Monkey (26 page)

‘Kindly stop this silly argument,’ said Tripitaka. ‘It is high time we started.’ So they put together the luggage, which Pigsy was told to carry, and when the white horse was saddled Tripitaka was set astride. Monkey, with his cudgel over his shoulder, led the way. And so, parting from Mr Kao and all his relations, the three of them set out for the West. And if you do not know what befell them, you must listen to what is told in the next chapter.

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the three of them travelled on towards the west, and came at last to a great plain. Summer had passed and autumn come. They heard ‘the cicada singing in the rotten willow’, saw ‘the Fire-Star rolling to the west’. At last they came to a huge and turbulent river, racing along with gigantic waves. ‘That’s a very broad river,’ cried Tripitaka from on horseback. ‘There does not seem to be a ferry anywhere about. How are we to get across ?’

‘A boat wouldn’t be much use in waters as rough as that,’ said Pigsy.

Monkey leapt into the air, and shading his eyes with his hand ga2ed at the waters. ‘Master,’ he cried, ‘this is going to be no easy matter. For me, yes. I should only have to shake my hips, and I should be across at one bound. But for you it’s not going to be such easy work.’

‘I can’t even see the other side,’ said Tripitaka. ‘How far is it, do you suppose ?’

‘About eight hundred leagues,’ said Monkey.

‘How do you come to that reckoning ?’ asked Pigsy.

‘I’ll tell you frankly,’ said Monkey. ‘My sight is so good that I can see everything, lucky or unlucky, a thousand leagues away, and when I looked down on this river from above I could see well enough that it must be a good eight hundred leagues across.’ Tripitaka was very much depressed, and was just turning his horse when he saw a slab of stone on which was the inscription ‘River of Flowing Sand’. Underneath in small letters was the verse:

In the Floating Sands, eight hundred wide,

In the Dead Waters, three thousand deep,

A goose-feather will not keep afloat,

A rush-flower sinks straight to the bottom.

They were looking at this inscription when suddenly a monster of horrifying aspect came  surging through the
mountainous waves. His hair was flaming red, his eyes were like two lanterns; at his neck were strung nine skulls, and he carried a huge priest’s staff. Like a whirlwind he rushed straight at the pilgrims. Monkey seized Tripitaka and hurried him up the bank to a safe distance. Pigsy dropped his load and rushed at the monster with his rake. The monster fended off the blow with his priest’s staff. The fight that followed was a good one, each displaying his powers on the shores of the River of Flowing Sands. They fought twenty bouts without reaching a decision. Monkey, seeing the grand fight that was in progress, itched to go and join in it. At last he said to Tripitaka, ‘You sit here and don’t worry. I am going off to have a bit of fun with the creature.’ Tripitaka did his best to dissuade him. But Monkey with a wild whoop leapt into the fray. At this moment the two of them were locked in combat, and it was hard to get between them. But Monkey managed to put in a tremendous blow of the cudgel right on the monster’s head. At once the monster broke away, and rushing madly back to the water’s edge leapt in and disappeared. Pigsy was furious.

‘Heigh, brother,’ he cried. ‘Who asked you to interfere? The monster was just beginning to tire. After another three or four rounds he would not have been able to fend off my rake, and I should have had him at my mercy. But as soon as he saw your ugly face he took to his heels. You’ve spoilt everything!’

‘I’ll just tell you how it happened,’ said Monkey. ‘It’s months since I had a chance to use my cudgel, and when I saw you having such a rare time with him my feet itched with longing not to miss the fun, and I couldn’t hold myself back. How was I to know that the monster wouldn’t play?’ So hand in hand, laughing and talking, the two of them went back to Tripitaka.

‘Have you caught the monster ?’ he asked.

‘He gave up the fight,’ said Monkey, ‘and went back again into the water.’

‘It wouldn’t be a bad thing,’ said Tripitaka, ‘if we could persuade him to show us how to get across. He’s lived here a long time, and must know this river inside out. Otherwise
I don’t see how we are to get across an enormous river like this without a boat.’

‘There is something in that,’ said Monkey. ‘Does not the proverb say “You cannot live near cinnabar without becoming red, or near ink without becoming black.” If we succeed in catching him we certainly ought not to kill him, but make him take the Master across this river and then dispose of him.’

‘You shall have your chance this time,* said Pigsy to Monkey. ‘I’ll stay here and look after the Master.’

“That’s all very well,’ said Monkey, ‘but this job is not at all in my line. I’m not at my best in the water. To get along here, I have to change myself into some water creature, such as a fish or crab. If it were a matter of going up into the clouds, I have tricks enough to deal with the ugliest situation. But in the water I confess I am at a disadvantage.’

‘I used, of course,’ said Pigsy, ‘to be Marshal of the River of Heaven, and had the command of eighty thousand watery fellows, so that I certainly ought to know something about that element. My only fear is that if whole broods of water-creatures were to come to the monster’s help, I might get myself into a bit of a fix.’

‘What you must do,’ said Monkey, ‘is to lure the monster out, and not get yourself involved in more of a scrap than you can help. Once he is out, I’ll come to your assistance.’

‘That’s the best plan,’ said Pigsy, ‘I’ll go at once.’

So saying, he stripped off his blue embroidered jacket and shoes, and brandishing his rake plunged into the river. He found that he had forgotten none of his old water-magic, and lashing through the waves soon reached the bed of the stream and made his way straight ahead. After retiring from the fight, the monster lay down and had a nap. Soon however he was woken by the sound of someone coming through the water, and starting up he saw Pigsy pushing through the waves, rake in hand. Seizing his staff, he came towards him shouting, ‘Now then, shaven pate, just look where you’re going or you’ll get a nasty knock with this staff!’

Pigsy struck the staff aside with his rake, crying, ‘What monster are you, that you dare to bar my path ?’

‘I’m surprised that you don’t recognize me,’ said the monster. ‘I am not an ordinary spook, but a divinity with name and surname.’

‘If that is so,’ said Pigsy, ‘what are you doing here, taking human lives ? Tell me who you are, and I’ll spare you!’

‘So great was my skill in alchemic arts,’ said the monster, ‘that I was summoned to Heaven by the Jade Emperor and became a Marshal of the Hosts of Heaven. One day, at a celestial banquet, my hand slipped and I broke a crystal cup. The Jade Emperor was furious, and I was hurried away to the execution ground. Fortunately for me the Red-legged Immortal begged for my release, and my sentence was changed to one of banishment to the River of Flowing Sands. When I am hungry I go ashore and eat whatever living thing comes my way. Many are the woodmen and fishermen who have fallen to me as my prey, and I don’t mind telling you I am very hungry at this moment. Don’t imagine that your flesh would be too coarse for me to eat. Chopped up fine and well sauced, you’ll suit me nicely!’

‘Coarse indeed 1’ said Pigsy. ‘I’m a dainty enough morsel to make any mouth water. Mind your manners, and swallow your grandfather’s rake 1’

The monster ducked and avoided the blow. Then both of them came up to the surface of the water, and treading the waves fought stubbornly for two hours without reaching a decision. It was a case of ‘the copper bowl meeting the iron broom, the jade gong confronted by the metal bell’.

After some thirty rounds Pigsy pretended to give in, and dragging his rake after him made for the shore, with the monster hard on his heels. ‘Come onP cried Pigsy. ‘With firm ground under our feet we’ll have a better fight than before.’

‘I know what you’re up to,’ cried the monster. ‘You’ve lured me up here, so that your partner may come and help you. We’ll go back into the water and finish the fight there.’

The monster was too wily to come any farther up the bank and they soon were fighting again, this time at the very edge of the water. This was too much for Monkey, who was watching them from a distance. ‘Wait here,’ he said
to Tripitaka, ‘while I try the trick called “The ravening eagle pouncing on its prey”.’ So saying, he catapulted into the air and swooped down on the monster, who swiftly turning his head and seeing Monkey pouncing down upon him from the clouds, leapt straight into the water and was seen no more.

‘He’s given us the slip,’ said Monkey. ‘He’s not likely to come out on the bank again. What are we going to do ?’

‘It’s a tough job,’ said Pigsy, ‘I doubt if I can beat him. Even if I sweat till I burst I can’t get beyond quits.’

‘Let’s go and see the Master,’ said Monkey.

They climbed the bank, and finding Tripitaka they told him of their predicament. Tripitaka burst into tears.

‘We shall never get across,’ he sobbed.

‘Don’t you worry,’ said Monkey. ‘It is true that with that creature lying in wait for us, we can’t get across. But Pigsy, you stay here by the Master and don’t attempt to do any more fighting. I am going off to the Southern Ocean.’

‘And what are you going to do there ?’ asked Pigsy.

‘This scripture-seeking business,’ said Monkey, ‘is an invention of the Bodhisattva, and it was she who converted us. It is surely for her to find some way of getting us over this river. I’ll go and ask her. It’s a better idea than fighting with the monster.’

‘Brother,’ said Pigsy, ‘when you’re there you might say a word to her for me; tell her I’m very much obliged indeed for having been put on the right way.’

‘If you are going,’ said Tripitaka, ‘you had better start at once and get back as soon as you can.’

Monkey somersaulted into the clouds, and in less than half an hour he had reached the Southern Ocean and saw Mount Potalaka rise before him. After landing, he went straight to the Purple Bamboo Grove, where he was met by the Spirits of the Twenty-Four Ways.

‘Great Sage, what brings you here ?’ they said.

‘My Master is in difficulties,’ said Monkey, ‘and I wish to have an interview with the Bodhisattva.’

‘Sit down,’ they said,’ and we will announce you.’

The Bodhisattva was leaning against the parapet of the Lotus Pool, looking at the flowers, with the Dragon King’s
daughter, bearer of the Magic Pearl, at her side. ‘Why aren’t you looking after your Master?’ she said to Monkey, when he was brought in.

‘When we came to the River of Flowing Sands,’ said Monkey, ‘we found it guarded by a monster formidable in the arts of war. My fellow-disciple Pigsy, whom we picked up on the way, did his best to subdue the creature, but was not successful. That is why I have ventured to come and ask you to take pity on us, and rescue my Master from this predicament.’

‘You obstinate ape,’ said the Bodhisattva, ‘this is the same thing all over again. Why didn’t you say that you were in charge of the priest of T’ang ?’

‘We were both far too busy trying to catch him and make him take the Master across,’ said Monkey.

‘I put him there on purpose to help scripture-seekers,’ said Kuan-yin. ‘If only you had mentioned the fact that you had come from China to look for scriptures, you would have found him very helpful.’

‘At present,’ said Monkey, ‘he is skulking at the bottom of the river. How are we to get him to come out and make himself useful ? And how is Tripitaka going to get across the river?’

The Bodhisattva summoned her disciple Hui-yen, and taking a red gourd from her sleeve she said to him, ‘Take this gourd, go with Monkey to the river and shout “Sandy!” He will come out at once, and you must then bring him to the Master to make his submission. Next string together the nine skulls that he wears at his neck according to the disposition of the Magic Square, with the gourd in the middle, and you will find you have a holy ship that will carry Tripitaka across the River of Flowing Sands.’

Soon Hui-yen and Monkey alighted on the river-bank. Seeing who Monkey had brought with him, Pigsy led forward the Master to meet them. After salutations had been exchanged, Hui-yen went to the edge of the water and called, ‘Sandy, Sandy! The scripture-seekers have been here a long time. Why do you not come out and pay your respects to them?’

The monster Sandy, knowing that this must be a messenger from Kuan-yin, hastened to the surface, and as soon as his head was above water he saw Hui-yen and Monkey. He put on a polite smile and came towards them bowing and saying to Hui-yen, ‘Forgive me for not coming to meet you. Where is the Bodhisattva ?’

‘She has not come,’ said Hui-yen. ‘She sent me to tell you to put yourself at Tripitaka’s disposal and become his disciple. She also told me to take the skulls that you wear at your neck and this gourd that I have brought, and make a holy ship to carry the Master across.’

‘Where are the pilgrims ?’ asked Sandy.

‘Sitting there on the eastern bank,’ said Hui-yen.

‘Well,’ said Sandy, looking at Pigsy, ‘that filthy creature never said a word about scriptures, though I fought with him for two days.’ Then seeing Monkey, ‘What, is that fellow there too?’ he cried. ‘He’s the other’s partner. I’m not going near them.’