第四十三回
第四十三回 黑河妖孽擒僧去 西洋龙子捉鼍回
却说那菩萨念了几遍，却才住口，那妖精就不疼了。又正性起身看处，颈项里与手足上都是金箍，勒得疼痛，便就除那箍儿时，莫想褪得动分毫。这宝贝已此是见肉生根，越抹越痛。行者笑道：“我那乖乖，菩萨恐你养不大，与你戴个颈圈镯头[1]哩。”那童子闻此言，又生烦恼，就此绰起枪来，望行者乱刺。行者急闪身，立在菩萨后面，叫：“念咒！念咒！”
那菩萨将杨柳枝儿，蘸了一点甘露，洒将去，叫声：“合！”只见他丢了枪，一双手合掌当胸，再也不能开放，至今留了一个“观音扭”，即此意也。那童子开不得手，拿不得枪，方知是法力深微，没奈何，才纳头下拜。
菩萨念动真言，把净瓶敧倒，将那一海水依然收去，更无半点存留，对行者道：“悟空，这妖精已是降了，却只是野心不定，等我教他一步一拜，只拜到落伽山，方才收法。你如今快早去洞中，救你师父去来！”行者转身叩头道：“有劳菩萨远涉，弟子当送一程。”菩萨道：“你不消送，恐怕误了你师父性命。”行者闻言，欢喜叩别。那妖精早归了正果，五十三参，参拜观音。
且不题善菩萨收了童子。却说那沙僧久坐林间，盼望行者不到，将行李捎在马上，一只手执着降妖宝杖，一只手牵着缰绳，出松林向南观看，只见行者欣喜而来。沙僧迎着道：“哥哥，你怎么去请菩萨，此时才来！焦杀我也！”行者道：“你还做梦哩。老孙已请了菩萨，降了妖怪。”行者却将菩萨的法力，备陈了一遍。沙僧十分欢喜道：“救师父去也！”
他两个才跳过涧去，撞到门前，拴下马匹，举兵器齐打入洞里，剿净了群妖，解下皮袋，放出八戒来。那呆子谢了行者道：“哥哥，那妖精在那里？等我去筑他几钯，出出气来！”行者道：“且寻师父去。”
三人径至后边，只见师父赤条条捆在院中哭哩。沙僧连忙解绳，行者即取衣服穿上。三人跪在面前道：“师父吃苦了。”三藏谢道：“贤徒啊，多累你等。怎生降得妖魔也？”行者又将请菩萨、收童子之言，备陈一遍。三藏听得，即忙跪下，朝南礼拜。行者道：“不消谢他。转是我们与他作福，收了一个童子。”——如今说童子拜观音，五十三参，参参见佛，即此是也。——教沙僧：“将洞内宝物收了。且寻米粮，安排斋饭，管待了师父。”那长老得性命全亏孙大圣，取真经只靠美猴精。师徒们出洞来，攀鞍上马，找大路，笃志投西。
行经一个多月，忽听得水声振耳。三藏大惊道：“徒弟呀，又是那里水声？”行者笑道：“你这老师父，忒也多疑，做不得和尚。我们一同四众，偏你听见甚么水声。你把那《多心经》又忘了也？”唐僧道：“《多心经》乃浮屠山乌巢禅师口授，共五十四句，二百七十个字。我当时耳传，至今常念，你知我忘了那句儿？”行者道：“老师父，你忘了‘无眼耳鼻舌身意’。我等出家人，眼不视色，耳不听声，鼻不嗅香，舌不尝味，身不知寒暑，意不存妄想——如此谓之祛褪六贼。你如今为求经，念念在意；怕妖魔，不肯舍身；要斋吃，动舌；喜香甜，嗅鼻；闻声音，惊耳；睹事物，凝眸。招来这六贼纷纷，怎生得西天见佛？”三藏闻言，默然沉虑道：“徒弟呵，我
一自当年别圣君，奔波昼夜甚殷勤。
芒鞋踏破山头雾，竹笠冲开岭上云。
夜静猿啼殊可叹，月明鸟噪不堪闻。
何时满足三三行，得取如来妙法文？”
行者听毕，忍不住鼓掌大笑道：“这师父原来只是思乡难息！若要那三三行满，有何难哉！常言道‘功到自然成’哩。”八戒回头道：“哥阿，若照依这般魔瘴凶高，就走上一千年也不得成功！”沙僧道：“二哥，你和我一般，拙口钝腮，不要惹大哥热擦[2]。且只捱肩磨担，终须有日成功也。”
师徒们正话间，脚走不停，马蹄正疾，见前面有一道黑水滔天，马不能进。四众停立崖边，仔细观看。但见那：
层层浓浪，叠叠浑波。层层浓浪翻乌潦，叠叠浑波卷黑油。近观不照人身影，远望难寻树木形。滚滚一地墨，滔滔千里灰。水沫浮来如积炭，浪花飘起似翻煤。牛羊不饮，鸦鹊难飞。牛羊不饮嫌深黑，鸦鹊难飞怕渺弥。只是岸上芦知节令，滩头花草斗青奇。湖泊江河天下有，溪源泽洞世间多。人生皆有相逢处，谁见西方黑水河！
唐僧下马道：“徒弟，这水怎么如此浑黑？”八戒道：“是那家泼了靛缸了。”沙僧道：“不然，是谁家洗笔砚哩。”行者道：“你们且休胡猜乱道，且设法保师父过去。”八戒道：“这河若是老猪过去不难。或是驾了云头，或是下河负水，不消顿饭时，我就过去了。”沙僧道：“若教我老沙，也只消纵云水，顷刻而过。”行者道：“我等容易，只是师父难哩。”三藏道：“徒弟啊，这河有多少宽么？”八戒道：“约摸有十来里宽。”三藏道：“你三个计较，着那个驮我过去罢。”行者道：“八戒驮得。”八戒道：“不好驮。若是驮着腾云，三尺也不能离地。常言道：‘背凡人重若丘山。’若是驮着负水，转连我坠下水去了。”
师徒们在河边正都商议，只见那上溜头，有一人棹下一只小船儿来。唐僧喜道：“徒弟，有船来了。叫他渡我们过去。”沙僧厉声高叫道：“棹船的，来渡人！来渡人！”船上人道：“我不是渡船，如何渡人？”沙僧道：“天上人间，方便第一。你虽不是渡船，我们也不是常来打搅你的。我等是东土钦差取经的佛子。你可方便方便，渡我们过去，谢你。”那人闻此言，却把船儿棹近崖边，扶着桨道：“师父呵，我这船小，你们人多，怎能全渡？”三藏近前看了，那船儿原来是一段木头刻的，中间只有一个舱口，只好坐下两个人。三藏道：“怎生是好？”沙僧道：“这般呵，两遭儿渡罢。”八戒就使心术，要躲懒讨乖，道：“悟净，你与大哥在这边看着行李、马匹，等我保师父先过去，却再来渡马。教大哥跳过去罢。”行者点头道：“你说的是。”
那呆子扶着唐僧，那梢公撑开船，举棹冲流，一直而去。方才行到中间，只听得一声响亮，卷浪翻波，遮天迷目。那阵狂风十分利害！好风：
当空一片炮云起，中溜千层黑浪高。
两岸飞沙迷日色，四边树倒振天号。
翻江搅海龙神怕，播土扬尘花木凋。
呼呼响若春雷吼，阵阵凶如饿虎哮。
蟹鳖鱼虾朝上拜，飞禽走兽失窝巢。
五湖船户皆遭难，四海人家命不牢。
溪内渔翁难把钩，河间稍子怎撑篙？
揭瓦翻砖房屋倒，惊天动地泰山摇。
这阵风，原来就是那棹船人弄的，他本是黑水河中怪物。眼看着那唐僧与猪八戒，连船儿淬在水里，无影无形，不知摄了那方去也。
这岸上，沙僧与行者心慌道：“怎么好？老师父步步逢灾，才脱了魔障，幸得这一路平安，又遇着黑水迍邅！”沙僧道：“莫是翻了船？我们往下溜头找寻去。”行者道：“不是翻船。若翻船，八戒会水，他必然保师父负水而出。我才见那个棹船的有些不正气，想必就是这厮弄风，把师父拖下水去了。”沙僧闻言道：“哥哥何不早说！你看着马与行李，等我下水找寻去来。”行者道：“这水色不正，恐你不能去。”沙僧道：“这水比我那流沙河如何？去得！去得！”
好和尚，脱了褊衫，找抹了手脚，抡着降妖宝杖，扑的一声，分开水路，钻入波中，大踏步行将进去。正走处，只听得有人言语。沙僧闪在旁边偷睛观看，那壁厢有一座亭台，台门外横封了八个大字，乃是“衡阳峪黑水河神府”。又听得那怪物坐在上面道：“一向辛苦，今日方能得物。这和尚乃十世修行的好人，但得吃他一块肉，便做长生不老人。我为他也等够多时，今朝却不负我志。”教：“小的们！快把铁笼抬出来，将这两个和尚囫囵蒸熟，具柬去请二舅爷来，与他暖寿[3]。”沙僧闻言，按不住心头火起，掣宝杖，将门乱打，口中骂道：“那泼物，快送我唐僧师父与八戒师兄出来！”唬得那门内妖邪，急跑去报：“祸事了！”老怪问：“甚么祸事？”小妖道：“外面有一个晦气色脸的和尚，打着前门骂，要人哩。”
那怪闻言，即唤取披挂。小妖抬出披挂，老妖结束整齐，手提一根竹节钢鞭，走出门来，真个是凶顽毒像。但见：
方面圜睛霞彩亮，卷唇巨口血盆红。
几根铁线稀髯摆，两鬓朱砂乱发蓬。
形似显灵真太岁，貌如发怒狠雷公。
身披铁甲团花灿，头戴金盔嵌宝浓。
竹节钢鞭提手内，行时滚滚拽狂风。
生来本是波中物，脱去原流变化凶。
要问妖邪真姓字，前身唤做小鼍龙。
那怪喝道：“是甚人在此打我门哩？”沙僧道：“我把你个无知的泼怪！你怎么弄玄虚，变作梢公，架船将我师父摄来？快早送还，饶你性命！”那怪呵呵笑道：“这和尚不知死活！你师父是我拿了，如今要蒸熟了请人哩！你上来，与我见个雌雄！三合敌得我呵，还你师父；如三合敌不得，连你一发都蒸吃了，休想西天去也！”沙僧闻言大怒，抡宝杖，劈头就打。那怪举钢鞭，急架相还。两个在水底下，这场好杀：
降妖杖，竹节鞭，二人怒发各争先。一个是黑水河中千载怪，一个是灵霄殿外旧时仙。那个因贪三藏肉中吃，这个为保唐僧命可怜。都来水底相争斗，各要功成两不然[4]。杀得虾鱼对对摇头躲，蟹鳖双双缩首潜。只听水府群妖齐擂鼓，门前众怪乱争喧。好个沙门真悟净，单身独力展威权！跃浪翻波无胜败，鞭迎杖架两牵连。算来只为唐和尚，欲取真经拜佛天。
他二人战经三十回合，不见高低。沙僧暗想道：“这怪物是我的对手，枉自不能取胜，且引他出去，教师兄打他。”这沙僧虚丢了个架子，拖着宝杖就走。那妖精更不赶来，道：“你去罢，我不与你斗了。我且具柬帖儿去请客哩。”
沙僧气呼呼跳出水来，见了行者道：“哥哥，这怪物无礼。”行者问：“你下去许多时才出来，端的是甚妖邪？可曾寻见师父？”沙僧道：“他这里边，有一座亭台，台门外横书八个大字，唤做‘衡阳峪黑水河神府’。我闪在旁边，听着他在里面说话，教小的们刷洗铁笼，待要把师父与八戒蒸熟了，去请他舅爷来暖寿。是我发起怒来，就去打门。那怪物提一条竹节钢鞭走出来，与我斗了这半日，约有三十合，不分胜负。我却使个佯输法，要引他出来，着你助阵。那怪物乖得紧，他不来赶我，只要回去具柬请客，我才上来了。”行者道：“不知是个甚么妖邪？”沙僧道：“那模样像一个大鳖，不然便是个鼍龙也。”行者道：“不知那个是他舅爷？”
说不了，只见那下湾里走出一个老人，远远的跪下，叫：“大圣，黑水河河神叩头。”行者道：“你莫是那棹船的妖邪，又来骗我么？”那老人磕头滴泪道：“大圣，我不是妖邪，我是这河内真神。那妖精旧年五月间，从西洋海趁大潮来于此处，就与小神交斗。奈我年迈身衰，敌他不过，把我坐的那衡阳峪黑水神府，就占夺去住了，又伤了我许多水族。我却没奈何，径往海内告他。原来西海龙王是他的母舅，不准我的状子，教我让与他住。我欲启奏上天，奈何神微职小，不能得见玉帝。今闻得大圣到此，特来参拜投生[5]。万望大圣与我出力报冤！”行者闻言道：“这等说，四海龙王都该有罪。他如今摄了我师父与师弟，扬言要蒸熟了，去请他舅爷暖寿。我正要拿他，幸得你来报信。这等呵，你陪着沙僧在此看守，等我去海中，先把那龙王捉来，教他擒此怪物。”河神道：“深感大圣大恩！”
行者即驾云，径至西洋大海，按筋斗，捻了避水诀，分开波浪，正然走处，撞见一个黑鱼精捧着一个浑金的请书匣儿，从下流头似箭如梭钻将上来。被行者扑个满面，掣铁棒分顶一下，可怜就打得脑浆迸出，腮骨查开，嗗都的一声，飘出水面。他却揭开匣儿看处，里边有一张简帖，上写着：
“愚甥鼍洁，顿首百拜，启上二舅爷敖老大人台下：向承佳惠，感感[6]。今因获得二物，乃东土僧人，实为世间之罕物。甥不敢自用。因念舅爷圣诞在迩，特设菲筵[7]，预祝千寿。万望车驾速临，是荷！”
行者笑道：“这厮却把供状先递与老孙也！”正才袖了帖儿，往前再行。早有一个探海的夜叉，望见行者，急抽身撞上水晶宫报大王：“齐天大圣孙爷爷来了！”那龙王敖闰即领众水族，出宫迎接道：“大圣，请入小宫少坐，献茶。”行者道：“我还不曾吃你的茶，你倒先吃了我的酒也！”龙王笑道：“大圣一向皈依佛门，不动荤酒，却几时请我吃酒来？”行者道：“你便不曾去吃酒，只是惹下一个吃酒的罪名了。”敖闰大惊道：“小龙为何有罪？”行者袖中取出简帖儿，递与龙王。
龙王见了，魂飞魄散，慌忙跪下，叩头道：“大圣恕罪！那厮是舍妹第九个儿子。因妹夫错行了风雨，刻减了雨数，被天曹降旨，着人曹官魏征丞相梦里斩了。舍妹无处安身，是小龙带他到此，恩养成人。前年不幸，舍妹疾故，惟他无方居住，我着他在黑水河养性修真，不期他作此恶孽。小龙即差人去擒他来也。”行者道：“你令妹共有几个贤郎？都在那里作怪？”龙王道：“舍妹有九个儿子，那八个都是好的。第一个小黄龙，见居淮渎；第二个小骊龙，见住济渎；第三个青背龙，占了江渎；第四个赤髯龙，镇守河渎；第五个徒劳龙，与佛祖司钟；第六个稳兽龙，与神宫镇脊；第七个敬仲龙，与玉帝守擎天华表；第八个蜃龙，在大家兄处，砥据太岳。此乃第九个鼍龙，因年幼无甚执事，自旧年才着他居黑水河养性，待成名，别迁调用。谁知他不遵吾旨，冲撞大圣也。”
行者闻言，笑道：“你妹妹有几个妹丈？”敖闰道：“只嫁得一个妹丈，乃泾河龙王，向年已此被斩。舍妹孀居于此，前年疾故了。”行者道：“一夫一妻，如何生这几个杂种？”敖闰道：“此正谓‘龙生九种，九种各别’。”行者道：“我才心中烦恼，欲将简帖为证，上奏天庭，问你个通同作怪，抢夺人口之罪。据你所言，是那厮不遵教诲。我且饶你这次，一则是看你昆玉分上，二来只该怪那厮年幼无知，你也不甚知情。你快差人擒来，救我师父，再作区处。”敖闰即唤太子摩昂：“快点五百虾鱼壮兵，将小鼍捉来问罪。一壁厢安排酒席，与大圣陪礼。”行者道：“龙王再勿多心。既讲开饶了你便罢，又何须办酒？我今须与你令郎同回，一则老师父遭愆，二则我师弟盼望。”
那老龙苦留不住，又见龙女捧茶来献。行者立饮他一盏香茶，别了老龙，随与摩昂领兵，离了西海，早到黑水河中。行者道：“贤太子，好生捉怪，我上岸去也。”摩昂道：“大圣宽心。小龙子将他拿上来先见了大圣，惩治了他罪名，把师父送上来，才敢带回海内，见我家父。”行者忻然相别，捏了避水诀，跳出波津，径到了东边崖上。沙僧与那河神迎着道：“师兄，你去时从空而去，怎么回来却自河内而回？”行者把那打死鱼精，得简帖，怪龙王，与太子同领兵来之事，备陈了一遍。沙僧十分欢喜，都立在岸边，候接师父不题。
却说那摩昂太子着介士[8]先到他水府门前，报与妖怪道：“西海老龙王太子摩昂来也。”那怪正坐，忽闻摩昂来，心中疑惑道：“我差黑鱼精投简帖拜请二舅爷，这早晚不见回话。怎么舅爷不来，却是表兄来耶？”正说间，只见那巡河的小怪又来报：“大王，河内有一枝兵，屯于水府之西，旗号上书着‘西海储君摩昂小帅’。”妖怪道：“这表兄却也狂妄：想是舅爷不得来，命他来赴宴。既是赴宴，如何又领兵劳士？——咳！但恐其间有故。”教：“小的们，将我的披挂钢鞭俟候，恐一时变暴。待我且出去迎他，看是何如。”众妖领命，一个个擦掌摩拳准备。
这鼍龙出得门来，真个见一枝海兵扎营在右。只见：
征旗飘绣带，画戟列明霞。
宝剑凝光彩，长枪缨绕花。
弓弯如月小，箭插似狼牙。
大刀光灿灿，短棍硬沙沙。
鲸鳌并蛤蚌，蟹鳖共鱼虾。
大小齐齐摆，干戈似密麻。
不是元戎令，谁敢乱爬蹅！
鼍怪见了，径至那营门前，厉声高叫：“大表兄，小弟在此拱候，有请。”有一个巡营的螺螺，急至中军帐报：“千岁殿下，外有鼍龙叫请哩。”太子按一按顶上金盔，束一束腰间宝带，手提一根三棱简，拽开步，跑出营去，道：“你来请我怎么？”鼍龙进礼道：“小弟今早有简帖拜请舅爷，想是舅爷见弃，着表兄来的。兄长既来赴席，如何又劳师动众？不入水府，扎营在此，又贯甲提兵，何也？”太子道：“你请舅爷做甚？”妖怪道：“小弟一向蒙恩赐居于此，久别尊颜，未得孝顺。昨日捉得一个东土僧人，我闻他是十世修行的元体，人吃了他，可以延寿，欲请舅爷看过，上铁笼蒸熟，与舅爷暖寿哩。”太子喝道：“你这厮十分懵懂！你道僧人是谁？”妖怪道：“他是唐朝来的僧人，往西天取经的和尚。”太子道：“你只知他是唐僧，不知他手下徒弟利害哩。”妖怪道：“他有一个长嘴的和尚，唤做个猪八戒，我也把他捉住了，要与唐和尚一同蒸吃。还有一个徒弟，唤做沙和尚，乃是一条黑汉子，晦气色脸，使一根宝杖。昨日在这门外与我讨师父，被我帅出河兵，一顿钢鞭，战得他败阵逃生，也不见怎的利害。”
太子道：“原来是你不知！他还有一个大徒弟，是五百年前大闹天宫上方太乙金仙齐天大圣，如今保护唐僧往西天拜佛求经，是普陀岩大慈大悲观音菩萨劝善，与他改名，唤做孙悟空行者。你怎么没得做，撞出这件祸来？他又在我海内遇着你的差人，夺了请帖，径入水晶宫，拿捏[9]我父子们有‘结连妖邪，抢夺人口’之罪。你快把唐僧、八戒送上河边，交还了孙大圣。凭着我与他陪礼，你还好得性命，若有半个‘不’字，休想得全生居于此也！”那怪鼍闻此言，心中大怒道：“我与你嫡亲的姑表，你倒反护他人！听你所言，就教把唐僧送出，天地间那里有这等容易事也！你便怕他，莫成我也怕他？他若有手段，敢来我水府门前，与我交战三合，我才与他师父。若敌不过我，就连他也拿来，一齐蒸熟，也没甚么亲人，也不去请客，自家关了门，教小的们唱唱舞舞，我坐在上面，自自在在，吃他娘不是！”
太子见说，开口骂道：“这泼邪！果然无状！且不要教孙大圣与你对敌，你敢与我相持么？”那怪道：“要做好汉，怕甚么相持！”教：“取披挂！”呼唤一声，众小妖跟随左右，献上披挂，捧上钢鞭。他两个变了脸，各逞英雄，传号令，一齐擂鼓。这一场比与沙僧争斗，甚是不同，但见那：
旌旗照耀，戈戟摇光。这壁厢营盘解散，那壁厢门户开张。摩昂太子提金简，鼍怪抡鞭急架偿。一声炮响河兵烈，三棒锣鸣海士狂。虾与虾争，蟹与蟹斗。鲸鳌吞赤鲤，鲌起黄鲿。鲨鲻吃鲭鱼走，牡蛎擒蛏蛤蚌慌。少扬刺硬如铁棍，司针利似锋芒。追白蟮，鲈鲙捉乌鲳。一河水怪争高下，两处龙兵定弱强。混战多时波浪滚，摩昂太子赛金刚。喝声金简当头重，拿住妖鼍作怪王。
这太子将三棱简闪了一个破绽，那妖精不知是诈，钻将进来；被他使个解数，把妖精右臂只一简打了个踵，赶上前又一拍脚，跌倒在地。众海兵一拥上前，揪翻住，将绳子背绑了双手，将铁索穿了琵琶骨，拿上岸来。押至孙行者面前道：“大圣，小龙子捉住妖鼍，请大圣定夺。”
行者与沙僧见了道：“你这厮不遵旨令。你舅爷原着你在此居住，教你养性存身，待你名成之日，别有迁用；你怎么强占水神之宅，倚势行凶，欺心诳上，弄玄虚，骗我师父、师弟？我待要打你这一棒，奈何老孙这棒子甚重，略打打儿就了了性命。你将我师父安在何处哩？”那怪叩头不住道：“大圣，小鼍不知大圣大名。却才逆了表兄，骋强背理，被表兄把我拿住。今见大圣，幸蒙大圣不杀之恩，感谢不尽。你师父还捆在那水府之间，望大圣解了我的铁索，放了我手，等我到河中送他出来。”摩昂在旁道：“大圣，这厮是个逆怪，他极奸诈，若放了他，恐生恶念。”沙和尚道：“我认得他那里，等我寻师父去。”
他两个跳入水中，径至水府门前，那里门扇大开，更无一个小卒。直入亭台里面，见唐僧、八戒赤条条都捆在那里。沙僧即忙解了师父，河神亦随解了八戒，一家背着一个，出水面，径至岸边。猪八戒见那妖精锁绑在侧，急掣钯上前就筑，口里骂道：“泼邪畜！你如今不吃我了？”行者扯住道：“兄弟，且饶他死罪罢。看敖闰贤父子之情。”摩昂进礼道：“大圣，小龙子不敢久停。既然救得你师父，我带这厮去见家父。虽大圣饶了他死罪，家父决不饶他活罪，定有发落处置，仍回复大圣谢罪。”行者道：“既如此，你领他去罢。多多拜上令尊，尚容面谢。”那太子押着那妖泼，投水中，帅领海兵，径转西洋大海不题。
却说那黑水河神谢了行者，道：“多蒙大圣复得水府之恩！”唐僧道：“徒弟呵，如今还在东岸，如何渡此河也？”河神道：“老爷勿虑，且请上马。小神开路，引老爷过河。”那师父才骑了白马，八戒采着缰绳，沙和尚挑了行李，孙行者扶持左右。只见河神作起阻水的法术，将上流挡住。须臾，下流撤干，开出一条大路。师徒们行过西边，谢了河神，登崖上路。这正是：禅僧有救朝西域，彻地无波过黑河。毕竟不知怎生得拜佛求经，且听下回分解。
[1] 颈圈镯头：过去给婴儿戴刻有“长命百岁”的项圈、镯头，有祈福的作用。
[2] 热擦：发急、光火。
[3] 暖寿：旧时礼俗，对五十岁以上老人，在寿诞的前一天置酒食祝贺，称暖寿。
[4] 不然：矛盾对立、互相不以为然。然，合理、正确的意思。
[5] 投生：投奔一条生路。
[6] 感感：感激。
[7] 菲筵：谦辞，菲薄的筵席。
[8] 介士：这里指鳞介类武士。
[9] 拿捏：故意刁难。
CHAPTER 43. An evil demon at Black River captures the monk; The Western Ocean’s dragon prince catches the iguana.
We were telling you about the Bodhisattva, who went through her recitation several times before she stopped. As the pain subsided, the monster-spirit collected himself and sat up to discover that there were golden fillets clasped tightly around his neck, his wrists, and his ankles. He wanted to take them off, but he could not even move them one whit. The treasure, you see, had taken root in the flesh, and the more he tried to loosen the fillets, the more painfully tight they felt. Laughing, Pilgrim said, “Darling boy! The Bodhisattva fears that you can’t be reared. That’s why she has made you wear a necklace and some bracelets!” Enraged by this remark, the youth picked up the lance once more and stabbed madly at Pilgrim. Dashing immediately behind the back of the Bodhisattva, Pilgrim cried, “Recite the spell! Recite the spell!”
The Bodhisattva dipped her willow twig in the sweet dew and sprinkled it at the youth, crying, “Close!” Look at him! He dropped the lance all at once, and his two hands were pressed together so tightly before his chest that he could not move them apart at all. This is thus the origin of the “Guanyin Twist,” a posture assumed by the attendant of the Bodhisattva which you can see in portraits and paintings to this day. When the youth found that he could not use his hands nor could he pick up the lance, he realized at last how deep and mysterious the dharma power was. He had no alternative but to bow his head in submission. The Bodhisattva then recited some magic words as she tilted the immaculate vase to one side; the oceanful of water was retrieved entirely and not half a drop was left behind. She said to Pilgrim, “Wukong, this monster-spirit is vanquished, but his unruliness has not been completely eliminated. Let me make him take a bow with each step of the way—all the way back to the Potalaka Mountain—before I call off my power. Go quickly now into the cave to rescue your master.” Turning to kowtow to her, Pilgrim said, “I thank the Bodhisattva for taking the trouble of traveling for so great a distance. Your disciple should escort you for part of the journey.” “No need for that,” said the Bodhisattva, “for I don’t want to jeopardize master’s life.” When Pilgrim heard these words, he was delighted and kowtowed again to take leave of the Bodhisattva. The monster-spirit thus returned to the right fruit; with fifty-three bows, he made submission to Guanyin.
We tell you no more about the Bodhisattva’s making a disciple of the youth. Instead, we speak of Sha Monk, who sat in the woods for a long time and waited in vain for Pilgrim to appear. At last, he put the luggage on the back of the horse, and with one hand holding the reins and the other the fiend-routing treasure staff, he left the pine forest to look toward the south. Momentarily, he found a happy Pilgrim approaching. Sha Monk went forward to meet him, saying, “Elder Brother, why did it take you until now to return from your trip to seek assistance from the Bodhisattva? I almost died from the anxious waiting!” “You are still dreaming!” said Pilgrim. “Old Monkey has not only brought the Bodhisattva here, but she has also subdued the fiend already.” Then he gave a thorough account of the Bodhisattva’s exercise of her dharma power, and Sha Monk was exceedingly pleased, saying, “Let’s go then to rescue Master!”
The two of them leaped across the stream and dashed up to the cave entrance. After tying up the horse, they lifted their weapons together and broke into the cave to exterminate all the fiends. They then lowered the leather bag to free Eight Rules. “Elder Brother,” said Idiot after having thanked Pilgrim, “where is that monster-spirit? Let me rake him a few times, just to relieve my feelings!” Pilgrim said, “Let’s find Master first,” The three of them went to the rear and found their master bound in the courtyard, all naked and weeping. Sha Monk hurriedly untied the ropes and Pilgrim brought forth clothes for him to wear. The three of them then knelt down and said, “Master, you have suffered!” Tripitaka thanked them, saying, “Worthy disciples, you’ve worked hard! How did you manage to subdue the demon?” Pilgrim again gave a thorough account of how the Bodhisattva came to make submission of the youth, and when Tripitaka heard this, he quickly knelt down to bow toward the south. Pilgrim said, “No need to thank her, for we also have been instrumental in providing her with the blessing of making submission of a young boy.” This is thus the basis of the story that we hear even today, about the boy who gave fifty-three bows to Guanyin,1 and who was given the vision of Buddha after three bows.
Thereafter, Sha Monk was told to pick up all the treasures stored in the cave, while the rest of the disciples found some rice to prepare for their master. That elder
Retained his life,
All because of the Great Sage Sun;
And acquired true scriptures,
Helped by the Handsome Monkey-Spirit.
Master and disciples, after leaving the cave, found their way again and headed steadfastly toward the West. They had traveled for more than a month when all at once the sound of flowing water filled their ears. “O disciples!” cried Tripitaka, highly startled, “where is this sound of water coming from?” “You old Master!” said Pilgrim, chuckling, “you are so full of worries! There are four of us altogether, but only you happen to hear some sort of water sound. You have quite forgotten again the Heart Sūtra.” “The Heart Sūtra,” said the Tang Monk, “was imparted to me orally by the Crow’s Nest Zen Master of the Pagoda Mountain.2 It has fifty-four sentences, all in all, two hundred and seventy characters. I memorized it at the time and up till now, I have recited it often. Which sentence do you think I have forgotten?”
Pilgrim said, “Old Master, you have forgotten the one about ‘no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind.’ Those of us who have left the family should see no form with our eyes, should hear no sound with our ears, should smell no smell with our noses, should taste no taste with our tongues; our bodies should have no knowledge of heat or cold, and our minds should gather no vain thoughts. This is called the extermination of the Six Robbers.3 But look at you now! Though you may be on your way to seek scriptures, your mind is full of vain thoughts: fearing the demons you are unwilling to risk your life; desiring vegetarian food you arouse your tongue; loving fragrance and sweetness you provoke your nose; listening to sounds you disturb your ears; looking at things and events you fix your eyes. You have, in sum, assembled all the Six Robbers together. How could you possibly get to the Western Heaven to see Buddha?” When Tripitaka heard these words, he fell into silent thought for a long time before he said, “O disciple!
Since I left our sage ruler that year,
I’ve moved most diligently night and day:
My sandals sweep open the mountain mists;
My coir hat bursts through the summit clouds.
At night the apes wail to make me sigh;
I grieve to hear in moonlight the bird cries.
When will I end the work of Double Three4
And acquire Tathāgata’s wondrous scripts?”
When Pilgrim heard this, he could not refrain from clapping his hands and roaring with laughter, saying, “So Master just can’t get rid of his homesickness! If you want to complete the work of Double Three, there’s no difficulty! The proverb says, ‘Success will come when meritorious service is done.’” “Elder Brother,” said Eight Rules, “if we have to face all these evil barriers and wicked miasmas, we’ll never finish our meritorious service even after a thousand years!” Sha Monk said, “Second Elder Brother, you and I are very much alike, and we shouldn’t rub Big Brother the wrong way with our foolish tongues and stupid mouths. Just concentrate on carrying the loads on our backs; there will be a day when the service is completed.”
As master and disciples conversed, they proceeded steadily when they saw before them all at once a huge body of surging black water blocking the path of the horse. Standing at the shore, the four of them stared at the water carefully and they saw
Tiers of dense billows;
Layers of turbid waves;
Tiers of dense billows like dark sap spilling;
Layers of turbid waves like black oil rolling.
No reflection appears when you walk near;
No trees or woods you can see from afar.
Boiling, an earth full of ink!
Rippling, a thousand miles of ashes!
Like piles of charcoal water bubbles float;
Like o’erturned coals the breakers undulate.
Cattle and sheep will not drink here;
Crows and magpies cannot fly over.
Cattle and sheep won’t drink, disdaining the black;
Crows and magpies can’t fly, fearing the opaque.
Only the shore’s reeds and rushes know the seasons,
And the bank’s flowers and grass display their green.
There are lakes, streams, and rivers in all the world,
And many brooks and lagoons both great and small,
Which one in one’s life may come upon.
But who has seen the Black River of the West?
Dismounting, the Tang Monk said, “Disciples, why is the water so black?” Eight Rules said, “Some families must have overturned their dye barrels!” “If not,” said Sha Monk, “it has to be someone washing his brushes and ink-stones.” Pilgrim said, “Stop speculating and babbling, both of you! We have to find a way to get Master across.” “If old Hog wants to cross this river,” said Eight Rules, “it’s not difficult: all I need to do is to mount the clouds or tread the waters, and I shall cross it in the time of a meal.” “If you ask old Sand,” said Sha Monk, “I, too, need only to mount the clouds or ride the waters, and I’ll cross it in no time.” Pilgrim said, “Of course, it’s easy for us, but it’ll be difficult for Master.” “Disciples,” said Tripitaka, “how wide is the river?” “Approximately ten miles,” said Eight Rules. Tripitaka said, “You three had better determine which of you will carry me across.” Pilgrim said, “Eight Rules can do it.” “No, I can’t,” said Eight Rules. “For if I carry him on my back and try to mount the clouds, I can’t even rise three feet from the ground. As the proverb says, ‘A mortal is heavier than a mountain!’ If I carry him and tread water, he will push me down below with him.”
While master and disciples were having this discussion by the river, they suddenly saw a man approaching from the upper reach of the river and rowing a small boat. Delighted, the Tang Monk said, “Disciples, we have a boat. Ask him to take us across.” Shouting loudly, Sha Monk called, “Boatman, come and ferry us across this river.” The man in the boat said, “I don’t have a ferry boat. How could I take you across?” Sha Monk said, “In Heaven or on Earth, the most important thing is to perform deeds of kindness to others. Though yours may not be a ferry boat, we are not people who will often bother you. We are the sons of Buddha sent by imperial command in the land of the East to acquire scriptures. Please be kind to us and take us across the river. You will have our gratitude.” When the man heard these words, he rowed the boat near the shore and, holding his oar, he said, “Master, my boat is small and there are many of you. How could I take you all across?”
When Tripitaka walked closer and took a look, he saw that the boat was actually a canoe dug out of a log, and its hull could at most seat only two persons besides the boatman. “What shall we do?” said Tripitaka. “With this boat,” said Sha Monk, “we will have to take two trips.” Always sly and slothful, Eight Rules immediately said, “Wujing, you and Big Brother can remain here to watch the luggage and the horse. Let me escort Master and cross over first. Then the boat can return to take you and the horse. Big Brother can simply leap across.” Nodding, Pilgrim said, “You are right.”
After Idiot had helped the Tang Monk into the boat, the boatman punted the boat away from shore and began rowing it forward. As they approached the middle of the river, a violent gust of wind suddenly arose with a roar, whipping up the waves to darken the sky and the sun. Marvelous wind!
In midair a band of dark clouds rises up;
In midstream black waves surge a thousand tiers tall.
At both banks flying sand blots out the sun;
On all sides trees fall to this Heav’n-shaking howl.
Seas and rivers o’erturned, dragon gods take fright;
Mud and dirt flown up, plants and flowers fade.
The wind roars like thunder in times of spring,
And growls like a famished tiger on and on!
Crabs, turtles, shrimps, and fishes bow their heads;
Fowl and beast have all lost their nests and lairs.
The sailors of Five Lakes are victims all;
The households of Four Seas all fear for their lives.
If fishers in the stream can’t lower their hooks;
How could the river’s boatmen punt their poles?
With tiles and bricks upturned the houses fall;
With Heaven and Earth shaken, Mount Tai quakes.
This wind, you see, was called up by the man rowing the boat, who happened to be a fiendish creature in this Black River. The disciples saw with their own eyes that the Tang Monk and Zhu Eight Rules, along with the boat, were sinking into the water. In no time at all, they vanished without a trace.
Deeply dismayed on the shore, Sha Monk and Pilgrim cried, “What shall we do? The old master faces adversity every step of the way. He just escaped from one demonic ordeal and journeyed safely for a little while before he is in the clutches again of these black waters.” Then Sha Monk said, “Could it be that the boat has capsized? Perhaps we should search for them downstream.” “No,” said Pilgrim, “it couldn’t be, for if the boat had capsized, Eight Rules with his aquatic skills could easily have picked up Master and trod water to carry him out. Just now I thought I saw something perverse about that boatman. I suppose that fellow must have called up the wind and dragged Master beneath the water.” When Sha Monk heard these words, he said, “Elder Brother, why didn’t you speak up earlier? You watch the luggage and the horse. Let me go into the water to search for them.” Pilgrim said, “The color of this water is hardly normal. I don’t think you should go in there.” “You think this water’s more formidable than my Flowing-Sand River?” asked Sha Monk. “I can go! I can go!”
Dear monk! Taking off his shirt and his socks, he lifted up his fiend-routing treasure staff and dove into the waves with a splash. Opening up the water before him, he went forward in big strides. Just as he was walking, he heard the sound of someone speaking. Sha Monk stepped to one side to sneak a glance around and he discovered ahead of him a pavilion; across its front door were written these large characters: “Hengyang Ravine, Residence of the Black River God.” Then he heard the fiendish creature, sitting in the pavilion, say, “I have gone through some hard times and only now have I found something nice. This monk is a good man who has practiced self-cultivation for ten incarnations. If I manage to eat a piece of his flesh, I’ll be a man of longevity who never grows old. I have waited for him long enough, and today I have realized my hopes. Little ones, bring out the iron cages quickly. Steam these two monks whole, while I prepare an invitation card to be sent to our second uncle. We want to celebrate his birthday for him.”
When Sha Monk heard these words, he could not restrain the fire leaping up in his heart. Lifting his treasure staff, he banged madly at the door, crying, “Brazen creature! Send out quickly my master, the Tang Monk, and my brother Eight Rules.” The little demons standing guard at the door were so frightened that they dashed inside to report, “Disaster!” “What sort of disaster?” asked the old fiend. The little fiends said, “There’s a monk with gloomy complexion outside. He’s banging on our door and demanding the return of some monks.”
When the fiend heard these words, he at once asked for his armor, which was brought out by the little fiends. After the old fiend suited himself up properly, he took up in his hands a steel riding crop with bamboo-like joints.5 As he walked out the door, he looked mean and vicious indeed! You see
A square face and round eyes flashing colors bright;
Curled lips and a mouth like a bloody bowl.
A few sparse whiskers wave like iron wires;
His temple’s flanked by hair like cinnabar.
He has the form of Jupiter revealed
And the face of a thunder god in rage.
He wears a suit of iron flower-adorned,
A gold helmet with jewels thickly set.
He holds the steel crop with bamboo-like joints,
And violent wind churns as he walks along.
At birth he was a creature of the waves;
He shed his origin. What fearsome change!
You ask for this fiend’s true identity:
Small iguana-dragon is his former name.
“Who is beating on my door?” bellowed the fiend. Sha Monk said, “You ignorant brazen fiend! How dare you use your paltry magic and change into a ferryman to abduct my master here with your boat? Return him at once, and I’ll spare your life.” The fiend roared with laughter and said, “This monk doesn’t care about his life! Your master has been caught by me, all right, and now I’m about to have him steamed to be served to my invited guests. You come up here and match strength with me. If you can withstand me for three rounds, I will return your master. If you can’t withstand me, I’ll have you steamed and eaten also. Don’t bother to dream about your going to the Western Heaven!” Maddened by what he heard, Sha Monk brought the treasure staff down on the fiend’s head, but the latter raised his steel crop to parry the blow. The two of them thus began a fierce battle at the bottom of the river.
With fiend-routing staff and crop of bamboo joints
Two men, growing enraged, both strove to win.
One, the Black River’s thousand-year-old fiend;
One, a former immortal of Divine Mists.
This one longed to eat Tripitaka’s flesh;
That one would guard the Tang Monk’s piteous life;
At the river’s bottom they met to fight,
Each craving success and nothing else.
They fought till pairs of shrimp and fish concealed themselves,
Till crabs and turtles in twos withdrew their heads.
Hear the water-home’s fiends all beat their drums
And monsters shouting madly before their gate.
This dear Wujing—what a true Buddhist priest—
Did show all alone his prowess and strength!
Waves tossed and churned and they fought to a draw
As the crop met and tangled with the staff.
Think of it! It was all for the monk of Tang
Who’d seek scriptures and bow in Buddha’s Heav’n.
The two of them fought for some thirty rounds and neither proved to be the stronger. Sha Monk thought to himself, “This fiendish creature is indeed my match. Since I cannot prevail, I may as well entice him out of the waters so that my elder brother can beat him.” Making one final feeble blow, Sha Monk turned quickly and ran with the staff trailing behind him. The monster-spirit, however, did not give chase and said instead, “You may go! I’m not going to fight with you anymore, for I have to prepare a card to invite a guest.” Panting heavily, Sha Monk leaped out of the water and said to Pilgrim, “Elder Brother, this creature is unruly!” “Since you were down there for quite awhile, did you find out what sort of monster he is?” asked Pilgrim. “Have you seen Master?”
“There’s a pavilion down there,” said Sha Monk, “and across the top of the gate outside are written these large characters: Hengyang Ravine, Residence of the Black River God. I sneaked up to it and heard him speaking inside, telling his little ones to wash and scrub some iron cages so that Master and Eight Rules can be steamed alive. He also wanted to invite his uncle to come for a birthday celebration. I got mad and pounded at the door; that was when the fiendish creature came out with a steel crop with bamboo-like joints. He fought with me for this half a day, about thirty rounds in all, and it was a draw. I faked defeat, thinking that I could lure him out here so that you could help me. But that fiendish creature was quite smart. He refused to chase me; all he wanted to do was to prepare his card to invite his guest. I came back up then.” “What sort of a monster is he?” asked Pilgrim. Sha Monk replied, “He looks like a big turtle, or else he has to be an iguana.” “I wonder,” said Pilgrim, “who is his uncle?”
Hardly had he finished speaking when a man emerged from a bend downstream. Kneeling down at a distance, he cried, “Great Sage, the water god of the Black River kowtows to you.” “Could you be that monster who rowed the boat,” said Pilgrim, “returning to deceive me again?” The old man kowtowed and wept, saying, “Great Sage, I’m not a monster. I’m the true god of this river. It was the fifth month of last year during high tide that this monster-spirit arrived from the Western Ocean, and he immediately waged a battle against me. An old and feeble person like myself could not withstand him, of course, and he therefore took by force my official residence, the Hengyang Ravine. Since he had also taken the lives of many of my water kin, I had no choice but to file suit against him in the ocean. I didn’t expect that the Dragon King of the Western Ocean was his maternal uncle, who threw out my plaint and told me instead that I should allow the monster to stay in my home. I wanted to go to Heaven to bring charges, but a humble deity and minor official like me would not get an audience with the Jade Emperor. When I heard that the Great Sage had arrived, I came especially to see you. I beg the Great Sage to exert his great power on my behalf and avenge my wrongs.”
When Pilgrim heard these words, he said, “According to what you have said, the Dragon King of the Western Ocean is definitely guilty. Now this monster-spirit has abducted my master and my younger brother, boasting that he wants to have them steamed and served to his maternal uncle for his birthday. I was about to try to seize this fiend when luckily you came to inform me. All right, river god, you stay here and stand guard with Sha Monk. Let me go into the ocean to bring the Dragon King here so that he can capture the creature.” “I’m deeply indebted to the Great Sage’s kindness,” said the river god. Pilgrim at once mounted the clouds and went straight to the Western Ocean. He stopped his somersault and, making the water-repellent sign with his fingers, he divided the waves and walked right in. As he traveled, he ran into a black fish-spirit, holding a golden box and darting up like an arrow from the depths down below. Pilgrim whipped out his iron rod and gave his head a terrific blow: alas, the brains burst out and the jaw bones cracked open. With a swish, the corpse drifted up to the water surface. When Pilgrim opened the box, he saw an invitation card inside on which this message was written:
Your foolish nephew, Clean Iguana, touches his head to the ground a hundred times to inform you, Venerable Mr. Ao, my esteemed Second Uncle. Frequently I have enjoyed your goodly gifts, for which I am most grateful. I have recently acquired two creatures, who happen to be monks from the Land of the East. Since they are rare treasures in the world, your nephew dares not enjoy them by himself. As I recall that Uncle’s sacred birthday is near, I have specially prepared a small banquet to wish you the addition of a thousand years. It is my earnest hope that you will honor us with your presence.
“This fellow,” said Pilgrim chuckling to himself, “has handed over a formal complaint first to old Monkey!” He put the card in his sleeve and proceeded. Soon a yakṣa on patrol saw him and darted quickly back to the Water-Crystal Palace to make the report: “Great King, Father Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, has arrived.” The Dragon King Aoshun at once led his water kinsmen out of the palace to receive his visitor. “Great Sage,” he said, “please enter this small palace and take a seat, so that we may present you with tea.” “I haven’t yet drunk your tea,” said Pilgrim, “but you have drunk my wine first.” Smiling, the Dragon King said, “Since the Great Sage has made submission in the gate of Buddha, he no longer touches meat or wine. Since when have you invited me to drink?” “You haven’t gone to drink wine,” said Pilgrim, “but you have committed a crime of drinking nonetheless.” Greatly startled, Aoshun said, “What kind of crime has this small dragon committed?” Taking the card out of his sleeve, Pilgrim handed it over to the Dragon King.
When the Dragon King read it, his spirit left him and his soul fled. Hurriedly going to his knees, he kowtowed and said, “Great Sage, please pardon me! That fellow is the ninth child of my sister. Because my brother-in-law had made an error in administering wind and rain by not releasing the prescribed amount, the Heavenly Judge issued a decree and he was beheaded by the human judge, Wei Zheng, during a dream.6 My sister had no place to go and it was your little dragon who brought her here and had her cared for. Year before last she died of illness, but since her son did not have a home, I told him to stay at the Black River where he could nourish his nature and cultivate the arts of realized immortality. I did not expect him to commit such wicked crimes. This little dragon will send someone immediately to arrest him.”
“How many sons did your sister have?” asked Pilgrim. “Are they all monsters somewhere?” The Dragon King said, “My sister has nine sons altogether, but eight of them are good ones. The first, Little Yellow Dragon, lives in the Huai River; the second, Little Black Dragon, lives in the Ji River; the third, Blue-Backed Dragon, lives in the Yangzi River; the fourth, Red-Whiskered Dragon, lives in the Yellow River; the fifth, Futile Dragon, strikes the bell for the Buddhist Patriarch; the sixth, Reclining-Beast Dragon, guards the roof beam in the palace of the Daoist Patriarch; the seventh, Reverent Dragon, guards the imperial commemorative arches for the Jade Emperor; and the eighth, Sea-Serpent Dragon, remains at the place of my elder brother and guards the Taiyue Mountain of Shanxi Province. The ninth son is the Iguana Dragon; because of his youth and lack of official appointment, he was told last year to live in the Black River to nourish his nature. When he acquired a name, I would have transferred him to another post. I didn’t anticipate that he would disobey my decree and offend the Great Sage.”
When Pilgrim heard these words, he smiled and said, “How many husbands did your sister have?” “Only one,” said Aoshun, “and he was the Dragon King of the Jing River who was beheaded. My sister lived here as a widow and died year before last.” “One husband and one wife,” said Pilgrim. “How could they manage to produce so many different kinds of offspring?” Aoshun said, “This is what the proverb means when it says that ‘A dragon will produce nine species, and each species is different from the others.’”
Pilgrim said, “Just now I was so vexed that I was about to use the invitation card as evidence and file suit against you at the Heavenly court, charging you with conspiracy with a fiend and kidnapping. But according to what you have told me, it’s really the fault of that fellow who disobeys your instructions. I’ll pardon you this time—for the sake of my relationship with you and your brothers, and on account of the fact that that dragon is young and ignorant after all. And also, you have no knowledge of that matter. Quickly dispatch someone to arrest him and rescue my master. We’ll then decide what to do next.”
Aoshun at once gave this command to the prince, Moang: “Call up immediately five hundred young soldiers of shrimps and fishes; arrest that iguana and bring him back here for indictment. Meanwhile, let us prepare some wine and a banquet as our apology to the Great Sage.” “Dragon King,” said Pilgrim, “you needn’t be so edgy. I told you just now that I would pardon you. Why bother to prepare wine and food? I must go now with your son, for I fear that Master may be harmed and my brother is waiting for me.”
Unable to detain his guest with even desperate pleadings, the old dragon asked one of his daughters to present tea. Pilgrim drank one cup of the fragrant tea while standing up and then took leave of the old dragon. He and Moang led the troops from the Western Ocean and soon arrived in the Black River. “Worthy Prince,” said Pilgrim, “take care to catch the fiend. I’m going ashore.” “Have no worry, Great Sage,” said Moang. “This little dragon will arrest him and take him up here for the Great Sage to convict him of his crime. Only after your master has been sent up also will I dare take him back to the ocean to see my father.” Very pleased, Pilgrim left him and made the water-repellent sign with his fingers to leap out of the waves. As he reached the eastern shore, Sha Monk (who led the river god to meet him) said, “Elder Brother, you left by the air but why did you return from the river?” Pilgrim gave a thorough account of how he slew the fish-spirit, acquired the invitation card, confronted the Dragon King, and led troops back with the dragon prince. Sha Monk was exceedingly pleased; all of them then stood on the bank to wait to receive their master, and we shall speak no more of them for the moment.
We tell you now about Prince Moang, who sent a soldier of his to go before the water residence and make this announcement to the fiend: “Prince Moang has been sent here by the Venerable Dragon King of the Western Ocean.” The fiend was sitting inside when he heard this report and thought to himself, “I sent the black fish-spirit to present an invitation card to my second maternal uncle, and I haven’t received any answer since. Why is it that my uncle has not come? Why has he sent my elder cousin instead?” As he was thus deliberating with himself, a little fiend sent out to patrol the river also returned to make this report: “Great King, there is a regiment of soldiers stationed to the west of our water residence, and one of the banners has these words clearly written: Young Marshal Moang, Crown Prince of the Western Ocean.” “This elder cousin is indeed arrogant,” said the fiend. “I suppose my uncle cannot come, and that’s why the prince has been sent in his place to attend our banquet. But if he’s coming for a banquet, why bring along soldiers and warriors? Aha! I fear that there’s another reason behind this. Little ones, bring out my armor and have my steel crop ready, for I fear that he may turn violent suddenly. Let me go out to receive him and see what’s happening.” Having received this instruction, all the little fiends rubbed their fists to prepare themselves.
When the iguana-dragon walked out of the door, he saw that there was in truth a regiment of marine soldiers encamped on the right. He saw
Banners with sashes aflutter;
Halberds arranged in bright mists;
Treasure swords amassing luster;
Long lances twirling flower tassels;
Curved bows like many new moons;
Arrows as wolves’ teeth stuck up;
Scimitars big and gleaming;
Short cudgels both rough and hard.
Sea serpents, oysters, and whales,
Crabs, turtles, fishes, and shrimps—
Big and small they stood in order,
Their weapons dense and thick like hemp.
If the gen’ral did not command it,
Who’d dare step out of line one bit?
The iguana fiend went before the gate of the camp and cried out in a loud voice, “Big Cousin, your younger brother awaits you respectfully. Please come out.” A snail on patrol in the camp went hurriedly to the middle tent to report, “Your Highness, the iguana-dragon is outside calling for you.” Pressing down the golden helmet on his head and tightening the treasure belt around his waist, the prince picked up a three-cornered club7 and ran out of the camp in great strides. “Why did you ask me to come out?” he asked. Bowing, the iguana-dragon said, “Your younger brother sent an invitation card to Uncle this morning. But I suppose he has declined my invitation and sent you instead. If my Big Cousin is here for the banquet, why have you called up the troops? You did not enter the water residence but you pitched camp here instead. And you even put on armor and held a weapon. Why?”
“Why did you invite your uncle to come?” asked the prince.
The fiend replied, “It was his kindness which bestowed this place on me as a residence, but I have not seen him for a long time nor have I had an opportunity to express my filial love for him. Yesterday I happened to have caught a monk from the Land of the East who, so I have heard, possesses an original body that has practiced self-cultivation for ten incarnations. If a person eats him, his age will be lengthened. I was hoping to ask Venerable Uncle to look this monk over before I put him in an iron cage and have him steamed for Venerable Uncle to celebrate his birthday.”
“You are so dim-witted!” shouted the prince. “Who do you think this monk is?” “He is a monk from the Tang court,” said the fiend, “a priest on his way to the Western Heaven to acquire scriptures.” The prince said, “You know only that he is the Tang Monk, but you don’t know how formidable his disciples are.” The fiend said, “He has under him a monk with a long snout, whose name is Zhu Eight Rules. I have caught him also and am about to have him steamed and eaten together with the Tang Monk. There is another disciple of his by the name of Sha Monk, a fellow rather dark in color and gloomy in complexion who uses a treasure staff. Yesterday this monk made a demand in front of my door for the return of his master, but I called out the river troops to face him. Several blows from my steel crop made him flee for his life. I don’t see how he could be called formidable!”
“You are ignorant!” said the prince. “The Tang Monk still has another disciple, his eldest, who happens to be the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, a golden immortal of the Great Monad who did cause great disturbance in the Celestial Palace five hundred years ago. Now he is the guardian of the Tang Monk on his way to acquire scriptures in the Western Heaven, and his name has been changed to Pilgrim Sun Wukong at the time of his conversion by the great and merciful Bodhisattva Guanyin of the Potalaka Peak. Don’t you have any other thing to do but to cause such a great disaster as this? It was that Pilgrim Sun who ran into your messenger in our ocean; he took your invitation card and went straight into the Water-Crystal Palace, charging us father and son with the crimes of ‘conspiracy and kidnapping.’ You’d better send the Tang Monk and Eight Rules back to the shore of the river immediately and return them to the Great Sage Sun. You can then rely on my apologies to him to preserve your life. But if you utter only half a ‘No,’ you might as well forget about your life or any further opportunity to live in this place!”
When the fiend heard this statement, he grew terribly angry, saying, “I’m an intimate first cousin of yours. How could you side with someone else? If I listen to you, I’ll have to send out the Tang Monk—just like that! You think there’s such an easy thing in this whole wide world? You may be afraid of that Sun Wukong, but you think I’m afraid of him, too? If he has any ability, let him come to the front of my water residence and fight with me for three rounds. I’ll return his master then, but if he can’t withstand me, I’ll capture him also and have him steamed together with his master. I won’t recognize any relative, nor will I invite any more guests! I’ll shut my door and ask my little ones to sing and dance. I’ll take the honored seat above to enjoy myself. You bet I’ll eat his mother’s!”
When the prince heard this, he opened his mouth wide and expostulated, “You brazen demon! You are truly audacious! Let’s not ask the Great Sage Sun to face you. Do you dare hold a contest with me?” “If I want to be a hero,” said the fiend, “you think I’ll be afraid of any contest?” He shouted to his little fiends, “Bring me my armor!” His cry immediately made those little fiends on his left and right bring up his armor and the steel crop. Changing their colors all at once, the two of them unleashed their strength and gave the order for the drums to sound on both sides. This battle was quite different from the previous one in which Sha Monk took part. You saw
Flags and banners luminous;
Spears and halberds ablaze.
On that side the camps were quickly broken;
On this side the doors were widely open.
Prince Moang held high his golden club,
Met by fiend iguana wielding his crop.
The cannon’s one boom made river soldiers fierce;
Three strokes of the gong aroused marine troops.
Shrimps fought with shrimps;
Crabs strove with crabs;
The whale swallowed the red carp;
The bream downed the yellow zhang;8
The shark devoured the mullet and the mackerel fled;
The rock oyster caught the clam and the mussel panicked.
Hard like an iron rod was the stingray’s whip;
Sharp like a razor was the swordfish’s jaw.
The sturgeon chased the white eel;
The whitebait seized the black pomfret.
A river full of water fiends took up the fight;
Dragon troops on both sides did join the fray
And brawled for a long time as billows churned.
Mighty as Indra was the prince Moang,
Who with a cry brought down his golden club
And caught the king of mischief, the iguana fiend.
Holding his three-cornered club, the prince feigned an opening and the monster-spirit, not realizing that it was faked, lunged forward to attack. Sidestepping quickly from his opponent’s charge, the prince brought the club down hard on the monster-spirit’s right arm and knocked him to the ground. The prince rushed up to him and gave him another kick that sent him sprawling. The marine soldiers all surged forward to pin the monster-spirit to the ground; his arms were hog-tied behind his back and his chest bone was pierced and bound with an iron chain. He was taken up to the shore to appear before Pilgrim Sun, as the prince said, “Great Sage, your little dragon has caught the monster iguana. Let the Great Sage decide what shall be done with him.”
When Pilgrim saw this, he said to the monster-spirit, “You have been disobedient to what you were told. When your Venerable Uncle gave you permission to live here, he intended for you to nourish your nature to preserve your body. At the time when you acquired a name, he would have transferred you to another post. How dare you use force to occupy the residence of the water god and abuse the kindness of your elders? How dare you exercise your paltry magic to deceive my master and my younger brother? I would like to give you a stroke of my rod, but this rod of old Monkey is quite heavy. One slight touch and your life will be finished. Let me ask you instead, where have you placed my master?” Kowtowing without ceasing, the fiend said, “Great Sage, this little iguana has no knowledge of the Great Sage’s reputation. Just now, I violated reason and morality to resist my elder cousin, who had me arrested. Now that I have seen you, I am eternally grateful to the Great Sage for sparing my life. Your master is still tied up in the water residence. I beg the Great Sage to loosen my iron chain and untie my hands. Let me go into the river and escort him out here.” On one side Moang said, “Great Sage, this is a rebellious fiend and most devious. If you turn him loose, I fear that he may plot something wicked.” “I know his residence,” said Sha Monk, “let me go and find Master.”
He and the river god at once leaped into the waves and went to the water residence down below, where they found the doors wide open but not a single little fiend. When they walked inside to reach the pavilion, they found the Tang Monk and Eight Rules still bound there and completely naked. Sha Monk hurriedly untied his master as the river god loosened the ropes on Eight Rules, after which they placed the freed prisoners on their backs and darted back to the surface of the water. When Eight Rules discovered the monster-spirit on the shore all tied up with ropes and chains, he lifted his rake and wanted to strike him, crying, “You perverse beast! You still want to eat me?” Pilgrim tugged at him, saying, “Brother, let’s spare him. Have regard for the feelings of Aoshun and his son.” Bowing, Moang said, “Great Sage, your little dragon dares not linger any longer. Since we have succeeded in rescuing your master, I must bring this fellow back to see my father. Though the Great Sage has spared his life, my father will most certainly not permit him to go unpunished. He will dispose of him in some way, I’m sure, and then we shall report to the Great Sage along with our apologies once more.”
“In that case,” said Pilgrim, “you may take him and leave. Please bow to your Honored Father for me and I shall thank him in person another time.” The prince at once led the marine soldiers and the monster-spirit into the water, where they found their way directly back to the Great Western Ocean and we shall speak no more of them.
We tell you now about the river god of the Black River, who gave thanks to Pilgrim, saying, “I am deeply indebted to the Great Sage for the recovery of my water residence.” The Tang Monk said, “Disciples, we are still stranded on the eastern shore. How shall we cross this river?” The river god said, “Venerable Father, please do not worry and mount your horse. This humble deity will open up a path for Venerable Father to cross the river.” The master indeed climbed onto the white horse, while Eight Rules held the reins, Sha Monk poled the luggage, and Pilgrim took up the rear. The river god then exercised his magic of blocking the water; as the upper reaches of the river were dammed up, the lower part of the river soon turned dry, and a wide road was thus created. Master and disciples walked safely to the western shore and, after thanking the river god, they proceeded to high ground to set out again on their way. So it was that
With help the Chan monk could now face the West;
With no waves on earth, they could cross Black River.
We do not know how finally they manage to see Buddha and acquire scriptures; let’s listen to the explanation in the next chapter.