第043回

Chapter 43

Now it must be said that the Bodhisattva recited the spell several times before she finally stopped, and at once the demon ceased to feel any pain. He rose to his senses and looked down at himself—there were golden bands around his neck and on his hands and feet, pressing painfully into his flesh. When he tried to remove them, he could not budge them even a fraction. The treasure had already taken root in his flesh, and the more he rubbed, the more it hurt. The Pilgrim laughed and said, "My precious one, the Bodhisattva was afraid you wouldn't grow up properly, so she put on you a neck ring and bracelets!" When the boy heard these words, he grew angry again, snatched up his spear, and thrust wildly at the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim quickly dodged and stood behind the Bodhisattva, shouting, "Say the spell! Say the spell!" The Bodhisattva dipped her willow branch in a drop of sweet dew and sprinkled it, crying out, "Close!" At once the boy dropped his spear and brought both hands together at his breast, unable to separate them ever since. This is the origin of the pose known as "Guanyin with hands pressed together." The boy could not open his hands or pick up his spear. Only then did he realize the profound power of this dharma, and with no other choice, he bowed his head in submission.

The Bodhisattva recited the true words and tilted the pure vase, drawing back that entire sea of water so that not a single drop remained. She said to the Pilgrim, "Wukong, this demon has been subdued, but his wild heart is still not settled. I shall make him bow at every step all the way to Mount Luofu before I release the spell. Now hurry back to the cave and rescue your master." The Pilgrim turned and kowtowed, saying, "I am grateful to the Bodhisattva for coming so far. I should escort you part of the way." The Bodhisattva said, "There's no need. I fear it would cost your master his life." Hearing this, the Pilgrim joyfully kowtowed his farewell. The boy had already attained the fruits of the true Way and paid reverence to Guanyin in the Fifty-Three Visitations.

But let us leave the Good Bodhisattva and the boy. Now it must be said that the Monk Sha had sat for a long time in the forest, waiting and watching for the Pilgrim, who did not come. He had loaded the luggage onto the horse, one hand holding his demon-subduing staff and the other grasping the reins. He came out of the pine grove and looked southward, and there he saw the Pilgrim approaching in high spirits. Sha Monk went to meet him and said, "Brother, why did it take you so long to invite the Bodhisattva? I was worried to death!" The Pilgrim said, "You're still dreaming, aren't you? Old Sun has already invited the Bodhisattva and subdued the demon." He then described in detail the Bodhisattva's powers. Sha Monk was overjoyed and said, "Let's go rescue the Master!"

The two of them leaped across the stream and charged to the gate. They tied up the horse, raised their weapons, and fought their way into the cave. They wiped out all the lesser demons, untied the leather bag, and let Zhu Bajie out. The idiot thanked the Pilgrim and said, "Brother, where is that demon? Let me hit him a few times with my rake and vent my anger." The Pilgrim said, "Let's find the Master first."

The three of them went straight to the back, where they found their Master stripped naked and tied up in the courtyard, weeping. Sha Monk hurriedly untied the ropes, and the Pilgrim fetched his clothes and dressed him. The three knelt before him and said, "Master, you have suffered." Tripitaka said, "My worthy disciples, I have put you to much trouble. How did you manage to subdue the demon?" The Pilgrim again recounted in detail how he had invited the Bodhisattva and subdued the boy. Upon hearing this, Tripitaka immediately knelt down and bowed toward the south. The Pilgrim said, "No need to thank her. On the contrary, we have done her a favor by helping her gain a disciple." This is the origin of the saying "the boy pays homage to Guanyin"—the Fifty-Three Visitations in which each step leads to the Buddha.

He told Sha Monk to collect the treasures from inside the cave. Then they found rice and grain, prepared a vegetarian meal, and served their Master. The Elder's life was preserved entirely thanks to the Great Sage Sun; the true scriptures will be obtained only through the Handsome Monkey King.

The master and disciples left the cave, mounted their horse, and set out with firm resolve toward the West. They traveled for over a month when suddenly the sound of rushing water reached their ears. Tripitaka was greatly alarmed and said, "Disciples, where is that sound of water coming from?" The Pilgrim laughed and said, "You, Master, are too suspicious—you'll never make a good monk. The four of us are here together, and yet only you hear some sound of water. You've forgotten the Sutra of the Multi-Minded Heart again!" Tang Monk said, "The Sutra of the Multi-Minded Heart was taught to me orally by the Vulture Sage of Vulture Peak. It has fifty-four lines and two hundred and seventy characters. I received it by ear at the time and have recited it constantly ever since. Do you know which line I've forgotten?" The Pilgrim said, "Master, you've forgotten the line 'no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind.' We who have left the household life—our eyes do not gaze at form, our ears do not listen to sound, our nose does not smell fragrance, our tongue does not taste flavor, our body does not feel heat or cold, our mind does not harbor delusions: this is called banishing the six robbers. But now, in seeking the scriptures, you are mindful at every thought; you fear demons and are unwilling to sacrifice your body; you want food and move your tongue; you enjoy sweetness and touch your nose; you hear sounds and startle your ears; you behold things and fix your gaze—you have summoned these six robbers in great confusion. How can you ever reach the Western Heaven and see the Buddha?"

Hearing these words, Tripitaka fell into silent reflection and said:

"Since I left the Sacred Monarch that year,

I have toiled through day and night with ceaseless care.

My straw shoes have worn through the mountain mists,

My bamboo hat has parted the ridge-top clouds.

At night, the apes' cries are truly pitiful;

In the moonlight, the birds' cries are hard to bear.

When shall I fulfill the Triple-Threefold Practice

And obtain the wondrous Dharma-words of the Tathagata?"

When the Pilgrim heard this, he could not help clapping his hands and laughing loudly. "So the Master is simply homesick and can't stop thinking of home! If you want to fulfill the Triple-Threefold Practice, what difficulty is there? As the saying says: 'With enough effort, success will come naturally!'" Zhu Bajie turned his head and said, "Brother, if the demons are always this fierce, we could walk for a thousand years and never succeed." Sha Monk said, "Second Brother, you and I are alike—slow of speech and dull of tongue. Don't provoke Big Brother to anger. We should just shoulder the load and press forward; in the end, the day of success will come."

As the master and disciples were talking, their feet did not stop and the horse's hooves galloped swiftly. Ahead they saw a vast expanse of black water surging to the sky, and the horse could not advance. The four of them halted on the shore and looked carefully, and they saw:

Layer upon layer of dense waves, fold upon fold of turbid swells—layer upon layer of dense waves churning black mire, fold upon fold of turbid swells rolling up dark oil. Viewed up close, they cast no human shadow; seen from afar, no tree's form can be found. A ground of rolling ink, a thousand miles of surging gray. Foam floating up like heaped charcoal, spray tossing about like overturned coal. Cattle and sheep will not drink from it; crows and magpies can scarcely fly over it. Cattle and sheep refuse to drink, detesting its profound blackness; crows and magpies struggle to fly, daunted by its boundless vastness. Only the riverbank reeds and smartweed know the seasons, and the flowers and grasses on the sandbar vie in verdant splendor. Lakes, rivers, and streams are found throughout the world; brooks, springs, and marshy caves are plentiful in this mortal realm. In life all men have places of meeting—but who has ever seen the Black Water River of the West?

Tripitaka dismounted from his horse and said, "Disciples, why is this water so turbid and black?"

Zhu Bajie said, "Someone must have overturned an indigo vat here."

Sha Wujing said, "No—more likely someone's washing out their inkstone and brush."

Sun Wukong said, "Stop guessing wildly, you two. Figure out a way to get Master across."

Bajie said, "For Old Pig to cross this river would be no trouble. I could ride a cloud or wade through carrying him on my back—I'd be across in less time than it takes to eat a meal."

Sha Wujing said, "If you put it to Old Sha, I too could simply glide across on cloud or water and be over in an instant."

Wukong said, "We can manage easily, but it'll be hard for Master."

Tripitaka said, "Disciples, how wide is this river?"

Bajie said, "I'd guess about ten *li* wide."

Tripitaka said, "The three of you discuss it—which of you will carry me across?"

Wukong said "Bajie can carry you."

Bajie said, "That won't work. If I carry him while flying, I can't get three feet off the ground. As the saying goes, 'To carry a mortal is as heavy as a mountain.' If I try to carry him through the water, I'll drag myself down with him."

While the master and disciples were still deliberating by the riverbank, they saw someone upstream rowing a small boat toward them. Tripitaka said joyfully, "Disciples, a boat is coming. Call him to ferry us across."

Sha Wujing shouted at the top of his voice: "Boatman, come and ferry us! Come and ferry us!"

The man in the boat called back, "I'm not a ferryboat. How can I ferry people?"

Sha Wujing said, "In heaven and on earth, convenience comes first. You may not be a ferryboat, and we don't make a habit of troubling you, either. We are Buddhist pilgrims sent by the Great Tang in the East to fetch the scriptures. Please do us this kindness and ferry us across—we'll be grateful to you."

Hearing this, the man rowed his boat closer to the shore and, resting his oar, said, "Venerable master, my boat is small and you are many—how can I ferry all of you at once?"

Tripitaka stepped forward to look. The boat turned out to be carved from a single log, with only room in the cabin for two people.

Tripitaka said, "What shall we do?"

Sha Wujing said, "In that case, we'll have to make two trips."

Bajie, ever scheming to shirk his duties and curry favor, said, "Wujing, you and Big Brother stay here and watch the luggage and the horse. Let me escort Master across first, then I'll come back for the horse. Big Brother can just jump across." Wukong nodded and said, "That's a good idea."

The idiot supported Tripitaka aboard while the boatman pushed off. He raised his oar and drove the boat straight into the current. They had only reached the middle of the river when there came a thunderous crash—waves billowed and swells rolled, blotting out the sky and shrouding the sun. The gale was ferocious! A fearsome wind:

A sheet of cannon-cloud rose in the sky, a thousand layers of black waves surged in the midstream.

Flying sand on both banks obscured the sun's color; trees toppled on all sides with a heaven-shaking roar.

Dragon gods trembled as rivers were churned and seas upturned; flowers and trees withered as earth was tossed and dust hurled skyward.

It howled like spring thunder, fierce and roaring; it raged like starving tigers, savage and snarling.

Crabs, turtles, fish, and shrimp bowed toward the sky; birds and beasts fled their nests and lairs.

Boatmen on the five great lakes all met disaster; households by the four great seas could not cling to their lives.

Fishermen on the creek could not hold their hooks; boatmen on the river could not manage their poles.

Tiles were ripped off and bricks flung from houses collapsed; heaven and earth shook and Mount Tai trembled.

This wind had in fact been conjured by the boatman himself—he was a monster of the Black Water River. Under their very eyes, Tripitaka and Zhu Bajie, along with the boat, plunged beneath the water without a trace, whisked away to no one knew where.

On the riverbank, Sha Wujing and Sun Wukong were frantic. "What now?" they said. "Our master meets calamity at every step. He barely escaped one demon's clutches, and had a stretch of peaceful journeying—and now he's run into trouble at the Black Water River."

Sha Wujing said, "Could the boat have capsized? Let's go downstream and look for them."

Wukong said, "It's not a capsized boat. If the boat had capsized, Bajie is a good swimmer—he would have brought Master out of the water on his back. I could tell something wasn't right about that boatman. He must be the one who stirred up the wind and dragged Master down into the river."

Hearing this, Sha Wujing said, "Brother, why didn't you say so sooner? You watch the horse and the luggage. Let me go down into the water and search for them."

Wukong said, "The color of this water isn't right. I'm afraid you shouldn't go in."

Sha Wujing said, "How does this water compare to my Flowing Sand River? I can manage it—I can manage it."

Good monk that he was, Sha Wujing stripped off his patchwork vest, bound up his sleeves and trouser legs, gripped his demon-subduing treasure staff, and with a great splash parted the waters, plunging into the waves. He strode forward with bold steps. Just as he was pressing on, he heard the sound of voices. Sha Wujing slipped into a hiding place and stole a glance. Over there stood a pavilion, and above its gate were posted eight large characters: "Hengyang Valley Black River Water God's Mansion." He also heard the monster sitting above saying, "I've labored long, and today at last I've got my prize. This monk is a good man who has cultivated himself through ten lifetimes. If I can eat just one piece of his flesh, I shall become an immortal who never grows old. I've waited long enough for him, and today my ambition is at last fulfilled." He commanded, "Little ones, quickly bring out the iron cage and steam these two monks whole. Then prepare an invitation and go invite my second uncle-of-the-maternal-line to come celebrate my birthday." Hearing these words, Sha Wujing could no longer contain the fire blazing in his heart. He drew his treasure staff and battered the gate wildly, shouting, "You wretched creature, hand over my master Tang Seng and my brother Bajie at once!" The demons inside were so frightened that they rushed in to report: "Disaster!" The old monster asked, "What disaster?" The little demon said, "Outside there's a monk with a grim, dark face, cursing at the front gate and demanding people!"

When the monster heard this, he ordered his armor brought out. The little demons fetched his armor. The old monster dressed himself properly, took in hand a steel whip made of bamboo joints, and walked out the gate. Truly he was a fierce and venomous sight. Behold:

A broad face and round eyes gleaming with rosy light,

Curled lips and a huge mouth red as a blood-filled basin.

A few iron-thin whiskers swaying,

Temples matted with disheveled hair the color of cinnabar.

His form like the true God of the Year manifesting his spirit,

His face like the fierce God of Thunder in his wrath.

His body clad in iron armor, brilliant with brocade flowers,

His head capped with a gold helmet thick with inlaid gems.

A bamboo-joint steel whip grasped in his hand,

As he moved, he rolled along dragging a wild wind.

Born originally as a creature of the waves,

He abandoned his native stream and turned to treacherous transformation.

If you ask this demon's true name and surname,

In a former life he was called the Small Dragon-Turtle.

The monster roared, "What man is this, beating at my gate?" Sha Wujing said, "I'll teach you, you ignorant wretch! How could you work your deceptions, disguise yourself as a boatman, and lure my master onto your boat to seize him? Return him quickly and I'll spare your life." The monster laughed and said, "This monk doesn't know the difference between life and death. Your master is in my hands, and now I'm going to steam him and invite guests. Come up here and let us test each other. If you can stand against me for three rounds, I'll return your master. If you can't last three rounds, I'll steam you along with him, and don't even think of going to the West." Sha Wujing flew into a rage at these words, swung his treasure staff, and brought it down on the monster's head. The monster raised his steel whip to meet the blow. The two fought beneath the water—what a battle!

The demon-subduing staff and the bamboo-joint whip—

Both men, blazing with fury, strove to be first.

One was a thousand-year demon of the Black River,

The other was once an immortal beyond the Jade Emperor's halls.

That one coveted the flesh of the Tang Monk to eat,

This one pitifully sought to protect Tang Seng's life.

Both came to struggle beneath the waters,

Each determined to succeed, neither yielding.

They fought so fiercely that pairs of shrimp and fish shook their heads and fled,

Crabs and turtles tucked their heads and hid together.

One could only hear the host of demons in the water mansion beating their drums,

The crowd of monsters at the gate raising a clamorous din.

A fine monk, true Wujing,

Single-handed and alone, he displayed his might.

Leaping through the waves and churning the waters, neither side could prevail,

Whip met staff, the two locked in combat.

All of it was for the sake of the Tang monk,

To obtain the true scriptures and worship Buddha in Heaven.

The two fought for thirty rounds without either gaining the upper hand. Sha Wujing thought to himself, "This creature is my match—I can't defeat him no matter what I do. I'll lure him out and let my senior brother deal with him." So Sha Wujing feigned a false move, dragged his treasure staff, and fled. The demon did not pursue him, saying only, "Go then. I won't fight you. I'm going to prepare my invitation and invite my guests."

Sha Wujing leaped out of the water in a huff and met Sun Wukong. "Brother," he said, "this creature is beyond insolence." Wukong asked, "You were down there a long time before you came out. What sort of demon is it? Did you find our master?" Sha Wujing said, "Inside there's a pavilion, and above its gate are posted eight large characters reading 'Hengyang Valley Black River Water God's Mansion.' I hid to the side and listened to him talking inside. He ordered his little ones to scrub the iron cage, intending to steam our master and Bajie and invite his uncle to celebrate his birthday. That's when I lost my temper and went to beat on the gate. The monster came out carrying a bamboo-joint steel whip and fought with me for half a day—about thirty rounds, with neither side winning. Then I used a feigned defeat to try to lure him out so you could help me. But the creature is cunning—he didn't chase me, he just went back inside to prepare his invitation and invite his guests. That's why I came up." Wukong said, "What sort of demon is it?" Sha Wujing said, "His appearance is like a giant soft-shell turtle; if not, then it must be a dragon-turtle." Wukong said, "I wonder which one is his uncle-of-the-maternal-line?"

Before he could finish speaking, an old man came out from the lower bend of the river. He knelt at a distance and called out, "Great Sage, the River God of the Black River kowtows to you."

The Pilgrim said, "You're not that demon who rowed the boat, come to trick me again, are you?"

The old man knocked his head on the ground, tears streaming down his face. "Great Sage, I am no demon. I am the true god of this river. Last year in the fifth month, that fiend came here from the Western Ocean riding the great tide and fought with me. Alas, I am old and frail—I could not withstand him. He seized my residence, the River God's Mansion in the Black River of Hengyang Valley, and took it for his own dwelling. He also wounded many of my water creatures. I had no recourse but to go to the sea to accuse him. It turns out that the Dragon King of the Western Sea is my accuser's maternal uncle, and he would not accept my petition, telling me instead to yield the place to him. I wished to report the matter to Heaven, but my divine rank is low and my office is small—I cannot gain an audience with the Jade Emperor. Now I have heard that the Great Sage has come here, and I have come especially to pay my respects and entrust my cause to you. I earnestly hope the Great Sage will exert his power to avenge my grievance."

The Pilgrim said, "If that is so, then the Dragon King of the Western Sea is also guilty. He has now seized my master and my junior brother, and he has declared that he will steam them and invite his uncle to celebrate his birthday. I was just about to seize him, and now you have come with this news with perfect timing. Very well, River God, you stay here with Sha Seng to keep watch. I will go to the sea first and capture that dragon king, and make him subdue this monster."

The River God said, "I am deeply grateful for the Great Sage's great kindness."

The Pilgrim mounted his cloud and went straight to the Western Ocean. He pressed down with his somersault cloud, formed the water-avoiding spell, and parted the waves. As he was making his way, he ran smack into a black fish spirit carrying a pure-gold letter box, shooting up from downstream like an arrow. The Pilgrim struck him square in the face, pulled out his iron rod, and brought it down on his head. Pitiful creature—his brains burst out and his cheekbones split open. With a gurgling sound, he floated to the surface. The Pilgrim opened the box and found inside a letter, which read:

"Your humble nephew Tuo Jie bows a hundred times and respectfully addresses his Second Uncle, the Honorable Lord Ao: I have long enjoyed your gracious kindness and am deeply grateful. Now I have obtained two things—monks from the Eastern Land, truly rare treasures of the world. Your nephew dares not enjoy them himself. Thinking that your birthday celebration is near, I have prepared a humble feast to wish you a thousand years of life in advance. I earnestly hope you will hasten your carriage to come. This is my sincere wish."

The Pilgrim laughed, "This fellow has even delivered his confession to old Sun ahead of time!" He tucked the letter into his sleeve and went on his way. Soon a yaksha on patrol in the sea caught sight of the Pilgrim and hastily turned back, rushing up to the crystal palace. "Report to the Great King: the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, Grandfather Sun, has arrived!"

The Dragon King, Shun, immediately led all the water creatures out of the palace to greet him. "Great Sage, please enter my humble palace and sit for a while. Let me offer you tea."

The Pilgrim said, "I haven't yet drunk your tea, but you've already drunk my wine!"

The Dragon King laughed, "The Great Sage has long since taken refuge in the Buddhist faith and no longer indulges in meat or wine. When did you ever invite me to drink wine?"

The Pilgrim said, "Even if you didn't go drinking wine, you've still incurred the charge of drinking wine."

Shun was greatly alarmed. "What crime has this little dragon committed?"

The Pilgrim took the letter from his sleeve and handed it to the Dragon King.

When the Dragon King read it, his soul fled and his spirit scattered. He hastily knelt down and kowtowed. "Great Sage, forgive my crime. That wretch is my sister's ninth son. Because my brother-in-law mismanaged the wind and rain and reduced the rainfall quota, the Heavenly Court issued an edict for the human official Prime Minister Wei Zheng to behead him in a dream. My sister had nowhere to go, and this little dragon brought her here and raised her with kindness. Unfortunately, my sister passed away from illness the year before last. Since he had no means of livelihood, I told him to cultivate his nature and practice the Way in the Black River. I never expected him to commit such evil. This little dragon will immediately send men to capture him."

The Pilgrim said, "How many worthy sons does your sister have? Where are they all causing trouble?"

The Dragon King said, "My sister had nine sons. The other eight are all good: the first, the Little Yellow Dragon, now guards Huaidu; the second, the Little Lili Dragon, now resides in Jidu; the third, the Green-Backed Dragon, occupies Jiangdu; the fourth, the Red-Bearded Dragon, guards Hedu; the fifth, the Toilsome Dragon, serves as bell-keeper for the Buddha; the sixth, the Steadfast Beast Dragon, supports the ridge of the divine palace; the seventh, the Jingzhong Dragon, stands guard with the Jade Emperor at the Cloud-Pillar of Heaven; the eighth, the Mirage Dragon, assists my eldest brother in supporting Mount Tai. This is the ninth, the Tuo Dragon. Because he is young and has no official duties, only last year did I place him in the Black River to cultivate his nature, intending to transfer him elsewhere once he had established his reputation. Who could have known that he would disobey my orders and offend the Great Sage?"

The Pilgrim laughed, "How many brothers-in-law does your sister have?"

Shun said, "She married only one brother-in-law, the Dragon King of Jing River. He was beheaded some years ago, and my sister lived as a widow here until she passed away from illness the year before last."

The Pilgrim said, "One husband and one wife—how could they produce such a mixed brood?"

Shun said, "This is precisely what is meant by 'the dragon gives birth to nine species, and the nine species are all different.'"

The Pilgrim said, "I was just feeling vexed and was about to use this letter as evidence to report you to the Heavenly Court, charging you with colluding in evil and seizing people. But from what you say, it is that wretch who disobeyed your teachings. I will spare you this time: first, out of regard for your brother; and second, the blame should fall on that wretch for being young and ignorant—you were not fully aware of it either. Quickly send someone to capture him and rescue my master, and we will deal with the rest later."

Shun immediately summoned his prince, Mo'ang: "Quickly muster five hundred strong soldiers of shrimp and fish and seize the young Tuo to answer for his crimes." At the same time, he arranged a banquet to make amends to the Great Sage.

The Dragon King said, "Dragon King, do not be troubled further. Since we have settled the matter and I have spared you, why must you prepare wine? I must now go with your son: first, because my master has suffered wrong, and second, because my junior brother is waiting anxiously."

The old dragon tried in vain to make him stay, but the dragon maiden came forward bearing tea. The Pilgrim drank a cup of fragrant tea, took leave of the old dragon, and left the Western Sea with Mo'ang at the head of his troops. They soon reached the Black River.

The Pilgrim said, "Good prince, capture the monster well. I'm going ashore." Mo'ang said, "Great Sage, set your heart at rest. I will bring the creature up first for you to see, punish him for his crimes, and deliver your master to you before I dare take him back to the sea to see my father." The Pilgrim bid him a cheerful farewell, made the water-avoiding sign, leaped out of the waves, and went straight to the eastern bank. Sha Wujing and the River God came to meet him and said, "Elder Brother, you left by air—why did you come back from within the river?" The Pilgrim told them everything: how he had killed the fish spirit, obtained the letter, confronted the dragon prince, and how the prince's son had come with troops. Sha Wujing was overjoyed. They all stood on the bank waiting to receive their master, and we shall say no more of them.

Now the prince Mo'ang sent his armored warriors ahead to the water palace gate, where they announced to the monster, "Prince Mo'ang, son of the Old Dragon King of the Western Sea, has arrived." The monster was sitting in his hall when he heard of Mo'ang's arrival, and he thought with suspicion, "I sent the black fish spirit with a letter to invite my second uncle. Why has he not replied by now? Why hasn't my uncle come, but my cousin instead?" Even as he spoke, the little monster who patrolled the river came to report again: "Great King, there is a force of soldiers encamped to the west of the water palace. Their banner reads 'Crown Prince Mo'ang, Young Commander of the Western Sea.'" The monster said, "This cousin of mine is certainly presumptuous. I suppose my uncle couldn't come and sent him to the banquet instead. But if he's here for a feast, why does he bring an army? Hmm! I fear there may be some scheme behind this." He commanded: "Little ones, prepare my armor and steel whip—there may be a sudden change of events. Let me go out and welcome him first and see what's what." The little monsters received the order, and every one of them rubbed their hands and clenched their fists, ready for action.

The alligator dragon came out of his gate and saw a force of sea soldiers camped to the right. He observed:

Battle flags fluttered with embroidered ribbons;

Painted halberds shone bright as the colored clouds.

Precious swords gleamed with splendor;

Long spears were wound with tassels of flowers.

Bows curved small as the crescent moon;

Arrows bristled like wolf's teeth.

Great blades shone dazzlingly;

Short clubs were hard as sand.

Whales, giant clams, and mussels,

Crabs, turtles, and prawns—

Large and small were all arrayed in order,

Weapons and armor thick as hemp.

Without the commander's command,

Who would dare to stir and trespass?

The alligator monster saw this and went straight to the camp gate, shouting in a stern, loud voice: "Dear elder cousin, I await you here. Please, come in!" A snail who was patrolling the camp hurried to the central tent and reported: "Your Highness, outside there is an alligator dragon calling for you." The prince adjusted his golden helmet, tightened the precious belt around his waist, took up his three-prided staff, strode out of the camp, and said, "Why have you come to invite me?" The alligator dragon bowed and said, "I sent a letter this morning to invite my uncle. I suppose my uncle has spurned me and sent you in his stead. Since you have come to the feast, why do you also bring an army? You haven't entered the water palace but have camped here instead, in full armor and with soldiers—why?" The prince said, "Why did you invite your uncle?" The monster said: "I have long enjoyed his favor and been granted residence here. It has been a long time since I saw his honored face, and I have been unable to show my filial devotion. Yesterday I captured a monk from the East. I heard that he is a man of ten lifetimes' cultivation, and that whoever eats him may prolong his life. I wished to invite my uncle to examine him, put him in an iron cage and steam him, and present him to my uncle to warm his years." The prince shouted: "You are utterly foolish! Do you know who that monk is?" The monster said: "He is a monk from the Tang dynasty, a priest traveling to the Western Heaven to fetch scriptures." The prince said: "You only know that he is Tripitaka, but you don't know how formidable his disciples are!" The monster said: "He has a monk with a long snout named Zhu Bajie—I captured him too, and I mean to steam him together with the Tang priest. He also has another disciple called Sha Wujing—a dark fellow with a gloomy complexion who carries a precious staff. He came to my gate yesterday demanding his master, but I led my river soldiers out and fought him with my steel whip until he fled in defeat. I didn't see anything so formidable about him."

The prince said: "So you really don't know. He has yet another senior disciple—the Great Sage Equal of Heaven, a Supreme Golden Immortal of the Upper Realm who caused havoc in the Palace of Heaven five hundred years ago. He is now protecting Tripitaka on his journey to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures. It was the Bodhisattva Guanyin of the Great Mercy and Compassion on Mount Putuo who exhorted him to goodness and gave him a new name: Sun Wukong, the Pilgrim. How could you have been so unlucky as to bring this disaster upon yourself? He also met your messenger in my sea, seized the invitation letter, and went straight to the Crystal Palace to accuse my father and me of consorting with evil spirits and seizing people. You had better send Tripitaka and Bajie out to the riverbank and return them to the Great Sage Sun. If you apologize through me, you may still save your life. If you utter a single word of refusal, don't expect to live out your days here." When the alligator monster heard these words, he flew into a raging fury and said: "You and I are cousins by blood, yet you side instead with a stranger! From what you say, you want me to send out Tripitaka. Is there anything so easy in this world? If you are afraid of him, does that mean I'm afraid of him too? If he has the skill, let him come before my water palace gate and fight three rounds with me—then I'll give him his master. If he can't beat me, I'll capture him too and steam them both together. What do I care for relatives? I won't even bother inviting guests. I'll close my gate, have my little ones sing and dance, sit on my throne in comfort, and eat the wretch—that's what I'll do!"

When the prince heard this, he opened his mouth and cursed: "You wretched fiend! Truly without decency! Never mind having the Great Sage Sun fight you—dare you stand against me?" The monster replied: "If a man wants to prove himself a hero, what is there to fear in a contest?" He ordered: "Bring my armor and weapons!" At his shout, the lesser demons gathered around him, presenting his battle gear and handing him his steel whip. The two of them changed their expressions, each displaying his prowess; they issued commands, and together the drums were beaten. This battle was vastly different from the one with Sha Seng. Behold:

Banners and pennants blazed with light, halberds and spears shimmered and gleamed. On this side the camp broke formation; on that side the gates were thrown wide open. Prince M'ang raised his golden truncheon; the alligator demon swung his whip in desperate parry. A single cannon shot—the river troops blazed with fury; three beats of the gong—the sea warriors went mad. Shrimp fought against shrimp, crab battled crab. The whale and giant turtle swallowed the red carp; the gizzard shad and yellowcheek surged up. The shark and mullet devoured the mackerel and herring as they fled; the oyster seized the razor clam and the clam and mussel trembled. The lesser yang's spines were hard as iron rods; the kun's needles were sharp as blades. The sturgeon chased the white eel; the perch caught the black pomfret. All the water monsters of the river vied for supremacy; the dragon soldiers on both sides determined who was weak and who was strong. They battled for a long time as the waves churned and rolled—Prince M'ang proved himself equal to a diamond warrior. With a thunderous cry, the golden truncheon came crashing down upon the demon's head, and the alligator monster king was captured alive.

The prince feinted with his three-cornered truncheon, creating an opening. The fiend, unaware that it was a ruse, charged straight in. The prince executed a clever maneuver and brought the truncheon down upon the fiend's right arm, sending him stumbling. The prince pressed forward and struck him again on the foot, knocking him to the ground. The sea soldiers surged forward, threw him to the ground, bound his hands behind his back with ropes, and pierced his shoulder bones with iron chains. They brought him up to the shore and dragged him before Sun Wukong. "Great Sage," the prince said, "your little nephew the dragon prince has captured the alligator fiend. We await your judgment."

Wukong and Sha Seng looked at the prisoner. "You wretch," they said, "you who disobeyed the imperial decree! Your uncle originally stationed you here to dwell, bidding you cultivate your nature and preserve yourself, so that when your name was established, you would be given another appointment. How could you seize the water god's dwelling by force, rely on your power to commit violence, deceive your superiors with a treacherous heart, practice deception, and trick my master and my fellow disciple? I would like to strike you with this staff of mine, but alas, old Sun's staff is far too heavy—even a light tap would finish you off. Where have you put my master?" The demon kowtowed without ceasing. "Great Sage, the little alligator did not know your great name. Just now I defied my cousin, flaunted my strength, and acted against all reason, and my cousin captured me. Now that I see the Great Sage, I am most fortunate that the Great Sage has spared my life—my gratitude is beyond measure. Your master is still bound within the water palace. I beg the Great Sage to remove my iron chains and free my hands, so that I may go into the river and bring him out." M'ang, standing nearby, said, "Great Sage, this wretch is a rebellious fiend. He is extremely treacherous. If you release him, I fear he will harbor evil intentions." Sha Wujing said, "I know the way there. Let me go find our master."

The two of them leaped into the water and went straight to the gate of the water palace. The gates stood wide open, and not a single guard was to be seen. They went straight into the pavilion, where they found Tang Seng and Zhu Bajie, stark naked, both bound there. Sha Wujing quickly untied his master, and the River God likewise freed Bajie. Each of them carried one on his back, emerged from the water, and went straight to the riverbank. Zhu Bajie, seeing the fiend chained and bound to the side, hastily seized his rake and rushed forward to strike him, cursing as he went: "You wretched beast! Aren't you going to eat me now?" Wukong held him back. "Brother, spare him his life. Show consideration for the kindness of Ao Shun and his noble son." M'ang stepped forward and bowed. "Great Sage, your nephew the dragon prince cannot linger here long. Since we have rescued your master, I will take this wretch to see my father. Though the Great Sage has spared him the death penalty, my father will certainly not spare him from a living punishment. He will surely be dealt with and disposed of, and I will return to report and offer thanks to the Great Sage." Wukong said, "Very well, then take him away. Pay my deepest respects to your honored father, and tell him I hope to thank him in person when we meet." The prince escorted the demonic wretch into the water, led his sea troops, and made straight for the Western Sea—but of this, no more.

Now the Black River God thanked Wukong. "I am deeply grateful to the Great Sage for restoring my water palace to me." Tang Seng said, "Disciples, we are still on the eastern shore. How are we to cross this river?" The River God said, "My lord, have no concern. Please mount your horse. I, this humble god, will clear the way and lead you across the river." The master then mounted his white horse. Bajie took hold of the reins, Sha Wujing shouldered the luggage, and Sun Wukong supported them on either side. They saw the River God perform his water-blocking magic, damming the upstream waters. In an instant, the downstream was drained dry, opening up a broad road. The master and his disciples crossed to the western side, thanked the River God, and ascended the cliff to continue their journey. And so it was:

The Chan monk, rescued, heads toward the Western Lands;

The earth is pierced, and they cross the Black River without a wave.

How they would eventually reach the Buddha and obtain the scriptures—of this, let the next chapter tell.