The Journey To The West

Journey to the West \"Tawny Lion must be a golden−haired lion who's become a spirit,\" said Friar Sand with a smile, \"but I wonder who the Primal Sage of Ninefold Numinosity is.\" Pig's reaction was to laugh and say, \"He's mine.\" \"Why should he necessarily be yours?\" Monkey asked. \"There's an old saying that goes, 'a mangy old sow can put a golden lion to flight,'\" Pig replied. \"That's why I know he's mine.\" As they talked and laughed the three of them drove the pigs and sheep along till they could see the gates of Tigermouth Cave. Outside the gates there were, Green mountains all around, Ranges forming a mighty wall. Creepers clung to the sheer rock faces, Thorns hung down from the towering cliffs. Bird song came from all around the woods, While flowers gave a welcome by the entrance. This cave was a match for the Peach Blossom Spring, A place to avoid the troubles of the world. As they came closer to the mouth of the cave they saw a crowd of evil spirits of every age and kind playing under the blossoming trees, and when they heard Pig's shouts of \"Hey! Hey!\" as he drove the pigs and sheep they all came out to meet them. The pigs and sheep were caught and trussed up. The noise had by now disturbed the demon king inside, who came out with ten or more junior demons to ask, \"Are you two back? How many animals did you buy?\" \"Eight pigs and seven sheep−−fifteen altogether,\" Monkey replied. \"The pigs cost sixteen ounces of silver and the sheep nine. We were only given twenty ounces, so we still owe five. This is the dealer who's come with us for the silver.\" \"Fetch five ounces of silver, little ones,\" the demon king ordered on hearing this, \"and send him on his way.\" \"But the dealer hasn't only come to get his silver,\" Monkey replied. \"He's come to see the banquet too.\" \"What nerve, Freaky Wile!\" said the furious demon abusively. \"You were sent off to buy things, not to talk about banquets.\" \"As you've got those amazingly fine treasures, my lord,\" Pig said, stepping forward, \"what's the harm in letting him have a look?\" Chapter 89 1247

Journey to the West \"Damn you too, Wily Freak,\" said the demon with an angry snort. \"I got these treasures from inside the city of Yuhua. If this stranger sees them and talks about them in the city the word will get around and the prince will come to demand them. What'll we do then?\" \"My lord,\" Monkey replied, \"this dealer comes from the other side of Qianfang Market. That's a long way from the city, and he's not a city man either, so where would he go telling tales? Besides, he's hungry, and the two of us haven't eaten. If there's any food and liquor in the place why don't we give him some before sending him on his way?\" Before he could finish speaking a junior devil came out with five ounces of silver that he gave to Monkey, who in turn handed it to Friar Sand with the words, \"Take your silver, stranger, then come round to the back for something to eat with us.\" Taking his courage in his hands, Friar Sand went into the cave with Pig and Monkey. When they reached the second hall inside they saw on a table in the middle of it the nine−toothed iron rake set up in all its dazzling brightness to receive offerings. At the Eastern end of the table was leant the gold−banded cudgel, and at the Western end the demon−quelling staff. \"Stranger,\" said the demon king who was following them in, \"that's the rake shining so brightly in the middle. You're welcome to look, but don't tell anyone about it, whatever you do.\" Friar Sand nodded in admiration. Oh dear! This was a case of \"when the owner sees what's his he's bound to pick it up.\" Pig had always been a rough customer, and once he saw his rake he was not going to talk about the facts of the case, but charged over, pulled it down and swung it around as he turned back into himself. He struck straight at the evil spirit's face, not caring now about the proper ways of using his weapon. Monkey and Friar Sand each rushed to one end of the table to grab his own weapon and turn back into himself. As the three brothers started lashing out wildly the demon king had to get out of their way in a hurry, go round to the back and fetch his four−bright halberd with its long handle and sharp, pointed butt. Rushing into the courtyard, he used this to hold off the three weapons and shout at the top of his voice, \"Who do you think you are, tricking me out of my treasures by impersonation?\" \"I'll get you, you hairy beast,\" Monkey cursed back. \"You don't know who I am. I'm a disciple of Tang Sanzang, the holy monk from the East. When we came to Yuhua to present our passport the prince told his three sons to take us as their teachers of fighting skills. They were having weapons copied from ours. That was why ours were left in the courtyard for you to sneak into the city and steal in the middle of the night. And you accuse us of tricking them out of you by impersonation! Stay right there and try a taste of our three weapons.\" The evil spirit at once raised his halberd to fight back. They fought from the courtyard out through the front gate, three monks chasing a single demon. It was a splendid battle: The cudgel whistled like the wind, The rake's blows came raining down. The demon−quelling staff filled the sky with glowing mist; The four−bright halberd gave off clouds. Chapter 89 1248

Journey to the West They were like the three immortals refining elixir, Making dazzling light that frightened gods and ghosts. Monkey was brilliant at displaying his might; The evil spirit was wrong to have stolen the treasures. Marshal Tian Peng showed off his divine powers, While the great general Sand was heroic and splendid. As the three brothers fought with skill and one mind A great battle took place in Tigermouth Cave. The ogre was full of power and cunning, A fit match for the four heroes. They fought until the sun set in the West, When the demon weakened and could hold out no longer. After their long fight on Mount Leopard Head the evil spirit shouted at Friar Sand, \"Watch this halberd!\" As Friar Sand fell back to dodge the blow the evil spirit escaped through the opening he left and fled by wind to the Xun quarter to the Southeast. Pig started rushing after him to catch him, but Monkey said, \"Let him go. As the old saying goes, 'never chase a desperate robber.' Let's leave him nothing to come back to.\" Pig agreed, and the three of them went back to the entrance of the cave, where they killed all the hundred and more evil spirits great and small. It turned out that they were all really tigers, wolves, tiger cats, leopards, red deer and goats. Monkey used one of his powers to bring all the valuables and fabrics, as well as the bodies of all the animals they had killed, the pigs and the sheep out of the cave. Friar Sand used some dry wood he found to start a fire that Pig fanned with both his ears. The cave was soon burnt out, and they took what they had brought with them back to the city. The city gates were wide open; people had not yet gone to bed. The senior prince and his sons were still waiting in the Gauze Pavilion. The three disciples dropped all the dead wild animals and sheep as well as the valuables with loud thumps into the courtyard, filling it up as they called out, \"Master, we're back. We've won.\" The senior prince then expressed his thanks to them, the Tang priest was delighted, and the three young princes fell to their knees to bow. \"Don't thank us,\" Friar Sand said, helping them to their feet. \"Come and see what we've got.\" \"Where are they from?\" the senior prince asked. Chapter 89 1249