Journey to the West (vol. 1)

Chapter 49

Sanzang's Great Misfortune Is to Fall into the River

Guanyin's Fish Basket Saves the Tang Priest

The story tells how the Great Sage Monkey took his leave of the old Chen brothers, went with Pig and Friar Sand to the bank of the river, and told the two of them to decide which of them would go into the water first. “Brother,” said Pig, “you should go first; neither of us two has very special powers.”

“To be frank with you, brother,” replied Monkey. “I wouldn't need any help from either of you in dealing with mountain spirits, but I can't cope in the water. If I go into rivers or seas I have to make hand spells to keep the water away, or else change into something like a fish or a crab. But if I'm making a hand spell I can't get a good swing with my cudgel, use my powers, or kill evil spirits. I asked you two to go in because I've long known that you're both good swimmers.”

“Brother,” said Friar Sand, “I'll go, but I don't know what we'll find at the bottom of the river. I think we should all go. You should turn yourself into something or else let me carry you through the water to find the monster's den. You go first and discover what's been happening. If the master hasn't been hurt and is still there we can do our best to attack the monster. But if the monster has used magic on the master and he's has been drowned or eaten there will be no point in searching too hard; we'd better find something else to do instead.”

“You're right, brother,” said Monkey. “Which of you will carry me?”

“Pig was secretly delighted at this question. “Goodness only knows how many times that ape has put one over on me,” he thought. “As he can't swim I'll carry him and put one over on him this time.”

“Brother,” he said, chuckling, “I'll carry you.” Realizing that Pig was up to something Monkey decided to beat him at his own game and replied, “Very well, you're stronger than Friar Sand.” Pig then took Monkey on his back.

Friar Sand parted a way through the waters of the River of Heaven for the brother-disciples. When they had covered thirty or forty miles on the riverbed the idiot made a grab for Monkey, who pulled out one of his hairs and turned it into a double of himself that he put on Pig's back, while changing his real self into a pig louse that clung firmly to the idiot's ear. Pig suddenly stumbled as he walked along, threw Monkey forward and made him fall. Now as the double was only a hair transformed it floated up and disappeared.

“Brother,” said Friar Sand to Pig, “what are you doing? Why have you fallen over in the mud instead of walking along properly? And even if you have to do that, where have you dropped Monkey?”

“He couldn't stop himself falling,” Pig replied, “and he's vanished. Never mind whether he's alive or dead. We two will go and find the master.”

“No,” said Friar Sand, “we need him. He's no swimmer but he's cleverer than us. If he not coming I won't go with you.” Monkey could restrain himself no longer.

“Pig!” he shouted at the top of his voice from inside the ear. “I'm here.”

When Friar Sand heard this he said with a laugh, “That's done it. You're the one that's had it, you idiot. You had a nerve, trying to put one over on him. What are we going to do now? We can hear him but he's disappeared.”

Pig knelt in the mud and started to kowtow desperately, saying, “I did wrong, brother, I did wrong. When we've rescued the master I'll apologize to you properly on shore. Where did you talk to us from? You scared me to death. Please, please turn back into yourself. I'll carry you, and I promise not to knock you about any more.”

“You've been carrying me all the time,” said Monkey. “I won't play any tricks on you. Now, get going, and fast.” The idiot staggered to his feet still mumbling apologies and pressed on with Friar Sand.

After another thirty or forty miles they looked up to see a tall building on which was written in large letters RESIDENCE OF THE RIVER TURTLE. “This must be where the monster lives,” said Friar Sand. “We two can't go up to the doors and challenge him to battle without finding out how things stand.”

“Wujing,” said Brother Monkey to Friar Sand, “is there water inside and outside the door?”

“No,” said Friar Sand. “In that case you two hide near here while I take a look round,” said Monkey.

The splendid Great Sage climbed out of Pig's ear, shook himself, turned into a female shrimp with long legs, and reached the doors with two or three jumps. When he took a good look around he saw the monster sitting up above the door with all his watery tribe drawn up around him and the female mandarin fish sitting at his side. They were all discussing how to eat the Tang Priest. Monkey looked carefully around but could see the master nowhere. Then he noticed another female shrimp coming over and standing in the portico to the West. Monkey leapt forward and called, “Sister-in-law, where is this Tang Priest that His Majesty and everyone else are talking about eating?”

“His Majesty caught him yesterday when he made all that snow and ice,” the female shrimp replied. “He's now in a stone chest behind the palace. If his disciples don't come here to make trouble we'll have music and feast on him tomorrow.”

When Monkey heard this he kept up his act for a little longer then went straight round to the back of the palace where he found a stone chest just like a stone pig-trough in a sty or a stone coffin. He measured it, found that it was six feet long, lay on it and listened. He could hear Sanzang sobbing inside. Monkey said nothing but put his ear against the lid, listened more carefully, and could make out Sanzang gnashing his teeth and saying amid moans,

“If only my fate had not always been so bad:

Disasters in rivers all my life have I had.

Soon after I was born I was floated on the water,

And now that have I drowned never I will not see Lord Buddha.

Not so long ago the Black River made me weep,

And now the breaking ice has consigned me to the deep.

I wonder if at any time my followers will come

To let me fetch the scriptures and complete my journey home.”

Monkey could not restrain himself from calling to him, “Master, don't be so upset about troubles by water. As the Classic of Water Disaster has it, 'Earth is the mother of the Five Elements, and water is their origin. Without earth there can be no life, and without water there can be no growth.' I'm here.”

“Save me, disciple,” said Sanzang, hearing Monkey's voice.

“Don't worry,” said Monkey, “I promise we'll save you when we've captured the monster.”

“Act fast,” said Sanzang. “If I'm here for another day I'll die of suffocation.”

“No problem,” said Monkey, “no problem. I'm off.” He turned, sprang out through the main doors, turned back into himself, and called for Pig.

“What's happening?” asked the idiot and Friar Sand as they came up to him.

“The monster caught the master with that trick,” Monkey replied. “He's unhurt, but the monster has put him inside a stone chest. You two challenge the monster to battle at once while I get out of the water. Capture him if you can, and if you can't then pretend to be beaten and lure him out of the water for me to kill.”

“Out you go, brother, and don't worry,” said Friar Sand. “We'll find out what the monster's really like.” Monkey then made a water-averting spell with his hands, shot up through the waves, and stood on the bank to wait.

Watch while Pig charges at the doors in a murderous mood yelling, “Damned monster, give us our master back.”

The little devils inside the doors rushed back in panic to report, “Your Majesty, there are people outside asking for their master.”

“It must be those bloody monks here,” said the monster. “Fetch my armor and weapons at once.” The little devils ran to fetch them, and when the monster was in his armor and holding his weapons in his hand he ordered that the doors be opened. As he came out Pig and Friar Sand, who were standing one to each side, could see how he was dressed and equipped. He was a fine monster. Just look:

On his head a gleaming helmet of gold,

On his body golden armor that made a rainbow.

His belt was studded thick with pearls and jade;

The strange boots on his feet were of smoky yellow leather.

His nose was as high as a mountain ridge,

His brow as majestically broad as a dragon's.

Fierce and round were his eyes that flashed,

Spikes of steel were his sharp, neat teeth.

His short, matted hair seemed to be ablaze,

And his long whiskers bristled like golden spikes.

In his mouth he was chewing a tender reed

While he wielded a nine-knobbed mace of copper.

The noise when the doors were opened wide

Rivaled the crashing of thunder in spring.

Few such could be seen in the world of mortals:

The Great King truly deserves his title.

The evil spirit came outside accompanied by a hundred or more of his little devils, who brandished their swords and spears as they formed themselves up into two companies. “Where are you from, monks,” he asked Pig, “and why are you making this horrible noise here?”

“You got away before, but I'll get you now, damned monster,” Pig shouted back. “Stop pretending you don't know who I am-we've had words already. I'm a disciple of the holy priest from the Great Tang who's going to worship the Buddha and collect the scriptures in the Western Heaven. You and your little tricks, calling yourself the Great King of Miraculous Response, and eating boys and girls in Chen Village. Can't you recognize me? I was the Chen family's little girl, Pan of Gold.”

“Monk,” said the monster, “you're a disgrace. You deserve to be punished for fraudulent impersonation if you turned yourself into that girl. You wounded the back of my hand although I never ate you. I let you off that time, so why have you come to my front door looking for me?”

“What do you mean, let me off?” said Pig. “You made that cold wind and the snow, froze the river, and are going to kill the master. As soon as you give him back there'll be no more trouble, but if you so much as start to say no you'll get it from this rake of mine, and it'll show you no mercy.”

The evil spirit's response to this was a mocking laugh. “That's fancy talk, monk,” he said, “but it's a load of nonsense, except that I did make the cold, the snow and the ice and I have captured your master. You may think you can get him back by coming here and shouting, but this time things are different. Last time I was unarmed as I was going to a banquet, which was why you took me by surprise and wounded me. This time I'll fight three rounds with you if you don't make yourself scarce. If you're a match for me I'll give you back your master, but if you're not, you'll be eaten too.”

“What a good little boy,” said Pig. “Just what I expected to hear from you. Watch out for my rake!”

“So you only became a monk in middle life,” said the monster.

“You really do have some miraculous responsiveness, my boy,” Pig replied. “How did you know that?”

“If you fight with a rake that must mean you used to be a hired hand in a vegetable garden and stole it,” said the monster.

“My boy,” said Pig, “this isn't a farming rake. Just look at it:

Its mighty prongs are like dragon claws

Set with gold in the from of serpents.

In battle with a foe it makes cold winds

Till it gives off flames in a longer fight.

It kills off demons for the holy priest

Subduing evil spirits on the journey West.

When it stirs up clouds it bolts out sun and moon,

Making the colours of sunset brightly shine.

It could knock down Mount Tai, to the terror of the tigers,

Turn the oceans upside down, alarming all the dragons.

I could spare you for the sake of your mighty powers,

But if I struck you with the rake it would make nine holes.”

Refusing to believe this the monster raised his copper mace and struck at Pig's head. Pig parried the blow with his rake and said, “Damn you, you're just an evil creature turned spirit in middle life.”

“How can you tell that?” the monster asked.

“As you fight with a mace I think you must have worked as a furnace-man for a silversmith, got your hands on that hammer, and stolen it,” Pig replied.

“It's no silversmith's hammer,” the monster said. “Look at it:

Its nine knobs all are like the buds of flowers

Growing on a sprig of an evergreen plant.

This never was a product of the earthly world,

For it came from the gardens of immortal beings.

Its green and purple fruit matured by the Jade Pool;

Its pure fragrance was formed beside the Nephrite Pond.

Because I worked and tempered it with diligence and skill

It now is hard as steel and miraculously sharp.

Spears, swords and halberds are not its worthy rivals;

Battleaxe and partisan do not dare approach.

No matter how sharp are the prongs of your rake,

If they touch my hammer they'll bend and they'll break.”

This conversation between the two of them was too much for Friar Sand, who came forward and said, “Monster, stop all that empty talk. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. Wait there and see how you like my staff.”

The monster parried it with his mace and replied, “You're another one who became a monk in middle life.”

“How can you tell?” Friar Sand asked.

“From the look of you you must have been a miller before,” the monster replied.

“What makes you think that?” Friar Sand asked.

“Why would you fight with a noodle-making pole if you weren't a miller?” the monster asked.

“You evil thing,” said Friar Sand, “What you can't see is that

Few are the weapons like this one in the world

Which is why you do not know what this staff of mine is called.

It grew in a shadeless part of the moon,

Was shaped from the trunk of a Sala-tree.

The jewels set around it shine with many colours,

And solid is the blessing that is packed inside.

Once it was present at the Jade Emperor's banquets

Now it protects the priest from the Tang.

On this road to the West it is utterly unknown,

But great is its fame in the palaces of Heaven.

It is known as the precious demon-quelling staff,

And with a single blow it could pulverize your brow.”

The evil spirit allowed no more arguments and the three of them now became deadly foes. They fought a fine battle under the water:

Mace, staff and rake,

Wuneng and Wujing against the monster.

One was Marshal Tian Peng come to earth,

One a great general down from Heaven.

Both showed their prowess in attacking the water monster,

Who put up a good fight against the heavenly monks.

They had the good fortune to complete the great Way,

Overcoming each other in an endless sequence.

Earth defeated water;

When water was dried out the river-bed showed.

Water gave birth to wood,

Which blossomed when it was growing well.

Dhyana and meditation were all the same;

Refining cinnabar and alchemy submitted to the Three Schools,

Earth was the mother,

Yielding sprouts of metal,

And metal yielded the liquid that gave birth to the babe.

Water was the root

That nurtured wood's flourishing,

Which rivaled in its glory the glow of sunset.

Because the elements were crowded together

They all turned hostile and started to fight.^:

See how bright are the nine knobs on the mace

While the staff is decorated with many-coloured silks.

The rake crushed positive and negative,

Divided the Nine Bright Shiners,

And swung in a tangle without any order.

They were ready to die to save the Tang Priest,

Prepared to give their lives for Sakyamuni Buddha.

They kept the mace of copper busy without respite

Parrying the blows of the staff and the rake.

When the three of them had been fighting under the water for four full hours without either side emerging as victor Pig realized that they were not going to beat the monster and gave Friar Sand a nod. Pretending that they were beaten, the two of them turned and fled, trailing their weapons behind them.

“Hold your ground here, little ones,” said the monster to his underlings, “while I go after those wretches. When I catch those damned monks I'll bring them back for you all to eat.” Watch him as he emerges above the water in pursuit of the two of them like the wind driving fallen leaves or a rainstorm beating down withered blossoms.

Monkey meanwhile had been standing on the bank watching the water with unwavering eyes. Suddenly he saw the waves thrown into turmoil as with a great roar Pig leapt ashore.

“He's coming,” he said, “he's coming.”

Next Friar Sand reached the bank saying, “He's coming, he's coming.”

Then came the monster after them shouting, “Where've you gone?”

No sooner had his head come into view than Monkey struck with his cudgel, shouting, “Take that!” The evil spirit swerved to avoid it then parried with his copped mace. While the one stirred up the waves in the river the other showed his prowess on the shore. Before three rounds of the fight had been fought the monster, unable to keep up his resistance, did a feint and plunged back into the water, whereupon the wind fell and the waves subsided.

“Thank you, brothers,” said Monkey, going back up the high bank.

“Brother,” said Friar Sand, “you may not think that monster is up to much on the shore, but he's a real terror underwater. Pig and I attacking together were only as good as him alone. How are we going to deal with him and rescue the master?”

“We've no time to lose,” said Monkey. “He may kill the master.”

“I'll trick him into coming out,” said Pig. “You wait up in the air and say nothing at all. When you reckon his head is above the water, hit him a good hard one on the forehead from upside-down. Even if that doesn't kill him his head will ache and he'll feel faint. When I catch him one with my rake that'll settle his score.”

“Good idea,” said Monkey, “good idea. That's what they call a coordinated attack, and it will do the trick.” The two of them went back into the water.

The evil monster fled to his palace in defeat, where the other demons greeted him and the mandarin fish asked, “Where did Your Majesty chase those two monks to?”

“They have an accomplice,” the monster replied. “When they jumped ashore he swung an iron cudgel at me. I dodged it and fought back. Goodness only know how heavy that cudgel is: I couldn't keep it off me with my mace. He sent me back here beaten in less than three rounds.”

“Can you remember what their accomplice looks like, Your Majesty?” the mandarin fish asked.

“He's a monk with a hairy face that looks like a thunder god's,” the monster replied, “pointed ears, a broken nose, and fiery eyes with golden pupils.” At this the mandarin fish shuddered.

“Thank goodness Your Majesty could see how good a fighter he was and ran away,” she said. “You would never have survived another three rounds. I know who that monk is.”

“Who is he then?” the monster asked.

“When I was in the Eastern Ocean many years ago I once heard the old dragon king talk of his fame. He's the Handsome Monkey King, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who made himself into a golden Immortal of the Supreme Monad and made havoc in Heaven five hundred years ago. Now he has submitted to the Buddha's teachings, changed his name to Sun Wukong the Novice, and is protecting the Tang Priest on his journey to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. He has enormous divine powers and can do all sorts of transformations. Your Majesty, you must not provoke him or have any more fights with him.”

Before these remarks were out of her mouth the little devils from by the door came back to report, “Your Majesty, those two monks are back here challenging you to battle again.”

“Good sister,” said the monster, “you are very wise. I won't go out, but I'll see what happens.” He sent this urgent order: “Little ones, shut the doors firmly. As they say,

You can stand outside and roar,

But we won't unlock the door.

They can hang around for a couple of days, and when they can't take any more and go away we'll feast on the Tang Priest at our ease.”

The little demons piled up rocks and made a clay cement to seal the doors firmly shut. When the repeated shouts of Pig and Friar Sand failed to bring the monster out the idiot lost his patience and started to smash the doors with his rake, but they were so firmly barricaded that even though he broke up the doors themselves with seven or eight blows there were still so many layers of clay and rocks behind them that he had no hope of getting through.

“Brother,” said Friar Sand when he saw this, “that demon is so scared that he's barricaded his doors and won't come out. We'd better go back to the shore and discuss it with Monkey.” Pig agreed and they returned to the Eastern bank.

When Monkey, who was waiting up in the mist and clouds with his cudgel in his hand, saw the two of them emerge with no demon after them he landed his cloud on the bank to meet them. “Brothers,” he asked, “why haven't you brought him up with you?”

“The monster has barricaded his doors and won't show himself,” said Friar Sand. “When Brother Pig smashed his doors down he saw that the doorway was strongly blocked up with clay and rocks, and as we can't fight him we've come back to discuss with you some other way of saving the master.”

“It sounds hopeless,” said Monkey. “You two patrol the bank and don't let the monster escape while I'm away.”

“Where are you going, brother?” asked Pig.

“I'm going to Potaraka to call on the Bodhisattva,” Monkey replied, “and find out about the monster's name and background. When I've found his ancestral home and captured his relations and neighbors I'll come back to get him and rescue the master.”

“But doing all that will be too much trouble and take far too long,” laughed Pig. “I assure you it won't take any time or trouble,” replied Brother Monkey. “I'll soon be back.”

The splendid Great Sage set off from the river bank at high speed on his auspicious cloud and headed for the Southern Sea. Within an hour Potaraka Island was in view, and he landed the cloud on Pota Cliff, where the twenty-four devas, the guardian god of the island, Moksa the Novice, the boy Sudhana, and the Naga Maiden Pengzhu all came forward to bow in greeting and ask, “Why have you come, Great Sage?”

“There is something about which I would like to see the Bodhisattva,” Monkey replied.

“The Bodhisattva left her cave this morning to go to her bamboo grove,” the devas replied. “She allowed nobody to accompany her, but as she knew that you would be coming today she told us to wait here to greet you. Since you will not be able to see her at once would you please sit under the Turquoise Cliff until the Bodhisattva comes out and decides what to do.”

Brother Monkey did as they suggested, but before he had sat down the page Sudhana came up to him and said with a bow, “Great Sage Sun, thanks to you earlier kindness the Bodhisattva deigned to keep me. I never leave her side, and am always at the foot of her lotus throne. She has been very good to me.” Monkey, who knew that he had previously been the Red Boy, laughed as he said, “You were so confused by evil then that you only realize I'm a good person now you've been converted.”

When he had been waiting for a long time but the Bodhisattva had still not appeared Monkey said anxiously. “Will you please report that I'm here? Time's being lost, and I'm worried that my master may be killed.”

“We would not dare,” the devas replied. “The Bodhisattva told us to wait till she came herself.” Monkey, who was much too impatient to wait a moment longer, rushed inside.

The Handsome Monkey King

Was impatient and very snide.

The devas could not hold him back,

When he wanted to go inside.

He strode deep into the grove,

Eyes wide as he peered around.

He saw the Saviour sitting on

Bamboo leaves on the ground.

She was not washed or combed,

And her face was free of care.

There were no tassels to hold in place

The silken strands of her hair.

She did not wear her plain blue robe,

But only a clinging vest,

A skirt of brocade round her waist,

And both arms left undressed.

There was no shawl for her shoulders;

On her foot she wore no shoe.

Her jade hand held a knife of steel

With which she peeled bamboo.

When Monkey saw her he could not restrain himself from shouting, “Bodhisattva, your disciple Sun Wukong offers his pious respects.”

“Wait outside,” said the Bodhisattva.

“Bodhisattva,” Monkey replied, “my master is in trouble and I have come to inquire respectfully about the background of the evil monster in the River of Heaven.”

“Get out,” said the Bodhisattva, “and wait till I come out.”

Not daring to push his demands any harder, Monkey had to leave the bamboo grove and say to all the devas, “The Bodhisattva seems to be spring cleaning. Why is she cutting strips of bamboo in the grove, and not properly dressed, instead of sitting on her lotus throne?”

“We don't know,” said the devas. “She left the cave and went into the grove this morning before dressing, telling us to receive you here. It must be something to do with you, Great Sage.” Monkey could do nothing but wait.

Before long the Bodhisattva emerged from the grove carrying a basket made from purple bamboo. “Wukong,” she said, “you and I are going to rescue the Tang Priest.”

Monkey fell to his knees and replied, “Your disciple has the temerity to suggest that you should dress and take your seat on your lotus throne.”

“There will be no need to dress; I shall go as I am,” the Bodhisattva replied, after which she dismissed the devas and set off on an auspicious cloud. Monkey could only follow.

In a moment they were on the banks of the River of Heaven. When Pig and Friar Sand saw them they said to each other, “That brother of ours is too impatient. Goodness only knows what sort of row he must have made in the Southern Sea to make the Bodhisattva come rushing here before she was even properly dressed.” Before these words were out of their mouths Guanyin reached the bank, and the two of them bowed low to her saying, “Bodhisattva, we shouldn't have done it, we were wrong, forgive us.” The Bodhisattva undid the silken sash around her waistcoat, tied one end to the basket, and rose on a coloured cloud.

Holding the other end of the sash she threw the basket into the river then pulled it up through the current, reciting, “Die if you go, live if you stay, die if you go, live if you stay.” When she had said this seven times she raised the basket again, and this time it contained a glistening goldfish, blinking its eyes and moving its scales. “Wukong,” said the Bodhisattva, “go down into the water and rescue your master.”

“How can I?” Monkey said. “The monster hasn't been caught yet.”

“Isn't that him in the basket?” the Bodhisattva asked.

Pig and Friar Sand then bowed low and asked, “How could that fish have had such great powers?”

“It originally was a goldfish that I raised in my lotus pool,” the Bodhisattva replied. “Every day it would swim up to listen to sutras, and it trained itself to have magic powers. The nine-knobbed copper mace was an unopened lotus bud that it tempered and made into a weapon. One day, I do not know when, a high tide reached the pool and carried it here. When I was leaning on the balustrade looking at the lotuses this morning I noticed that the wretch had not come to pay his respects, so I examined my fingers and the palms of my hands and worked out that it must have become a spirit and be planning to kill your master. That was why I did not wait to dress before using my divine powers to weave a bamboo basket in which to catch him.”

“In that case,” said Monkey, “could you stay here a moment longer? We would like to let the faithful in Chen Village gaze upon your golden countenance, Bodhisattva. This would be a great kindness, and it would also teach common folk to believe and make offerings by showing them how that demon was subdued.”

“Very well,” said the Bodhisattva. “Call them here.”

Pig and Friar Sand then ran to the village shouting, “Come and see the living Bodhisattva Guanyin, come and see the living Bodhisattva Guanyin.” All the villagers, young and old, men and women, rushed to the edge of the river and fell to their knees and kowtowed in worship despite the mud and the water. Among them was a good painter who left to posterity the painting of the Bodhisattva Guanyin appearing with a fish-basket. The Bodhisattva then returned to the Southern Sea.

Pig and Friar Sand cleared a way through the water straight to the River Turtle's Residence, where they searched for their master. All the water monsters and fish spirits there were now dead and rotten. They went round to the back of the palace, opened the stone chest, carried the Tang Priest up out of the water, and showed him to the crowds.

The Chen brothers kowtowed and expressed their thanks, saying, “My lord, if only you had accepted our advice and stayed longer you would have been spared all this trouble.”

“Say no more about it,” replied Monkey. “From next year onwards you people here won't need to make any more sacrifices. The Great King has been removed, and will never do you any harm again. Old Mr. Chen, I'd now like to trouble you to find a boat as soon as you can to take us across the river.”

“Yes, I can, I can,” said Chen Qing, ordering people to saw wood into planks to build a boat.

When his retainers heard this they were all delighted to make offerings, and there were many cries of “I'll pay for the mast and the sail,” “I'll fix the oars,” “I'll provide the rigging,” and “I'll hire the boatmen.”

Amid all the noisy yelling on the bank a great shout came from the river, “Great Sage Sun, don't waste other people's money building a boat. I shall carry you all, master and disciples, across the river.” When the crowd heard this they were all terrified. The more timid among them slipped home, while the bolder stayed to watch, shivering and shaking. A moment later a monster emerged from the water. This is what it was like:

A divine square-headed and extraordinary beast,

The miraculous creature, the immortal of the waters.

Wagging his tail he can live for many an age,

Hiding still and silent in the depths of the rivers.

Leaping through the waves he rushes to the bank,

Or lies beside the sea facing sun and wind.

He has mastered the true Way of nourishing his essence,

The Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle with his carapace of white.

“Great Sage,” called the Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle, “don't have a boat built. I'll take you four across.”

“I'll get you, you evil beast,” said Monkey, swinging his iron cudgel. “Come to the bank and I'll kill you with this.”

“I am grateful to you, Great Sage, and have offered in good faith to carry you master and you disciples across the river, so why do you want to kill me?” the monster asked.

“What good turn have I ever done you?” Brother Monkey asked.

“Great Sage,” said the Soft-shelled Turtle, “you may not realize that the River Turtle's Residence at the bottom of the river is my home, which was handed down to me by many generations of ancestors. Because I acquired awareness of the fundamental and developed a divine spirit by cultivating my conduct I had my ancestral home rebuilt as the River Turtle's Residence. Nine years ago, on a day when the sea was roaring and the waves were crashing, that evil monster came here on the tide and used his power to make a vicious attack on me. He killed many of my children and captured many of my clan. As I was no match for him I had to let him take my home for nothing. Now that you have come to rescue the Tang Priest, Great Sage, and have asked the Bodhisattva Guanyin here to sweep away evil and capture the monster my house has been returned to me and my family reunited. We can now live in our old home instead of having to make mud shelters. That is why my gratitude to you is as great as a mountain and as deep as the sea. And it is not only my family that is grateful. The whole village will now be spared from the annual sacrifice, and the sons and daughters of many a family will be spared. You have indeed brought double benefits with a single action, and that kindness is one that I have to repay.”

Monkey's heart was warmed to hear this, so he put his cudgel away and asked, “Is all that really true?”

“How could I possibly lie to the Great Sage who has done me so very great a kindness?” the Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle asked.

“If it's the truth you must swear an oath to Heaven,” Monkey said, whereupon the Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle opened his red mouth and swore to Heaven, “If I do not faithfully carry the Tang Priest across the River of Heaven may my whole body be turned to blood.”

“Come ashore, come ashore,” said Monkey with a smile. Only then did the Ancient soft-shelled Turtle approach the shore, give a jump, and climb up the bank. When they all went close they saw that he had a huge white shell about forty feet around.

“Master,” said Monkey, “let's climb on his back and cross over.”

“But, disciple,” said Sanzang, “we could not get across that ice even though it was frozen so thick. I'm afraid that we would be even less safe on a turtle's back.”

“Do not be afraid, Master,” said the Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle. “I'm much safer than those thick layers of ice. I'll only fail in my spiritual endeavors if I roll to the side.”

“Master,” said Monkey, “no creature that can speak human language will tell a lie.” He then told Pig and Friar Sand to lead the horse forward.

When they reached the banks everyone in the village came to see them off with deep bows. Monkey led the animal on to the turtle's white shell and asked the Tang Priest to stand to the horse's right, Pig to its left, and Friar Sand behind it while he stood in front. Just in case the Soft-shelled Turtle tried to misbehave, Monkey undid his belt of tiger sinew, threaded it through the turtle's nose, and held it like a halter. Then with one foot on the turtle's shell and one on its head, and with his iron cudgel in one hand and the halter in the other, he shouted, “Take it easy, Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle. One roll from you and I'll hit you on the head.”

“I'd never dare, I'd never dare,” the turtle said, and he started to walk across the water on his four feet as if going across dry land. All the people on the bank burnt incense, kowtowed, and recited, “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” This had indeed been a case of a true arhat coming down to the mortal world, and the appearance of a living Bodhisattva. Everyone bowed, watched them until they could be seen no more, and then went home.

In less than a day the master rode the White Soft-shelled Turtle across the 250 miles of the River of Heaven and landed on the other side with hands and feet still dry. When he had climbed ashore Sanzang put his hands together in thanks, and said, “Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle, I have put you to a great effort but I have nothing I can give you. I shall have to express my gratitude when I come back with the scriptures.”

“There is on need for any presents, venerable sir,” said the turtle. “I hear that the Lord Buddha in the Western Heaven has gone beyond death and life and knows everything in the past and the future. I have been cultivating my conduct here for over 1,300 years, and although I have prolonged my life and learned human speech I cannot escape from my shell. I beg you, venerable sir, to ask the Lord Buddha on my behalf when I will be rid of this shell and able to take human form.

“I shall ask, I shall ask,” Sanzang promised, at which the Ancient Soft-shelled Turtle plunged back into the water and Monkey helped Sanzang to mount the horse. With Pig shouldering the luggage and Friar Sand walking alongside, master and disciples took the main trail West. Indeed:

The emperor sent the priest on his journey to visit the Buddha;

Great were the hardships and long was the road over river and hill.

Firm was his will and sincere was his heart: for him death held no terror.

The River of Heaven he crossed standing high on the old turtle's shell,

If you don't know how much further they had to go, or what other terrible trials faced them, listen to the explanation in the next installment.