Journey to the West PDF

**Monkey launched into a cloud-somersault eastward. Soon enough, he landed back on Flower-Fruit Mountain, rejoicing at how easy his return was, compared to his arduous outward journey.** **Just as he was trying to work out which path to take back to Water-Curtain Cave, he heard the cries of cranes...

**Monkey launched into a cloud-somersault eastward. Soon enough, he landed back on Flower-Fruit Mountain, rejoicing at how easy his return was, compared to his arduous outward journey.** **Just as he was trying to work out which path to take back to Water-Curtain Cave, he heard the cries of cranes and monkeys echoing about him. "I'm back, little ones!" he called.** **From out of rocky enclaves, grasses, flowers, and trees, thousands of monkeys of different sizes leaped out and surrounded their king. "Why were you gone so long? A cruel demon has attacked Water-Curtain Cave, stolen our possessions, and kidnapped our children."** **"Who is this insolent fiend?" raged Monkey. "Tell me everything, and I'll settle his hash."** **"He calls himself the Monstrous King of Chaos, and he lives north of here."** **"How far?"** **"We don't know. He arrives like clouds and departs like the mist, wind, rain, thunder and lightning."** **"Very well. Amuse yourselves while I go and find him."** **Monkey cloud-somersaulted northward, landing on top of a rugged, precipitous mountain. As he surveyed the area, he heard voices. Coming down to investigate, he discovered a number of imps dancing about in front of a cliffside establishment named Watery-Innard Cave. They fled as soon as Monkey appeared. "Stay where you are!" he commanded. "I've a message for you to pass on. I am the King of Water-Curtain Cave on Flower-Fruit Mountain, due south of here. Because this Havoc Monster, or what have you, of yours has repeatedly terrorized my people, I've come to settle the score."** **The imps rushed into the cave. "O great king!" they wailed. "Catastrophe!"** **"What are you talking about?" the Monstrous King -- for it was he -- asked. After the fiends reported their encounter outside the cave, their sovereign laughed: "Those monkeys are always saying they have a king who left them to study the Way. So he's back at last, it seems. How is he dressed, and what weapons does he have?"** **"None that we can see. He's bareheaded and is wearing a red robe tied with a yellow sash and black boots. He doesn't resemble your regular Buddhist or Taoist. But he's certainly making quite a racket out there."** **"Bring me my armor and my weapon," instructed the monster. Once dressed for combat, he exited the cave with his retinue of goblins. "So where's this king of Water-Curtain Cave?" he bellowed.** **Monkey gazed upon a demon thirty feet high, with a waist as thick as ten arm-spans and brandishing a sharp, bright sword. He wore a black silk robe, a black iron breastplate pulled tight with leather straps, and ornately decorated boots; his black helmet glinted in the sunlight. This, in sum, was the Monster of Havoc, and he did not look like a pushover.** **"Behold Monkey!" Monkey introduced himself.** **Finally locating Monkey on the ground beneath him, the monster laughed. "You're less than four feet tall and unarmed. How dare you challenge me?"** **"Reckless fiend!" Monkey yelled back. "Think I look small? I can grow in the blink of an eye. And as for a weapon, I can hook the moon down from the sky. Eat my fist!" He sprang up and began showering the monster's face with blows.** **The monster blocked them with one hand. "Look, gnome, I'd be a laughingstock if I were to kill you with my sword. I'll lay down my weapon and we can have a boxing match instead."** **"Gladly!" cheered Monkey, and the two set to hammering each other. In this kind of combat, long arms sometimes throw inaccurate punches; short-range strikes can be more precise. Monkey pummeled his opponent's ribs and made a direct hit in the crotch. Knocked off balance, his opponent picked up his huge steel sword again and hacked away at Monkey, who smartly stepped back and out of range.** **Realizing that the fight was getting serious, Monkey deployed the Body Beyond the Body Magic: he plucked a handful of hairs, chewed them to pieces, then spat them out, shouting "Change!" The hairs transformed into two or three hundred little monkeys, who crowded around their adversary. When someone becomes an immortal, you see, he can transform his spirit at will. Now that Monkey was adept in the Way, every single one of the eighty-four thousand hairs on his body could change into whatever form he wanted. His mini-monkeys were so sharp-eyed and agile that the monster couldn't get his sword near them. Back and forth they weaved and darted until the monster was completely surrounded. Some squeezed, some tugged, some jabbed at his crotch, while others pulled at his feet, tore his hair, gouged at his eyes, tweaked his nose, and generally befuddled him. While this was going on, the real Monkey managed to grab the monster's sword, advance through the mass of little monkeys, and slice the monster's head in two. Monkey then led his army into the cave, where they slaughtered all the imps. The conquest complete, Monkey shook himself and the hairs returned to his body.** **About forty monkeys, however, retained their shape -- for they had been kidnapped here from Flower-Fruit Mountain -- and tearfully explained themselves to the monkey king. "These stone pot and bows" -- they gestured around the cave -- "he also stole from us."** **"Then we will take them with us," pronounced Monkey, who set fire to the cave and burned it to ashes. "Let's head home," he told his followers. "Close your eyes and don't be afraid."** **That marvelous monkey muttered a spell, swept up the others in a wind-propelled cloud, and landed smoothly back on Flower-Fruit Mountain. "Open your eyes, little ones." Immediately recognizing their old home, the delighted monkeys rushed into the cave and lined up with the others before Monkey. They held a celebratory banquet of fruits and wine, during which Monkey regaled them with the story of how he had defeated the monster.** **"Where were you all that time, great king?" they wanted to know next. "How did you learn this magic?"** **Monkey gave them an unexpurgated version of his travels -- including Subodhi's imparting of immortality.** **"What luck!" applauded the monkeys, toasting their king with bowls of coconut-and-grape wine, divine flowers and fruit.**