Suddenly there was the sound of a wind in the sky and 1,111 goose coops landed on both sides of the road. The little boys in them were crying. Unseen in the sky were the deities who had been looking after them: the city and the local gods, the deities of the altars, the True Officials, the Guardians of the Four Quarters and the Centre, the Four Duty Gods, the Six Dings and Six Jias, the Protectors of the Faith and the rest of them, who all responded with a loud shout of, “Great Sage, on your earlier instructions we carried the boys away in the goose coops. Now that we have learned of your success in your task and your departure we have brought every one of them back again.” The king, his queens and consorts and all his ministers and subjects fell to their knees to kowtow.

“Thank you for your efforts, gentlemen,” Monkey shouted to the sky. “Please all return to your shrines now. I'll get the people to make thanksgiving offerings to you.” With a soughing noise the magic wind then arose again and departed.

Monkey then told the people of the city to come and collect their children. The news was spread at once, and the people all came to claim the boys in the baskets. They were very happy indeed. Holding the boys in their arms they called them dear ones and darlings. Dancing and laughing they told their children to take hold of the lords from Tang and bring them home so that they could express their thanks for the boys' rescue. Nobody, young or old, male or female, was frightened by the disciples' ugly faces as they all carried Pig, Friar Sand, Monkey and the Tang Priest back to the city in the middle of a crowd that also brought their luggage and led the horse. The king could not stop them. Family after family laid on a banquet or a feast, and those who could not offer hospitality made monkish hats, shoes, tunics, cotton socks, and other inner and outer garments in different sizes that they presented to the pilgrims. Only when they had been entertained in this way for nearly a month were the travelers able to leave the city. Portraits of them were painted and tablets bearing their names set up; to these the people could kowtow, burn incense and make offerings. Indeed:

Great was the gratitude for their enormous kindness,

In saving the lives of infants by the thousand.

If you don't know what happened later listen to the explanation in the next installment.

Chapter 80

The Young Girl Seeks a Mate to Build Up the Male

Protecting His Master the Mind-Ape Sees Through a Demon

The story tells how the king, ministers and common people of Bhiksuland escorted the Tang Priest and his three disciples out of the city. Seven miles later they were still unwilling to part from the pilgrims, but Sanzang insisted on getting out of the coach, mounting the horse and taking his leave of them. The people who had been seeing him off did not return to the city until the travelers had vanished from view.

When the four had been travelling for a long time the winter and the spring too were over. There was no end of wild flowers and mountain trees to be seen; fragrant blossoms filled the view. To Sanzang's alarm another towering mountain appeared in front of them.

“Disciples,” he asked, “is there a way across the high mountain before us? We must be careful.”

“Master,” laughed Brother Monkey, “that's not what a seasoned traveler should be saying. You sound much more like some pampered prince trying to look at the whole sky from the bottom of a well. As the old saying goes, a mountain can't stop the road: it can find its own way across. So why ask whether there's a way?”

“Even if this mountain cannot block the road,” Sanzang replied, “I am afraid that there may be monsters on the mountain precipices and evil spirits that will emerge from its deep recesses.”

“Don't worry,” said Pig, “don't worry. We're not far from Paradise here. I guarantee it'll all be nice and peaceful-there won't be any trouble.” As they were talking master and disciples reached the foot of the mountain without even noticing. Taking out his gold-banded cudgel Monkey climbed the rock-face.

“Master,” he called, “there's a path that goes round the mountain. The going's very easy. Hurry up!” The Tang Priest now put his worries aside and whipped the horse forward. “Carry the luggage for a while, brother,” said Friar Sand to Pig, who did so while Friar Sand held the horse's reins and the master sat in the carved saddle. They hurried along the main path up the steep slope after Monkey. This was what the mountain looked like:

The peak was wrapped in clouds;

Torrents rushed down ravines.

The paths were heavy with the scent of flowers,

And dense grew the countless trees.

Blue were the gages, white the plums,

Green the willows and red the peaches.

Spring was all but over where the cuckoo sang;

When fledgling swallows chirped the festival was finished.

Craggy boulders,

Blue-green pines shaped like parasols.

The track leading across the ridge

Climbed high over a tracery of rocks;

The beetling precipice

Was overgrown with creepers, grass and trees.

Peaks like a row of halberds vied in elegance;

Far from the ocean wave streams competed in gullies.

As the master was taking an unhurried look at the mountain scenery he was moved to homesickness by the sound of a bird singing. “Disciples,” he said,

“After receiving His Majesty's command

I was given my passport in front of the brocade screen.

Watching lanterns on the fifteenth night I left the Eastern land,

And then was parted from the emperor of Tang.

Just when the dragon and tiger winds both met

I and my disciples had to struggle with the horse.

Twelve may be the peaks of Mount Wu;

But when shall I face and see you again?”'

“Master,” said Monkey, “you're always suffering from homesickness. You're not like a monk at all. Stop worrying and keep going: don't upset yourself so. As the old saying goes, you've got to work hard if you want to be rich and successful.”

“What you say is quite right, disciple,” said Sanzang, “but I do not know where the road to the West runs.”

“Master,” said Pig, “it's all because our Tathagata Buddha can't bring himself to give those scriptures away. He must have removed the path because he knows we're coming to fetch them. Why else can't we get to the end of the journey?”

“Don't talk such nonsense,” said Friar Sand. “Just keep going with big brother. As long as we stick with him we're bound to get there in the end.”

As they were talking master and disciples came in sight of a great expanse of dark pine forest. In his fear the Tang Priest called out, “Wukong, no sooner have we taken that precipitous track over the mountain than we come to this deep, dark pine forest. Why? We must be careful.”

“There's nothing to be scared of,” said Monkey.

“Nonsense,” said Sanzang. “Never trust what appears to be absolutely upright, and be on your guard against evil masquerading as goodness. I have been through quite a few pine woods with you, but never one as vast and deep as this. Just look at the trees:

Dense-packed to East and West,

In lines to North and South.

Dense-packed to East and West they reach the end of the clouds;

In lines to North and South they touch the azure firmament.

Thorns and brambles grow close-tangled all about;

Knotweed wraps itself around the branches.

Liana coils round kudzu vine,

Kudzu coils around liana.