Monkey (7 page)

One morning when the Jade Emperor was sitting in his Golden-doored Cloud Palace, with all his ministers civil and military, an officer announced, ‘Your majesty, the Dragon of the Eastern Sea is outside, with a plea to lay before you.’ The dragon was shown in and when he had paid his respects, a fairy boy presented a document, which the Jade Emperor began to read. ‘This small dragon of the Eastern Sea informs your Majesty that a certain counterfeit Immortal from the Water Curtain Cave has maltreated your servant, forcing a way into his watery home. He demanded a weapon, using gross intimidation, and forced us to give him garments, by violence and outrage. My watery kinsmen were dismayed, tortoises and turtles fled in panic. The Dragon of the South trembled, the Dragon of the West was appalled, the Dragon of the North collapsed. Your servant was obliged to part with a holy iron staff, a phoenix-plume hat, a coat of mail and a pair of cloud-stepping shoes, before we could get rid of him. But even then he threatened us with arms and magic, and called us dirty old sneaks. We are ourselves quite unable to deal with him, and must leave the matter in your hands. We earnestly beg that you will send soldiers to control this pest and restore peace to the World Below the Waves.’

Having read the document, the Jade Emperor gave judgement. ‘The dragon,’ he said, ‘is to return to his sea, and
I will send officers to arrest the criminal.’ The Dragon King bowed and retired. Whereupon another officer immediately appeared, announcing that the First Judge of the Dead, supported by Kshitigarbha, the Advocate of the Dead, had arrived with a petition. With them was a fairy girl, who presented a document which read as follows: ‘We respectfully submit that Heaven Above is for spirits, and the Underworld is for ghosts. Darkness and Light must have their succession. Such is the way of Nature, and cannot be changed. But a counterfeit Sage from the Water Curtain Cave has violently resisted our summons, beating to death our emissaries and menacing the Ten Judges. He made an uproar in the Palace of Death, and erased names from our books, so that in future monkeys and apes will enjoy improper longevity. We therefore appeal to your Majesty to show your authority by sending spirit soldiers to deal with this monster, restore the balance of Dark and Light and bring back peace to the Underworld.’

The Jade Emperor gave judgement: ‘The Lords of Darkness are to return to the Underworld, and officers shall be sent to arrest this pest.’ The First Judge of the Dead bowed and retired.

‘How long has this pernicious monkey been in existence ?’ the Jade Emperor asked of his ministers, ‘and how comes it that he acquired Illumination ?’

At once the Officer of the Thousand League Eye and the Officer of the Down the Wind Ear stepped forward. ‘This monkey,’ they said, ‘was emitted three hundred years ago by a stone. At first he displayed none of his present powers; but since then he has managed somehow to perfect himself and achieve Immortality. He now subdues dragons, tames tigers, and has tampered with the Registers of Death.’

‘Which of you deities will go down and deal with him?’ asked the Jade Emperor.

The Spirit of the Planet Venus came forward. ‘Highest and Holiest,’ he said, ‘all creatures that have nine apertures are capable of achieving Immortality. Small wonder then that this monkey, produced by the natural forces of Heaven and Earth, nurtured by the light of the sun and the moon, fed by
the frost and dew, should have achieved Immortality and subdue dragons and tigers. I suggest that an indulgent course should be followed. Let us send a rescript, commanding him to appear in Heaven. We will then give him official work of some kind, so that his name will appear on our rolls, and we shall be able to keep an eye on him here. If he behaves well, he can be promoted, and if he misbehaves, he must be put under arrest. This course will save us from military operations and will add to our numbers an undoubted Immortal.’

This suggestion pleased the Jade Emperor. He ordered the Spirit of the Book Star to draw up a summons and bade the Planet Venus deliver it. He went out at the southern gate of Heaven, lowered his magic cloud and soon reached the Water Curtain Cave, where he said to the crowd of monkeys, ‘I am a messenger from Heaven, bearing a command that your king is to proceed at once to the Upper Realms. Tell him of this immediately.’ The little monkeys outside the cave sent word to the interior that an old man had come with some writing in his hand. ‘He says he is a messenger from Heaven, sent to ask you to go with him.’ ‘That’s very convenient,’ said Monkey. ‘I have been thinking lately of making a little trip to Heaven!’

Monkey hurriedly tidied himself and went to the door. ‘I am the Spirit of the Planet Venus,’ the messenger said, ‘and I bring an order from the Jade Emperor that you are to come up to Heaven and receive an Immortal appointment’

‘Old Star,’ said Monkey, ‘I am much obliged to you for your trouble,’ and he told the monkeys to prepare a banquet.

‘With the sacred command about me, I dare not linger’ said the Star. ‘After your glorious ascension we shall have ample opportunity for conversation.’

‘I will not insist,’ said Monkey. ‘It is a great honour for us that you should have paid this visit.’ Then he called the four old monkeys to him. ‘Don’t forget to put the young monkeys through their paces,’ he said. ‘I’ll have a look round when I get to Heaven, and if it seems all right there, I’ll send for the rest of you to come and live with me.’ The old monkeys signified their agreement, and the Monkey King, following the
Star Spirit, mounted the cloud and soared up. If you do not know what rank it was they gave him, you must listen to the next chapter.

W
HEN
they had mounted together for a little while, Monkey forgot all about the Star Spirit and soon left him far behind; and when he reached the southern gate of Heaven, the Spirit was out of sight. He was just going in when a number of Guardian Deities, armed with daggers, swords, and halberds, barred his path. ‘What an old swindler that Planet is!’ exclaimed Monkey. ‘Fancy letting these cut-throats hold me up like this, after inviting me to come!’ At this point the Planet arrived, quite out of breath.

‘You old fraud,’ said Monkey, confronting him, ‘you said you had come with an invitation from the Jade Emperor. Why are these people barring the gate ?’

‘Don’t be angry,’ said the Planet. ‘As you haven’t been to the Hall of Heaven before and haven’t yet been given a name, the Guardians don’t know who you are, and are quite right not to let you pass. When you have seen the Emperor and received your appointment, they’ll let you go in and out as you please.’

‘That’s as may be,’ said Monkey,’ but at the present moment I can’t get in.’

‘You can if you come with me,’ said the Planet, and he called in a loud voice, ‘Guardians of the Gate of Heaven, captains great and small, make way! This is an Immortal from earth below, whom the Jade Emperor commissioned me to bring here.’

The Guardians then withdrew their weapons and retired. Monkey, his confidence in the Planet now quite restored, walked slowly by his side through the gates and on into the palace. Without waiting to be announced, they went at once into the August Presence. The Planet immediately prostrated himself, but Monkey stood erect by his side, not showing any sign of respect, but only pricking his ears to hear what the Planet would say.

‘I beg to report,’ he said, ‘that I have carried out your command; the pernicious Immortal is here.’

‘Which is he?’ asked the Emperor, peeping over the top of his screen-of-state.

At this point Monkey bowed, saying, ‘It’s me.’

The assembled ministers turned pale with horror. ‘This barbarous monkey 1’ they cried. ‘When brought into the Presence he did not prostrate himself, and now, without being addressed, he has ventured to say “It’s me.” Such conduct is worthy of death.’

‘He comes from earth below,’ said the Jade Emperor, ‘and only recently learned human ways. For the present we must not be too hard on him if he does not know how to behave at Court.’

The celestial ministers all congratulated the Emperor on his clemency, and Monkey shouted ‘Bravo!’ at the top of his voice. Officials were then ordered to look through the lists and see what appointments were vacant.

‘There is no vacancy at present in any section of any department,’ one of them reported. ‘The only chance is in the Imperial Stables, where a supervisor is wanted.’

‘Very well then,’ said the Jade Emperor, ‘make him
Pi-ma-wên
in the stables.’

Accordingly he was taken to the stables and the duties of this department were explained to him. He was shown the list of the horses, of which there were a thousand, under the care of a steward, whose duty it was to provide fodder. Grooms who combed and washed the horses, chopped hay, brought them their water and cooked their food. The superintendent and vice-superintendent helped the supervisor in the general management. All of them were on the alert night and day. In the daytime they managed to get a certain amount of fun; but at night they were on the go all the time. The horses all seemed either to go to sleep just when they ought to be fed, or to start galloping when they ought to be in their stalls. When they saw Monkey, the heavenly horses pressed round him in a surging mob, and ate the food he brought them with such appetite as they had never shown before. After a week or two the other officers of the stables gave a banquet to celebrate
Monkey’s appointment. When the feast was at its height, he suddenly paused, and cup in hand he asked, ‘What does it really mean, this word
Pi-ma-wên
?’

‘It’s the name of the rank you hold,’ they said.

‘What class of appointment is it ?’ Monkey asked.

‘It doesn’t come in any class,’ they said.

‘I suppose it’s too high to count as being in any class ?’ said Monkey.

‘On the contrary,’ they said, ‘it’s too low.’

‘Too low!’ exclaimed Monkey.’ What do you mean ?’

‘When an officer doesn’t manage to get classed, they put him to mind the horses. There’s no salary attached. The most you’ll get for fattening up the horses as you’ve done since you were here, is a casual “Not bad!” But if any of them had gone a bit lame or out of condition, you’d have caught it hot. And if any of them had come to real harm, you’d have been prosecuted and fined.’

Flames leapt up in Monkey’s heart when he heard this. He ground his teeth and said in a great rage, ‘So that’s what they think of me! Don’t they know that on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit I was king and patriarch ? How dared they swindle me with coming and looking after horses ? If looking after horses is a job for the lowest riff-raff of all, what do they want to put me into it for? I won’t stand it! I’m going at once!’

With a sudden cry of rage, he pushed over the official desk, took his treasure from behind his ear and rushed out to the Southern Gate. The deities on guard, knowing that he was now an official and authorized to go in and out, did not attempt to stop him. Soon he lowered his cloud and landed on the Mountain of Fowers and Fruit. ‘Little Ones,’ he cried, ‘Old Monkey has come back.’

They gave him a great banquet of welcome, saying, ‘As your Majesty has stayed away in the upper regions for ten years, we may surely presume that you have had a great success there?’

‘I’ve been away about a fortnight,’ said Monkey. ‘What do you mean by ten years ?’

‘In Heaven,’ they said, ‘you did not notice how the time
was going. One day in heaven is a year below. Tell us, please, what rank they gave you.’

‘Don’t talk of it!’ said Monkey, ‘or I shall die of shame. The Jade Emperor has no idea how to make use of one. He saw what I am; but all he could do with me was to make me into something they call a
Pi-ma-wên.
I was told to look after his horses – just a menial post to which no rank attaches at all. I didn’t realize this when I took the job, and didn’t have a bad time playing about in the stables. But today I asked some of the others, and discovered what sort of post it was. I was furious and gave up the job at once. So here I ami’

‘And a good thing too,’ they said. ‘With an enchanted spot like this to rule over, what sense is there in going away to be a groom ? Little ones, prepare a banquet, to cheer our great king.’

They were just beginning to drink, when someone announced that two one-horned demon kings were outside, asking to see the Monkey King.’ Show them in,’ said Monkey. The demons tidied themselves and hastened into the cave, prostrating themselves deeply.

‘What has brought you here ?’ asked Monkey.

‘We have known for a long time,’ they said, ‘that you appreciate good qualities, but no suitable occasion presented itself for us to pay you our respects. However, hearing that you had secured a post in Heaven and returned triumphant, we thought you would not object to receiving a little present. Here is a red and yellow rug, which we hope you will accept. And if you will deign also to take into your service such humble folk as ourselves, we are ready to perform the most menial of tasks.’

Monkey wrapped the rug round himself in high glee, and all his subjects lined up and did homage. The demon kings were made Marshals of the Vanguard, and when they expressed their gratitude, they asked what position Monkey had held in Heaven.

‘The Jade Emperor,’ said Monkey, ‘has no regard for talent. He made me a groom in the stables I’

‘With magic powers like yours,’ they said, ‘why should you
stoop to look after horses? ‘The Great Sage, Equal of Heaven”,–that is the title for such a one as you.’