Journey to the West

27

The Corpse Fiend Thrice Tricks Tang Sanzang

The Holy Monk Angrily Dismisses the Handsome Monkey King

At dawn the next day Sanzang and his three disciples packed their things before setting off. Now that Master Zhen Yuan had made Monkey his sworn brother and was finding him so congenial, he did not want to let him go, so he entertained him for another five or six days. Sanzang had really become a new man, and was livelier and healthier now that he had eaten the Grass−returning Cinnabar. His determination to fetch the scriptures was too strong to let him waste any more time, so there was nothing for it but to be on their way.

Soon after they had set out again, master and disciples saw a high mountain in front of them. "I'm afraid that the mountain ahead may be too steep for the horse," Sanzang said, "so we must think this over carefully."

"Don't worry, master," said Monkey, "we know how to cope." He went ahead of the horse with his cudgel over his shoulder and cleared a path up to the top of the cliff. He saw no end of

Row upon row of craggy peaks, Twisting beds of torrents.

Tigers and wolves were running in packs, Deer and muntjac moving in herds. Countless river−deer darted around. And the mountains was covered with fox and hare. Thousand−food pythons, Ten−thousand−fathom snakes; The great pythons puffed out murky clouds, The enormous snakes breathed monstrous winds. Brambles and thorns spread beside the paths, Pines and cedars stood elegant on the ridge. There were wild fig−trees wherever the eye could see, And sweet−scented flowers as far as the horizon. The mountain's shadow fell North of the ocean,

The clouds parted South of the handle of the Dipper. The towering cliffs were as ancient as the primal Essence, The majestic crags cold in the sunlight.

Sanzang was immediately terrified, so Monkey resorted to some of his tricks. He whirled his iron cudgel and roared, at which all the wolves, snakes, tigers and leopards fled. They then started up the mountain, and as they were crossing a high ridge Sanzang said to Monkey, "Monkey, I've been hungry all day, so would you please go and beg some food for us somewhere."

"You aren't very bright, master," Monkey replied with a grin. "We're on a mountain with no village or inn for many miles around. Even if we had money there would be nowhere to buy food, so where am I to go and beg for it?" Sanzang felt cross, so he laid into Monkey. "You ape," he said, "don't you remember how you were crushed by the Buddha in a stone cell under the Double Boundary Mountain, where you could talk but not walk? It was I who saved your life, administered the monastic vows to you, and made you my disciple. How dare you be such a slacker? Why aren't you prepared to make an effort?"

"I always make an effort," said Monkey. "I'm never lazy."

"If you're such a hard worker, go and beg some food for us. I can't manage on an empty stomach. Besides, with the noxious vapors on this mountain we'll never reach the Thunder Monastery,"

"Please don't be angry, master, and stop talking. I know your obstinate character−−if I'm too disobedient you'll say that spell. You'd better dismount and sit here while I find somebody and beg for some food."

Monkey leapt up into the clouds with a single jump, and shading his eyes with his hand he looked around. Unfortunately he could see nothing in any direction except emptiness. There was no village or house or any other sign of human habitation among the countless trees. After looking for a long time he made out a high mountain away to the South. On its Southern slopes was a bright red patch.

Monkey brought his cloud down and said, "Master, there's something to eat." Sanzang asked him what it was. "There's no house around here where we could ask for food," Monkey replied, "but there's a patch of red on a mountain to the South that I'm sure must be ripe wild peaches. I'll go and pick some−−they'll fill you up."