Chapter 60: The Bull Demon King Breaks Off the Fight for a Banquet; the Pilgrim Borrows the Plantain Fan Again

The Earth Deity said, "The Great King of Force is the Bull Demon King himself."

Wukong said, "Then this mountain was set on fire by the Bull Demon King, and only afterward was it named Flame Mountain?"

The Earth Deity said, "No, no. If the Great Sage will pardon this little god's offense, then I dare speak plainly."

Wukong said, "What offense have you committed? Speak."

The Earth Deity said, "This fire came from the Great Sage himself."

Wukong grew angry. "Where have I ever done such a thing? You are talking nonsense. Am I a man who sets fires?"

The Earth Deity said, "Great Sage, you do not know me. There was no mountain here at first. Five hundred years ago, when you raised havoc in the Heavenly Palace, you were subdued by the Manifested Saint and taken before Laozi. Laozi placed you in the Eight-Trigram Furnace.

When the furnace was opened after the refining, you kicked over the cauldron, and a few broken bricks fell out with leftover fire inside them. That fire drifted here and turned into Flame Mountain. I was the Taoist who tended the furnace in the Palace of Dousu. Laozi blamed me for letting the furnace go unguarded, demoted me to this place, and made me the Earth Deity of Flame Mountain."

Bajie said, "No wonder you dress like that. So you are a Taoist turned into an earth god."

Wukong half believed him and half did not. "Then tell me, why should I look for the Great King of Force?"

The Earth Deity said, "The Great King of Force is the husband of the Rakshasa Woman. He left her long ago and now lives at Mount Jilei in Cloud-Soaring Cave. There was once a thousand-year fox king. When he died, he left behind a daughter called the Jade Face Princess. She had a vast fortune but no one to manage it. Two years ago she found the Bull Demon King, admired his power, and willingly brought her wealth with her and took him as husband. The Bull King has not returned to the Rakshasa Woman since.

If the Great Sage can find the Bull King and beg him to come here, you can borrow the true fan. First, it will put out the fire and allow your master to go forward. Second, it will put an end to the fire forever and protect the people here. Third, it will excuse my return to Heaven, so I can report back to Laozi and receive his command."

Wukong asked, "Where is Mount Jilei? How far is it from here?"

The Earth Deity said, "It lies due south, more than three thousand li away."

Wukong at once told Sha Wujing and Bajie to guard their master, and told the Earth Deity to stay by and not turn back. Then, with a whoosh, he disappeared.

Before half an hour had passed, he saw a high mountain rising into the sky.

He brought the cloud down and stood on the peak to look around. It was truly a fine mountain:

Not too high, and yet its top pierced the blue vault; not too broad, and yet its roots were sunk into the Yellow Springs. In front, the sun was warm; behind, the wind was cold. On the sunny side, grass and trees seemed to know no winter even when it should have been three cold months; on the shady side, frost and ice did not melt even in midsummer. Dragon pools met ravines where water flowed forever; tiger dens leaned against cliffs where flowers bloomed early. Streams leaped in a thousand branches like flying jasper; blossoms opened all at once like woven brocade. Around the bends stood more winding pines; beyond the rocks, more twisting cedars. Truly, these were high mountains and steep ridges, sheer cliffs and deep gullies, fragrant flowers and fair fruit, red vines and purple bamboo, green pines and emerald willows. The colors did not change through the eight seasons and four times of year, and after a thousand years and ten thousand ages they still shone as bright as dragon scales.

The Great Sage looked long enough, then stepped down from the sharp peak and went into the deep woods to find the road. While he was still searching with no news at all, he saw a woman beneath the pine shade. She had just broken off a spray of orchid and came along with a soft, swaying grace.

Wukong slipped behind a strange boulder and looked closely. What a woman she was:

Her beauty could overturn a kingdom, and every step was slow as a lotus bloom. Her face was like Wang Qiang's, her bearing like a Chu lady. She was flower-like when she spoke and jade-like in fragrance. Her high coiffure was piled blue-black like crows; her bright eyes were washed green like autumn water. Her Hunan skirt showed a little of her embroidered shoes, and her green sleeves half revealed wrists as pale as powdered jade. Need one speak of dusk rain or morning clouds? Her red lips and white teeth were enough. Her brows were as fine as the imperial eyebrow of the Jin River, and she outshone even Wen Jun and Xue Tao.

The woman came slowly toward the stone. Wukong bowed and said, "May I ask where the bodhisattva is going?"

She had not yet looked at him. Hearing the question, she raised her head and was startled by Wukong's ugly face. She wanted to retreat but could not, wanted to go forward but could not. At last she answered in a trembling voice, "Who are you, and how dare you ask me that?"

Wukong thought to himself, "If I say I have come to borrow the fan, she may well be kin to the Bull King. Better to use a false family tie and speak as if I had come to visit him."

The woman saw that he did not answer and changed color, then shouted, "Who are you that you dare question me?"

Wukong bowed and smiled. "I come from Mount Cuiyun. I have just arrived and do not know the road. May I ask, bodhisattva, is this Mount Jilei?"

She said, "It is."

Wukong said, "Then where is Cloud-Soaring Cave?"

She asked, "Why are you looking for that cave?"

Wukong said, "I am the monk sent from the Plantain Cave on Mount Cuiyun, at the request of Princess Iron Fan, to invite the Bull Demon King."

When the woman heard that Princess Iron Fan had sent for the Bull Demon King, her ears turned red with anger. She cursed without restraint, "That shameless wench is truly without shame. The Bull King has been at my house for less than two years, and I do not know how many pearls, jade ornaments, gold, silver, silk, and satin I have given him. I supply his firewood each year and his rice each month, and he lives as easy as he likes. He still has no sense of shame and comes to be invited again?"

Wukong understood at once that this was the Jade Face Princess, so he deliberately drew out the Golden-Hooped Rod and gave a great shout. "You filthy trollop! You bought the Bull King with your wealth. You are a spendthrift bride buying a husband. You should be ashamed, yet you still dare curse me?"

The woman was so frightened that her soul nearly left her body. Her steps went wild and she turned to run.

Wukong shouted and pressed after her. As it turned out, the path led straight through the pine shade to the entrance of Cloud-Soaring Cave. The woman ran inside and slammed the gate shut.

Wukong put away the Golden-Hooped Rod and stood still to look. It was a fine place:

The trees were thick and dense, the cliffs cut sheer and high. Creepers hung in dark drapes, and orchids and sweet herbs gave off a rich scent. Clear springs washed jade as they ran through tall bamboo; clever rocks seemed to understand the scene and were strewn with fallen blossoms. Mist and clouds wrapped the distant peaks; sun and moon shone on cloud screens. Dragon roars and tiger cries, crane calls and oriole songs all mingled together. The place was cool and quiet beyond compare, bright with rare flowers and sacred grasses. It was no less than a cave of immortals on Mount Tiantai, and it even surpassed the isles of the sea.

We will not say more of Wukong looking at the scenery. The woman ran back in a cold sweat, her heart pounding, and went straight into the study. There the Bull Demon King was quietly reading the alchemical books.

The woman threw herself into his arms in a fury, scratching and clawing, and burst into tears. The Bull King wore a broad smile. "Beauty, do not be upset. What is the matter?"

She stamped and cursed, "You vile monster have killed me!"

The Bull King laughed. "Why do you call me that?"

She said, "I had no support from my parents and took you in to protect my life. People in the world say you are a true hero, but you turned out to be a man afraid of his wife."

The Bull King took her in his arms. "Beauty, what have I done wrong? Speak slowly and I will apologize."

She said, "I was walking in the flower shade outside the cave, picking orchids and sweet herbs, when a monkey-faced monk with a face like a thunder god suddenly came up and bowed. He startled me stiff. When I recovered and asked who he was, he said he had come at the request of Princess Iron Fan to invite the Bull Demon King. I said a few words, and he cursed me soundly. Then he drove me with his staff. If I had not run fast, I would have been beaten to death. Is this not bringing disaster on you? He has nearly killed me."

The Bull King apologized to her in proper dress and soothed her for a long while before she calmed down. Then he said fiercely, "Beauty, let me not hide it from you. Although the Plantain Cave is remote, it is peaceful and clean. My wife here has cultivated herself since childhood and is truly an immortal woman of the proper path, with a strict household and not even a single boy in the inner court. How could there be some monkey-faced man inviting me? This must be a monster from somewhere, or someone borrowing a false name to come inquire after me. I will go out and have a look."

The fine Demon King stepped out, went up to the main hall, put on his armor, and dressed himself. He took up a mixed-iron staff, stepped out the gate, and shouted, "Who is making a scene in my place?"

Wukong watched him from the side and saw that he looked nothing like he had five hundred years before. He wore a polished iron helmet, bright as water, a suit of gold-embroidered armor lined with wool, and powder-soled deerskin boots. A belt of plaited silk with three lion cords was tied around his waist. His eyes shone like mirrors, and his brows burned like red rainbows. His mouth was like a blood basin, and his teeth were set like copper plates. When he roared, even the mountain spirits quaked; when he moved, even ghosts fled in terror. Known in all the seas as the Bull Demon King, he was the great power of the Western regions.

Wukong smoothed his robe, stepped forward, and bowed deeply. "Brother, do you still know your little brother?"

The Bull King returned the bow. "You are Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?"

Wukong said, "It is I, it is I. We have been apart a long time and have not yet had the chance to pay respects. I was just asking the woman here and have only now found you, brother. Your appearance is even better than before. Congratulations."

The Bull King shouted, "Enough of your slippery tongue. I heard you made trouble in Heaven, that the Buddha brought you under control beneath Five Elements Mountain, and that you were recently freed to protect Tripitaka on the road west to see the Buddha and seek scriptures. Why did you also go to Fire Cloud Cave at Hanging Pine Gorge and harm my son, the Holy Infant King? I was already angry on that account. Now you have come to find me. What do you mean by it?"

Wukong bowed again. "Brother, do not misunderstand and blame me.

Your son once captured my master and wanted to eat his flesh. I could not get near him. Fortunately Guanyin Bodhisattva came to save my master and taught him the right path. He is now serving as a Good Fortune Boy, higher even than his brotherly station, enjoying the gate to bliss and the long life of freedom. What is there to resent? Why blame me instead?"

The Bull King cursed, "You crafty-tongued monkey! You have already spoken past your son's injury. But just now you frightened my beloved wife and came to my gate. Why?"

Wukong laughed. "Because I came to pay respects to my brother and did not see you, I asked that woman a question. I did not know she was your second wife. She cursed me a few times, and I was rude in return and frightened her. I beg my brother's forgiveness."

The Bull King said, "If that is how it is, then for the sake of old friendship I will spare you."

Wukong said, "Since I have received such generous kindness, I cannot thank you enough. Still, there is one more matter on which I must trouble you. I beg you to help me."

The Bull King shouted, "You monkey do not know your place. I spare you, and you still will not go. You come back to cling to me. What help?"

Wukong said, "To be frank, I am escorting Tripitaka westward. Flame Mountain blocks the road and he cannot go on. After asking the locals, I learned that your sister-in-law, the Rakshasa Woman, has a Plantain Fan and wanted to borrow it. Yesterday I went to your old household to pay respects, but your sister-in-law absolutely refused to lend it.

So I have come especially to ask my brother. I beg you, in the broad charity of your heart, to go with me to your elder sister-in-law and help me borrow the fan. Just wave out the fire so Tripitaka can cross the mountain, and I will return the treasure at once."

When the Bull King heard this, his heart blazed like fire. He ground his steel teeth and cursed, "You say you are not rude, but you have plainly come to borrow the fan. First you bullied my wife, and since she would not lend it, you came to look for me. You also drove off my beloved concubine.

As the saying goes, 'Do not covet your friend's wife, and do not humiliate your friend's concubine.' You have wronged both my wife and my concubine. How can that be called manners? Come up and take a blow from my staff."

Wukong said, "Brother, if you want to fight, I am not afraid. But I am truly seeking the treasure and beg you in all sincerity to lend it to me."

The Bull King said, "If you can match me for three rounds, I will tell my wife to lend it to you. If you cannot, I will beat you to death and avenge myself."

Wukong said, "Very well. I have been lazy for some time and have not met my brother. I do not know how much your skill has improved in these years. Let my brothers watch us demonstrate with the staff."

The Bull King would not hear any more. He snatched up his mixed-iron staff and brought it down on Wukong's head. The Great Sage raised his Golden-Hooped Rod and met the blow.

The fight was fierce:

The Golden-Hooped Rod and the mixed-iron staff flashed without any regard for old friendship. One said, "I still resent your harming my son." The other said, "Your son has already attained the Way; why stay angry?" One said, "You rude thing, how dare you come to my gate?" The other said, "I came because I had a reason to ask." One only wanted the fan to save Tripitaka; the other would not lend the fan and was miserly beyond reason. Word flew back and forth, old affection was lost, and even the whole household grew angry. The Bull King's staff rose like a dragon; the Great Sage's rod met it and made spirits scatter. At first they fought in front of the mountain, then they drove their clouds together into the air. Above the clouds they showed divine skill, with five-colored light in dazzling play. Their two staffs shook the gates of heaven, and neither could gain the better of the other by even an inch.

The Great Sage and the Bull King fought more than a hundred rounds without a victor. Just then, from a mountain peak, someone shouted, "Bull Grandfather, my king sends many respects and begs you to come early so that your seat may be ready."

The Bull King heard this, braced the Golden-Hooped Rod with his mixed-iron staff, and called, "Monkey, wait here. I have to go attend a friend's banquet."

When he had finished speaking, he lowered his cloud and went into the cave. There he said to the Jade Face Princess, "Beauty, that monkey-faced man was Sun Wukong. I gave him a beating and sent him off. He will not dare come again. Do not worry and amuse yourself. I am going to a friend's house to drink wine."

He took off his helmet and armor, put on a dark-blue fur-trimmed jacket, mounted the Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast, told the little ones to guard the gate, and rode off through cloud and mist toward the northwest.

Wukong watched him from the high peak and thought, "I do not know what new friend this old bull has made and where he is going to the feast. I will follow him and have a look."

The Pilgrim shook his body and became a streak of wind, following after him. Before long they came to a mountain where the Bull King suddenly vanished.

Wukong gathered back his true form and searched the mountain. There was a clear deep pool there, and beside the pool stood a stone stele engraved with six large characters: Broken-Stone Mountain, Azure Wave Pool.

Wukong thought to himself, "That old bull has surely gone under the water. Down beneath water there are spirit creatures. If it is not a flood-dragon spirit, it must be some dragon, fish, turtle, or eel. I may as well go down and see."

The Great Sage pinched a seal, recited a spell, shook himself, and changed into a crab. It was neither too big nor too small, weighing thirty-six jin. With a splash he jumped into the water and sank straight to the bottom of the pool.

There he suddenly saw a delicate and translucent gate tower, and below it stood the Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast.

He entered the tower, and there was no water inside at all. Crawling in, he looked closely and heard music on all sides. What a scene it was:

Vermilion halls and shell palaces, not a jot different from the mortal world. Gold made the roof tiles, white jade the door pivots. Tortoiseshell screens stood open, coral set the railings. Auspicious clouds and bright vapor shone over the lotus seats, rising above and below the three lights and opening onto the ways of the world. It was not Heaven, nor was it an ordinary sea treasury, but truly a place that rivaled the Isles of the Immortals. A grand hall had been set with guests and hosts, all crowned and jeweled. Maids hurried with jade trays, and fairy women called the modes and notes. Great whales sounded, giant crabs danced, turtles blew reeds, and crocodiles beat drums. Pearls from dragon throats lit the cups and dishes. Bird-track script lined the green screens, and shrimp-whisker curtains hung from the halls and corridors. The eight tones sounded in mixed immortal music, and the notes of gong and shang rang clear to the clouds. Blue-headed fish women played jade zithers, and red-eyed horsemen sounded jade flutes. Eel women brought fragrant venison, and dragon girls wore golden phoenix hairpins. They ate from the kitchen of Heaven, with its eight treasures and rare delicacies, and drank purple-palace jade liquor and fine aged wine.

At the head of the hall sat the Bull Demon King. To his left and right sat three or four flood-dragon spirits. Before him sat an old dragon spirit, and on both sides were dragon sons and dragon grandsons, dragon wives and dragon daughters.

Just as they were raising their cups in turn, the Great Sage walked straight up. The old dragon saw him and immediately ordered, "Take that wild crab down."

The dragon sons and grandsons rushed up and seized him. Wukong suddenly spoke like a man and cried, "Spare me, spare me."

The old dragon said, "Where did this wild crab come from? How dare you crawl into the hall and move about before our honored guests? Speak quickly and I may spare your life."

The Great Sage, with a made-up story, bowed to the company and said:

I was born in a lake and made my living there;
by the cliff I took a cave and lived there for a time.
After long years I have grown comfortable in my body.
By office I am a sideways-walking armored soldier.
I drag through grass and mud and have never learned courtly manners.
I did not know the rules and have blundered before your royal face.
I beg your great mercy to forgive my offense.

The spirits on the high seats heard this and all turned to bow toward the old dragon, saying, "This armored crab has just entered the jade palace and does not know royal protocol. Please, sir, spare him."

The old dragon thanked them. The spirits then said, "Let the fellow go, but remember to flog him if he misbehaves, and have him wait outside."

Wukong answered and fled to the gate tower. He thought to himself, "This old bull is drinking happily here. When am I supposed to wait for him to finish? Even if he did finish, he still would not lend me the fan. Better to steal his Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast, change into the Bull Demon King, and go trick the Rakshasa Woman into giving me the fan. That would be best."

The Great Sage at once resumed his true form, untied the beast's reins, grabbed it, mounted the carved saddle, and rode straight out from the bottom of the pool. When he reached the surface he transformed into the Bull King's likeness, whipped the beast into motion, and rode clouds back to Mount Cuiyun at once.

At the gate of Plantain Cave he shouted, "Open the gate."

Inside, two flower girls heard the voice and opened the door. When they saw the Bull Demon King's face, they ran in to report, "Mistress, the master is home."

The Rakshasa Woman heard this, quickly adjusted her cloud-like hair, and came out in a hurry to greet him.

The Great Sage dismounted from the carved saddle and led the Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast inside. Bold as could be, he was now cheating the beautiful lady. The Rakshasa Woman, with ordinary eyes, did not recognize him, and so she took his hand and led him in. The maids set out seats and brought tea. The whole household, seeing its lord returned, treated him with all due respect.

In a short while they exchanged their greetings. "The Bull King" said, "Wife, it has been a long time."

The Rakshasa Woman said, "My lord, may you have ten thousand blessings."

She said further, "My lord has been busy with his new marriage and has left this humble woman behind. What wind has blown you here today?"

Wukong laughed. "I did not mean to leave you behind. Only because after taking the Jade Face Princess I have had too many household matters and too many friends to see, I stayed out longer than I intended. But I have also taken charge of another home."

Then he said, "I recently heard that that Sun Wukong is escorting Tripitaka and will soon reach Flame Mountain. I fear he may come asking you to lend the fan. I have not yet repaid him for harming my son, so if he comes, send word to me. I will seize him, tear him into ten thousand pieces, and wipe out the hatred between husband and wife."

The Rakshasa Woman heard this and wept as she complained, "My lord, as the saying goes, 'A man without a wife is without a treasury, and a woman without a husband has no one to stand for her.' My life nearly ended at the hands of that monkey."

Wukong listened and pretended to rage. "When did that monkey come through?"

She said, "He has not gone yet. Yesterday he came to borrow the fan. Because he had harmed my child, I put on my armor and came out with my precious swords to hack at him. He endured the pain and called me sister-in-law, saying that you had once sworn brotherhood with him."

Wukong said, "That was five hundred years ago when you became seven sworn brothers."

She said, "I cursed him and he did not dare answer. I cut at him and he did not dare strike back. Then I fanned him away. Somehow he found a method to stop the wind, and this morning he was back at the gate shouting. I fanned him again, but he would not move. When I rushed at him with my sword, he would not let me strike. I was afraid of his heavy staff, so I fled into the cave and shut the door tight. I do not know how he got inside my belly, but he nearly took my life. So I called him uncle a few times and gave him the fan."

Wukong beat his chest in feigned regret. "What a pity, what a pity. Wife, you made a mistake. How could you give that treasure to the monkey? You have enraged me."

She laughed. "My lord, do not be angry. The one I gave him was a fake fan, only to fool him away."

Wukong asked, "Where is the true fan?"

She said, "Do not worry, do not worry. I keep it here."

She called the maid to prepare wine and offer a welcoming toast. Then she held up a cup and said, "My lord, since you are newly married, do not forget your first spouse. Take a cup of the water of your homeland."

Wukong did not dare refuse and had to accept it. Smiling, he lifted the cup and said, "Wife, you drink first. I have gone abroad to manage my estates and have been separated from you for a long time. Morning and evening I have depended on your care of the household. Let this be my thanks."

The Rakshasa Woman took the cup back, filled it again, and handed it to him. "As the old saying goes, 'A wife is one's match.' A husband is the father who nourishes the body. What is there to thank me for?"

The two of them spoke politely and sat down to drink round after round. Wukong did not dare to avoid the meat dishes and ate only a few fruits while chatting with her.

After several rounds, the Rakshasa Woman was half drunk and her desire grew warm. She moved closer and closer to the fake Bull Demon King, brushing, touching, and leaning on him. She took his hand and spoke sweetly. Shoulder against shoulder, she lowered her voice and cuddled in. They passed a cup back and forth, each taking a sip, and then they fed one another fruit.

Wukong only pretended to be affectionate and laughed along with her. There was nothing he could do, so he leaned and pressed against her as well.

It was truly like this:

A fishing hook for poetry, a broom for sorrow, for nothing is so good as wine.
When men stand on principle, they open their sleeves; when women forget themselves, they open their smiles.
Faces flush like early peaches; bodies sway like tender willows.
They chattered without end, and there was a hundredfold of flirtation in every pinch and touch.
Now and then she brushed back her cloud hair, now and then he pinched the sharp tip of a finger.
Several times her feet went up crosswise, and several times her sleeves shook and trembled.
Her powder-white neck naturally dipped; her wild waist began to twist.
Soft words of dalliance were never dropped, and her tender chest showed through when the golden button loosened.
When the wine made them truly drunk, they slumped like jade mountains fallen, eyes half glazed and awkward in their movements.

Wukong saw that she was thoroughly drunk and quietly set a trap. "Wife, where have you put the true fan? Keep it close, for fear that Sun Wukong may use many disguises and come trick it away again."

The Rakshasa Woman smiled and opened her mouth. Out came a fan no bigger than an apricot leaf, which she handed to Wukong. "Is this not the treasure?"

Wukong took it and still did not trust it. He thought, "Can something this tiny really put out an eight-hundred-li fire? Maybe this is fake too."

The Rakshasa Woman saw him staring at the treasure and thinking, and could not help leaning forward to smear her powdered face against his cheek. "Darling, keep the treasure and drink your wine. What are you thinking so hard about?"

Wukong took the chance to ask, "This tiny thing, how can it fan out eight hundred li of flame?"

The Rakshasa Woman, drunk enough to speak plainly and without caution, revealed the method. "My lord, you have been away from me for two years. You must have been devouring pleasure day and night and let that Jade Face Princess tire your spirit. How have you forgotten your own treasure?

Just pinch the seventh red thread on the handle with your left thumb and recite once, 'xu a xi xi chui hu.' Then it will grow to twelve chi long. This treasure can change in endless ways. Even if the fire stretches for eighty thousand li, one wave can put it out."

Wukong listened and memorized every word.

Then he tucked the fan into his mouth, wiped his face, and resumed his true form. He shouted, "Rakshasa Woman, look closely. Am I not your own husband? And yet you have entangled me in all this ugly business. Shame on you, shame on you."

When the woman saw that it was Sun Wukong, she was so frightened that she toppled the table and fell into the dust, ashamed beyond measure. She cried out, "You have killed me with rage! You have killed me with rage!"

Wukong paid no attention to whether she lived or died. He shook off her hands, strode out of Plantain Cave, and thought, "When a heart seeks beauty, it may forget itself; when the mind gets its wish, it laughs as it goes."

He sprang upward, rode the lucky cloud, and climbed the mountain. There he spat out the fan and tried the method.

Pinching the seventh red thread on the handle with his left thumb, he recited, "xu a xi xi chui hu." Sure enough, it grew to twelve chi long. Holding it in his hand, he looked it over carefully and saw that this was indeed different from the fake fan. Auspicious light shimmered over it, and blessed vapor drifted around it. On the handle were thirty-six red threads woven through from side to side, joining front and back as one.

Wukong had only begged for the way to make it large; he had not asked for the way to make it small. In the end it stayed that size. With no other choice, he slung it over his shoulder and hurried back by the old road. We need not speak of him for the moment.

Now the Bull Demon King, having finished the banquet at the Azure Wave Pool, came out of the gate and did not see the Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast.

The old dragon king gathered the spirits and asked, "Who stole away the Bull King's golden-eyed beast?"

The spirits all knelt down. "No one dared steal it. We were all at the banquet pouring wine, carrying trays, singing, and playing music. There was no one at the front."

The old dragon said, "Of course the household people would not dare. Did any stranger come in?"

The dragon sons and grandsons said, "At the time the seats were being arranged, there was a crab spirit here. He must have been the stranger."

When the Bull King heard that, he immediately understood. "It does not need more explanation. This morning, when my friend invited me through a messenger, I encountered Sun Wukong escorting Tripitaka westward. Because Flame Mountain blocked the road, he once asked me to lend him the Plantain Fan. I did not give it to him, and we fought without a winner. Then I left him behind and came here to the banquet.

That monkey is clever in every possible way and full of tricks. He must have changed into that crab spirit, come here to spy, stolen my beast, and gone to my wife to cheat her out of the fan."

The spirits all trembled. "Is that the Sun Wukong who made trouble in Heaven?"

The Bull King said, "Yes. Gentlemen, if you are traveling on the Western road, be very careful around him."

The old dragon asked, "If that is so, what of the Bull King's fine mount?"

The Bull King laughed. "No matter. You may all disperse. I will go after him myself."

So he parted the waters, jumped out from the bottom of the pool, rode on yellow clouds, and went straight to Plantain Cave on Mount Cuiyun.

At the gate, Princess Iron Fan was stamping her feet and beating her chest, crying out loudly. When she pushed open the door, she saw the Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast tied below.

The Bull King shouted, "Wife, where has Sun Wukong gone?"

The maidens all saw the Bull King and fell to their knees together, saying, "Master has come home?"

The Rakshasa Woman grabbed the Bull King by the sleeves, knocked her head against his, and cursed, "You accursed wretch, how could you be so careless and let that monkey steal the golden-eyed beast, change into your shape, and come here to cheat me?"

The Bull King ground his teeth. "Which way did that monkey go?"

The Rakshasa Woman struck her chest and cursed, "That vile monkey tricked me out of my treasure and then showed his true form and left. You have killed me with rage!"

The Bull King said, "Wife, do not worry. Do not be anxious. I will catch that monkey, seize the treasure, strip off his skin, grind his bones to pieces, and lay out his liver and heart so you can get your anger out."

He called, "Bring my weapons."

The maidens said, "Your weapons are not here."

The Bull King said, "Then bring your mistress's weapons."

The servants brought out the pair of blue-edged swords.

The Bull King took off the dark-blue fur-trimmed coat he had worn to the banquet, tightened the under-robe against his body, and took the two swords in both hands. He left Plantain Cave and headed straight for Flame Mountain in pursuit.

This was how the faithless man deceived the foolish woman, and how the fierce demon came near the one who was under the Monkey King's protection. But whether the road ahead brings fortune or disaster, that must wait for the next chapter.