第三十三回
第三十三回 外道迷真性 元神助本心
却说那怪将八戒拿进洞去，道：“哥哥啊，拿将一个来了。”老魔喜道：“拿来我看。”二魔道：“这不是？”老魔道：“兄弟，错拿了，这个和尚没用。”八戒就绰经说道：“大王，没用的和尚，放他出去罢。不当人子！”二魔道：“哥哥，不要放他，虽然没用，也是唐僧一起的，叫做猪八戒。把他且浸在后边净水池中，浸退了毛衣，使盐腌着，晒干了，等天阴下酒。”八戒听言道：“蹭蹬啊！撞着个贩腌腊的妖怪了！”那小妖把八戒抬进去，抛在水里不题。
却说三藏坐在坡前，耳热眼跳，身体不安，叫声：“悟空！怎么悟能这番巡山，去之久而不来？”行者道：“师父还不晓得他的心哩。”三藏道：“他有甚心？”行者道：“师父啊，此山若是有怪，他半步难行，一定虚张声势，跑将回来报我；想是无怪，路途平静，他一直去了。”三藏道：“假若真个去了，却在那里相会？此间乃是山野空阔之处，比不得那店市城井之间。”行者道：“师父莫虑，且请上马。那呆子有些懒惰，断然走的迟慢，你把马打动些儿，我们定赶上他，一同去罢。”真个唐僧上马，沙僧挑担，行者前面引路上山。
却说那老怪又唤二魔道：“兄弟，你既拿了八戒，断乎就有唐僧。再去巡巡山来，切莫放过他去。”二魔道：“就行，就行。”你看他急点起五十名小妖，上山巡逻。
正走处，只见祥云缥缈，瑞气盘旋。二魔道：“唐僧来了。”众妖道：“唐僧在那里？”二魔道：“好人头上祥云照顶，恶人头上黑气冲天。那唐僧原是金蝉长老临凡，十世修行的好人，所以有这祥云缥缈。”众怪都不看见，二魔用手指道：“那不是？”那三藏就在马上打了一个寒噤；又一指，又打个寒噤。一连指了三指，他就一连打了三个寒噤，心神不宁道：“徒弟呵，我怎么打寒噤么？”沙僧道：“打寒噤想是伤食病发了。”行者道：“胡说，师父是走着这深山峻岭，必然小心虚惊。莫怕！莫怕！等老孙把棒打一路与你压压惊。”好行者，理开棒，在马前丢几个解数，上三下四，左五右六，尽按那《六韬》、《三略》，使起神通。那长老在马上观之，真个是寰中少有，世上全无。
剖开路一直前行，险些儿不唬倒那怪物。他在山顶上看见，魂飞魄丧，忽失声道：“几年间闻说孙行者，今日才知话不虚传果是真。”众怪上前道：“大王，怎么长他人之志气，灭自己之威风？你夸谁哩？”二魔道：“孙行者神通广大，那唐僧吃他不成。”众怪道：“大王，你没手段，等我们着几个去报大大王，教他点起本洞大小兵来，摆开阵势，合力齐心，怕他走了那里去！”二魔道：“你们不曾见他那条铁棒，有万夫不当之勇。我洞中不过有四五百兵，怎禁得他那一棒？”众妖道：“这等说，唐僧吃不成，却不把猪八戒错拿了？如今送还他罢。”二魔道：“拿便也不曾错拿，送便也不好轻送。唐僧终是要吃，只是眼下还尚不能。”众妖道：“这般说，还过几年么？”二魔道：“也不消几年。我看见那唐僧，只可善图，不可恶取。若要倚势拿他，闻也不得一闻。只可以善去感他，赚得他心与我心相合，却就善中取计，可以图之。”众妖道：“大王如定计拿他，可用我等？”二魔道：“你们都各回本寨，但不许报与大王知道。若是惊动了他，必然走了风汛，败了我计策。我自有个神通变化，可以拿他。”
众妖散去，他独跳下山来，在那道路之旁，摇身一变，变做个年老的道者。真个是怎生打扮？但见他：
星冠晃亮，鹤发蓬松。羽衣围绣带，云履缀黄棕。神清目朗如仙客，体健身轻似寿翁。说甚么青牛道士，也强如素券先生。妆成假像如真像，捏作虚情似实情。
他在那大路旁妆做个跌折腿的道士，脚上血淋津，口里哼哼的，只叫：“救人！救人！”
却说这三藏仗着孙大圣与沙僧，欢喜前来。正行处，只听得叫：“师父救人！”三藏闻得，道：“善哉！善哉！这旷野山中，四下里更无村舍，是甚么人叫？想必是虎豹狼虫唬倒的。”这长老兜回骏马，叫道：“那有难者是甚人？可出来。”这怪从草科里爬出，对长老马前，乒乓的只情磕头。三藏在马上见他是个道者，却又年纪高大，甚不过意，连忙下马搀道：“请起，请起。”那怪道：“疼！疼！疼！”丢了手看处，只见他脚上流血。三藏惊问道：“先生呵，你从那里来？因甚伤了尊足？”那怪巧语花言，虚情假意道：“师父呵，此山西去，有一座清幽观宇。我是那观里的道士。”三藏道：“你不在本观中侍奉香火，演习经法，为何在此闲行？”那魔道：“因前日山南里施主家，邀道众禳星[1]，散福来晚。我师徒二人一路而行，行至深衢，忽遇着一只斑斓猛虎，将我徒弟衔去。贫道战兢兢的亡命奔走，一跤跌在乱石坡上，伤了腿足，不知回路。今日大有天缘，得遇师父。万望师父大发慈悲，救我一命。若得到观中，就是典身卖命，一定重谢深恩。”三藏闻言，认为真实，道：“先生呵，你我都是一命之人。我是僧，你是道，衣冠虽别，修行之理则同。我不救你呵，就不是出家之辈。——救便救你，你却走不得路哩。”那怪道：“立也立不起来，怎生走路？”三藏道：“也罢，也罢。我还走得路，将马让与你骑一程，到你上宫，还我马去罢。”那怪道：“师父，感蒙厚情，只是腿胯跌伤，不能骑马。”三藏道：“正是。”叫沙和尚：“你把行李捎在我马上，你驮他一程罢。”沙僧道：“我驮他。”
那怪急回头抹[2]了他一眼，道：“师父呵，我被那猛虎唬怕了，见这晦气色脸的师父，愈加惊怕，不敢要他驮。”三藏叫道：“悟空，你驮罢。”行者连声答应道：“我驮！我驮！”那妖就认定了行者，顺顺的要他驮，再不言语。沙僧笑道：“这个没眼色的老道！我驮着不好，颠倒要他驮。他若看不见师父时，三尖石上，把筋都掼断了你的哩！”行者驮了，口中笑道：“你这个泼魔，怎么敢来惹我！你也问问老孙是几年的人儿！你这般鬼话儿，只好瞒唐僧，又好来瞒我？我认得你是这山中的怪物，想是要吃我师父哩。我师父又非是等闲之辈，是你吃的！你要吃他，也须是分多一半与老孙是。”那魔闻得行者口中念诵，道：“师父，我是好人家儿孙，做了道士。今日不幸，遇着虎狼之厄。我不是妖怪。”行者道：“你既怕虎狼，怎么不念《北斗经》？”三藏正然上马，闻得此言，骂道：“这个泼猴！‘救人一命，胜造七级浮屠’。你驮他驮儿便罢了，且讲甚么‘北斗经’、‘南斗经’！”行者闻言道：“这厮造化哩！我那师父是个慈悲好善之人，又有些外好里枒槎[3]。我待不驮你，他就怪我。驮便驮，须要与你讲开：若是大小便，先和我说。若在脊梁上淋下来，臊气不堪，且污了我的衣服，没人浆洗。”那怪道：“我这般一把子年纪，岂不知你的话说？”行者才拉将起来，背在身上，同长老、沙僧，奔大路西行。那山上高低不平之处，行者留心慢走，让唐僧前去。
行不上三五里路，师父与沙僧下了山凹之中，行者却望不见，心中埋怨道：“师父偌大年纪，再不晓得事体。这等远路，就是空身子也还嫌手重，恨不得捽了，却又教我驮着这个妖怪！——莫说他是妖怪，就是好人，这们年纪，也死得着了。掼杀他罢，驮他怎的？”这大圣正算计要掼，原来那怪就知道了，且会遣山，就使一个“移山倒海”的法术，就在行者背上捻诀，念动真言，把一座须弥山遣在空中，劈头来压行者。这大圣慌的把头偏一偏，压在左肩臂上，笑道：“我的儿，你使甚么重身法来压老孙哩？这个倒也不怕，只是‘正担好挑，偏担儿难挨’。”那魔道：“一座山压他不住！”却又念咒语，把一座峨眉山遣在空中来压。行者又把头偏一偏，压在右肩臂上。看他挑着两座大山，飞星来赶师父！那魔头看见，就吓得浑身是汗，遍体生津道：“他却会担山！”又整性情，把真言念动，将一座泰山遣在空中，劈头压住行者。那大圣力软筋麻，遭逢他这泰山下顶之法，只压得三尸神咋，七窍喷红。
好妖魔，使神通压倒行者，却疾驾长风，去赶唐三藏，就于云端里伸下手来，马上挝[4]人。慌得个沙僧丢了行李，掣出降妖棒，当头挡住。那妖魔举一口七星剑，对面来迎。这一场好杀：
七星剑，降妖杖，万映金光如闪亮。这个圜眼凶如黑杀神，那个铁脸真是卷帘将。那怪山前大显能，一心要捉唐三藏。这个努力保真僧，一心宁死不肯放。他两个喷云嗳雾照天宫，播土扬尘遮斗象。杀得那一轮红日淡无光，大地乾坤昏荡荡。来往相持八九回，不期战败沙和尚。
那魔十分凶猛，使口宝剑，流星的解数滚来，把个沙僧战得软弱难搪，回头要走，早被他逼住宝杖，抡开大手，挝住沙僧，挟在左胁下，将右手去马上拿了三藏，脚尖儿钩着行李，张开口，咬着马鬃，使起摄法，把他们一阵风，都拿到莲花洞里，厉声高叫道：“哥哥！这和尚都拿来了！”
老魔闻言，大喜道：“拿来我看。”二魔道：“这不是？”老魔道：“贤弟呀，又错拿来了也。”二魔道：“你说拿唐僧的。”老魔道：“是便就是唐僧，只是还不曾拿住那有手段的孙行者。须是拿住他，才好吃唐僧哩。若不曾拿得他，切莫动他的人。那猴王神通广大，变化多般。我们若吃了他师父，他肯甘心？来那门前吵闹，莫想能得安生。”二魔笑道：“哥呵，你也忒会抬举人。若依你夸奖他，天上少有，地上全无；自我观之，也只如此，没甚手段。”老魔道：“你拿住了？”二魔道：“他已被我遣三座大山压在山下，寸步不能举移。所以才把唐僧、沙和尚连马、行李，都摄将来也。”那老魔闻言，满心欢喜道：“造化！造化！拿住这厮，唐僧才是我们口里的食哩。”叫小妖：“快安排酒来，且与你二大王奉一个得功的杯儿。”二魔道：“哥哥，且不要吃酒，叫小的们把猪八戒捞上水来吊起。”遂把八戒吊在东廊，沙僧吊在西边，唐僧吊在中间，白马送在槽上，行李收将进去。
老魔笑道：“贤弟好手段，两次捉了三个和尚！但孙行者虽是有山压住，也须要作个法，怎么拿他来凑蒸，才好哩。”二魔道：“兄长请坐。若要拿孙行者，不消我们动身，只教两个小妖，拿两件宝贝，把他装将来罢。”老魔道：“拿甚么宝贝去？”二魔道：“拿我的紫金红葫芦，你的羊脂玉净瓶。”老魔将宝贝取出道：“差那两个去？”二魔道：“差精细鬼、伶俐虫二人去。”分付道：“你两个拿着这宝贝，径至高山绝顶，将底儿朝天，口儿朝地，叫一声‘孙行者’，他若应了，就已装在里面。随即贴上‘太上老君急急如律令奉敕’的帖儿，他就一时三刻化为脓了。”二小妖叩头，将宝贝领出去拿行者不题。
却说那大圣被魔使法压住在山根之下，遇苦思三藏，逢灾念圣僧，厉声叫道：“师父啊！想当时你到两界山，揭了压帖，老孙脱了大难，秉教沙门；感菩萨赐与法旨，我和你同住同修，同缘同相，同见同知。怎想到了此处，遭逢魔障，又被他遣山压了。可怜！可怜！你死该当，只难为沙僧、八戒与那小龙化马一场！这正是树大招风风撼树，人为名高名丧人！”叹罢，那珠泪如雨。
早惊了山神、土地与五方揭谛神众，会金头揭谛道：“这山是谁的？”土地道：“是我们的。”“你山下压的是谁？”土地道：“不知是谁。”揭谛道：“你等原来不知。这压的是五百年前大闹天宫的齐天大圣孙悟空行者，如今皈依正果，跟唐僧做了徒弟。你怎么把山借与妖魔压他？你们是死了。他若有一日脱身出来，他肯饶你！就是从轻，土地也问个摆站，山神也问个充军，我们也领个大不应[5]是。”那山神、土地才怕道：“委实不知，不知。只听得那魔头念起遣山咒法，我们就把山移将来了。谁晓得是孙大圣？”揭谛道：“你且休怕。律上有云：‘不知者不坐[6]。’我与你计较，放他出来，不要教他动手打我们。”土地道：“就没理了，既放出来又打？”揭谛道：“你不知他有一条如意金箍棒，十分利害：打着的就死，挽着的就伤；磕一磕儿筋断，擦一擦儿皮塌哩！”
那土地、山神心中恐惧，与五方揭谛商议了，却来到三山门外叫道：“大圣！山神、土地、五方揭谛来见。”好行者，他虎瘦雄心还在，自然的气象昂昂，声音朗朗道：“见我怎的？”土地道：“告大圣得知：遣开山，请大圣出来，赦小神不恭之罪。”行者道：“遣开山，不打你。”喝声：“起去！”就如官府发放一般。那众神念动真言咒语，把山仍遣归本位，放起行者。行者跳将起来，抖抖土，束束裙，耳后掣出棒来，叫山神、土地：“都伸过孤拐来，每人先打两下，与老孙散散闷！”众神大惊道：“刚才大圣已分付，恕我等之罪，怎么出来就变了言语要打？”行者道：“好土地！好山神！你倒不怕老孙，却怕妖怪！”土地道：“那魔神通广大，法术高强，念动真言咒语，拘唤我等在他洞里，一日一个轮流当值哩！”
行者听见“当值”二字，却也心惊，仰面朝天，高声大叫道：“苍天！苍天！自那混沌初分，天开地辟，花果山生了我。我也曾遍访明师，传授长生秘诀。想我那随风变化，伏虎降龙，大闹天宫，名称大圣，更不曾把山神、土地欺心使唤。今日这个妖魔无状，怎敢把山神、土地唤为奴仆，替他轮流当值？天啊！既生老孙，怎么又生此辈？”
那大圣正感叹间，又见山凹里霞光焰焰而来。行者道：“山神、土地，你既在这洞中当值，那放光的是甚物件？”土地道：“那是妖魔的宝贝放光，想是有妖精拿宝贝来降你。”行者道：“这个却好耍子儿啊！我且问你，他这洞中有甚人与他相往？”土地道：“他爱的是烧丹炼药，喜的是全真道人。”行者道：“怪道他变个老道士，把我师父骗去了。既这等，你都且记打，回去罢。等老孙自家拿他。”那众神俱腾空而散。
这大圣摇身一变，变做个老真人。你道他怎生打扮：
头挽双髽髻，身穿百衲衣。
手敲渔鼓简，腰系吕公绦。
斜倚大路下，专候小魔妖。
顷刻妖来到，猴王暗放刁。
不多时，那两个小妖到了。行者将金箍棒伸开，那妖不曾防备，绊着脚，扑的一跌。爬起来，才看见行者，口里嚷道：“惫懒！惫懒！若不是我大王敬重你这行人，就和比较[7]起来。”行者陪笑道：“比较甚么？道人见道人，都是一家人。”那怪道：“你怎么睡在这里，绊我一跌？”行者道：“小道童见我这老道人，要跌一跌儿做见面钱。”那妖道：“我大王见面钱只要几两银子，你怎么跌一跌儿做见面钱？你别是一乡风，决不是我这里道士。”行者道：“我当真不是。我是蓬莱山来的。”那妖道：“蓬莱山是海岛神仙境界。”行者道：“我不是神仙，谁是神仙？”那妖却回嗔作喜，上前道：“老神仙，老神仙！我等肉眼凡胎，不能识认，言语冲撞，莫怪，莫怪。”行者道：“我不怪你。常言道‘仙体不踏凡地’，你怎知之？我今日到你山上，要度一个成仙了道的好人。那个肯跟我去？”精细鬼道：“师父，我跟你去。”伶俐虫道：“师父，我跟你去。”
行者明知故问道：“你二位从那里来的？”那怪道：“自莲花洞来的。”“要往那里去？”那怪道：“奉我大王教命，拿孙行者去的。”“拿那个？”那怪又道：“拿孙行者。”孙行者道：“可是跟唐僧取经的那个孙行者么？”那妖道：“正是，正是。你也认得他？”行者道：“那猴子有些无礼，我认得他，我也有些恼他。我与你同拿他去，就当与你助功。”那怪道：“师父，不须你助功。我二大王有些法术，遣了三座大山把他压在山下，寸步难移，教我两个拿宝贝来装他的。”行者道：“是甚宝贝？”精细鬼道：“我的是红葫芦，他的是玉净瓶。”行者道：“怎么样装他？”小妖道：“把这宝贝的底儿朝天，口儿朝地，叫他一声，他若应了，就装在里面，贴上一张‘太上老君急急如律令奉敕’的帖子，他就一时三刻化为脓了。”行者见说，心中暗惊道：“利害！利害！当时日值功曹报信，说有五件宝贝，这是两件了，不知那三件又是甚么东西？……”行者笑道：“二位，你把宝贝借我看看。”那小妖那知甚么诀窍，就于袖中取出两件宝贝，双手递与行者。行者见了，心中暗喜道：“好东西！好东西！我若把尾子一抉[8]，嗖的跳起走了，只当是送老孙。”忽又思道：“不好！不好！抢便抢去，只是坏了老孙的名头，这叫做白日抢夺了。”复递与他去，道：“你还不曾见我的宝贝哩。”那怪道：“师父有甚宝贝？也借与我凡人看看压灾。”
好行者，伸下手把尾上毫毛拔了一根，捻一捻，叫：“变！”即变做一个一尺七寸长的大紫金红葫芦，自腰里拿将出来道：“你看我的葫芦么？”那伶俐虫接在手，看了道：“师父，你这葫芦长大，有样范，好看，——却只是不中用。”行者道：“怎的不中用？”那怪道：“我这两件宝贝，每一个可装千人哩。”行者道：“你这装人的，何足稀罕？我这葫芦，连天都装在里面哩！”那怪道：“就可以装天？”行者道：“当真的装天。”那怪道：“只怕是谎。就装与我们看看才信，不然，决不信你。”行者道：“天若恼着我，一月之间，常装他七八遭；不恼着我，就半年也不装他一次。”伶俐虫道：“哥啊，装天的宝贝，与他换了罢。”精细鬼道：“他装天的，怎肯与我装人的相换？”伶俐虫道：“若不肯啊，贴他这个净瓶也罢。”行者心中暗喜道：“葫芦换葫芦，馀外贴净瓶。一件换两件，其实甚相应！”即上前扯住那伶俐虫道：“装天可换么？”那怪道：“但装天就换，不换，我是你的儿子！”行者道：“也罢，也罢，我装与你们看看。”
好大圣，低头捻诀，念个咒语，叫那日游神、夜游神、五方揭谛神：“即去与我奏上玉帝，说老孙皈依正果，保唐僧去西天取经，路阻高山，师逢苦厄。妖魔那宝，吾欲诱他换之。万千拜上，将天借与老孙装闭半个时辰，以助成功。若道半声不肯，即上灵霄殿，动起刀兵！”
那日游神径至南天门里，灵霄殿下，启奏玉帝，备言前事。玉帝道：“这泼猴头，出言无状。前者观音来说，放了他保护唐僧，朕这里又差五方揭谛、四值功曹，轮流护持，如今又借天装，天可装乎？”才说装不得，那班中闪出哪吒三太子，奏道：“万岁，天也装得。”玉帝道：“天怎样装？”哪吒道：“自混沌初分，以轻清为天，重浊为地。天是一团清气而扶托瑶天宫阙，以理论之，其实难装；但只孙行者保唐僧西去取经，诚所谓泰山之福缘，海深之善庆，今日当助他成功。”玉帝道：“卿有何助？”哪吒道：“请降旨意，往北天门问真武借皂雕旗在南天门上一展，把那日月星辰闭了。对面不见人，捉白不见黑，哄那怪道，只说装了天，以助行者成功。”玉帝闻言：“依卿所奏。”那太子奉旨，前来北天门见真武，备言前事，那祖师随将旗付太子。
早有游神急降大圣耳边道：“哪吒太子来助功了。”行者仰面观之，只见祥云缭绕，果是有神，却回头对小妖道：“装天罢。”小妖道：“要装就装，只管阿绵花屎[9]怎的？”行者道：“我方才运神念咒来。”那小妖都睁着眼，看他怎么样装天。这行者将一个假葫芦儿抛将上去。你想，这是一根毫毛变的，能有多重？被那山顶上风吹去，飘飘荡荡，足有半个时辰，方才落下。只见那南天门上，哪吒太子把皂旗拨喇喇展开，把日月星辰俱遮闭了，真是乾坤墨染就，宇宙靛妆成。二小妖大惊道：“才说话时，只好向午，却怎么就黄昏了？”行者道：“天既装了，不辨时候，怎不黄昏！”“如何又这等样黑？”行者道：“日月星辰都装在里面，外却无光，怎么不黑！”小妖道：“师父，你在那厢说话哩？”行者道：“我在你面前不是？”小妖伸手摸着道：“只见说话，更不见面目。师父，此间是甚么去处？”行者又哄他道：“不要动脚，此间乃是渤海岸上。若塌了脚，落下去呵，七八日还不得到底哩！”小妖大惊道：“罢！罢！罢！放了天罢。我们晓得是这样装了。若弄一会子，落下海去，不得归家！”
好行者，见他认了真实，又念咒语，惊动太子，把旗卷起，却早见日光正午。小妖笑道：“妙啊！妙啊！这样好宝贝，若不换呵，诚为不是养家的儿子！”那精细鬼交了葫芦，伶俐虫拿出净瓶，一齐儿递与行者。行者却将假葫芦儿递与那怪。行者既换了宝贝，却又干事找绝：脐下拔一根毫毛，吹口仙气，变作一个铜钱，叫道：“小童，你拿这个钱去买张纸来。”小妖道：“何用？”行者道：“我与你写个合同文书。你将这两件装人的宝贝换了我一件装天的宝贝，恐人心不平，向后去日久年深，有甚反悔不便，故写此各执为照。”小妖道：“此间又无笔墨，写甚文书？我与你赌个咒罢。”行者道：“怎么样赌？”小妖道：“我两件装人之宝，贴换你一件装天之宝，若有反悔，一年四季遭瘟。”行者笑道：“我是决不反悔，如有反悔，也照你四季遭瘟。”说了誓，将身一纵，把尾子跷了一跷，跳在南天门前，谢了哪吒太子麾旗相助之功。太子回宫缴旨，将旗送还真武不题。这行者伫立霄汉之间，观看那个小妖。毕竟不知怎生区处，且听下回分解。
[1] 禳（ránɡ）星：道教一种驱除邪恶煞星的法事。
[2] 抹：这里指盯、瞟、睃。犹现在说瞄。后文第五十二回的抹字，则做撸、勒解释。
[3] 外好里枒槎：形容人外面看去不错，内里却很难缠。这里含有对外人好、对自己人苛刻之意。
[4] 挝（zhuā）：同“抓”。
[5] 不应：即“不应为”，指律法虽然没有规定，但依照情理不应该做的事。
[6] 坐：定罪。
[7] 比较：较量、计较。
[8] 抉：同“撅”。
[9] 阿绵花屎：比喻办事拖拉，不干脆利索。阿，同“屙”。
CHAPTER 33. Heresy deludes the True Nature; Primal Spirit helps the Native Mind.
We were telling you about that fiend who hauled Eight Rules into the cave, crying, “Elder Brother, we caught one!” Delighted, the old demon said, “Bring him here for a look.” “Isn’t this the one?” said the second demon. “Brother,” said the old demon, “you caught the wrong one. This monk is useless.” Eight Rules at once jumped at this opportunity and said, “Great King, please release a useless monk and let him go. It’s a crime!” “Elder Brother,” said the second demon, “don’t release him. Even if he’s useless, he is part of the Tang Monk’s company, and he’s called Zhu Eight Rules. Let’s soak him thoroughly in the pure water pool in the back; when the bristles are plucked and the hide is peeled after the soaking, we can pickle him with salt and sun him dry. He’ll be a good appetizer with wine on a cloudy day.” When Eight Rules heard these words, he said, “What rotten luck! I’ve met up with a monster who traffics in pickled food!” The little fiends hauled Eight Rules inside and threw him into the water, and we shall speak of him no further.
We tell you now about Tripitaka sitting before the slope; his ears became flushed and his heart began to pound. Growing very restless, he called out, “Wukong, why is it that Wuneng has taken so long to patrol the mountain this time and hasn’t returned?” Pilgrim said, “Master still doesn’t know anything of how his mind works!” “How does it work?” asked Tripitaka. “Master,” said Pilgrim, “if this mountain truly has monsters, he will find it difficult to advance even half a step. Instead, he will run back to report to us with all sorts of exaggerations. I suppose, however, that there are no monsters, and he must have gone ahead directly when he found the road quiet and safe.” “If he really has gone ahead,” said Tripitaka, “where shall we meet him? This a wild, mountainous region, not like somewhere in a village or town.” Pilgrim said, “Don’t worry, Master, please mount up. That Idiot is rather lazy, and without doubt he moves very slowly. Urge your horse a little and we’ll certainly catch up with him to proceed together again.” The Tang Monk indeed climbed on his horse; as Sha Monk poled the luggage, Pilgrim led the way in front to ascend the mountain.
We tell you now instead about the old fiend, who said to the second demon, “Brother, if you have caught Eight Rules, there must also be the Tang Monk somewhere. Go and patrol the mountain again, and make certain that you don’t miss him.” “At once! At once!” said the second demon, who immediately called up some fifty little fiends to go patrol the mountain with him. As they journeyed, they saw auspicious clouds and luminous ether circling. The second demon said, “Here comes the Tang Monk!” “Where is he?” asked the various little fiends. The second demon said, “Auspicious clouds will alight on the head of a virtuous man, whereas the black ether emitted from the head of a wicked man will rise up to the sky. That Tang Monk is actually the incarnation of the Elder Gold Cicada, a virtuous man who has practiced austerities for ten existences. That’s why he is encircled by these auspicious clouds.” Those little fiends, however, still could not perceive where the monk was. Pointing with his finger, the second demon said, “Isn’t that he?” Immediately, Tripitaka on the horse shuddered violently; the demon pointed again, and Tripitaka shuddered once more. This went on for three times, and Tripitaka grew very anxious, saying, “Disciples, why am I shuddering like this?”
“You must have an upset stomach,” said Sha Monk, “and that’s why you are feeling the chill.”
“Nonsense!” said Pilgrim. “Going through this tall mountain and rugged cliff must have made Master rather apprehensive, that’s all. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid! Let old Monkey put on a show for you with my rod to calm your fears somewhat.” Dear Pilgrim! Whipping out his rod, he began to go through a sequence of maneuvers with the rod as he walked before the horse: up and down, left and right, the thrusts and parries were made in perfect accord with the manuals of martial arts. What the elder saw from the horse was a sight incomparable anywhere in the world!
As Pilgrim led the way toward the West, the monster, who was watching on top of the mountain, almost fell over with fear. Scared out of his wits, the monster blurted out, “I have heard about Pilgrim Sun for several years, but today I know that this is no false rumor.” Drawing closer to him, the various fiends said, “Great King, why do you ‘magnify the determination of others to diminish your own authority’? Of whom are you boasting?” “Pilgrim Sun,” said the second demon, “truly possesses vast magical powers. We won’t be able to eat the Tang Monk.” “Great King,” said the fiends, “if you don’t have the abilities, let a few of us go and report to the Great, Great King. Ask him to call up all the fighters, young and old, of our cave, and we will all join to form a solid battle front. You fear that he’ll be able to escape then?” “Can’t you all see that iron rod of his?” asked the second demon. “It’s powerful enough to vanquish ten thousand foes. We have but four or five hundred soldiers in the cave, and they won’t be able to take even a single stroke of his rod!”
The fiends said, “If you put it that way, the Tang Monk certainly will not be our food. Doesn’t that mean that we have also made a mistake in seizing Zhu Eight Rules? Let’s return him to the monks.”
“We haven’t quite made a mistake,” said the second demon, “nor should we send him back so easily. In the end, we are determined to devour the Tang Monk, but we can’t do it just yet.” “If you put it that way,” said the fiends, “should we wait for a few more years?” The second demon said, “No need for a few more years. I perceive now that that Tang Monk must be sought for with virtue and not be taken by violence. If we want to use force to catch him, we won’t be able to get even a whiff of him. The only way we can move him is to feign virtue, so that his mind will be made to fuse with our minds, in the process of which we shall plot against him, exploiting the very virtue of his.” The fiends said, “If the Great King wants to devise a plan to catch him, will you want to use us?” “Each of you may return to our camp,” said the second demon, “but you are not permitted to report this to the Great King. If you disturb him and leak the news, my plan may be ruined. I have my own power of transformation, and I can catch him.”
The various monsters dispersed; the demon by himself leaped down from the mountain. Shaking his body by the road, he changed into an aged Daoist. “How was he dressed?” you ask. You see
A shining star-patterned cap,
And tousled whitish hair;
A feathered gown wrapped in silk sash,
And sandals tied with yellow coir;
Nice features and bright eyes like a man divine,
A light, healthy body as the Age Star’s.
Why speak of the Blue Buffalo Daoist?1
He’s as strong as White Tablet Master2—
A specious form disguised as the true form,
Falsehood feigning to be the honest truth!
By the side of the main road, he masqueraded himself as a Daoist with a bloody, broken leg, whimpering constantly and crying, “Save me! Save me!”
We were telling you about Tripitaka, who, relying on the strength of Great Sage Sun and Sha Monk, was proceeding happily when they heard repeatedly the cry, “Master, save me!” When this reached the ears of Tripitaka, he said, “My goodness! My goodness! There is all around not a single village in the wilderness of this mountain. Who could it be that’s calling? It must be, I suppose, someone terrified by the tiger or the leopard.” Reining in his fine horse, the elder called out, “Who is the person facing this ordeal? Please show yourself.” The fiend crawled out of the bushes and at once banged his head on the ground without ceasing, facing the elder’s horse. When Tripitaka saw that it was a Daoist, and an elderly one at that, he felt sorry for him. Dismounting at once, he tried to take hold of him with his hands, saying, “Please get up! Please get up!” The fiend said, “It hurts! It hurts!” When Tripitaka released his hold, he discovered that the man’s leg was bleeding. “O Master,” said the startled Tripitaka, “where did you come from? How is it that your leg is wounded?”
With clever speech and specious tongue, the fiend answered falsely, saying, “Master, west of this mountain is a clean and secluded temple, of which I am a Daoist.” Tripitaka said, “Why are you not tending the incense and fires or rehearsing the scriptures and the rituals in the temple? Why are you walking around here?” “A patron at the southern part of this mountain,” said the demon, “invited the Daoists to pray to the stars and distribute the blessings day before yesterday. Last night my disciple and I were walking home when we ran into a ferocious striped tiger in a deep canyon. It seized my disciple and dragged him away in its mouth, while your terrified Daoist, madly attempting to flee, broke his leg when he fell on a pile of rocks. I couldn’t even find my way back. But it must be a great Heavenly affinity that caused me to meet Master today, and I beseech you in your great compassion to save my life. When I get to our temple, I will repay your profound kindness even if it means selling myself into slavery!”
When Tripitaka heard these words, he thought they were the truth and said to him, “O Master, we two belong to the same calling—I’m a monk and you’re a Daoist. Though our attire may differ, the principles in cultivation, in the practice of austerities, are the same. If I don’t save you, I shouldn’t be ranked among those who have left the family. But though I intend to save you, I see that you can’t walk.” “I can’t even stand up,” said the fiend, “so how can I walk?” “All right, all right!” said Tripitaka. “I can still walk. I’ll let you take my horse for this distance. When you get to your temple, you can return the horse to me.” The fiend said, “Master, I’m grateful for your profound kindness, but my inner thigh is hurt. I can’t ride.” Tripitaka said, “I see,” and he said to Sha Monk, “Put the luggage on my horse, and you carry him.” “I’ll carry him,” said Sha Monk.
Stealing a quick glance at Sha Monk, the fiend said, “O Master, I was so terrified by that ferocious tiger. Now that I see this priest with such a gloomy complexion, I’m even more frightened. I dare not let him carry me.” “Wukong,” said Tripitaka, “you carry him then.” Pilgrim immediately answered, “I’ll carry him. I’ll carry him.” Having made certain that it was Pilgrim who would carry him, the monster became very amiable and did not speak anymore. “You cockeyed old Daoist!” said Sha Monk, laughing. “You don’t think it’s good for me to carry you, and you want him instead. When he is out of Master’s sight, he’ll smash even your tendons on a sharp, pointed rock!”
Pilgrim, meanwhile, had agreed to put the monster on his back, but he said, chuckling, “You brazen demon, how dare you come to provoke me! You should have made some inquiry on how many years old Monkey has been around! Your fib can deceive the Tang Monk, but do you really think you could fool me? I can tell that you are a fiend of this mountain who wants to eat my master, I suppose. But is my master an ordinary person, someone for you to eat? And even if you want to devour him, you should at least have given a larger half to old Monkey!”
When the demon heard Pilgrim muttering like this, he said, “Master, I am the descendant of a good family who has become a Daoist. It’s my misfortune this day to have met this adversity of the tiger. I’m no monster.” “If you fear the tiger and the wolf,” said Pilgrim, “why don’t you recite the Scripture of the Northern Dipper?”3 When Tripitaka heard these words just as he was mounting, he chided, “This wanton ape! ‘Saving one life is better than erecting a seven-tiered pagoda.’ Isn’t it enough that you carry him? Why speak of the Classic of the Northern Dipper or the Classic of the Southern Dipper?”
When Pilgrim heard him, he said, “Lucky for this fellow! My master happens to be someone who is inclined toward compassion and virtue, but also someone who prefers external appearance more than inward excellence. If I don’t carry you, he’ll blame me, so I’ll carry you, all right. But I have to make it clear to you: if you want to piss or shit, tell me first. For if you pour it down my back, I can’t take the stink, and there is no one around to wash and starch my clothes when they are soiled.” “Look at my age,” said the fiend, “you think I don’t understand what you said?” Only then did Pilgrim pull him up and put him on his back before setting out on the main road to the West with the elder and Sha Monk. When they reached a spot in the mountain where the road became bumpy, weaving up and down, Pilgrim took care to walk more slowly, allowing the Tang Monk to proceed first. Before they had gone four or five miles, the master and Sha Monk descended into a fold of the mountain and became completely out of sight. More and more annoyed, Pilgrim thought to himself, “Master is such a fool even though he’s a grown man! Traveling this great distance, one gets weary even if one were empty-handed—and he tells me instead to carry this monster! I wish I could throw him off! Let’s not say he’s a monster; even if he were a good man, he should die without regret for having lived so long. I might as well dash him to the ground and kill him. Why carry him any further?”
As the Great Sage was about to do this, the monster knew instantly of his plan. Knowing how to summon mountains, he resorted to the magic of Moving Mountains and Pouring out Oceans. On Pilgrim’s back he made the magic sign with his fingers and recited a spell, sending the Sumeru Mountain into midair and causing it to descend directly on Pilgrim’s head. A little startled, the Great Sage bent his head to one side and the mountain landed on his left shoulder. Laughing, he said, “My child, what sort of press-body magic are you using to pin down old Monkey? This is all right, but a lopsided pole is rather difficult to carry.”
The demon said to himself, “One mountain can’t hold him down.” He recited a spell once more and summoned the Emei Mountain4 into the air. Pilgrim again turned his head and the mountain landed on his right shoulder. Look at him! Carrying two mountains, he began to give chase to his master with the speed of a meteor! The sight of him caused the old demon to perspire all over, muttering to himself, “He truly knows how to pole mountains!” Exerting his spirit even more, he recited another spell and sent up the Tai Mountain to press down on Pilgrim’s head. With this magic of the Tai Mountain Pressing the Head, the Great Sage was overpowered as his strength ebbed and his tendons turned numb; the weight was so great that the spirits of the Three Worms5 inside his body exploded and blood spouted from his seven apertures.6
Dear monster! After he used his magic power to pin down Pilgrim, he himself mounted quickly a gust of violent wind to catch up with the Tang Monk. From the edge of the clouds, he stretched down his hand to try to seize the rider of the horse. Sha Monk was so startled that he threw away the luggage and whipped out his fiend-routing staff to block the attempt. Wielding the sword of the seven stars, the demon met him head on and it was some battle!
The sword of seven stars,
The fiend-routing staff,
All flashed golden beams as lightning bright.
This one, eyes glowering, seemed the black god of death;
That one, iron-faced, was the true Curtain-Raising Captain.
The fiend before the mountain showed his power,
Solely bent on catching Tripitaka Tang.
This man, earnestly guarding the true monk,
Would not let go e’en at the threat of death.
The two belched fog and cloud to reach Heaven’s Palace;
They sprayed dirt and dust to cover the stars.
They fought till the red sun grew dim and lost its light—
The great earth, the cosmos, turned dusky all.
Back and forth they scuffled for eight, nine rounds:
’Twas quick defeat for which Sha Monk was bound!
The demon was exceedingly ferocious; the thrusts and slashes of his sword fell on his opponent like meteor showers. Growing weaker by the moment, Sha Monk could no longer withstand him and turned to flee, when the precious staff was forced aside and he was seized by a huge hand. Wedging Sha Monk beneath his left arm, the demon dragged Tripitaka off the horse with his right hand; with the tip of his feet hooked on to the luggage and his mouth tugging at the mane of the horse, he used the magic of removal and brought them all to the Lotus-Flower Cave in a gust of wind. Shouting at the top of his voice, he cried, “Elder Brother, all the monks are caught and brought here!”
When the old demon heard these words, he was very pleased, saying, “Bring them here for me to have a look.” “Aren’t these the ones?” asked the second demon. “Worthy brother,” said the old demon, “you caught the wrong ones again.” “But you told me to catch the Tang Monk,” said the second demon. The old demon said, “It was the Tang Monk, all right, but you did not manage to catch the able Pilgrim Sun. We have to catch him first before we can enjoy eating the Tang Monk. If we haven’t caught him, be sure not to touch any of his companions. That Monkey King, you see, has vast magic powers and knows many ways of transformation. If we devour his master, you think he’ll accept that? He will certainly come to quarrel with us at our door and we will never be able to live in peace.” “Elder Brother,” said the second demon with a laugh, “you know only how to exalt others! According to your words, that monkey is unique on Earth, and rare even in Heaven. But as I see him, he’s so-so only, with not many abilities.” “You caught him, then?” asked the old demon. “He has already been pinned down by three large mountains that I summoned,” said the second demon, “and he can’t move even an inch. That’s how I managed to transport the Tang Monk, Sha Monk, the white horse, and even the luggage back here.” When the old demon heard these words, he was filled with delight, saying, “What luck! What luck! Only after we have caught this fellow can the Tang Monk be food in our mouths.” He thereupon said to the little fiends, “Prepare some wine at once. Let’s present to our Second Great King the goblet of merit.” The second demon said, “Elder Brother, let’s not drink wine yet. Let’s order the little ones to scoop Zhu Eight Rules out of the water and hang him up.” Eight Rules was thus hung up in the east side of the cave, Sha Monk in the west side, and the Tang Monk in the middle. The white horse was placed in a stable while the luggage was brought inside the cave.
Smiling, the old demon said, “Worthy Brother, what marvelous ability! You went out twice and you caught three monks. Though Pilgrim Sun, however, has been pressed beneath the mountains, we must find a way to bring him here so that he can be steamed together with the others.” The second demon said, “If Elder Brother wants to bring Pilgrim Sun here, there’s no need for us to move. Please take a seat. We need only order two little monsters to put him in two treasures of ours and bring him here.” “Which treasures should they take along with them?” asked the old demon. The second demon said, “Take my red gourd of purple gold and your pure mutton-jade vase.” Bringing out the treasures, the old demon said, “Whom should we send?” The second demon said, “Let’s send Sly Devil and Wily Worm, the two of them.”
He then gave the instructions to the two, saying, “Take these treasures and go to the tallest peak of the three mountains. Turn one of them upside down so that its mouth will face the ground and its bottom, the sky. Call out the name, ‘Pilgrim Sun,’ and if he answers, he will be sucked immediately inside. You will then seal the container with the tape bearing the words, ‘May Laozi Act Quickly According to This Command.’7 In one and three-quarter hours, he will be reduced to pus.” The two little fiends kowtowed before they left to fetch Pilgrim, and we shall speak no more of them for the moment.
We tell you now about the Great Sage, who was pressed beneath the mountains by the magic of the demon.
Suffering, he thought of Tripitaka;
In adversity, he recalled the holy monk.
He cried out with a loud voice, “O Master! I remember how you went to the Mountain of Two Frontiers to lift up the tape that had me pressed down, and it was then that old Monkey escaped his great ordeal to embrace the vow of complete poverty. Thanks to the Bodhisattva, I was given the dharma decree so that you and I could stay together and practice religion together, so that we would be brought under the same affinity and attain the same enlightenment and knowledge. How should I expect that we would run into such a demonic obstacle here, and that I would be pinned down again by his mountains. O pity it all! You may be fated to die, but pity Sha Monk, Eight Rules, and the little dragon who took all that trouble of changing into a horse. Truly as the saying goes,
A tall tree beckons the wind, the wind will rock the tree;
A man lives for his name, his name will wreck the man.”
When he finished this lamentation, tears rained down his cheeks.
All that noise, however, immediately disturbed the mountain god, the local spirit, and the Guardians of Five Quarters, who came together with the Golden-Headed Guardian. The last one said, “Whose mountains are these?” “Ours,” said the local spirit. “Do you know who it is that you have pinned down beneath the mountains?” “No, we don’t,” said the local spirit. “So, you don’t know,” said the Guardian, “but he happens to be the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, the Pilgrim Sun Wukong who caused tremendous disturbance in Heaven five hundred years ago. Now he has embraced the right fruit to follow the Tang Monk as his disciple. How could you permit the demon to borrow these mountains to pin him down? You are as good as dead! If he ever finds release and comes out, you think he’ll spare you? Even if he lets you all go lightly, the local spirit will be demoted to an attendant in a post-house, the mountain god will be banished to military service, and even we will be placed under a terrible obligation.” Only then did the mountain god and the local spirit become frightened; they said, “We really didn’t know. All we heard was the spell for moving mountains recited by the demon and we transferred the mountains here. How could we know that it was the Great Sage Sun?”
The Guardian said, “Don’t be afraid now. The Law says, ‘The ignorant will not be held culpable.’ You and I can discuss the matter and see how we can release him without making him beat us.” “This is becoming rather ridiculous,” said the local spirit. “Will he beat us even after we have released him?” “You have no idea,” said the Guardian, “that he possesses a compliant golden-hooped rod, a most powerful weapon indeed. One stroke of it means death; one touch, a bad wound! A small tap and the tendons snap, a tiny brush and the skin collapses!”
Growing more and more alarmed, the mountain god and the local spirit had a discussion with the Guardians of Five Quarters before walking up to the front of the three mountains and crying, “Great Sage, the mountain god, the local spirit, and the Guardians of Five Quarters have come to see you.” Dear Pilgrim! Though he might be like a lean tiger at the moment, his prowess remained. When he heard the announcement, he replied at once resolutely in a ringing voice, “Why do you want to see me?” The local spirit said, “Allow me to report this to the Great Sage. I ask your permission to move the mountains away so that the Great Sage might come out and pardon the crime of disrespect unknowingly committed by this humble deity.” Pilgrim said, “Move the mountains away. I won’t hit you.” When he said this, it was as if an official pardon had been announced! The various gods began reciting their spells and the mountains were sent back to their original locations.
Once released, Pilgrim leaped up; shaking off the dirt and tightening up his skirt, he whipped out his rod from behind his ear and said to the mountain god and the local spirit: “Stick out your shanks. Each of you will receive two strokes so that old Monkey may find some relief for his misery!” Terrified, the two gods said, “Just now the Great Sage promised to pardon us. How could you change your word, now that you have come out, and want to hit us?” “Dear local spirit! Dear mountain god!” said Pilgrim. “You are not afraid of old Monkey, you are afraid of the monsters instead!” The local spirit said, “Those demons have vast magical powers. With their incantations and spells, they would summon us into their cave and we would have to take turns to be on duty.”
When Pilgrim heard these two words “on duty,” he, too, was quite shaken. Lifting his head to face the sky, he cried in a loud voice, “O Azure Heaven! Since the division of chaos and the creation of Heaven and Earth, and since the Flower-Fruit Mountain gave birth to me, I did search all around for the enlightened teacher to transmit to me the secret formula for longevity. Think of it, I can change with the wind, tame the tiger, and subdue the dragon; I even caused great disturbance in the Celestial Palace and acquired the name Great Sage. But I never dared to be so insolent as to order a mountain god or a local spirit around. These demons today are truly lawless! How could they be so arrogant as to make the mountain god and the local spirit their servants, forcing them to take turns to be on duty? O Heaven, if you had given birth to old Monkey, why did you give birth to these creatures also?”8
As the Great Sage was thus sighing, he saw in the distance beams of light rising from a mountain valley. “Mountain god, local spirit,” said Pilgrim, “since you have been on duty in the cave, you must know what objects are those emitting the light.” “They must be the luminescent treasures of the demons,” said the local spirit. “Some monster spirits, I suppose, are coming with the treasures to subdue you.” Pilgrim said, “This is a lot more fun! Let me ask you quickly, who would socialize with them in the cave?” The local spirit said, “Those they love are are persons who heat the cinnabar and refine the herbs; those whom they delight in are the Quanzhen Daoists.” “No wonder he changed into an old Daoist to lure my master away,” said Pilgrim. “Since this is the case, your beating will be deferred for the moment. You may leave, let old Monkey himself catch them.” The various deities rose into the air and left.
This Great Sage shook his body once and changed into an old adept. “How was he dressed?” you ask.
His head had two buns of hair;
He wore a clerical robe;
His hand struck a bamboo fish;9
A Master Lü10 sash circled his waist.
Reclining by the main road,
He waited for the little fiends.
In awhile the fiends arrived;
The Ape King released his tricks.
In no time at all, the two little fiends came before him and Pilgrim stuck out his golden-hooped rod. Unprepared for this, one of the little fiends tripped on it and fell; only when he scrambled up did he see Pilgrim. “Villainy! Villainy!” he began to cry. “If our Great Kings didn’t have a special fondness for your kind of people, I would scrap with you.” “What’s there to scrap about?” said Pilgrim, smiling amiably. “A Daoist meeting a Daoist, we are all in the same family!” “Why did you lie here,” said the fiend, “and cause me to stumble?” Pilgrim said, “A Daoist youth like you, when you run into an aged Daoist like me, must take a fall—it’s a sort of substitute for presenting an introductory gift.” The fiend said, “Our Great Kings only demand a few ounces of silver as introductory gifts. Why do you insist on someone taking a fall? This must be the custom of another region, and you can’t possibly be a Daoist from around here.” “Indeed, I’m not,” said Pilgrim, “for I came from Penglai Mountain.” The fiend said, “But Penglai is an island in the territory of immortals.” “If I’m not an immortal,” said Pilgrim, “who’s an immortal?” Turning all at once from anger to delight, the fiend approached him and said, “Old Immortal, Old Immortal! We are of fleshly eyes and mortal stock, and that’s why we can’t recognize you. Our words have offended you. Please pardon us.” “I won’t blame you,” said Pilgrim, “for as the saying goes, ‘The immortal frame does not tread on ground profane.’ How could you know? The reason why I have landed on your mountain today is that I want to enlighten a good man to become an immortal, to understand the Dao. Which of you is willing to follow me?” Sly Devil said, “Master, I’ll follow you,” while Wily Worm also said, “Master, I’ll follow you.”
Though he knew the reason already, Pilgrim nonetheless asked, “Where did you two come from?” “From the Lotus-Flower Cave,” said one of the fiends.
“Where are you going?”
“Our Great Kings have ordered us,” said the fiend, “to go capture Pilgrim Sun.” “To capture whom?” asked Pilgrim. “To capture Pilgrim Sun,” said the fiend again. Pilgrim said, “Could it be Pilgrim Sun, the one who’s following the Tang Monk to seek scriptures?” “Exactly, exactly,” said the fiend. “You know him too?”
“That monkey is rather rude,” said Pilgrim. “I know him all right, and I am a little mad at him. I’ll go with you to capture him; we’ll consider this my assisting you in making merit.”
“Master,” said the fiend, “no need for you to assist us in making merit. Our Second Great King has considerable magic powers: he summoned three huge mountains and had that monkey pinned down, unable to move even an inch. He then told us to come with treasures to store him up.”
“What kind of treasures?” asked Pilgrim. Sly Devil said, “Mine is a red gourd, while his is a pure jade vase.” “How do you plan to store him up?” asked Pilgrim. The little fiend replied, “Turn my treasure upside down so that its mouth will face the earth and its bottom the sky. I’ll then call him once, and if he answers me, he will at once be sucked inside. I will then seal the treasure with a tape bearing the words, ‘May Laozi Act Quickly According to This Command.’ In one and three-quarter hours, he will be reduced to pus.”
When Pilgrim heard that, he said to himself in secret alarm, “Formidable! Formidable! Previously the Day Sentinel said that they had five treasures, and these must be two of them. I wonder what sort of things are the other three?” He smiled and said to the two of them, “Could you two permit me to have a look at the treasures?” Completely unsuspecting, the little fiends took out from their sleeves at once the two treasures and presented them to Pilgrim with two hands. When Pilgrim saw them, he was delighted, saying to himself, “Marvelous things! Marvelous things! I could wag my tail once and leap clear of this place, making off with the treasures as if they had been presented to me as gifts.” He then thought to himself, “It’s no good! I can rob them of these things, but old Monkey’s reputation will be ruined. This is nothing but committing robbery in broad daylight.” He therefore returned the treasures to the fiends, saying, “You haven’t seen my treasure yet.” One of the fiends said, “What kind of treasure does Master have? Would you permit us profane people to have a look, to ward off calamities, perhaps?”
Dear Pilgrim! Stretching forth his hand, he pulled off a piece of hair from his tail and gave it a squeeze, crying “Change!” It changed at once into a huge red gourd of purple gold, about seventeen inches tall. He took it out from his waist, saying, “You want to see my gourd?” Having received it in his hands and examined it, Wily Worm said, “Master, your gourd is big, and it has nice form. It’s good to look at all right, but I’m afraid that it’s not good to use.” “What do you mean by not good to use?” asked Pilgrim. The fiend said, “Each one of our treasures can store up to a thousand people.” “So,” said Pilgrim, “yours can store up people. What’s so rare about that? This gourd of mine can even store up Heaven!”
“It can?” said the fiend. “Indeed,” said Pilgrim. “I’m afraid you are lying,” said the fiend. “Store it up for us to see and we’ll believe you; otherwise, we’ll never believe you.” “If Heaven irritates me,” said Pilgrim, “I usually store it up seven or eight times within a single month. If it doesn’t bother me, I will not store it up for as long as half a year.” “Elder Brother,” said Wily Worm, “a treasure that can store up Heaven! Let’s exchange ours with his.” Sly Devil said, “How would he be willing to exchange his with ours, which can only store up people?” “If he’s unwilling,” said Wily Worm, “we’ll make it good with our vase also.” Secretly delighted, Pilgrim thought to himself:
A gourd repays a gourd,
We add a vase of jade.
Two things exchanged for one:
That’s what I call fair trade!
He therefore went forward and caught hold of Wily Worm, saying, “If I store up Heaven, you will trade with me?” “If you do, yes,” said the fiend. “If I don’t, I’ll be your son!” “All right! All right!” said Pilgrim. “I’ll store it up for you to see.”
Dear Great Sage! Bowing his head and making the magic sign, he recited a spell that brought him the God of Day Patrol, the God of Night Patrol, and the Guardians of Five Quarters, to whom he gave the following instruction: “Report for me at once to the Jade Emperor and say that old Monkey has embraced the right fruit to accompany the Tang Monk to acquire scriptures in the Western Heaven. Our path has been blocked at a tall mountain, where my master encounters grievous calamity. I would like to entice certain demons, who possess some treasures, into trading with me. I therefore beseech His Majesty with due reverence to let old Monkey borrow Heaven to be stored up for half an hour so that I may accomplish my task. If he but utters half a ‘No,’ I shall ascend to the Divine Mists Hall and start a war!”
The deities went past the South Heaven Gate and stood below the Hall of Divine Mists to report to the Jade Emperor. “This impudent ape!” said the Jade Emperor. “He still speaks in such an unruly manner. Some time ago when Guanyin came to inform us that he had been released to accompany the Tang Monk, we even sent him the Guardians of the Five Quarters and the Four Sentinels to take turns ministering to him. Now he even wants to borrow Heaven to be stored up! How could Heaven be stored up?” Hardly had he finished speaking when the Third Prince Naṭa stepped forward from the ranks and memorialized, saying, “Your Majesty, Heaven, too, can be stored up.”
“How?” inquired the Jade Emperor.
Naṭa said, “When Chaos first divided, that which was pure and light became Heaven, and that which was heavy and turbid became Earth. Heaven, then, is a round mass of clear ether that nonetheless supports the Jasper Palace and the Heavenly ramparts. In principle, therefore, Heaven cannot be stored up. However, the matter of Pilgrim Sun’s accompaniment of the Tang Monk journeying westward to acquire scriptures is itself a source of blessings great as Mount Tai and deep as the sea. Today we should help him to succeed.”
The Jade Emperor said, “How would our worthy minister help him?”
“Let Your Majesty issue a decree,” said Nata, “and ask Zhenwu, the Lord of the North at the North Heaven Gate, to lend us his banner of black feathers, which should then be unfurled across the South Heaven Gate. The sun, the moon, and the stars will be covered, and it will be so dark on Earth that people cannot see each other even if they are standing face to face. The fiends will be deceived into thinking that Heaven has been stored up, and that is how we may help Pilgrim to succeed.” The Jade Emperor gave his consent to this suggestion, and the prince received the command to go to the North Heaven Gate, where he gave the account to Zhenwu. The patriarch at once handed the banner to the prince.
Meanwhile, the Day Patrol God swiftly returned to the Great Sage and whispered in his ear, “Prince Naṭa has come to help you.” Looking up, Pilgrim saw auspicious clouds looming up: indeed a deity was approaching. He turned to the little fiends, saying, “I’m going to store up Heaven.” “Go ahead,” said one of them. “Why keep dragging your feet?” “I was just exercising my spirit and reciting a spell,” said Pilgrim. The two little fiends stood there wide-eyed and determined to find out how he was going to store up Heaven. Pilgrim gave the specious gourd a mighty heave and tossed it up into the air. Think of it: that gourd was changed from a piece of hair. How heavy could it be? Lifted up by the mountain wind, it drifted here and there for at least half an hour before dropping down. Meanwhile, Prince Naṭa at the South Heaven Gate flung wide the black banner and in one instant covered the sun, the moon, and all the planets. Truly
The cosmos seemed dyed by ink,
The world was made indigo.
Astounded, the little fiends said, “It was just about noon when we were talking. How is it that it’s dusk already?” “Heaven has been stored up,” said Pilgrim. “You can’t tell time! How can it not be dusk?” “Why is it so dark?” they cried. Pilgrim said, “The sun, the moon, and the stars are all contained inside. There’s no light outside. How can it not be dark?” “Master,” said one of the little fiends, “where are you speaking?” “Am I not in front of you?” asked Pilgrim. The little fiend stretched out his hand to try to touch him, saying, “I can hear you, but I can’t see your face. Master, where are we?” To deceive them further, Pilgrim said, “Don’t move. This is the shore of the Gulf of Zhili. If you stumble and fall into the sea, you won’t reach bottom even after seven or eight days.” “Stop! Stop! Stop!” cried the horrified fiends. “Release Heaven, please! We know now how it is stored up. If we fool around anymore and drop into the sea, we’ll not get home.”
Dear Pilgrim! When he saw that they took the whole thing for the truth, he recited the spell again to alert the prince, who rolled up the banner and the sunlight of noon was seen once more. “Marvelous! Marvelous!” cried the little fiends, laughing. “Such fantastic treasure, if we don’t exchange for it, we are certainly no better than bastards!” Sly Devil at once took out the gourd and Wily Worm the pure vase; both of them then handed the treasures to Pilgrim. In return, Pilgrim gave them the specious gourd. After the exchange, Pilgrim wanted to make certain that the bargain stuck. Pulling off a piece of hair from beneath his belly, he blew on it and it changed into a copper penny. “Young man,” he said, “take this penny and buy us a piece of paper.” “What for?” asked the little fiend. “So that I can draw up a contract with you,” said Pilgrim. “The two of you used your human-storing treasures to exchange with me a single piece of Heaven-storing treasure. I fear that you may not consider that quite fair and that after a few years you will come to regret our deal. That’s why I want a contract for all of us.” “We don’t even have brush or ink around here,” said one of the fiends. “Why bother about writing a document? Let’s exchange vows instead.” “What kind of vow?” asked Pilgrim. The two little fiends said, “We gave two human-storing treasures to you in exchange for one Heaven-storing treasure. If we ever regret our decision, may we be stricken with plague in all four seasons.” “I’ll never regret mine,” said Pilgrim, smiling. “If I do, may I also be stricken like you.” After he made this vow, he leaped up and with one wag of his tail arrived before the South Heaven Gate, where he thanked Prince Naṭa for unfurling the banner and lending him assistance. The prince then went back to the palace to report to the Jade Emperor and to return the flag to Zhenwu. Pilgrim, meanwhile, stood in the air and looked at those little fiends. We do not know what happens thereafter; let’s listen to the explanation in the next chapter.