The story goes that Sun the Great Sage, having recovered his gold-banded cudgel, fought his way out the front gate, leapt up onto the high peak, and faced the host of gods, his heart full of joy.
"How went this round?" asked Heavenly King Li.
"Old Sun changed himself and got inside his cave," said the Pilgrim. "That monster has grown more and more careless—singing and dancing and drinking his victory wine. I never did find out where his treasure is kept. I slipped around to the back and heard horses neighing and dragons moaning, and knew they were things of the Fire Ministry. Leaning against the east wall was my gold-banded cudgel; old Sun took it in hand and fought my way out with it."
"Now that your treasure is recovered," said the gods, "when do we get ours?"
"Not hard! Not hard! With this iron cudgel in hand, no matter what it takes, old Sun will beat him down and fetch your treasures back to you."
As they were speaking, they heard gongs and drums thundering from below the mountainside and shouts shaking the earth—it was the Rhinoceros King leading his host of spirits to chase the Pilgrim. Seeing them, the Pilgrim cried: "Good! Good! Good! Just what I wanted! Sit, gentlemen, sit, and let old Sun go take him again."
What a Great Sage! He raised his iron cudgel and met them head-on, shouting: "Where do you run, vile monster! Take my cudgel!"
The monster parried with his spear and cursed: "Thieving monkey! What utter insolence! How dare you rob my house in broad daylight?"
"You death-blind beast, you!" said the Pilgrim. "It was you who used that snare of yours to rob me in broad daylight! Which of that gear was ever yours? Don't run! Take a stroke of your lord's cudgel!" The monster wheeled his spear to block and parry. What a battle this was!
The Great Sage displayed his fierce might; The demon monster showed no meekness. Both sides closed in a contest of valor— Which of them would ever give in?
This one's iron cudgel like a dragon's tail; That one's long spear like a python's head. This one's cudgel came in moves that whistled like the wind; That one's spear warded with a hero's might that flowed like water. See the colored mists grow murky, darkening the hills; The auspicious clouds hang heavy, saddening the woods. Every bird in the sky furls its wings; Wolves and beasts across the wilds all tuck their heads. On the demon side the little imps raise their cries; On this side the Pilgrim rouses all his powers. One iron cudgel no one can withstand— It beat its way across the whole West, wandering ten thousand li.
That long spear made a true antagonist, Long the pride of Jindou's guardian lord. When these two met, no easy parting— No rest till high and low was proved.
The demon king and Sun the Great Sage fought through three double-hours without victory going either way, and already the sky was growing dark.
The demon propped up his long spear and said: "Wukong, hold! It's dusk and dark—no time for a contest. Let each of us rest a while, and tomorrow morning I'll contend with you again."
"Shut your mouth, vile beast!" the Pilgrim cursed. "Old Sun's spirit has just risen—who cares if it's late? We must settle who wins and who loses!"
With a shout the monster flourished his spear in feint, fled for his life, and led his crowd of demons back; they stowed their arms, went into the cave, and shut the door tight.
The Great Sage dragged his cudgel back. The heavenly gods on the cliff-top congratulated him: "Truly one of might and power, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven—boundless, measureless true skill!"
"You flatter me, you flatter me!" the Pilgrim laughed.
Heavenly King Li came near and said: "Those are no flatteries—truly a fine man! This round was no less than the day you slipped through the snares of earth and nets of heaven!"
"Let's not dwell on old tales," said the Pilgrim. "That demon has fought this round with old Sun and must be weary. I can't very well speak of my own toil. Sit easy, all of you, while I go into the cave once more to scout out his ring. I'm determined to steal it, catch the monster, recover your weapons, and return them to you so you can go back to Heaven."
"It's already late," said the prince. "Better sleep one night and go at dawn."
The Pilgrim laughed: "This young fellow knows nothing of the world! When did you ever see a thief ply his trade in broad daylight? Work like this must be done going by night and coming back by night, unnoticed and unseen—that's how the business is done."
The Star Lord of Fire and the Thunder Officers said: "Third Highness, say no more. This is a trade we know nothing of; the Great Sage is an old hand with a practiced routine. Let him seize this very hour—first, because the demon-head is weary, and second, because the black night is off its guard. Quick, be off! Be off!"
What a Great Sage! Chuckling, he hid his iron cudgel, leapt down from the high peak, came again to the mouth of the cave, shook his body, and changed into a cricket. Truly:
Hard mouth, long feelers, black of hide, Bright eyes, legs and claws splayed. In clear wind and bright moon he chirps by the walls, In the still night sounding like human talk. A mournful scene, weeping with dew; A voice broken off and on—well worth the praise. The traveler at the guest window dreads to hear it, There, beneath the empty steps, beside the bed.
He kicked out his great hind legs and made three or five hops, hopped to the door, squeezed in through the crack, crouched at the base of the wall facing the lamplight inside, and looked carefully. There he saw the crowd of demons, great and small, every one of them wolfing and gobbling away at their food.
The Pilgrim chirped a round of chirrups. After a little they cleared away the dishes and all went to lay out their bedding, each settling to rest.
It was about the first watch when the Pilgrim at last made his way to the rear chamber, where he heard the old demon passing orders: "You little ones at every gate—sleep with one eye open! I fear Sun Wukong may change himself into something again and sneak in to steal!"
There were some on duty keeping the night watch, and with the clappers and bells sounding ding-dong, dong-ding, the Great Sage found it all the easier to work. He slipped in through the chamber door and saw a stone bed, with several powder-painted, rouge-smeared mountain imps and tree ghosts ranged left and right, spreading the coverlets and waiting on the old demon—pulling off his stockings, unfastening his clothes. Watch now as the demon king loosened his garments: on his left arm, white and gleaming, was that ring—shaped like a bracelet of strung pearls.
And see—he did not take it off. He pushed it up his arm a couple of pushes and bound it tight upon his arm, and only then lay down to sleep.
When the Pilgrim saw this, he changed again, becoming a yellow-skinned flea, leapt onto the stone bed, burrowed under the coverlet, crawled onto the monster's arm, and gave him one solid bite. The bite made the monster roll over cursing: "You under-flogged slaves! Not shaking out the quilt, not brushing off the bed—what thing is this that's bitten me?"
He pushed the ring up a couple more pushes and lay down again. The Pilgrim climbed onto the ring itself and bit him once more. Unable to sleep, the monster rolled over again: "It itches and stings—it's driving me mad!"
The Pilgrim saw that his guard was close, the treasure on his very body and never taken off, and judged that stealing it was hopeless. He hopped down from the bed, changed back into a cricket, went out the chamber door, and went straight to the rear. There again he heard dragons moaning and horses neighing: that inner gate was locked tight, and the fire-dragons and fire-horses all hung within.
The Pilgrim showed his true form, went up to the door, worked his lock-opening method, recited a spell, and passed his hand over it—with a clack, the lock's double bolts both fell away. He pushed open the door and burst in to look. Inside, the fire-weapons lit everything as bright and gleaming as broad day. Suddenly he saw several weapons leaning aslant on the east and west walls—all the prince's demon-slicing saber and the rest, together with the Star Lord of Fire's fire-bows, fire-arrows, and the like.
By the firelight the Pilgrim looked around the whole place, and then saw behind the door, on a stone table, a woven-bamboo tray holding a handful of hairs.
The Great Sage's heart filled with joy. He picked up the hairs, breathed two warm breaths on them, and cried "Change!" At once they became thirty or fifty little monkeys, and he had them all take up the sabers, swords, pestles, ropes, balls, and wheels, together with bows, arrows, lances, carts, gourds, fire-crows, fire-rats, fire-horses—everything that had been snatched away—mount the fire-dragons, let loose the flames, and burn their way out from within. There arose a roaring, crackling, popping, banging, just like rolling thunder joined with cannon fire.
The demons, great and small, panicked out of their sleep—dazed and befuddled, wrapped in quilts, heads covered, some screaming, some wailing, each with nowhere to turn—and more than half of them were burned to death. The Handsome Monkey King returned in triumph; it was just about the third watch.
Now on the high peak, Heavenly King Li and the rest suddenly saw the firelight blaze up, and they all surged forward to meet him. There was the Pilgrim riding a dragon, whooping and hallooing, marshaling his little monkeys, going straight up to the peak-top and calling out in a loud voice: "Come collect your weapons! Come collect your weapons!"
The Star Lord of Fire and Nezha answered with a shout. The Pilgrim shook his body, and the handful of hairs returned to him. Prince Nezha gathered in his six weapons, the Star Lord of Fire had his fire host collect the fire-dragons and the rest, and all of them, smiling, praised and congratulated the Pilgrim—of this no more.
Now in Jindou Mountain the flames blazed in all directions, and the Rhinoceros King was scared out of his wits. He hurriedly rose, opened his chamber door, took the ring in both hands, and pushed it east—east fire went out; pushed it west—west flames died away. Smoke spurted and fire burst through the whole sky as he ran a round with the treasure in hand, and on every side the smoke and fire were quenched. He hastily tried to rescue his crowd of demons, but more than half had been burned to death—men and women alike, fewer than a hundred-odd souls could be gathered. He went to check the weapon stores: every item was gone.
He went farther back to look, and saw Bajie, the Sha Monk, and the elder still bound and not yet untied, the white dragon horse still in its stall, and the luggage and carrying-pole still in the room.
The demon ground his teeth in hatred: "Some careless little imp let a fire get loose and brought all this about!"
At his side an attendant reported: "Great King, this fire is none of our household's doing. It must have been some thief who raided the camp and fired the stockade—he let loose those things of the Fire Ministry and stole the divine weapons away."
Only then did the old demon understand: "No one else—it was surely that thief Sun Wukong! No wonder I couldn't sleep soundly when I lay down! That thief-monkey must have changed himself and come in, and bitten my arm twice. He surely meant to steal my treasure, but saw I kept it bound tight and couldn't get at it, and so he stole the weapons, loosed the fire-dragons, and worked this vicious scheme, meaning to burn me to death. Thief-monkey! You wore out your cunning for nothing—you don't know my powers! So long as I wear this treasure, I could sink into the great sea and not drown, walk into a fire pit and not burn! This time, if I catch that thief, only lighting him up like a torch will ease my heart!"
He grumbled and fumed a long while, and before he knew it, the cock crowed and the sky grew light.
On the high peak the prince, having recovered his six weapons, said to the Pilgrim: "Great Sage, day has broken—no time to slack. The demon's edge has been blunted; we of the Fire Ministry and the rest will back you up. Let's go fight with all our strength once more—this time, maybe, he can be taken."
"Well said," the Pilgrim laughed. "Let's join hearts and go have our fun!" One and all they roused their martial spirit, gleefully flaunting their weapons, and went straight to the mouth of the cave.
The Pilgrim shouted: "Vile monster, come out! Fight with old Sun!"
Now those two stone doors had been burned to ashes by the fire, and inside the doorway several little imps were sweeping and gathering ashes. Suddenly seeing the host of holy ones arrive, they dropped their brooms, threw down their ash-rakes, and ran inside to report: "Sun Wukong has brought a whole crowd of heavenly gods and is cursing us out for battle at the gate again!"
The rhinoceros monster was greatly alarmed at the report. His steel teeth ground with a grinding crunch; his round eyes glared wide in a rolling stare. He leveled his long spear, took up his treasure, and walked out the gate, cursing wildly: "You camp-burning, fire-setting thief of a monkey! What powers have you got, to dare scorn me so?"
The Pilgrim cursed him back with a smiling face: "Vile monster! You want to know my powers? Step forward, and I'll tell you:
From birth my powers were supreme; My name rang out through all the world. In early youth I woke and sought the immortal Way, And long ago received the ageless recipe. Resolved, I bowed beneath the Square-Inch mountain; With reverence I saw the sages' land. I learned transformations past all counting, And range at will the boundless vault of space. At ease before my hills I tamed the tigers; For sport within the seas I quelled the dragons. My ancient home, the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit— A kingly throne; in the Water Curtain Cave I flaunted strength. Time and again I schemed to reach the heavens; Oftentimes in ignorance I seized the world above. The emperor bestowed the name Great Sage Equal to Heaven, And by decree I was titled Handsome Monkey King. Only because they feasted at the Peach Banquet And sent no invitation to my stubborn temper, I broke into the Jade Pool by night and stole the jade liquor, Slipped through the empty halls and drank the nectar; Dragon liver and phoenix marrow I stole and ate, A hundred flavors of dainties I filched and tasted; The thousand-year peaches I enjoyed at will, Ten-thousand-year elixirs stuffed my gut. The rarities of heaven I took them every one, The wonders of the sacred stores I hid away. The Jade Emperor heard what powers I had And sent his heavenly troops to spread the battlefield. The Nine Shining baleful stars by me were routed; The fierce constellations of the five quarters I wounded. All the gods and generals of heaven could not withstand me; A hundred thousand stalwart troops dared not oppose. I forced the Jade Emperor to pass his word Till the Little Sage of Guanjiang marshaled his men. We fought through seventy-two transformations, Each side flaunting its spirit, each one strong. Guanyin of the Southern Sea came to the battle, Her pure vase and willow twig lending aid. Lord Lao Zi then used the diamond snare And had me seized and carried up on high. Bound, I faced the Jade Emperor, Great Worthy Zhang; The clerks examined me—the charge stood fast. They sent the Great Power to behead me, But blades on my scalp flashed flame and light. A hundred plans, a thousand schemes could not destroy me, So they sent me under escort to Lord Lao Zi's hall. The Six Dings' god-fire smelted me in the furnace And tempered all my body hard as steel. When seven-times-seven days were done they opened the cauldron— I leapt out fiercer than before. The gods shut fast their doors, no way to stop me; The assembled saints took counsel and begged the Buddha. The Tathagata truly had vast magic power, His wisdom truly boundless past all measure. We wagered somersaults in his very palm, And with a mountain he crushed me—there was no resisting. The Jade Emperor then held the Feast of Heaven's Peace, And in the western regions I was named the place of bliss. The weight of that mountain held old Sun five hundred years, And never a bite of food or sip of tea I tasted. Then the Elder Golden Cicada came into the world, Sent from the Eastern Land to bow before the Buddha, To fetch the true scriptures back to the superior kingdom, That the great Tang's sovereign might save the souls of the dead. Guanyin urged me to repent and turn to goodness, To hold the teaching and refrain from wildness. She freed me from my torment at the mountain's root, And now I journey west to gather scriptures. Vile monster, drop your fox and badger cunning! Give me back my Tang monk to bow before the King of Law!"
At these words the monster pointed at the Pilgrim: "So you're the great thief of Heaven! Don't run! Take a thrust of my spear!"
The Great Sage met him with his cudgel. The two were just locked in struggle when, on this side, Prince Nezha boiled with anger and the Star Lord of Fire flared with fury, and they hurled the six divine weapons and the gear of the Fire Ministry down upon the monster's body, while Sun the Great Sage fought with redoubled vigor. On the other side the Thunder Officers loosed their bolts, the Heavenly King raised his blade, and with no order of front or back they all surged in together.
The demon-head laughed coldly and tall, secretly drew the treasure from his sleeve, flung it loose into the air, and cried "Hit!"—and with a whirring rush it swept in the six divine weapons, the Fire Ministry's gear, the Thunder Officers' bolts, the Heavenly King's blade, and the Pilgrim's cudgel, every last one of them. The gods were once again bare-handed, and Sun the Great Sage was once more empty-fisted.
The demon wheeled back in triumph and called: "Little ones! Haul stone and rebuild the gate, move earth and mend the works—set the halls and corridors in order anew. When all is ready, we'll slaughter the Tang monk and his three followers as a thanksgiving to the earth, and share out the blessings and enjoy them."
The little imps received their orders and set to work—of this no more.
Now Heavenly King Li led his host back up the high peak. The Star Lord of Fire blamed Nezha for his rashness; the Thunder Officers blamed the Heavenly King for his trickery; only the Water Uncle stood by in silence.
The Pilgrim saw that they could not look each other in the face, their hearts full of cares, and there was nothing for it: nursing his grudge but forcing a smile, he laughed to them all: "Gentlemen, no need for sorrow. Since antiquity it's been said: victory and defeat are the common lot of soldiers. Matched with him in martial art, I'm his equal at least. It's only that ring of his that does the mischief, snatching away our weapons yet again. Set your minds at ease, and let old Sun go once more and look into his pedigree."
"When you memorialized the Jade Emperor before," said the prince, "they searched the whole vault of heaven without a trace of him. Where will you search now?"
"It comes to me," said the Pilgrim, "that the Buddha's law is boundless. Let me go to the Western Heaven and ask my Lord the Tathagata to turn his wise eye upon the four great continents of the earth, and see in what quarter this monster was bred, what town and district he hails from, and what sort of treasure that ring may be. Whatever it takes, I'm determined to seize him, vent your spleens for you, and return your weapons so you can go back to Heaven in good cheer."
"Since you have this plan, don't linger," said the gods. "Quick, be off, be off!"
What a Pilgrim! The word "go" was scarcely said before he mounted his somersault cloud and reached the Mountain of the Spirit Vulture. Bringing down the auspicious light, he looked all around him. What a place!
Spirit peaks, rare and scattered; Layered ridges, pure and fine; Immortal summits, crest on crest, rubbing the azure sky. In the West, behold a mighty pillar of the world, Its form and force outpressing all the Middle Land. Primal breath flows through it, heaven and earth are far; Its awesome wind flies over all the terraced flowers. Now and then the long ring of bell and chime; At every turn the sutras, clear and bright.
See too, beneath green pines, laymen expounding the Law, And among kingfisher cypresses, arhats walking. White cranes, with feeling, come to Vulture Peak; Azure phoenixes, minded, perch in the idle pavilions. Black monkeys, pair by pair, hold up immortal fruits; Long-life deer, two by two, offer purple blooms. Secluded birds cry often, as if confiding; Strange flowers blaze in colors past all naming. Winding ranges coil and coil, turning back on themselves; The ancient road bends and bends, yet everywhere runs level. Truly a place of pure and nimble beauty, The solemn, Awakened Buddha's family style.
The Pilgrim was just surveying the mountain scenery when he suddenly heard someone call: "Sun Wukong! Where do you come from, and where are you bound?"
He turned quickly and saw it was the Venerable Bhikkhuni. The Great Sage saluted her: "There is a matter on which I wish to see the Tathagata."
"You naughty creature!" said the Bhikkhuni. "If you wished to see the Tathagata, why didn't you enter the precious temple instead of standing here sightseeing?"
"My first time in your honorable precincts," said the Pilgrim, "so I took the liberty."
"Then follow me quickly." The Pilgrim followed close behind her to the gate of the Thunderclap Monastery, where he saw the Eight Vajra Kings, fierce and martial, blocking the way on either side. The Bhikkhuni said:
"Wukong, wait here a moment while I go in and announce you."
The Pilgrim had to stand waiting outside the gate.
The Bhikkhuni went before the Buddha, pressed her palms together, and said: "Sun Wukong has business and wishes to see the Tathagata."
The Tathagata issued a decree to admit him, and only then did the Vajra Kings step aside and let him pass.
The Pilgrim bowed his head and made his worship complete. The Tathagata asked: "Wukong, I heard before that the Venerable Guanyin freed your body, you took refuge in the teaching of Buddha, and you protect the Tang monk on his journey here for the scriptures. How is it you've come alone? What has happened?"
The Pilgrim knocked his head and said: "I report to my Lord Buddha: since your disciple took the vows, journeying westward with my master of the Tang dynasty, we came to Jindou Cave on Jindou Mountain, where we met a demon-head named the Rhinoceros King of vast magic powers, who carried my master and my brothers into his cave. Your disciple went to demand them back, and, no goodwill offered, the two sides contended; with a white gleaming ring he snatched away my iron cudgel. Fearing he was some heavenly general whose thoughts had strayed below, I hastened up to the upper regions, but the search turned up nothing. By the Jade Emperor's grace, Heavenly King Li and his son were sent to reinforce me, and the monster snatched away the prince's six divine weapons. Then I begged the Star Lord of Fire to burn him, and the monster snatched his fire gear. I begged the Star Lord of Water to flood him, and not a drop touched him. Your disciple spent considerable spirit and strength to steal back the iron cudgel and the other things, went again to challenge him, and the monster snatched them all away as before. There is no way to subdue him. So I have come especially to tell my Lord Buddha, praying you extend your mercy and look for your disciple: what thing is this monster born of? Then I can go seize his household and neighbors, capture this demon-head, save my master, and with joined reverence bow and seek the true fruit."
Hearing this, the Tathagata turned his wise eye on distant view and knew at once. He said to the Pilgrim: "That monster I do know—but it may not be told to you. You monkey, your mouth is a wide-open gate. The moment word spread that I told you, he would no longer fight with you; he would surely come brawling up the Vulture Mountain, and bring trouble upon me instead. Let me lend you magic power to capture him."
The Pilgrim bowed twice in thanks: "What magic power will you lend me, Tathagata?"
The Tathagata ordered the eighteen venerable arhats to open the treasury of precious things and take out eighteen grains of golden-cinnabar sand to reinforce Wukong.
"What can golden-cinnabar sand do?" asked the Pilgrim.
"Go outside the cave and challenge the demon to a match," said the Tathagata. "Draw him out, then have the arhats release the sand and trap him in it, so that he cannot move his body or pull out his feet—and then you may pummel him at your pleasure."
"Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!" the Pilgrim laughed. "Let's be off at once!" The arhats dared not delay, took the golden-cinnabar sand, and left; the Pilgrim thanked the Tathagata again.
Checking their number along the way, there were only sixteen arhats. The Pilgrim bawled: "What sort of place is this, selling pardons and letting men go!"
"What pardons?" the arhats demanded. "Who sold any?"
"Eighteen venerable ones were assigned," said the Pilgrim. "How is it there are only sixteen now?"
Before the words were done, out from within came the two venerable ones, the Dragon-Subduer and the Tiger-Subduer, who stepped forward and said: "Wukong, how can you play these tricks? The two of us stayed behind to hear the Tathagata's instructions."
"Such dealers in favor! Such dealers in favor! If I'd bawled a little later, I suppose you'd never have come out at all!"
The arhats laughed heartily and mounted their auspicious clouds.
Before long they reached the borders of Jindou Mountain. Heavenly King Li, seeing them, led his host out to meet them, and told the whole story of what had passed.
"No need for tedious detail," said the arhats. "Go quickly and call him out."
The Great Sage clenched his fists, came to the mouth of the cave, and cursed: "Vile monster! Come out quick and settle high and low with your grandpa Sun!" The little imps flew to report again, and the demon king raged: "That thief-monkey—who has he fetched this time to bluster with?"
"No one at all," said the imps. "Only himself, alone."
"That cudgel of his I already snatched," said the demon king. "How is he here alone again? Is he looking for another round of fisticuffs?" He took his treasure, grasped his spear in hand, ordered the little imps to haul away the stones, leapt out the gate, and cursed: "Thief-monkey! Beaten time and again without profit, you ought to have withdrawn. How dare you come bawling again?"
"You vile monster, not knowing good from bad!" said the Pilgrim. "If you want your grandpa not to come, then submit, make your apologies, and send out my master and my brothers, and I'll spare you!"
"Those three monks of yours I've already washed clean," said the monster. "Before long they go under the knife. You still can't tell top from bottom! Be gone!"
At the words "under the knife," fire flared on the Pilgrim's cheeks. Past all holding down, the fury in his heart broke loose: he dropped his stance, swung his fists, moved aslant with hooked steps, and gave the demon a swinging blow across the face.
The monster spread his long spear and parried with both hands. The Pilgrim skipped left and right, baiting the demon—leading the monster to fall for the ruse and chase him south away from the cave mouth. The Pilgrim then signaled the arhats, and down upon the demon they flung the golden-cinnabar sand all together, displaying their magic powers. What sand!
Like fog, like smoke, first scattering; Dense and drifting, sifting down the horizon. White and vast—everywhere it blinds the eyes; Dark and dim—who flies can scarcely find the way. The woodcutters gathering firewood lose their fellows; The immortal boys gathering herbs cannot find home. Fine and light it floats like wheat flour; Coarse and rolling it tumbles like sesame seed. The world goes hazy; the mountaintops darken; The long sky is smothered; the sun itself is veiled. It is not like the dust that follows galloping steeds, Nor the soft light loam that cushions fragrant carriages. This sand is a thing without feeling: Covering earth, overhanging heaven, it seizes the monster. Only because the demon invaded the true Way Did the arhats, obeying the Law, display this splendor. Had they bright pearls in their very hands, In an instant they would dazzle every eye.
The demon saw the flying sand blinding his eyes. He ducked his head one duck, and already the sand stood three feet and more deep about his feet. In a panic he sprang with all his strength and leapt up to float upon the surface—but before he could stand steady, in a moment it was two feet deeper still.
The monster, desperate, wrenched out his feet, hurriedly took the ring, flung it upward, and cried "Hit!"—and with a whirring rush it snatched away all eighteen grains of golden-cinnabar sand. Dragging back his steps, he went straight home to his cave.
The arhats, every one of them, stood in their clouds empty-handed.
The Pilgrim drew near and asked: "Venerable arhats, why did you stop throwing sand?"
"Just now there was a whir, and the golden-cinnabar sand was gone."
The Pilgrim laughed: "That same old thing has snatched it away again."
"What a difficult one to subdue!" said the Heavenly King and the rest. "How are we ever to catch him? When shall we return to Heaven—and with what face shall we see the Emperor?"
At the side, the two arhats, the Dragon-Subduer and the Tiger-Subduer, said to the Pilgrim: "Wukong, do you know why the two of us were slow coming out?"
"Old Sun only blamed you for dodging the trip," said the Pilgrim. "I didn't know you had any message."
"The Tathagata instructed the two of us," said the arhats, "saying that this demon's magic powers are vast; if the golden-cinnabar sand should fail, then Sun Wukong is to go up to the Palace of Tushita in the Heaven of Highest Sorrow, to Lord Lao Zi, and seek the monster's trail there—then perhaps he can be taken in one stroke."
At this the Pilgrim said: "Vexing! Vexing! The Tathagata certainly made old Sun jump through hoops! He might have told me straight off, and spared you venerable ones the long journey!"
"Since the Tathagata gave this clear direction," said Heavenly King Li, "the Great Sage should set out early."
What a Pilgrim! The word "go" was said, and he mounted a somersault cloud straight in through the South Gate of Heaven. The four great marshals raised their fists and pressed their hands: "How goes the monster-catching?"
"Not yet! Not yet!" the Pilgrim answered as he went. "But now there's a place to look for the root of it." The four generals dared not stop him, but let him through the heaven gate. He did not climb to the Hall of Divine Mists nor enter the Palace of the Dipper and Ox, but went straight beyond the thirty-three heavens, to the front of the Palace of Tushita in the Heaven of Highest Sorrow. Two immortal boys stood on guard there; without giving his name he walked straight in, so flustered were the two boys that they caught hold of him: "Who are you? Where are you going?"
Only then did the Pilgrim say: "I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, come looking for the Old Lord Li."
"How can you be so rude?" said the boys. "Wait a moment and let us announce you."
But before the Pilgrim could be argued with, he gave a shout and strode right in—and suddenly there was Lord Lao Zi himself, coming out from within, and they collided chest to chest.
The Pilgrim bowed and sang out an "Ah-o!": "Old worthy, I've been remiss in my visits."
Lord Lao Zi laughed: "This monkey—why aren't you off fetching scriptures? What brings you to my place?"
"Fetching scriptures, fetching scriptures—no rest by day or night; a bit of obstruction, so I've come to make the rounds."
"The Western road is blocked—what is that to me?"
"The Western Heaven, the Western Heaven—never mind that for now; I've found the trail, and I've come to have it out with you."
"My place is the palace of highest immortality," said Lord Lao Zi. "What trail could there be to find here?"
The Pilgrim went inside, eyes fixed and unblinking, peering east and west. Passing through several tiers of corridors and halls, he suddenly saw by the ox pen a boy fast asleep—and the azure bull was not in the pen.
"Old worthy, your ox has bolted! Your ox has bolted!"
Lord Lao Zi was greatly alarmed: "When did that wicked beast get out?" Even as they clamored, the boy woke and knelt before them: "Grand Master, your disciple was asleep—I don't know when it got out."
Lord Lao Zi cursed: "You wretch, how could you doze off?"
The boy knocked his head: "Your disciple found a pellet of elixir in the elixir chamber, ate it on the spot, and fell asleep right here."
"It must be the Sevenfold Fire Elixir I refined the other day," said Lord Lao Zi. "One pellet dropped, and this wretch picked it up and ate it. One pellet of that elixir means seven days of sleep. Because you slept, the beast had no one watching him, and seized his chance to slip down into the world below. This is the seventh day." He then ordered a check whether any treasure had been stolen.
"No treasure," said the Pilgrim, "except that I saw he has a ring of extraordinary power."
Lord Lao Zi hurried to check. Everything was there—only the diamond snare was gone. "It's that wicked beast!" cried Lord Lao Zi. "He's stolen my diamond snare!"
"So that's the treasure!" said the Pilgrim. "It was that thing that struck old Sun in the old days! Now it's rampaging in the world below—Heaven only knows how much of our gear it has snatched!"
"Where is that wicked beast?" asked Lord Lao Zi.
"At present dwelling in Jindou Cave on Jindou Mountain. He carried my master the Tang monk inside and snatched my gold-banded cudgel. I begged the heavenly troops for help, and he snatched the prince's divine weapons. I begged the Star Lord of Fire, and he snatched his fire gear. Only the Water Uncle, though he couldn't drown him, never had anything snatched. Then I begged the Tathagata to send the arhats down with sand, and he snatched away the golden-cinnabar sand. An old worthy like you, letting a monster run loose to rob and wound people—what's the penalty for that?"
"That diamond snare of mine," said Lord Lao Zi, "is the instrument I carried when I crossed the Hangu Pass to convert the barbarians, a treasure refined from my youth. Whatever your weapons, water or fire, none can come near it. If he had stolen my plantain-leaf fan as well, even I could have done nothing with him."
Only then was the Great Sage glad at heart, and he followed Lord Lao Zi. Lord Lao Zi took the plantain fan, mounted auspicious clouds, and traveled with him; they left the immortal palace, and outside the South Gate of Heaven brought down the clouds and went straight to the borders of Jindou Mountain, where they met the eighteen arhats, the Thunder Officers, the Water Uncle, the Star Lord of Fire, and Heavenly King Li and his son, and told the whole story once through.
"Sun Wukong," said Lord Lao Zi, "go lure him out once more, that I may take him in."
The Pilgrim leapt down from the peak and again cursed aloud: "Vile beast! Come out at once and take your death!" The little imps again ran to report, and the old demon said: "That thief-monkey—who has he fetched this time?" He hurriedly grasped spear and treasure and came out the gate to meet him.
"You vile monster," the Pilgrim cursed, "this time you're surely dead! Don't run! Take a slap from me!" He sprang forward, leapt chest to chest with him, slapped him one full across the face, turned, and ran.
The monster wheeled his spear and gave chase. Then from the high peak they heard a voice call: "That ox! Won't you come home? What day do you wait for?"
The monster lifted his head and saw Lord Lao Zi—and his heart froze and his gall went cold: "This thief-monkey truly is a ghost of the earth! How did he track down my master?"
Lord Lao Zi recited a spell and fanned once with the fan. The monster flung the ring at him, and Lord Lao Zi caught it in one hand. Another fan, and the monster's strength went soft and his sinews numb, and he showed his true form—it was an azure bull. Lord Lao Zi blew a breath of immortal air upon the diamond snare, threaded it through the monster's nose, untied the sash of his robe, fastened it to the snare, and led the creature in his hand.
To this day there remains the ring for tethering an ox by the nose, called also the binlang—and this is where it came from.
Lord Lao Zi took leave of the gods, bestrode the azure bull's back, mounted iridescent clouds, and went straight back to the Tushita cloister—binding the monster, rising on high to the Heaven of Highest Sorrow. Only then did Sun the Great Sage, with the Heavenly King and all the host, fight their way into the cave, where they beat to death the hundred-odd little imps, each recovered his weapons, and gave thanks. The Heavenly King and his son returned to Heaven, the Thunder Officers to their ministry, the Star Lord of Fire to his palace, the Water Uncle to his river, the arhats went west—and only then did they free the Tang monk, Bajie, and the Sha Monk, and the Pilgrim took up his iron cudgel. The three of them thanked the Pilgrim, saddled the horse and packed the luggage, and master and disciples left the cave and sought out the highway before going on.
As they walked, they suddenly heard a voice calling from the roadside: "Holy monk of the Tang—stop and eat a vegetarian meal before you go." At this the elder's heart was startled.
What sort of person was calling—listen to the explanation in the next chapter.