The Journey to the West, Revised Edition, Volume 2 (32 page)

The demon said, “Ask Hill-Pawing Tiger and Sea-Lolling Dragon, who often accompany me to come here.” The two little fiends arrived and knelt down. “You must be careful,” instructed the second demon. “We shall be careful,” they replied. “You two must be cautious.” “Yes, we shall be cautious,” they replied. “Do you know where the Old Madam’s home is?” asked the second demon again. “Yes, we do,” they replied. “If you do, get there quickly, and when you reach her house, inform her reverently that she is invited to come here to dine on the flesh of the Tang Monk. Tell her also to bring along the yellow-gold rope in order that we may catch Pilgrim Sun.”

The two little fiends obeyed and raced out of the cave; they did not know that Pilgrim on one side had heard everything clearly. Stretching his wings, he flew out of the cave, caught up with Hill-Pawing Tiger, and landed on his body. After they had gone for two or three miles, he was about to slay them when he thought to himself, “To kill them is hardly difficult, but that Old Madam of theirs has the yellow-gold rope, and I don’t know where she lives. Let me question them a bit first before I slaughter them.” Dear Pilgrim! He darted away with a buzz and allowed the little fiends to walk ahead for about a hundred steps. Then with one shake of his body he also changed into a little monster wearing a fox-skin cap and a tiger-skin kilt hitched up to the waist. Running up to them, he said, “You on the road, wait for me.”

Turning
around, Sea-Lolling Dragon asked, “Where did you come from?” “Dear Brother,” said Pilgrim, “you can’t even recognize someone from the same clan?” “You are not in our clan,” said the little fiend. “What do you mean?” said Pilgrim. “Take another look.” “You don’t look familiar at all,” said the little fiend. “We haven’t met before.” “Indeed,” said Pilgrim, “you have never seen me. I belong to the external division.” The little fiend said, “I haven’t met any officer from the external division at all. Where are you going?” Pilgrim said, “The Great King told you two to invite Old Madam to dine on the flesh of the Tang Monk as well as to bring along the yellow-gold rope to capture Pilgrim Sun. But he fears that the two of you would not walk fast enough, and your love of play would delay this important enterprise. That’s why he sent me along also to tell you to hurry.” When the little fiends saw that his words went straight to the bottom of the truth, they did not suspect anything, thinking instead that Pilgrim indeed was a member of the same clan. Hurriedly, they sprinted forward for eight or nine miles.

“We have run too fast,” said Pilgrim. “How far have we gone since we left home?” “About sixteen miles,” said the little fiend. Pilgrim said, “How much farther do we have to go?” Pointing with his finger, Sea-Lolling Dragon said, “Inside the dark forest up ahead—that’s it.” Pilgrim raised his head and saw a large dark forest not far away, and he figured that the old fiend had to be within that vicinity. He stood still, allowing the other two little fiends to proceed; then he caught up with them and gave them a swiping blow with the iron rod. Alas, they were no match for the rod at all and were reduced instantly to two meat patties! Pilgrim picked them up and hid them inside some bushes by the road. Pulling off a piece of hair, he blew on it a magic breath, crying “Change!” It changed at once into Hill-Pawing Tiger, while he himself changed into Sea-Lolling Dragon. The two specious monsters then proceeded directly to the Dragon-Crushing Cave to invite the old madam. This is what we call

    
Seventy-two transformations—what magic might!

    
Ever adroit with things—such great ability!

With four, five leaps, he bounded right into the forest. As he was looking around, he saw two stone doors half-closed nearby. Not daring to enter abruptly, he had to call out, “Open the door, open the door.” A female monster standing guard inside opened wide the door and asked, “Where did you come from?” Pilgrim said, “I came from the Lotus-Flower Cave of the Level-Top Mountain with an invitation for Old Madam.” “Inside,” said the female monster. When Pilgrim reached the second door, he stuck his head inside to take a look and found an old woman sitting squarely in the middle. “How did she look?” you ask. You see

    
Snow-
white hair all tousled,

    
And starlike eyes all aglow.

    
Her face, though ruddy, has many wrinkles;

    
She’s full of spirit though few teeth remain.

    
Charming—like the frosted chrysanthemum;

    
Rugged—like an old pine tree after rain.

    
A scarf of fine-spun white silk wraps her head,

    
And bejeweled gold rings hang from her ears.

After he had seen her, the Great Sage Sun did not go inside at once. Instead, he remained crestfallen outside the second door and began to weep silently. “Why did he weep?” you ask. Could it be that he was afraid of her? Even if he were, he would hardly weep. Moreover, he was courageous enough to have bilked the monsters of their treasures and slain the little fiends. Why then did he weep? In times past, he could have entered a giant tripod of boiling oil, and even if he had been fried for seven or eight days, he would not have shed half a tear. It was, however, the thought of the misery inflicted on him on account of the Tang Monk’s going to acquire scriptures that moved him to tears. He thought to himself, “If old Monkey had displayed his ability and changed into a little fiend to invite this aged monster, there would be absolutely no reason for him to speak standing up. I must kowtow when I see her! A hero all my life, I have only kowtowed to three persons: I bowed to Buddha of the Western Heaven, Guanyin of the South Sea, and four times to Master when he saved me at the Mountain of Two Frontiers. For him I have used up even my innards and my bowels! Ah, how much could a roll of scripture be worth? Yet, I’m forced to prostrate myself before this fiend today. If I don’t, I’ll be discovered for sure. O misery! In the last analysis, Master is in sad straits and that’s why I have to bear such humiliation.” When he came to that point in his thoughts, he had no choice but to race inside and kneel down, facing her. “Madam,” he said, “please receive my kowtow.”

The fiend said, “My child, stand up.” “Fine! Fine! Fine!” said Pilgrim to himself. “That’s an honest address!” “Where did you come from?” asked the old fiend. “From the Lotus-Flower Cave of the Level-Top Mountain,” said Pilgrim. “I received the order of the two Great Kings to invite Madam to go and dine on the flesh of the Tang Monk. You have also been requested to bring along the yellow-gold rope to catch Pilgrim Sun.” Exceedingly pleased, the old fiend said, “What filial sons!” She at once called for her sedan chair. “O my child!” said Pilgrim to himself. “Even monsters ride in sedan chairs!” From behind, two female monsters carried out a sedan chair made of fragrant rattan, on which they hung curtains of blue silk. The old
fi
end walked out of the cave and sat in the chair, followed by several little female monsters carrying toilet boxes, mounted mirrors, towels, and a perfume box. “Why did you all have to come out?” asked the old fiend. “I’m going to my own home, and you think that there will be no one there to serve me? We don’t need your big mouths there. Go back! Shut the doors and look after the house!” Those few little monsters indeed went back, and only two remained to pole the sedan chair. “What are the names of those two who have been sent here?” asked the old fiend. “He’s called Hill-Pawing Tiger,” said Pilgrim quickly, “and my name is Sea-Lolling Dragon.” The old fiend said, “Walk in front, the two of you. Shout and clear the way for me.” “This had to be my misfortune!” thought Pilgrim. “We have not yet acquired the scriptures, but I have to be her slave at this moment!” He did not dare refuse; walking ahead, he shouted to clear the way.

After they had gone for five or six miles, he sat down on a slab of stone to wait for the two carrying the sedan chair. When they arrived, Pilgrim said, “How about resting awhile? Your shoulders must be getting sore.” The little fiends did not suspect anything, of course, and they put down the sedan chair. Walking behind it, Pilgrim pulled off a piece of hair from his chest and changed it into a huge biscuit, which he held and began to munch on. “Officer,” said one of the chair carriers, “what are you eating?” “I’m embarrassed to tell you,” said Pilgrim, “but we have walked all this distance to invite Old Madam, and she didn’t give us any reward. I’m getting hungry, and that’s why I’m eating some of our own dried goods before we move again.” “Please give us some, too,” said the carriers. Pilgrim said, “Come on. We all belong to the same family. Why do you ask?” Not knowing any better, the little fiends both surrounded Pilgrim to divide the dried food. Whipping out his iron rod, Pilgrim gave their heads a terrific blow: the one hit directly was reduced at once to pulp, while the other who was swiped by the rod did not die immediately and was still moaning. When the old fiend heard someone moan and stuck her head out to look, Pilgrim leaped before the sedan chair and slammed the rod down on her head. Brains burst out and blood spurted in every direction from the gaping hole. Pilgrim dragged her from the sedan chair and discovered that she was a nine-tailed fox.
¹
“Cursed beast!” said Pilgrim, laughing. “Who are you that you should be called Old Madam? If you are addressed as Old Madam, you should call old Monkey as your great, grand ancestor!” Dear Monkey King! He searched and found the yellow-gold rope, which he stuffed into his own sleeve, saying happily, “Those lawless demons may be powerful, but three treasures now belong to him whose name is Sun.” He yanked off two pieces of hair (which he changed into Hill-Pawing Tiger and Sea-Lolling Dragon), and two more (which he changed into the fiends who carried the sedan chair).
He
himself changed into the form of the old woman and sat in the sedan chair. They then started out on the main road once more.

In a little while, they reached the entrance of the Lotus-Flower Cave. Those little fiends which were changed from the hairs cried out in front, “Open the door! Open the door!” The little fiends inside who were guarding the door opened it and said, “Hill-Pawing Tiger and Sea-Lolling Dragon, have you two returned?” “Yes,” said the pieces of hair. “Where is Old Madam whom you were to invite?” “Isn’t she there inside the sedan chair?” said the pieces of hair, pointing. “Stay here,” said one of the little fiends. “Let me go and report.” When the two head demons heard the announcement, “Great King, Old Madam has arrived,” they gave the order at once that an incense table be prepared to receive her. When Pilgrim heard this, he was delighted, saying to himself, “What luck! Now it’s my turn to be somebody! When I first changed into a little fiend to go invite that old monster, I kowtowed to her once. But now that I have changed into the old monster, who is supposed to be their mother, they must perform the ceremony of four bows. It may not be much, but I’m reaping the profit of two heads kowtowing to me!”

Dear Great Sage! He descended from the sedan chair and, shaking off the dirt from his clothes, retrieved the four pieces of hair onto his body. The little fiends who stood guard at the door carried the empty sedan chair inside, and he followed them slowly from behind, mincing all the while to imitate the gait of the old fiend. When they went inside, the entire flock of monsters, old and young, all came to receive him, as drums and flutes were played harmoniously and curls of fragrant smoke rose from the Boshan urn.
²
He arrived at the main hall and sat down, facing south;
³
the two head demons knelt before him and kowtowed, saying, “Mother, your children are bowing.” “My sons,” said Pilgrim, “please rise.”

We tell you now about Zhu Eight Rules, who, hanging there on the beam, suddenly let out a guffaw. “Second Brother,” said Sha Monk, “this is quite marvelous! They hang you till you laugh out loud!” “Brother,” said Eight Rules, “I have a reason for laughing.” Sha Monk asked, “What reason?” “We were afraid,” said Eight Rules, “that when Madam arrived, we would be steamed and eaten. Now I see that it’s not Madam; it’s the dear old thing.” “What dear old thing?” asked Sha Monk. “BanHorsePlague is here,” said Eight Rules, chuckling. Sha Monk said, “How could you recognize him?” “When he bent his back to return their greetings, saying, ‘My sons, please rise,’
” said Eight Rules, “that monkey tail of his flipped up from behind. I’m hung higher than you, and that’s why I can see more clearly.” Sha Monk said, “Let’s not talk, let’s hear what he has to say.” “Exactly, exactly,” said Eight Rules.

Sitting in the middle, the Great Sage Sun asked, “My sons, why did you invite me here?” “Dear Mother,” said one of the demons, “for days your
children
have not had the opportunity to fulfill our filial responsibilities. This morning we managed to catch the Tang Monk from the Land of the East, but we dared not eat him all by ourselves. We therefore invited Mother to come so that he might be presented live to you, and then he will be steamed as your food to prolong your life.” “My sons,” said Pilgrim, “I’m not at all keen to dine on the Tang Monk’s flesh, but I hear that the ears of one Zhu Eight Rules are quite marvelous. Why don’t you cut them down and fix them up as appetizers for my wine?” Startled by what he heard, Eight Rules said, “Plague on you! Did you come here to cut down my ears? If I announce aloud who you are, it won’t sound very good!”

Alas! This one careless statement of Idiot at once unmasked the transformation of the Monkey King. Just then, a few little fiends who went to patrol the mountain and a few others who stood guard at the door all rushed in also, saying, “Great King, disaster! Pilgrim Sun has beaten to death Old Madam, and he disguised himself to come here.” When the head demon heard these words, he did not wait for any further report; pulling out his sword of seven stars, he slashed at the face of Pilgrim. Dear Great Sage! He shook his body once, and brilliant red light filled the cave as he made his escape. Such abilities made the whole episode fun and games for him. For truly he had mastered this secret: coming together he took on form, but dispersing he became ether. So shaken were the inhabitants of the cave that the old demon’s spirit left him, and the various monsters bit their fingers and shook their heads.