ringed the demons round. The demons could not withstand them and fled in all directions. Two lion demons were too slow; Wukong and Sandy struck them down, bound them, and carried them into the city. At dawn next day the nine-spirited sage laid a plan with the yellow lion. "Today you keep Sun Wukong busy," he said. "I shall slip into the city unseen and seize the Tang Monk, the old prince and his sons."

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