At this Pig started a desperate howl of, “All this 'behave yourself, behave yourself!' I'm starving!”

“You don't understand, brother,” Friar Sand replied with a smile. “When it comes to the belly, all the well-behaved people in the world are exactly the same as we two.” Only then did Pig stop eating. After Sanzang had said the grace for the end of the meal the attendants cleared the tables and Sanzang expressed his thanks.

When the monks asked about why they had come from the East, Sanzang's conversation turned to ancient sites and he asked them about the name Spread Gold Monastery.

“This used to be the Monastery of the Venerable Almsgiver in the country of Sravasti,” the monks answered. “It was also known as the Jetavana and its name was changed to its present one after the Venerable Almsgiver covered the ground with gold bricks, in those days the Venerable Almsgiver used to live in the country of Sravasti, and our monastery was his Jetavana, which is why it was renamed the Almsgiver's Spread Gold Monastery. The site of the Jetavana is at the back of the monastery. Whenever there has been a torrential rainstorm in recent years, small pieces of gold and silver have been washed out, and some people are lucky enough to pick them up.”

“So the story is a true one,” said Sanzang, going on to ask, “Why did I see so many travelling merchants with horses, mules, carts and carrying-poles resting here when I came in through the gates of your monastery?”

“This mountain is called Mount Hundredfoot,” the monks replied. “We used to live in peace and prosperity here, but with the cyclic progression of the natural forces a number of centipede spirits have for some inexplicable reason appeared. They attack people on the roads and though nobody gets killed people don't dare to travel. At the foot of the mountain there's a Cock-crow Pass that people only dare to cross after cock-crow. As all these strangers arrived late they are worried that it would not be safe and are putting up here tonight. They'll set out at cock-crow.” As master and disciples were talking a vegetarian meal was brought in that they ate.

Sanzang and Monkey were strolling in the light of the rising half moon when a lay brother came to announce, “Our ancient master would like to meet the gentlemen from China.”

Sanzang at once turned to see an ancient monk holding a bamboo cane who came forward to greet him and ask, “Are you the teacher come from China?”

“You do me too great an honour,” Sanzang replied, returning his greeting. The old monk was full of admiration for him, asking how old he was.

“I have wasted forty-five years,” Sanzang replied. “May I ask how old you are?”

“Just one sixty-year cycle older than you, teacher,” the other answered.

“Then you're a hundred and five this year,” Brother Monkey said. “How old do you think I am?”

“Teacher,” the old monk replied, “your appearance seems so ancient and your spirit so pure that I could not tell in a hurry, especially by moonlight with my poor eyes.” After talking for a while they walked to the back cloister for a look round.

“Where is the site of the Almsgiver's Garden that you mentioned just now?” Sanzang asked.

“Outside the back gate,” the other replied. On the order being given for the back gate to be opened immediately, all that could be seen was the ruined base of a stone wall. Putting his hands together, Sanzang sighed and said,

“I think of the benefactor Sudatta

Who gave his treasures to help the needy

The fame of Jetavana long endures;

Where is he now with the enlightened arhat?”

After a leisurely stroll enjoying the moonlight they sat down for a while on a terrace, where they heard the sound of sobbing. As Sanzang listened with a still heart he could hear that the weeper was grieving because her parents did not know of her suffering. This moved him to sorrow, and he found himself in tears as he turned to the monks and asked, “Who is it being so sad, and where?” On hearing this question the ancient monk sent all the others away to prepare tea, and when nobody else was around he kowtowed to the Tang Priest and Brother Monkey.

“Venerable abbot,” said Sanzang, helping him to his feet again, “why do you pay me this courtesy?”

“As I am over a hundred,” the ancient monk replied, “I do know a little of the ways of the world; and in between periods of meditation and stillness I have seen some things. I know a certain amount about you, my lord, and your disciples, and you are not like other people. The only teachers here who would be able to analyze this most painful business are you.”

“Tell me what it's all about,” said Monkey.

“A year ago today,” the ancient monk replied, “I was concentrating my mind on the nature of the moon when I suddenly heard a gust of wind and the sound of someone grieving. I got out of bed, went into the Jetavana and saw a beautiful girl there. 'Whose daughter are you?' I asked her. 'Why are you here?' 'I am a princess, the daughter of the king of India,' the girl replied. 'The wind blew me here when I was looking at the flowers by moonlight.' I locked her up in an empty room that I bricked up like a prison cell, just leaving a gap in the door big enough to pass a bowl through. That day I told the other monks that she was an evil spirit I had captured. But as we monks are compassionate I couldn't kill her, and every day she is given two meals of simple food and drink to keep her alive. The girl is clever enough to understand what I mean, and to prevent herself from being sullied by the other monks she has pretended to be deranged and slept in her own piss and shit. During the day she talks nonsense or just sits there in silence, but in the still of the night she cries because she misses her parents. I've been into the city several times to make enquiries about the princesses, but not a single one is missing. So I have put her under stronger locks, and I am even more determined not to let her go. Now that you have come here, teacher, I beg you to go to the capital and use your dharma powers to find out the truth. You will thus be able both to rescue the good and display your magical powers.”

When Sanzang and Monkey heard this they noted it very carefully. As they were talking two junior monks came in to invite them to take tea and go to bed, so they went back inside.

Back in the abbot's lodgings Pig and Friar Sand were grumbling, “We'll have to be on our way at cock-crow tomorrow, so why aren't you in bed yet?”

“What's that you're saying, idiot?” Monkey asked.

“Go to bed,” Pig replied. “Why are you admiring the blooming scenery this late?” At this the ancient monk left them, and the Tang Priest went to bed.

Sweet dreams of flowers in the moonlit silence;

Warm breezes coming through the window gauze.

As water drips in the clepsydra to fill three sections,

The Milky Way shines on the splendors of the palace.

They had not slept long that night when they heard the cocks crowing. The traders in front of the monastery all got up noisily and prepared their breakfast by lamplight. The venerable elder woke up Pig and Friar Sand to bridle the horse and pack up, while Monkey called for lamps to be lit. The monks of the monastery, who were up already, set out tea, soup and snacks, and waited on them. Pig ate a plate of steamed buns with delight then took the luggage and the horse outside while Sanzang and Brother Monkey took their leave of all the monks.

“Please don't forget about that very tragic business,” said the ancient monk.

“I'll give it all my attention,” Monkey replied, “all my attention. Once I'm in the city I'll be able to find out the truth from what I hear and see.” They traders noisily set off together. By the last watch of the night they were through Cockcrow Pass, and by ten in the morning the walls of the city were in sight. It was indeed a powerful city as strong as an iron cauldron, the heavenly capital of a divine region. The city