Pig Moves the Monkey King Through His Goodness

Sun the Novice Subdues the Ogre Through Cunning

They swore to become brothers,

And the dharma brought them back to their true nature.

When metal and Wood were tamed, the True Result could be achieved;

The Mind-Ape and the Mother of Wood combined to make the elixir.

Together they would climb to the World of Bliss,

And share the same branch of the faith.

The scriptures are the way of self-cultivation,

To which the Buddha has given his own divinity.

The brothers made up a triple alliance,

With devilish powers to cope with the Five Elements.

Sweeping aside the six forms of existence,

They head for the Thunder Monastery.

As he was being dragged and carried back by the crowd of monkeys, Pig's tunic was shreds. “I'm done for,” he grumbled to himself, “done for. He'll kill me now.”

Before long he was back at the mount of the cave, where Monkey, sitting on top of a rock-face, said to him angrily, “You chaff-guzzling idiot. I let you go, so why swear at me?”

“I never did, elder brother,” said Pig on his knees, “May I bite off my tongue if ever I did. All I said was that as you weren't coming I'd have to go and tell the master. I'd never have dared to swear at you.”

“You can't fool me,” Monkey replied. “If I prick my left ear up I can hear what they're saying in the Thirty-third Heaven, and if I point my right ear down I can know what the Ten Kings of Hell and their judges are discussing. Of course I could hear you swearing at me as you walked along.”

“Now I see,” said Pig. “With that devilish head of yours you must have changed yourself into something or other to listen to what I said.”

“Little ones,” shouted Monkey, “bring some heavy rods. Give him twelve on the face, then twelve on the back. After that I'll finish him off with my iron cudgel.”

“Elder brother,” pleaded Pig, kowtowing desperately, “I beg you to spare me for our master's sake.”

“That good and kind master? Never!” said Monkey.

“If he won't do,” begged Pig, “then spare me for the Bodhisattva's sake.” The mention of the Bodhisattva made Monkey relent slightly.

“Now you've said that I won't have you flogged,” he replied. “But you must tell me straight and without lying where the Tang Priest is in trouble—which is presumably why he sent you to try and trick me.”

“He isn't in trouble,” Pig protested, “he's honestly missing you.”

“You really deserve a beating,” said Monkey, “for still trying to hood-wink me, you moron. Although I've been back in the Water Curtain Cave, I've stayed with the pilgrim in my mind. The master must have been in trouble at every step he has taken. Tell me about it at once if you don't want that flogging.”

Pig kowtowed again and said, “Yes, I did try to trick you into coming back. I didn't realize that you would see through it so easily. Please spare me a flogging and let me go, then I'll tell you.”

“Very well then,” replied Monkey, “get up and tell me.” The junior monkeys untied his hands. He leapt to his feet and began looking around wildly. “What are you looking at?” asked Monkey.

“I'm looking at that wide empty path for me to run away along,” said Pig.

“That wouldn't get you anywhere,” Monkey said. “Even if I gave you three days' start I'd still be able to catch you up. Start talking. If you make me lose my temper, that'll be the end of you.”

“I'll tell you the truth,” said Pig. “After you came back here Friar Sand and I escorted the master. When we saw a dark pine forest the master dismounted and told me to beg for some food., When I'd gone a very long way without finding anyone I was so tired that I took a snooze in the grass; I didn't realize that the master would send Friar Sand after me. You know how impatient the master is; be went off for a stroll by himself, and when he came out of the wood he saw a gleaming golden pagoda. He took it for a monastery, but an evil spirit called the Yellow-robed Monster who lived there captured him. When I and Friar Sand came back to find him, all we saw was the white horse and the baggage. The master had gone. We searched for him as far as the entrance to the cave and fought the monster. Luckily the master found someone to save him in the cave. She was the third daughter of the king of Elephantia and she'd been carried off by the monster. She gave the master a letter to deliver to her family and persuaded the ogre to let him go. When we reached the capital and delivered the letter the king asked our master to subdue the monster and bring the princess home. I ask you, brother, could the master catch a monster? We two went off to fight him, but his powers were too much for us: he captured Friar Sand and made me run away. I hid in the undergrowth. The monster turned himself into a handsome scholar and went to court, where he introduced himself to the king and turned the master into a tiger. The white horse changed himself back into a dragon in the middle of the night and went to look for the master. He didn't find him, but he did see the monster drinking in the Hall of Silvery Peace, so he turned himself into a Palace Beauty. He poured wine and did a sword dance for the ogre in the hope of finding a chance to cut him down, but the ogre wounded his hind leg with a lantern, it was the white horse who sent me here to fetch you. 'Our eldest brother is a good and honorable gentleman,' he said, 'and gentlemen don't bear grudges. He's sure to come and rescue the master.' Please, please remember that 'if a man has been your teacher for a day, you should treat him as your father for the rest of his life'. I beg you to save him.”

“Idiot,” said Monkey, “I told you over and over again before leaving that if any evil monsters captured the master you were to tell them I am his senior disciple. Why didn't you mention me?” Pig reflected that to a warrior a challenge was more effective than an invitation and said, “It would have been fine if we hadn't used your name. It was only when I mentioned you that he went wild.”

“What did you say?” asked Monkey.

“I said, 'Behave yourself, kind monster, and don't harm our master. I have an elder brother called Brother Monkey who is an expert demon-subduer with tremendous magic powers. If he comes he'll kill you, and you won't even get a funeral.' This made the ogre angrier than ever, and he said, 'I'm not scared of Monkey. If he comes here I'll skin him, tear his sinews out, gnaw his bones, and eat his heart. Although monkeys are on the skinny side, I can mince his flesh up and deep-fry it.'“ This so enraged Monkey that he leapt around in a fury, tugging at his ear and scratching his cheek.

“Did he have the gall to say that about me?” he asked.

“Calm down, brother,” said Pig. “I specially remembered all his insults so as to tell you.”

“Up you get,” said Monkey, “I didn't have to go before, but now he's insulted me I must capture him. Let's be off. When I wrecked the Heavenly Palace five hundred years ago all the generals of Heaven bowed low at the sight of me and called me 'Great Sage'. How dare that fiend have the nerve to insult me behind my back! I'm going to catch him and tear his corpse to shreds to make him pay for it. When I've done that I'll come back here.”

“Quite right,” said Pig. “When you've captured the monster and got your own back on him, it'll be up to you whether you come on with us.”

The Great Sage jumped down from the cliff, rushed into the cave, and took off all his devil clothes. He put on an embroidered tunic, tied on his tigerskin kilt, seized his iron cudgel, and came out again. His panic-stricken monkey subjects tried to stop him, saying, “Where are you going, Your Majesty, Great Sage? Wouldn't it be fun to rule us for a few more years?”

“What are you saying, little ones?” replied Monkey. “I have to protect the Tang Priest. Everyone in Heaven and Earth knows that I am the Tang Priest's disciple. He didn't really drive me away. He just wanted me to take a trip home and have a little relaxation. Now I've got to attend to this. You must all take good care of our household. Plant willow and pine cuttings at the right season, and don't let things go to pieces. I must escort the Tang Priest while he fetches the scriptures and returns to the East. When my mission is over I'll come back to this happy life with you here.” The monkeys all accepted his orders.

Taking Pig's hand, Monkey mounted a cloud and left the cave. When they had crossed the Eastern Sea he stooped at the Western shore and said, “You carry on at your own speed while I take a bath in the sea.”

“We're in a terrible hurry,” said Pig. “You can't take a bath now?”

“You wouldn't understand,” Monkey replied. “While I was at home I developed rather a devil-stink, and I'm afraid that with his passion for cleanliness the master would object.” Only then did Pig realize that Monkey really was being sincere and single-minded.

After Monkey's dip they were back on their clouds and heading West again. When they saw the gleam of the golden pagoda Pig pointed at it and said, “That's where the Yellow-robed Monster lives. Friar Sand is still there.”

“You wait for me up here,” said Monkey, “while I take a look around the entrance before fighting the evil spirit.”

“No need,” said Pig, “as he's not at home.”

“I know,” said Monkey. The splendid Monkey King landed his gleaming cloud and looked around outside the entrance. All he could see was two children, one of about ten and the other of eight or nine, hitting a feather-stuffed ball with curved sticks. Without bothering to find-out whose children they were, Monkey rushed up at them as they played, grabbed them by the tufts of hair that grew on the top of their heads, and flew off with them. The sobs and curses of the terrified boys alarmed the junior devils of the Moon Waters Cave, who rushed in to tell the princess that someone, they did not know who, had carried her sons off. These boys, you see, were the children of the princess and the ogre.

The princess ran out of the cave to see Monkey holding her sons on the top of a cliff and about to hurl them over.

“Hey, you, I've never done you any harm,” she screamed desperately, “so why are you kidnapping my sons? Their father won't let you get away with it if anything happens to them, and he's a killer.”

“Don't you know who I am?” said Monkey. “I'm Monkey, the senior disciple of the Tang Priest. If you release my brother Friar Sand from your cave, I'll give you your sons back. You'll be getting a good bargain—two for one.” The princess hurried back into the cave, told the junior demons who were on the door to get out of her way, and untied Friar Sand with her own hands.

“Don't let me go, lady,” said Friar Sand, “or I'll be letting you in for trouble with that monster when he comes back and asks about me.”

“Venerable sir,” the princess replied, “what you said about the letter saved my life, so I was going to let you go anyhow, and now your elder brother Monkey has come here and told me to release you.”

At the word “Monkey” Friar Sand felt as though the oil of enlightenment had been poured on his head and the sweet dew had enriched his heart. His face was all happiness and his chest filled with spring. He looked more like someone who had found a piece of gold or jade than someone who had just been told that a friend had arrived. He brushed his clothes down with his hands, went out, bowed to Monkey and said, “Brother, you've dropped right out of the blue. I beg you to save my life!”

“Did you say one word to help me, Brother Sand, when the master said the Band-tightening Spell?” asked Monkey with a grin. “Talk, talk, talk. If you want to rescue your master you should be heading West instead of squatting here.”

“Please don't bring that up,” said Friar Sand. “A gentleman doesn't bear a grudge. We've been beaten, and we've lost the right to talk about courage. Please rescue me.”

“Come up here,” Monkey replied, and Friar Sand sprang up on the cliff with a bound.

When Pig saw from up in the air that Friar Sand had come out of the cave, he brought his cloud down and said, “Forgive me, forgive me, Brother Sand.”

“Where have you come from?” asked Friar Sand on seeing him.

“After I was beaten yesterday,” said Pig, “I went back to the capital last night and met the white horse, who told me that the master was in trouble. The monster has magicked him into a tiger. The horse and I talked it over and we decided to ask our eldest brother back.”

“Stop chattering, idiot,” said Monkey. “Each of you take one of these children to the city. Use them to provoke the monster into coming back here to fight me.”

“How are we to do that?” asked Friar Sand.

“You two ride your clouds, stop above the palace,” said Monkey, “harden your hearts, and drop the children on the palace steps. When you're asked, say they're the sons of the Yellow-robed Monster, and that you two brought them there. The ogre is bound to come back when he hears that, which will save me the trouble of going into town to fight him. If we fought in the city, the fogs and dust storms we stirred up would alarm the court, the officials and the common people.”

“Whatever you do, brother,” said Pig with a laugh, “you try to trick us.”

“How am I tricking you?” asked Monkey.

“These two kids have already been scared out of their wits,” Pig replied. “They've cried themselves hoarse, and they're going to be killed at any moment. Do you think the monster will let us get away after we've smashed them to mince? He'll want our necks. You're still crooked, aren't you? He won't even see you, so it's obvious you're tricking us.”

“If he goes for you,” said Monkey, “fight your way back here, where there's plenty of room for me to have it out with him.”

“That's right,” said Friar Sand, “what our eldest brother says is quite right. Let's go.” The pair of them were an awe-inspiring sight as they went off, carrying the two boys.

Monkey then jumped down from the cliff to the ground in front of the pagoda's gates, where the princess said to him, “You faithless monk. You said you'd give me back my children if I released your brother. Now I've let him go, but you still have the boys. What have you come back for?”

“Don't be angry, princess,” said Monkey, forcing a smile. “As you've been here so long, we've taken your sons to meet their grandfather.”

“Don't try any nonsense, monk,” said the princess. “My husband Yellow Robe is no ordinary man. If you've frightened those children, you'd better clam them down.”

“Princess,” said Monkey with a smile, “do you know what the worst crime on earth you can commit is?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“You're a mere woman, so you don't understand anything,” said Monkey.

“I was educated by my parents in the palace ever since I was a child,” she said, “and I remember what the ancient book said: 'There are three thousand crimes, and the greatest is unfilial behavior.'”

“But you're unfilial,” replied Monkey. '“My father begot me, my mother raised me. Alas for my parents. What an effort it was to bring me up.' Filial piety is the basis of all conduct and the root of all goodness, so why did you marry an evil spirit and forget your parents? Surely this is the crime of unfilial behavior.” At this the princess' face went red as she was overcome with shame.

“What you say, sir, is so right,” she said. “Of course I haven't forgotten my parents. But the monster forced me to come here, and he is so strict that I can hardly move a step. Besides, it's a long journey and nobody could deliver a message. I was going to kill myself until I thought that my parents would never discover that I hadn't run away deliberately. So I had nothing for it but to drag out my wretched life. I must be the wickedest person on earth.” As she spoke the tears gushed out like the waters of a spring.

“Don't take on so, princess,” said Monkey. “Pig has told me how you saved my master's life and wrote a letter, which showed you hadn't forgotten your parents. I promise that I'll catch the monster, take you back to see your father, and find you a good husband. Then you can look after your parents for the rest of their lives. What do you say to that?”

“Please don't get yourself killed, monk,” she said. “Your two fine brothers couldn't beat Yellow Robe, so how can you talk about such a thing, you skinny little wretch, all gristle and no bone? You're like a crab, the way your bones all stick out. You don't have any magic powers, so don't talk about capturing ogres.”

“What a poor judge of people you are,” laughed Monkey. “As the saying goes, 'A bubble of piss is big but light, and a steelyard weight can counterbalance a ton.' Those two are big but useless. Their bulk slows them down in the wind as they walk, they cost the earth to clothe, they are hollow inside, like fire in a stove, they are weak and they give no return for all that they eat. I may be small, but I'm very good value.”

“Have you really got magic powers?” the princess asked.

“You've never seen such magic as I have,” he replied. “I have no rival when it comes to subduing monsters and demons.”

“Are you sure you won't let me down?” said the princess.

“Yes,” said Monkey.

“As you're so good at putting down demons, how are you going to catch this one?”

“Hide yourself away and keep out of my sight,” said Monkey. “Otherwise I may not be able to deal with him properly when he comes back. I'm afraid you may feel more friendly towards him and want to keep him.”

“Of course I won't want to keep him,” she protested. “I've only stayed here under duress.”

“You've been his wife for thirteen years,” said Monkey, “so you must have some affection for him. When I meet him it won't be for a child's game. I shall have to kill him with my cudgel and my fists before you can be taken back to court.”

The princess did as she had been told and went off to hide in a quiet place. As her marriage was fated to end she had met the Great Sage. Now that the princess was out of the way the Monkey King turned himself with a shake of his body into the very image of the princess and went back into the cave to wait for the ogre.

Pig and Friar Sand took the children to the city of Elephantia and hurled them down on the palace steps, where the wretched boys were smashed to mincemeat; their blood splashed out and their bones were pulverized. The panic-stricken courtiers announced that a terrible thing had happened—two people had been thrown down from the sky. “The children are the sons of the Yellow-robed Monster,” shouted Pig at the top of his voice, “and they were brought here by Pig and Friar Sand.”

The monster, who was still asleep in the Hall of Silvery Peace, heard someone calling his name as he was dreaming, turned over, and looked up to see Pig and Friar Sand shouting from the clouds. “I'm not bothered about Pig,” he thought, “but Friar Sand was tied up at home. However did he escape? Could my wife have let him go? How did he get to catch my sons? Perhaps this is a trick Pig is using to catch me because I won't come out and fight with him. If I'm taken in by this I'll have to fight him, and I'm still the worse for wear after all that wine. One blow from his rake would finish off my prestige. I can see through that plan. I'll go home and see whether they are my sons before arguing with them.”

Without taking leave of the king, the monster went back across the forested mountains to his cave to find out what had happened. By now the palace knew he was an evil spirit. The seventeen other women who had fled for their lives when he ate the Palace Beauty had told the king all about it early the next morning, and his unannounced departure made it even clearer that he was an ogre. The king told the officials to look after the false tiger.

When Monkey saw the monster coming back to the cave he thought of a way to trick him. He blinked till the tears came down like rain, started to wail for the children, and jumped and beat his breast as if in grief, filling the cave with the sound of his sobbing. The monster failed to recognize who Monkey really was and put his arms round him. “What makes you so miserable, wife?” he asked.

“Husband,” said Monkey, weeping as he concocted his devilish lies, “How true it is that 'A man without a wife has no one to look after his property; a woman who loses her husband is bound to fall'. Why didn't you come back yesterday after going to the city to meet your father-in-law? Pig came and seized Friar Sand this morning, and then they grabbed our sons and refused to spare them despite all my pleas. They said they were taking them to the palace to meet their grandfather, but I haven't seen them all day. I don't know what's become of them, and you were away. I've been so miserable at losing them that I can't stop crying.” The monster was furious.

“My sons?” he asked.

“Yes,” Monkey replied, “Pig carried them off.”

The monster, now jumping with rage, said, “Right, that's it. He's killed my sons. He'll die for this. I'll make that monk pay for it with his life. Don't cry, wife. How are you feeling now? Let me make you better.”

“There's nothing wrong with me,” said Monkey, “except that I've cried so much my heart aches.”

“Never mind,” the monster replied. “Come over here. I've got a treasure here that you just have to rub on your pain to stop it hurting. But be very careful with it and don't flick it with your thumb, because if you do you'll be able to see my real body.”

Monkey was secretly delighted. “What a well-behaved fiend,” he thought, “giving that away without even being tortured. When he gives me the treasure I'll flick it to see what kind of monster he really is.” The ogre then led him to a remote and secluded part of the cave and spat out a treasure about the size of a hen's egg. It was magic pill skillfully fashioned from a piece of a conglomeration of internal secretion. “What a splendid thing,” Monkey thought. “Goodness knows how many times it had to be worked, refined and mated before becoming such a magic relic. Today it was fated to meet me.”

The ape took it, rubbed it over his pretended pain, and was just going to flick it with his thumb when the monster took fright and tried to grab it from him. The crafty Monkey popped it into his mouth and swallowed it. The monster clenched his fist and hit at him, but Monkey parried the blow, rubbed his face, and reverted to his real form with a shout of, “Behave yourself, ogre. Take a look and see who I am.”

“Wife,” said the shocked monster, “however did you get that terrible face?”

“I'll get you, you damned fiend,” said Monkey. “I'm not your wife. Can't you even recognize your own grandfather?” The monster, now beginning to see the light, said, “You do look a bit familiar.”

“Take another look,” said Monkey, “I won't hit you.”

“I know you by sight,” the monster said, “but I can't remember your name. Who are you? Where are you from? Where have you hidden my wife? Why did you swindle me out of my treasure? This is a disgusting way to behave.”

“As you don't know who I am,” said Monkey, “let me tell you that I am Sun Wukong, Brother Monkey, the Tang Priest's senior disciple. I'm your ancestor by a clear five hundred years.”

“Nonsense,” the ogre replied, “nonsense. I know that the Tang Priest only had two disciples when I captured him. They were called Pig and Friar Sand. Nobody mentioned anyone by the name of Monkey. You must be a fiend from somewhere or other who has come to trick me.”

“I didn't come here with the other two,” said Monkey, “because my master is a kind and merciful man who sent me back home for killing too many evil spirits. You ought to know your ancestor's name.”

“What sort of man are you?” asked the monster, “how can you have the face to come back after your master has sent you away?”

“You wouldn't understand, you damned monster,” said Monkey, “that when a man has been your teacher for a single day, you should treat him as your father for the rest of his life, and that father and son should never let the sun set on a quarrel. You've harmed my master, so of course I've come to rescue him. Even if I could ignore that, it's quite outrageous that you insulted me behind my back.”

“I never insulted you,” said the monster.

“Pig told me you did,” replied Monkey.

“You shouldn't believe that sharp-tongued old gossip,” said the monster.

“Let's stop beating about the bush,” said Monkey. “You've treated me very shabbily for a guest from far away. You may not have any wine or fine delicacies to feed me but you do have a head, so stretch it out and let me hit it with my cudgel—that'll do instead of tea.”

The mention of hitting made the monster bellow with laughter. “You've got it all wrong this time, Monkey,” he said. “You shouldn't have come in if you wanted to fight me. I have a thousand devils of all sizes in here. Even if you were covered with arms you'd never be able to fight your way out.”

“Nonsense,” replied Monkey. “Never mind one thousand—if you had thousands or tens of thousands of them I'd only need to see them clearly for my every blow to strike home. I'll wipe the lot of you out.”

The monster at once ordered all the fiends and ogres in and around the cave to muster with their weapons and put a close blockade on all the doors. Monkey was delighted to see them, and wielding his cudgel with both hands he shouted “Change!” and suddenly had six arms and three heads. Then he shook his gold-banded cudgel and turned it into three gold-banded cudgels. He went into action with his six arms and three cudgels. He was a tiger in a sheepfold, a hawk in a chicken run. The poor little demons had their heads smashed to pulp, while their blood flowed like water. He rushed to and fro as if there was nobody else there until only the old ogre was left.

He followed Monkey outside and said “Insolent ape. How dare you come here and bully us?”

Monkey turned, beckoned to him and said, “Come here, come here. Let me win the credit for killing you.”

The monster struck at the head with his sword, and Monkey riposted to the face with his cudgel. They fought it out amid the mists on the mountain top.

 

Mighty was the magic of the Great Sage,

Awful the monster's power.

One of them wielded an iron cudgel;

The other, a sword of tempered steel.

When the sword was raised it shone with a bright aura;

The parrying cudgel was wreathed in cloud.

They leapt to and fro protecting their heads,

Turning and somersaulting over and over.

One of them changed his face with every breeze,

The other stood still and shook his body.

One glared with fiery eyes as he stretched out his simian arm,

The other's golden pupils flashed as he twisted his tigerish waist.

They were locked in mortal combat

As sword and cudgel struck without mercy.

The Monkey King wielded his iron club according to the martial classic,

And the monster's swordplay followed the ancient manuals.

One was a demon king experienced in the black arts,

The other used magical powers to protect the Tang Priest.

The ferocious Monkey King became fiercer than ever,

The heroic monster grew an even greater hero.

They fought in space, ignoring death,

All because the Tang Priest went to see the Buddha.

 

They had fought fifty or sixty rounds without issue when Monkey thought, “That bloody monster's sword is as good as my cudgel. I'll pretend to give him an opening and see if he can tell it's a trick.” The Monkey King raised his cudgel and did a “Reaching Up to a Tall Horse” movement. The monster, not realizing that this was a trick, and imagining that he saw a real opening, took a tremendous swipe at Monkey with his sword. Monkey at once did a high swing to avoid the blow, then struck at the monster's head with a “Stealing a Peach from under the Leaves” movement and knocked him so hard he vanished without a trace. Monkey put his cudgel away and looked for him but without success.

“Wow,” exclaimed Monkey in astonishment, “I didn't just hit him—I knocked him out of existence. But if I really killed him there ought at least to be some blood and pus, and there's no sign of any. Perhaps he got away.” He leapt up on a cloud to look around, but nothing was moving. “My eyes can see anything at a glance,” he thought, “so how can he have got away so mysteriously? Now I see. He said he seemed to recognize me, so he can't be an ordinary monster. He must be some spirit from Heaven.”

This was too much for Monkey, who lost his temper and somersaulted up to the Southern Gate of Heaven with his cudgel in his hands. The startled Heavenly Generals Pang, Liu, Gou, Bi, Zhang, Tao, Deng, and Xin bowed low on either side of the gateway, not daring to block his way. They let him fight his way through the gates and straight on to the Hall of Universal Brightness, where the four great Heavenly Teachers Zhang, Ge, Xu and Qiu asked, “What have you come for, Great Sage?”

“As I was escorting the Tang Priest to Elephantia an evil monster abducted a princess and harmed the master. I had to fight him, and in the middle of our battle he disappeared. I thought that he couldn't be an ordinary monster and was probably a spirit from Heaven, so I've come to check up if any wicked deities have left their posts.” On hearing this the Heavenly Teachers went and reported it to the Jade Emperor in the Hall of Miraculous Mist. He ordered an investigation. They found that nobody was missing among the Nine Bright Shiners, the Gods of the Twelve Branches, the five Dippers of North, South, East, West and Centre, the hosts of the Milky Way, the Five Peaks, the Four Rivers, and all the other gods of Heaven. Then they investigated outside the Palace of the Dipper and the Bull, and found that one of the Twenty-eight Constellations, the Strider, was missing.

“Strider, the Wooden Wolf, has gone down to Earth,” they reported to the throne.

“How long has he been away from Heaven?” the Jade Emperor asked.

“He has missed four roll-calls,” they replied, “and with one roll-call every three days that makes thirteen days.”

“Thirteen days in Heaven would be thirteen years down on Earth,” said the Emperor, and he ordered the Strider's fellow stars to go down and bring him back to Heaven.

On receiving this edict the twenty-seven other constellations went out through the gates of Heaven and startled the Strider as each chanted his own spell. Do you know where he had been hiding? He had been one of the heavenly generals who was beaten when Monkey had sacked the Heavenly Palace, and he had lain low in a mountain stream that masked his demonic cloud and kept him out of sight. Only when he heard the other constellations shouting their spells did he dare to emerge from the water and go back to Heaven with them. The Great Sage was blocking the gates of Heaven and would have killed him but for the pleas of the other constellations, who saved him and escorted him to see the Jade Emperor. The monster now produced his golden tablet of office from his belt and kowtowed on the floor of the palace, admitting his guilt.

“Strider the Wooden Wolf,” said the Jade Emperor, “why did you go off by yourself instead of being content with the infinite beauty of Heaven?”

“I deserve to die, Your Majesty,” the Strider replied. “That daughter of the king of Elephantia was no ordinary mortal. She was a Jade Maiden in the Hall of Incense who wanted to have an affair with me. As we did not want to defile the Heavenly Palace she decided to become a mortal first and was reborn in a king's palace. Then I became an evil monster and occupied a mountain in order not to let her down. I carried her off to my cave, and we were man and wife for thirteen years. 'Every bite and every sip is preordained,' as the saying goes, and now the Great Sage has succeeded in bringing me here.” The Jade Emperor withdrew his tablet of office and degraded him to be a menial helping Lord Lao Zi stoke his fires in the Tushita Palace. If he did well he would be restored to his previous post; if not, his sentence would be made heavier. Monkey was delighted to see how the Jade Emperor dealt with him, and chanting a “na-a-aw” of respect he said to the assembled gods, “Gentlemen, I'm off.”

“That monkey is as ill-mannered as ever,” chuckled the Heavenly Teachers, “just chanting a 'na-a-aw' and going without thanking Your Majesty for your celestial kindness in catching the monster for him.”

“We can consider ourselves fortunate,” said the Jade Emperor, “if he leaves without disturbing the peace of Heaven.”

The Great Sage brought his shining cloud straight down to the Moon Waters Cave on Bowl Mountain, found the princess, and told her off for becoming a mortal and marrying a fiend. As he was doing this he heard Pig and Friar Sand shouting in mid-air, “Leave us a few demons to polish off, brother.”

“I've already wiped them out,” Monkey replied.

“Doesn't matter,” said Friar Sand. “Let's take the princess back to the palace. Don't stare at her, Pig. We'd better do some distance-shortening magic.”

The princess heard a rush of wind in her ears, and in a moment she was back in the city. The three disciples took her to the throne hall, where she bowed to her royal parents and met her sisters again. All the officials came to bow to greet her. Then she reported, “We are indebted to the infinite powers of the venerable Monkey for the defeat of the Yellow-robed Monster and my rescue.”

“What type of monster was he?” the king asked.

“Your Majesty's son-in-law,” Monkey replied, “is the Strider constellation from Heaven, and your daughter was a Jade Maiden who held the incense until she decided to become a mortal and came down to this world. This marriage was predestined. When I went up to the Heavenly Palace and submitted a memorial to him, the Jade Emperor found that the monster had missed four roll-calls and had been away from Heaven for thirteen days, which is thirteen years down here on earth. The Emperor sent his fellow stars down to fetch him, then banished him to the Tushita Heaven, where he is to redeem his sins. That's how I rescued your daughter and brought her here.” The king thanked Monkey and told him to go and see his master.

The three disciples left the throne hall and went with all the courtiers to the antechamber, where the iron cage was carried in and the false tiger unchained. Monkey was the only one who could see that he was human; all the others thought he was really a tiger. As Sanzang was under the demon's spell he could not move, and although he was clear in his mind, he was unable to open his mouth or his eyes.

“What a fine monk you are, master,” said Monkey, “getting yourself into this revolting shape. You accused me of being a murderer and sent me home for it, but you wouldn't be such an awful sight if your heart had been set on goodness.”

“Save him, brother, don't tell him off,” said Pig.

“It was you who put him up to it all,” said Monkey. “You were his favorite disciple. Why didn't you save him instead of sending for me? Besides, I told you that I'd go back when I'd defeated the monster and avenged that insult.” Friar Sand went over and knelt down before him.

“As the old saying goes,” he pleaded, “'If you won't do it for the monk's sake, do it for the Buddha's sake.' I beg you to save him now that you're here. I wouldn't have gone all that way to ask you to come if we'd been able to save him ourselves.”

“I couldn't bear not to save him,” replied Monkey, raising Friar Sand to his feet. “Bring me some water.” Pig flew back to the hostel, fetched the horse and luggage, took the golden begging bowl from it, half-filled it with water, and handed it to Monkey. Monkey took the water in his hand, said the words of a spell, and spurted it at the tiger's head. The evil magic was dissolved, and the tiger-aura was dispersed.

Sanzang was seen in his true form once more. Once he had gathered himself together and opened his eyes he saw Monkey, took hold of him, and said, “Monkey, where have you come from?” Friar Sand, who was standing in attendance, told him all about how Monkey had been asked back, defeated the monster, rescued the princess, dispersed the tiger-aura, and come back to the palace. “Worthy disciple,” said Sanzang, full of gratitude, “thank you, thank you. When we return to the East from our journey to the West I shall report to the Tang Emperor that you have won the greatest distinction.”

“Don't mention it,” said a smiling Monkey, “don't mention it. The best way you can show your gratitude is by not saying that spell.” When the king heard about all this he thanked the four of them and gave a great vegetarian banquet for them in the Eastern wing. After this expression of the king's kindness master and disciples took their leave of him and set out for the West. The king and his courtiers came a long way to see them off, after which

 

The monarch returned to the palace to rule his country,

The monk went on to Thunder Monastery to see the Buddha.

 

If you don't know what happened next or when they reached the Western Heaven, listen to the explanation in the next installment.

猪八戒义激猴王

孙行者智降妖怪

义结孔怀,法归本性。金顺木驯成正果,心猿木母合丹元。

共登极乐世界,同来不二法门。经乃修行之总径,佛配自己之元神。兄和弟会成三契,妖与魔色应五行。剪除六门趣,即赴大雷音。却说那呆子被一窝猴子捉住了,扛抬扯拉,把一件直裰子揪破,口里劳劳叨叨的,自家念诵道:“罢了!罢了!这一去有个打杀的情了!”不一时,到洞口。那大圣坐在石崖之上,骂道:“你这馕糠的劣货!你去便罢了,怎么骂我?”八戒跪在地下道:“哥啊,我不曾骂你,若骂你,就嚼了舌头根。我只说哥哥不去,我自去报师父便了,怎敢骂你?”行者道:“你怎么瞒得过我?我这左耳往上一扯,晓得三十三天人说话;我这右耳往下一扯,晓得十代阎王与判官算帐。你今走路把我骂,我岂不听见?”八戒道:“哥啊,我晓得你贼头鼠脑的,一定又变作个甚么东西儿,跟着我听的。”行者叫:“小的们,选大棍来!先打二十个见面孤拐,再打二十个背花,然后等我使铁棒与他送行!”八戒慌得磕头道:“哥哥,千万看师父面上,饶了我罢!”行者道:“我想那师父好仁义儿哩!”八戒又道:“哥哥,不看师父啊,请看海上菩萨之面,饶了我罢!”

行者见说起菩萨,却有三分儿转意道:“兄弟,既这等说,我且不打你,你却老实说,不要瞒我。那唐僧在那里有难,你却来此哄我?”八戒道:“哥哥,没甚难处,实是想你。”行者骂道:“这个好打的劣货!你怎么还要者嚣?我老孙身回水帘洞,心逐取经僧。那师父步步有难,处处该灾,你趁早儿告诵我,免打!”八戒闻得此言,叩头上告道:“哥啊,分明要瞒着你,请你去的,不期你这等样灵。饶我打,放我起来说罢。”行者道:“也罢,起来说。”众猴撒开手,那呆子跳得起来,两边乱张,行者道:“你张甚么?”八戒道:“看看那条路儿空阔,好跑。”行者道:“你跑到那里?我就让你先走三日,老孙自有本事赶转你来!快早说来,这一恼发我的性子,断不饶你!”八戒道:“实不瞒哥哥说,自你回后,我与沙僧保师父前行。只见一座黑松林,师父下马,教我化斋。我因许远,无一个人家,辛苦了,略在草里睡睡。

不想沙僧别了师父,又来寻我。你晓得师父没有坐性,他独步林间玩景,出得林,见一座黄金宝塔放光,他只当寺院,不期塔下有个妖精,名唤黄袍,被他拿住。后边我与沙僧回寻,止见白马行囊,不见师父,随寻至洞口,与那怪厮杀。师父在洞,幸亏了一个救星,原是宝象国王第三个公主,被那怪摄来者。他修了一封家书,托师父寄去,遂说方便,解放了师父。到了国中,递了书子,那国王就请师父降妖,取回公主。哥啊,你晓得,那老和尚可会降妖?我二人复去与战。不知那怪神通广大,将沙僧又捉了,我败阵而走,伏在草中。那怪变做个俊俏文人入朝,与国王认亲,把师父变作老虎。又亏了白龙马夜现龙身,去寻师父。师父倒不曾寻见,却遇着那怪在银安殿饮酒。他变一宫娥,与他巡酒舞刀,欲乘机而砍,反被他用满堂红打伤马腿。就是他教我来请师兄的,说道:“师兄是个有仁有义的君子,君子不念旧恶,一定肯来救师父一难。’万望哥哥念一日为师、终身为父之情,千万救他一救!”行者道:“你这个呆子!我临别之时,曾叮咛又叮咛,说道:‘若有妖魔捉住师父,你就说老孙是他大徒弟。’怎么却不说我?”八戒又思量道:“请将不如激将,等我激他一激。”道:“哥啊,不说你还好哩,只为说你,他一发无状!”行者道:“怎么说?”八戒道:“我说:‘妖精,你不要无礼,莫害我师父!我还有个大师兄,叫做孙行者。他神通广大,善能降妖。他来时教你死无葬身之地!’那怪闻言,越加忿怒,骂道:‘是个甚么孙行者,我可怕他?他若来,我剥了他皮,抽了他筋,啃了他骨,吃了他心!饶他猴子瘦,我也把他剁碎着油烹!’”行者闻言,就气得抓耳挠腮,暴躁乱跳道:“是那个敢这等骂我!”八戒道:“哥哥息怒,是那黄袍怪这等骂来,我故学与你听也。”行者道:“贤弟,你起来。不是我去不成,既是妖精敢骂我,我就不能不降他,我和你去。老孙五百年前大闹天宫,普天的神将看见我,一个个控背躬身,口口称呼大圣。这妖怪无礼,他敢背前面后骂我!我这去,把他拿住,碎尸万段,以报骂我之仇!报毕,我即回来。”八戒道:“哥哥,正是,你只去拿了妖精,报了你仇,那时来与不来,任从尊意。”

那猴才跳下崖,撞入洞里,脱了妖衣,整一整锦直裰,束一束虎皮裙,执了铁棒,径出门来。慌得那群猴拦住道:“大圣爷爷,你往那里去?带挈我们耍子几年也好。”行者道:“小的们,你说那里话!我保唐僧的这桩事,天上地下,都晓得孙悟空是唐僧的徒弟。他倒不是赶我回来,倒是教我来家看看,送我来家自在耍子。如今只因这件事,你们却都要仔细看守家业,依时插柳栽松,毋得废坠,待我还去保唐僧,取经回东土。功成之后,仍回来与你们共乐天真。”众猴各各领命。

那大圣才和八戒携手驾云,离了洞,过了东洋大海,至西岸,住云光,叫道:“兄弟,你且在此慢行,等我下海去净净身子。”八戒道:“忙忙的走路,且净甚么身子?”行者道:“你那里知道,我自从回来,这几日弄得身上有些妖精气了。师父是个爱干净的,恐怕嫌我。”八戒于此始识得行者是片真心,更无他意。须臾洗毕,复驾云西进,只见那金塔放光,八戒指道:“那不是黄袍怪家?沙僧还在他家里。”行者道:“你在空中,等我下去看看那门前如何,好与妖精见阵。”八戒道:“不要去,妖精不在家。”行者道:“我晓得。”好猴王,按落祥光,径至洞门外观看,只见有两个小孩子,在那里使弯头棍,打毛球,抢窝耍子哩。一个有十来岁,一个有八九岁了。正戏处,被行者赶上前,也不管他是张家李家的,一把抓着顶搭子,提将过来。那孩子吃了唬,口里夹骂带哭的乱嚷,惊动那波月洞的小妖,急报与公主道:“奶奶,不知甚人把二位公子抢去也!”原来那两个孩子是公主与那怪生的。公主闻言,忙忙走出洞门来,只见行者提着两个孩子,站在那高崖之上,意欲往下掼,慌得那公主厉声高叫道:“那汉子,我与你没甚相干,怎么把我儿子拿去?他老子利害,有些差错,决不与你干休!”行者道:“你不认得我?我是那唐僧的大徒弟孙悟空行者。我有个师弟沙和尚在你洞里,你去放他出来,我把这两个孩儿还你,似这般两个换一个,还是你便宜。”那公主闻言,急往里面,喝退那几个把门的小妖,亲动手,把沙僧解了。沙僧道:“公主,你莫解我,恐你那怪来家,问你要人,带累你受气。”公主道:“长老啊,你是我的恩人,你替我折辩了家书,救了我一命,我也留心放你。不期洞门之外,你有个大师兄孙悟空来了,叫我放你哩。”噫!那沙僧一闻孙悟空的三个字,好便似醍醐灌顶,甘露滋心,一面天生喜,满腔都是春,也不似闻得个人来,就如拾着一方金玉一般。你看他捽手佛衣,走出门来,对行者施礼道:“哥哥,你真是从天而降也!万乞救我一救!”行者笑道:“你这个沙尼!师父念《紧箍儿咒》,可肯替我方便一声?都弄嘴施展!要保师父,如何不走西方路,却在这里蹲甚么?”沙僧道:“哥哥,不必说了,君子既往不咎。我等是个败军之将,不可语勇,救我救儿罢!”行者道:“你上来。”

沙僧才纵身跳上石崖。

却说那八戒停立空中,看见沙僧出洞,即按下云头,叫声:“沙兄弟,心忍!心忍!”沙僧见身道:“二哥,你从那里来?”八戒道:“我昨日败阵,夜间进城,会了白马,知师父有难,被黄袍使法,变做个老虎。那白马与我商议,请师兄来的。”行者道:“呆子,且休叙阔,把这两个孩子,你两人抱着,先进那宝象城去激那怪来,等我在这里打他。”沙僧道:“哥啊,怎么样激他?”行者道:“你两个驾起云,站在那金銮殿上,莫分好歹,把那孩子往那白玉阶前一掼。有人问你是甚人,你便说是黄袍妖精的儿子,被我两个拿将来也。那怪听见,管情回来,我却不须进城与他斗了。若在城上厮杀,必要喷云嗳雾,播土扬尘,惊扰那朝廷与多官黎庶,俱不安也。”八戒笑道:“哥哥,你但干事,就左我们。”行者道:“如何为左你?”八戒道:“这两个孩子,被你抓来,已此唬破胆了,这一会声都哭哑,再一会必死无疑。我们拿他往下一掼,掼做个肉糰子,那怪赶上肯放?定要我两个偿命。你却还不是个干净人?连见证也没你,你却不是左我们?”行者道:“他若扯你,你两个就与他打将这里来。这里有战场宽阔,我在此等候打他。”沙僧道:“正是正是,大哥说得有理。我们去来。”他两个才倚仗威风,将孩子拿去。

行者即跳下石崖,到他塔门之下,那公主道:“你这和尚,全无信义!你说放了你师弟,就与我孩儿,怎么你师弟放去,把我孩儿又留,反来我门首做甚?”行者陪笑道:“公主休怪,你来的日子已久,带你令郎去认他外公去哩。”公主道:“和尚莫无礼,我那黄袍郎比众不同。你若唬了我的孩儿,与他挪挪惊是。”行者笑道:“公主啊,为人生在天地之间,怎么便是得罪?”

公主道:“我晓得。”行者道:“你女流家,晓得甚么?”公主道:“我自幼在宫,曾受父母教训。记得古书云,五刑之属三千,而罪莫大于不孝。”行者道:“你正是个不孝之人。盖父兮生我,母兮鞠我。哀哀父母,生我劬劳!故孝者,百行之原,万善之本,却怎么将身陪伴妖精,更不思念父母?非得不孝之罪如何?”公主闻此正言,半晌家耳红面赤,惭愧无地,忽失口道:“长老之言最善,我岂不思念父母?只因这妖精将我摄骗在此,他的法令又谨,我的步履又难,路远山遥,无人可传音信。欲要自尽,又恐父母疑我逃走,事终不明。故没奈何,苟延残喘,诚为天地间一大罪人也!”说罢,泪如泉涌。行者道:“公主不必伤悲。猪八戒曾告诉我,说你有一封书,曾救了我师父一命,你书上也有思念父母之意。老孙来,管与你拿了妖精,带你回朝见驾,别寻个佳偶,侍奉双亲到老,你意如何?”公主道:“和尚啊,你莫要寻死。昨者你两个师弟,那样好汉,也不曾打得过我黄袍郎。

你这般一个筋多骨少的瘦鬼,一似个螃蟹模样,骨头都长在外面,有甚本事,你敢说拿妖魔之话?”行者笑道:“你原来没眼色,认不得人。俗语云:尿泡虽大无斤两,秤铊虽小压千斤。他们相貌,空大无用,走路抗风,穿衣费布,种火心空,顶门腰软,吃食无功。咱老孙小自小,筋节。”那公主道:“你真个有手段么?”行者道:“我的手段,你是也不曾看见,绝会降妖,极能伏怪。”公主道:“你却莫误了我耶。”行者道:“决然误你不得。”公主道:“你既会降妖伏怪,如今却怎样拿他?”行者说:“你且回避回避,莫在我这眼前,倘他来时,不好动手脚,只恐你与他情浓了,舍不得他。”公主道:“我怎的舍不得他?其稽留于此者,不得已耳!”行者道:“你与他做了十三年夫妻,岂无情意?我若见了他,不与他儿戏,一棍便是一棍,一拳便是一拳,须要打倒他,才得你回朝见驾。”那公主果然依行者之言,往僻静处躲避,也是他姻缘该尽,故遇着大圣来临。那猴王把公主藏了,他却摇身一变,就变做公主一般模样,回转洞中,专候那怪。

却说八戒、沙僧,把两个孩子拿到宝象国中,往那白玉阶前捽下,可怜都掼做个肉饼相似,鲜血迸流,骨骸粉碎,慌得那满朝多官报道:“不好了!不好了!天上掼下两个人来了!”八戒厉声高叫道:“那孩子是黄袍妖精的儿子,被老猪与沙弟拿将来也!”那怪还在银安殿,宿酒未醒,正睡梦间,听得有人叫他名字,他就翻身,抬头观看,只见那云端里是猪八戒沙和尚二人吆喝。妖怪心中暗想道:“猪八戒便也罢了,沙和尚是我绑在家里,他怎么得出来?我的浑家,怎么肯放他?我的孩儿,怎么得到他手?这怕是猪八戒不得我出去与他交战,故将此计来羁我。我若认了这个泛头,就与他打啊,噫!我却还害酒哩!假若被他筑上一钯,却不灭了这个威风,识破了那个关窍,且等我回家看看,是我的儿子不是我的儿子,再与他说话不迟。”好妖怪,他也不辞王驾,转山林,径去洞中查信息。此时朝中已知他是个妖怪了,原来他夜里吃了一个宫娥,还有十七个脱命去的,五更时,奏了国王,说他如此如此。又因他不辞而去,越发知他是怪,那国王即着多官看守着假老虎不题。

却说那怪径回洞口。行者见他来时,设法哄他,把眼挤了一挤,扑簌簌泪如雨落,儿天儿地的,跌脚捶胸,于此洞里嚎啕痛哭。那怪一时间那里认得?上前搂住道:“浑家,你有何事,这般烦恼?”那大圣编成的鬼话,捏出的虚词,泪汪汪的告道:“郎君啊!常言道,男子无妻财没主,妇女无夫身落空!你昨日进朝认亲,怎不回来?今早被猪八戒劫了沙和尚,又把我两个孩儿抢去,是我苦告,更不肯饶。他说拿去朝中认认外公,这半日不见孩儿,又不知存亡如何,你又不见来家,教我怎生割舍?

故此止不住伤心痛哭。”那怪闻言,心中大怒道:“真个是我的儿子?”行者道:“正是,被猪八戒抢去了。”那妖魔气得乱跳道:“罢了!罢了!我儿被他掼杀了!已是不可活也!只好拿那和尚来与我儿子偿命报仇罢!浑家,你且莫哭,你如今心里觉道怎么?且医治一医治。”行者道:“我不怎的,只是舍不得孩儿,哭得我有些心疼。”妖魔道:“不打紧,你请起来,我这里有件宝贝,只在你那疼上摸一摸儿,就不疼了。却要仔细,休使大指儿弹着,若使大指儿弹着啊,就看出我本相来了”行者闻言,心中暗笑道:“这泼怪,倒也老实,不动刑法,就自家供了。等他拿出宝贝来,我试弹他一弹,看他是个甚么妖怪。”那怪携着行者,一直行到洞里深远密闭之处。却从口中吐出一件宝贝,有鸡子大小,是一颗舍利子玲珑内丹。行者心中暗喜道:“好东西耶!

这件物不知打了多少坐工,炼了几年磨难,配了几转雌雄,炼成这颗内丹舍利。今日大有缘法,遇着老孙。”那猴子拿将过来,那里有甚么疼处,特故意摸了一摸,一指头弹将去。那妖慌了,劈手来抢,你思量,那猴子好不溜撒,把那宝贝一口吸在肚里。那妖魔攥着拳头就打,被行者一手隔住,把脸抹了一抹,现出本相,道声“妖怪!不要无礼!你且认认看我是谁?”那妖怪见了,大惊道:“呀!浑家,你怎么拿出这一副嘴脸来耶?”行者骂道:“我把你这个泼怪!谁是你浑家?连你祖宗也还不认得哩?”那怪忽然省悟道:“我象有些认得你哩。”行者道:“我且不打你,你再认认看。”那怪道:“我虽见你眼熟,一时间却想不起姓名。你果是谁,从那里来的?你把我浑家估倒在何处,却来我家诈诱我的宝贝?着实无礼!可恶!”行者道:“你是也不认得我。我是唐僧的大徒弟,叫做孙悟空行者。我是你五百年前的旧祖宗哩!”那怪道:“没有这话!没有这话!我拿住唐僧时,止知他有两个徒弟,叫做猪八戒、沙和尚,何曾见有人说个姓孙的。你不知是那里来的个怪物,到此骗我!”行者道:“我不曾同他二人来,是我师父因老孙惯打妖怪,杀伤甚多,他是个慈悲好善之人,将我逐回,故不曾同他一路行走。你是不知你祖宗名姓。”那怪道:“你好不丈夫啊!既受了师父赶逐,却有甚么嘴脸又来见人!”行者道:“你这个泼怪,岂知一日为师,终身为父,父子无隔宿之仇!你伤害我师父,我怎么不来救他?你害他便也罢,却又背前面后骂我,是怎的说?”妖怪道:“我何尝骂你?”行者道:“是猪八戒说的。”那怪道:“你不要信他,那个猪八戒,尖着嘴,有些会学老婆舌头,你怎听他?”行者道:“且不必讲此闲话,只说老孙今日到你家里,你好怠慢了远客。虽无酒馔款待,头却是有的,快快将头伸过来,等老孙打一棍儿当茶!”那怪闻得说打,呵呵大笑道:“孙行者,你差了计较了!你既说要打,不该跟我进来。我这里大小群妖,还有百十,饶你满身是手,也打不出我的门去。”行者道:“不要胡说!莫说百十个,就有几千、几万,只要一个个查明白了好打,棍棍无空,教你断根绝迹!”那怪闻言,急传号令,把那山前山后群妖,洞里洞外诸怪,一齐点起,各执器械,把那三四层门,密密拦阻不放。行者见了,满心欢喜,双手理棍,喝声叫“变!”变的三头六臂,把金箍棒幌一幌,变做三根金箍棒。你看他六只手,使着三根棒,一路打将去,好便似虎入羊群,鹰来鸡栅,可怜那小怪,汤着的,头如粉碎;刮着的,血似水流!往来纵横,如入无人之境。止剩一个老妖,赶出门来骂道:“你这泼猴,其实惫懒!怎么上门子欺负人家!”行者急回头,用手招呼道:“你来!你来!

打倒你,才是功绩!”

那怪物举宝刀,分头便砍,好行者,掣铁棒,觌面相迎。这一场在那山顶上,半云半雾的杀哩:大圣神通大,妖魔本事高。

这个横理生金棒,那个斜举蘸钢刀。悠悠刀起明霞亮,轻轻棒架彩云飘。往来护顶翻多次,反复浑身转数遭。一个随风更面目,一个立地把身摇。那个大睁火眼伸猿膊,这个明幌金睛折虎腰。你来我去交锋战,刀迎棒架不相饶。猴王铁棍依三略,怪物钢刀按六韬。一个惯行手段为魔主,一个广施法力保唐僧。猛烈的猴王添猛烈,英豪的怪物长英豪。死生不顾空中打,都为唐僧拜佛遥。他两个战有五六十合,不分胜负。行者心中暗喜道:“这个泼怪,他那口刀,倒也抵得住老孙的这根棒。等老孙丢个破绽与他,看他可认得。”好猴王,双手举棍,使一个高探马的势子。那怪不识是计,见有空儿,舞着宝刀,径奔下三路砍,被行者急转个大中平,挑开他那口刀,又使个叶底偷桃势,望妖精头顶一棍,就打得他无影无踪,急收棍子看处,不见了妖精,行者大惊道:“我儿啊,不禁打,就打得不见了。果是打死,好道也有些脓血,如何没一毫踪影?想是走了。”急纵身跳在云端里看处,四边更无动静。“老孙这双眼睛,不管那里,一抹都见,却怎么走得这等溜撒?我晓得了:那怪说有些儿认得我,想必不是凡间的怪,多是天上来的精。”

那大圣一时忍不住怒发,攥着铁棒,打个筋斗,只跳到南天门上。慌得那庞刘苟毕、张陶邓辛等众,两边躬身控背,不敢拦阻,让他打入天门,直至通明殿下。早有张葛许邱四大天师问道:“大圣何来?”行者道:“因保唐僧至宝象国,有一妖魔,欺骗国女,伤害吾师,老孙与他赌斗。正斗间,不见了这怪。想那怪不是凡间之怪,多是天上之精,特来查勘,那一路走了甚么妖神。”天师闻言,即进灵霄殿上启奏,蒙差查勘九曜星官、十二元辰、东西南北中央五斗、河汉群辰、五岳四渎、普天神圣都在天上,更无一个敢离方位。又查那斗牛宫外,二十八宿,颠倒只有二十七位,内独少了奎星。天师回奏道:“奎木狼下界了。”

玉帝道:“多少时不在天了?”天师道:“四卯不到。三日点卯一次,今已十三日了。”玉帝道:“天上十三日,下界已是十三年。”

即命本部收他上界。那二十七宿星员,领了旨意,出了天门,各念咒语,惊动奎星。你道他在那里躲避?他原来是孙大圣大闹天宫时打怕了的神将,闪在那山涧里潜灾,被水气隐住妖云,所以不曾看见他。他听得本部星员念咒,方敢出头,随众上界。

被大圣拦住天门要打,幸亏众星劝住,押见玉帝。那怪腰间取出金牌,在殿下叩头纳罪,玉帝道:“奎木狼,上界有无边的胜景,你不受用,却私走一方,何也?”奎宿叩头奏道:“万岁,赦臣死罪。那宝象国王公主,非凡人也。他本是披香殿侍香的玉女,因欲与臣私通,臣恐点污了天宫胜境,他思凡先下界去,托生于皇宫内院,是臣不负前期,变作妖魔,占了名山,摄他到洞府,与他配了一十三年夫妻。一饮一啄,莫非前定,今被孙大圣到此成功。”玉帝闻言,收了金牌,贬他去兜率宫与太上老君烧火,带俸差操,有功复职,无功重加其罪。行者见玉帝如此发放,心中欢喜,朝上唱个大喏,又向众神道:“列位,起动了。”天师笑道:“那个猴子还是这等村俗,替他收了怪神,也倒不谢天恩,却就喏喏而退。”玉帝道:“只得他无事,落得天上清平是幸。”

那大圣按落祥光,径转碗子山波月洞,寻出公主,将那思凡下界收妖的言语正然陈诉,只听得半空中八戒、沙僧厉声高叫道:“师兄,有妖精,留几个儿我们打耶。”行者道:“妖精已尽绝矣。”沙僧道:“既把妖精打绝,无甚挂碍,将公主引入朝中去罢。不要睁眼,兄弟们使个缩地法来。”那公主只闻得耳内风响,霎时间径回城里。他三人将公主带上金銮殿上,那公主参拜了父王、母后,会了姊妹,各官俱来拜见。那公主才启奏道:“多亏孙长老法力无边,降了黄袍怪,救奴回国。”那国王问曰:“黄袍是个甚怪?”行者道:“陛下的驸马,是上界的奎星,令爱乃侍香的玉女,因思凡降落人间,不非小可,都因前世前缘,该有这些姻眷。那怪被老孙上天宫启奏玉帝,玉帝查得他四卯不到,下界十三日,就是十三年了,盖天上一日,下界一年。随差本部星宿,收他上界,贬在兜率宫立功去讫,老孙却救得令爱来也。”那国王谢了行者的恩德,便教:“看你师父去来。”

他三人径下宝殿,与众官到朝房里,抬出铁笼,将假虎解了铁索。别人看他是虎,独行者看他是人。原来那师父被妖术魇住,不能行走,心上明白,只是口眼难开。行者笑道:“师父啊,你是个好和尚,怎么弄出这般个恶模样来也?你怪我行凶作恶,赶我回去,你要一心向善,怎么一旦弄出个这等嘴脸?”

八戒道:“哥啊,救他一救罢,不要只管揭挑他了。”行者道:“你凡事撺唆,是他个得意的好徒弟,你不救他,又寻老孙怎的?原与你说来,待降了妖精,报了骂我之仇,就回去的。”沙僧近前跪下道:“哥啊,古人云,不看僧面看佛面。兄长既是到此,万望救他一救。若是我们能救,也不敢许远的来奉请你也。”行者用手挽起道:“我岂有安心不救之理?快取水来。”那八戒飞星去驿中,取了行李马匹,将紫金钵盂取出,盛水半盂,递与行者。

行者接水在手,念动真言,望那虎劈头一口喷上,退了妖术,解了虎气。长老现了原身,定性睁睛,才认得是行者,一把搀住道:“悟空!你从那里来也?”沙僧侍立左右,把那请行者降妖精,救公主,解虎气,并回朝上项事,备陈了一遍。三藏谢之不尽道:“贤徒,亏了你也!亏了你也!这一去,早诣西方,径回东土,奏唐王,你的功劳第一。”行者笑道:“莫说莫说!但不念那话儿,足感爱厚之情也。”国王闻此言,又劝谢了他四众,整治素筵,大开东阁。他师徒受了皇恩,辞王西去,国王又率多官远送。这正是:君回宝殿定江山,僧去雷音参佛祖。毕竟不知此后又有甚事,几时得到西天,且听下回分解。