Monkey (22 page)

Suddenly the old woman changed into a shaft of golden light, which disappeared towards the east. Tripitaka at once guessed that she was the Bodhisattva Kuan-yin in disguise. He bowed and burned incense towards the east. Then having stored away the cap and coat he sat at the roadside, practising the spell.

After Monkey left the Master, he somersaulted through the
clouds and landed right in the palace of the Dragon king of the Eastern Ocean.

‘I heard recently that your penance was over’ said the dragon, ‘and made sure you would have gone back to be king in your fairy cave.’

‘That’s what I am doing,’ said Monkey. ‘But to start with I became a priest.’

‘A priest ?’ said the dragon.
’
How did that happen ?’

‘Kuan-yin persuaded me to accompany a priest of T’ang’ said Monkey, ‘who is going to India to get Scriptures; so I was admitted to the Order.’

‘That’s certainly a step in the right direction’ said the dragon. ‘I am sure I congratulate you. But in that case, what are you doing here in the east ?’

‘It comes of my master being so unpractical’ said Monkey. ‘We met some brigands, and naturally I killed them. Then he started scolding me. You may imagine I wasn’t going to stand that. So I left him at once, and am going back to my kingdom. But I thought I would look you up on the way, and see if you could give me a cup of tea.’

When he had been given his cup of tea, he looked round the room, and saw on the wall a picture of Chang Liang offering the slipper. Monkey asked what it was about. ‘You were in Heaven at the time’ said the dragon, ‘and naturally would not know about it. The immortal in the picture is Huang Shih Kung, and the other figure is Chang Liang. Once when Shih Kung was sitting on a bridge, his shoe came off and fell under the bridge. He called to Chang Liang to pick it up and bring it to him. Chang Liang did so, whereupon the Immortal at once let it fall again, and Chang Liang again fetched it. This happened three times, without Chang Liang showing the slightest sign of impatience. Huang Shih Kung then gave him a magic treatise, by means of which he defeated all the enemies of the House of Han, and became the greatest hero of the Han dynasty. In his old age he became a disciple of the Immortal Red Pine Seed and achieved Tao. Great Sage, you must learn to have a little more patience, if you hope to accompany the pilgrim to India and gain the Fruits of Illumination  Monkey looked  thoughtful.   ‘Great  Sage,’
said the dragon, ‘you must learn to control yourself and submit to the will of others, if you are not to spoil all your chances.’

‘Not another wordl’ said Monkey, ‘I’ll go back at once.’

On the way he met the Bodhisattva Kuan-yin. ‘What are you doing here ?’ she asked.

‘The seal was removed and I got out,’ said Monkey, ‘and became Tripitaka’s disciple. But he said I didn’t know how to behave, and I gave him the slip. But now I am going back to look after him.’

‘Go as fast as you can,’ said the Bodhisattva, ‘and try to do better this time.’

‘Master,’ said Monkey, when he came back and found Tripitaka sitting dejectedly by the roadside, ‘what are you doing still sitting here ?’

‘And where have you been?’ asked Tripitaka. ‘I hadn’t the heart to go on, and was just sitting here waiting for you.’

‘I only went to the Dragon of the Eastern Ocean,’ said Monkey, ‘to drink a cup of tea.’

‘Now Monkey,’ said Tripitaka, ‘priests must always be careful to tell the truth. You know quite well that the Dragon King lives far away in the east, and you have only been gone an hour.’

“That’s easily explained,’ said Monkey. ‘I have the art of somersaulting through the clouds. One bound takes me a hundred and eight thousand leagues.’

‘It seemed to me that you went off in a huff,’ said Tripitaka, ‘because I had to speak rather sharply to you. It’s all very well for you to go off and get tea like that, if you are able to. But I think you might remember that I can’t go with you. Doesn’t it occur to you that I may be thirsty and hungry too?’

‘If you are,’ said Monkey, ‘I’ll take a bowl and go and beg for you.’

“There isn’t any need to do that,’ said Tripitaka. “There are some dried provisions in the pack.’

When Monkey opened the pack, his eye was caught by something bright. ‘Did you bring this coat and cap with you from the east ?’ he asked.

‘I used to wear them when I was young,’ replied Tripitaka, saying the first thing that came into his head. ‘Anyone who wears this cap can recite scriptures without having to learn them. Anyone who wears this coat can perform ceremonies without having practised them.’

‘Dear Master,’ said Monkey, ‘let me put them on.’

‘By all means,’ said Tripitaka.

Monkey put on the coat and cap, and Tripitaka, pretending to be eating the dried provisions, silently mumbled the spell. ‘My head is hurting!’ screamed Monkey. Tripitaka went on reciting, and Monkey rolled over on the ground, frantically trying to break the metal fillet of the cap. Fearing that he would succeed, Tripitaka stopped for a moment. Instantly the pain stopped. Monkey felt his head. The cap seemed to have taken root upon it. He took out his needle and tried to lever it up; but all in vain. Fearing once more that he would break the band, Tripitaka began to recite again. Monkey was soon writhing and turning somersaults. He grew purple in the face and his eyes bulged out of his head. Tripitaka, unable to bear the sight of such agony, stopped reciting, and at once Monkey’s head stopped hurting.

‘You’ve been putting a spell upon me,’ he said.

‘Nothing of the kind,’ said Tripitaka. ‘I’ve only been reciting the Scripture of the Tight Fillet.’

‘Start reciting again,’ said Monkey. When he did so, the pain began at once.

‘Stop, stop!’ screamed Monkey. ‘Directly you begin, the pain starts; you can’t pretend it’s not you that are causing it.’

‘In future, will you attend to what I say?’ asked Tripitaka.

‘Indeed I will,’ said Monkey.

‘And never be troublesome again ?’ said Tripitaka.

‘I shouldn’t dare,’ said Monkey. So he said, but in his heart there was still lurking a very evil intent. He took out his cudgel and rushed at Tripitaka, fully intending to strike. Much alarmed, the Master began to recite again, and Monkey fell writhing upon the ground; the cudgel dropped from his hand.

‘I give in, I give in 1’ he cried.

‘Is it possible,’ said Tripitaka, ‘that you were going to be so wicked as to strike me ?’

‘I shouldn’t dare, I shouldn’t dare,’ groaned Monkey. ‘Master, how did you come by this spell ?’

‘It was taught me by an old woman whom I met just now,’ said Tripitaka.

‘Not another word!’ said Monkey. ‘I know well enough who she was. It was the Bodhisattva Kuan-yin. How dare she plot against me like that? Just wait a minute while I go to the Southern Ocean and give her a taste of my stick.’

‘As it was she who taught me the spell,’ said Tripitaka, ‘she can presumably use it herself. What will become of you then?’

Monkey saw the logic of this, and kneeling down he said contritely, ‘Master, this spell is too much for me. Let me go with you to India. You won’t need to be always saying this spell. I will protect you faithfully to the end.’

‘Very well then,’ said Tripitaka. ‘Help me on to my horse.’

Very crestfallen, Monkey put the luggage together, and they started off again towards the west.

If you do not know how the story goes on, you must listen to what is told in the next chapter.

I
T
was mid-winter, a fierce north wind was blowing and icicles hung everywhere. Their way took them up precipitous cliffs and across ridge after ridge of jagged mountain. Presently Tripitaka heard the roaring of a torrent and asked Monkey what this river might be. ‘I remember,’ said Monkey, ‘that there is a river near here called the Eagle Grief Stream.’ A moment later they came suddenly to the river side, and Tripitaka reined in his horse. They were looking down at the river, when suddenly there was a swirling sound and a dragon appeared in mid-stream. Churning the waters, it made straight for the shore, clambered up the bank and had almost reached them, when Monkey dragged Tripitaka down from the horse and turning his back to the river, hastily threw down the luggage and carried the Master up the bank. The dragon did not pursue them, but swallowed the horse, harness and all, and then plunged once more into the stream. Meanwhile Monkey had set down Tripitaka upon a high mound, and gone back to recover the horse and luggage. The luggage was there, but the horse had disappeared. He brought up the luggage to where Tripitaka was sitting.

‘The dragon has made off,’ he said. ‘The only trouble is that the horse has taken fright and bolted.’

‘How are we to find it ?’ asked Tripitaka.

‘Just wait while I go and have a look,’ said Monkey. He sprang straight up into the sky, and shading his fiery eyes with his hand he peered down in every direction. But nowhere was the least sign of the horse. He lowered his cloud-trapeze.

‘I can’t see it anywhere,’ he said. ‘There is only one thing that can have happened to it. It has been eaten by the dragon.’

‘Now Monkey, what can you be thinking of?’ said Tripitaka. ‘It would have to have a big mouth indeed to swallow a large horse, harness and all. It is much more likely that it
bolted and is hidden by a fold of the hill. You had better have another look.’

‘Master, you underrate my powers,’ said Monkey. ‘My sight is so good that in daylight I can see everything that happens a thousand leagues around. Within a thousand leagues a gnat cannot move its wings without my seeing it. How could I fail to see a horse ?’

‘Well, suppose it has been eaten,’ said Tripitaka, ‘how am I to travel? It’s a great deal too far to walk.’ And as he spoke his tears began to fall like rain.

‘Don’t make such an object of yourself,’ shouted Monkey, infuriated by this exhibition of despair. ‘Just sit here, while I go and look for the wretch and make him give us back the horse.’

‘You can’t do anything unless he comes out of the water,’ said Tripitaka, ‘and if he does it will be me that he will eat this time.’

‘You’re impossible, impossible,’ thundered Monkey, angrier than ever. ‘You say you need the horse to ride, and yet you won’t let me go and recover it. At this rate, you’ll sit here staring at the luggage for ever.’

He was still storming, when a voice spoke out of the sky, saying, ‘Monkey, do not be angry. Priest of T’ang, do not weep. We divinities have been sent by Kuan-yin to protect you in your quest.’ Tripitaka at once did obeisance.

‘Which divinities are you?’ cried Monkey. ‘Tell me your names, and I’ll tick you off on the roll.’

‘Here present are Lu Ting and Lu Chia,’ they said, ‘the Guardians of the Five Points, the Four Sentinels, and the Eighteen Protectors of Monasteries. We attend upon you in rotation.’

‘And which of you are on duty this morning?’ asked Monkey.

‘Lu Chia, one Sentinel and the Protectors are on duty,’ they said, ‘and the Golden-headed Guardian is always somewhere about, night and day.’

‘Those who aren’t on duty can retire,’ said Monkey. ‘But Lu Ting, the Sentinel of the day, and all the Guardians had better stay and look after the Master, while I go to the
river and look for that dragon, and see if I can get him to return the horse.’

Tripitaka, feeling somewhat reassured, sat down on the bank, begging Monkey to be careful. ‘Don’t you worry about me!’ said Monkey.

Dear Monkey! He tightened the belt of his brocade jacket, hitched up his tiger-skin, grasped his iron cudgel, and going straight down to the water’s edge called in a loud voice, ‘Cursed fish, give me back my horse!’ The dragon was lying quietly at the bottom of the river, digesting the white horse. But hearing someone cursing him and demanding his prey, he fell into a great rage, and leapt up through the waves crying, ‘Who is it that dares make such a hullabaloo outside my premises ?’

‘Stand your ground,’ hissed Monkey, ‘and give me back my horse.’ He brandished his cudgel and struck at the dragon’s head. The dragon advanced upon him with open jaws and threatening claws. It was a valiant fight that those two had on the banks of the river. To and fro they went, fighting for a long while, hither and thither, round and round. At last the dragon’s strength began to fail, he could hold out no longer, and with a rapid twist of the tail he fled from the encounter and disappeared in the river. Monkey, standing on the bank, cursed and taunted him unceasingly, but he turned a deaf ear. Monkey saw nothing for it but to go back and report to Tripitaka.

‘Master,’ he said, ‘I taunted him till he came out and fought many bouts, and in the end he took fright and ran away. He is now at the bottom of the river and won’t come out.’

‘We are still not sure whether he did swallow the horse,’ said Tripitaka.

‘How can you say such a thing?’ said Monkey. ‘If he hadn’t eaten it, why should he have come out and answered my challenge ?’

‘The other day when you dealt with that tiger,’ said Tripitaka, ‘you mentioned that you could also subdue dragons. I don’t understand why you are having such difficulties with this dragon today.’

To such a taunt as this no one could be more sensitive
than Monkey. ‘Not another word!’ he cried, stung to the quick. ‘I’ll soon show you which is master!’