Journey to the West 1: The Monkey
From the beginning of time, a rock had sat high on top of a mountain. The sun, the moon, Heaven, and Earth all worked their magic on the rock. One day the rock split open. Inside was a monkey.
The monkey stood up and stretched. Suddenly powerful light shot from his eyes. For a moment the light reached the Cloud Palace in Heaven.
The Jade Emperor, ruler of Heaven, sat up. He turned to one of his captains, who was standing nearby.
"Find out what caused that light," said the emperor.
"Yes, Your Majesty," said the captain.
The captain rushed out of the hall. He looked out the southern gate of Heaven and saw the monkey on Earth below. The light was gone. But the captain had magical sight. He could see everything that had just happened.
"Interesting," said the captain.
"Well?" said the Jade Emperor when the captain returned. "What caused the light?"
"It was a monkey," said the captain.
"A monkey?" asked the Jade Emperor.
"Yes," said the captain. "He's on the Fruit and Flower Mountain, down on Earth. There had been a rock on the mountain. The monkey came from the rock. The light shone from the monkey's eyes."
The emperor thought for a moment and then shrugged. "I'm not surprised," he said. "Amazing things happen when Heaven and Earth work together."
As time passed, Monkey learned to walk, run, and climb. He drank from streams and ate grasses and leaves. He gathered fruit and explored caves and mountaintops. He became friends with all the other monkeys and apes. At night he slept under a cliff.
One very hot morning, all the monkeys and apes were playing in the shade.
"It is so hot today!" cried one monkey. "Let's play in the stream."
"Good idea!" said another monkey.
The monkeys and apes ran to the stream. The water rolled and bounced over the rocks.
The monkeys jumped into the cool water. Everyone splashed and played.
After a few minutes, one monkey scratched her head. "We all love this stream," she said. "We drink from it. We swim in it. We know that it flows all the way to the ocean. But does anyone know where the stream begins?"
They all looked at one another and shook their heads.
"We have nothing to do today," the monkey continued. "Why don't we follow the stream to find its source?"
"That sounds like fun," said another monkey.
"Let's go!" said a third monkey.
Everyone jumped out of the water. They ran alongside the stream and swung from tree to tree. They jumped over rocks and climbed up steep cliffs. Higher and higher they went up the mountain until they reached an enormous waterfall. Mist filled the air. The water crashed down, roaring like thunder.
"I wonder what's behind that waterfall," said one monkey.
"Me too," said a second monkey. "But nobody could jump through it."
"Whoever can jump through and come back alive will be our king," said a gibbon. "Is anyone brave enough to try?"
All the monkeys and apes looked at one another. They shook their heads.
"I'm not going to try," said a tall monkey.
"Me neither," said a short monkey.
A voice called out, "I'll do it!"
Everyone moved out of the way as the speaker stepped forward. It was Monkey.
"Are you sure?" asked the gibbon. "It looks dangerous."
Monkey laughed. "I'm not afraid of anything! And when I come back, I will be king!"
Monkey took a deep breath and leaped into the waterfall.


Journey to the West 2: The Waterfall Cave
Monkey splashed through the waterfall and landed in a large cave. His eyes opened wide. The cave was filled with bamboo, trees, and beautiful flowers. Moss covered the walls. A stream flowed through the cave, and glowing light and mist filled the air.
Monkey found a long table with bowls, cups, and plates. A fireplace sat against one wall. Deeper in the cave, Monkey found bedrooms with cozy beds.
Outside, the other monkeys and apes were looking at the waterfall.
"Do you think he made it through?" asked one monkey.
"No," said another monkey. "He probably got washed away down the river."
Suddenly— 
splash! 
Monkey shot out of the waterfall and landed in front of the group.
"You're alive!" said a monkey.
Monkey laughed. "Yes! And we are very lucky! I found a perfect home for all of us. Follow me!"
Monkey jumped back through the water.
Some of the monkeys scratched their heads.
"It still looks dangerous," said one monkey.
"Let's go," said the gibbon. He leaped through the waterfall.
After that, another monkey jumped through. Then some more jumped.
Soon all of the monkeys and apes were in the cave. Everyone ran around to see all the wonderful things.
"This cave is beautiful," said the gibbon.
Some of the monkeys and apes began fighting and arguing. They grabbed plates and bowls from one another. Others fought over the bedrooms.
"I saw this bed first!" yelled one monkey.
"No!" yelled another monkey. "I did!"
Monkey watched his friends for a moment and then folded his arms.
"Ahem!" he called.
All the monkeys and apes stopped what they were doing. They looked at Monkey.
"I found this cave for us," said Monkey. "That means I am now your king. Why aren't you bowing to me?"
"He's right," said the gibbon. He bowed to Monkey and said, "All hail the Monkey King."
Everyone else bowed too. "All hail the Monkey King!" they shouted.
* * *
Many years went by. During the day the monkeys and apes played in the forest and the stream. And every night they slept safely in their cave.
One night the monkeys and apes had a huge feast. Fruits and nuts covered the table. Monkeys and apes danced and sang while music played.
Monkey sat on his throne and smiled. But then his smile faded. Soon he was frowning.
The gibbon saw Monkey and rushed over.
"Your Majesty," said the gibbon. "You look sad. What's wrong?"
Monkey sighed. "Our life here is perfect."
"Yes, that's true," said the gibbon. "So why are you sad?"
Monkey was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Someday our lives will end. I wish this perfect life could last forever."
The gibbon's eyes lit up. "Oh," he said. "You want to live forever?"
"I do," said Monkey.
The gibbon rubbed his chin. "Then you must study with a sage. Sages are very wise people. They can turn themselves into other animals. They can fly through the sky. And they know how to live forever."
Monkey smiled again. "Where can I find a sage?" he asked.
"You must find a land with people," said the gibbon. "That's where you'll find a sage."
The next morning Monkey built a raft and loaded food onto it. He pushed the raft into the stream and jumped on.
As the raft began to float away, Monkey waved to his friends.
"Don't worry!" he called. "After I learn how to live forever, I will return!"


Journey to the West 3: Subodhi
Monkey sailed over the ocean for a long time. Finally he arrived at a new land. He walked for many years, visiting towns and meeting people. But he didn't find a sage anywhere.
Eventually he came to mountains covered in thick forest. He headed up a steep mountain trail and soon heard chopping. A woodcutter was chopping firewood.
"Hello," said Monkey. "Are there any sages in these mountains?"
The woodcutter dropped his ax.
"You're . . . a monkey!" he said. "And you're talking!"
"Yes, I am," said Monkey. "And I want to live forever. Do you know where I can find a sage?"
The woodcutter scratched his head. "Well, yes," he said. "A sage named Subodhi lives on this mountain. He is very wise."
Monkey was excited. "Where can I find him?"
"Just follow this trail, and you will come to his home," said the woodcutter.
"Thank you!" said Monkey. He waved good-bye to the woodcutter and ran up the trail. Soon he saw a temple built into the side of the mountain.                                                              
Subodhi was sitting with his students in the main room of his temple. He looked at his oldest student.
"Please go to the door," said Subodhi. "A new student is about to arrive. Let him in."
The student looked confused. "Okay, Master," he said.
The student got up and went to the door of the temple. He looked outside.
"Hello!" called Monkey. "I'm here to see Subodhi!"
A moment later Monkey was standing in front of the sage.
"I want to be your student," said Monkey.
"But you're just a monkey," said Subodhi. "How can you be my student?"
Monkey laughed. "I might be a monkey. But I can walk and talk and do many other things. I traveled almost 13 years to get here. I'm sure I can be your student."
Subodhi stared at Monkey for a moment. "Who are your parents?" he asked.
Monkey scratched his head. "I don't have parents," he said. "I was born from a rock."
"Interesting," said Subodhi. "You were probably created by Heaven and Earth. You may be my student. You need a name." He thought for a moment. "I will call you Sun Wukong."                                                          
For the next seven years, Sun Wukong lived in Subodhi's temple. The monkey spent his days meditating, listening to his teacher's lessons, and doing chores.
One day, while Subodhi was giving a lesson, Wukong started to dance.
Subodhi stood up. "How dare you dance while I'm teaching?" he shouted.
"I'm sorry," said Wukong. "But I was so happy, I needed to dance!"
Subodhi calmed down. "You're happy?"
"Yes," said the monkey. "I love learning from you."
"Wukong, you have been here a long time. What would you like to learn from me?" asked Subodhi.
Wukong shrugged. "I don't know. You tell me what I should learn."
"Well," said Subodhi, "I can teach you how to tell the future. Would you like that?"
"Maybe," said Wukong. "Will it make me live forever?"
"Of course not," said Subodhi.
"Then forget it," said Wukong. "Teach me something else."
"Hmm," said Subodhi. "How about some magic breathing exercises?"
"Will they make me live forever?" asked Wukong.
"No," said Subodhi, frowning.
"Then I'm not interested," said Wukong.
Subodhi became angry. He stood up and knocked Wukong on the head three times. Then he left the room.
"Wukong," said another student. "You were very rude to Master!"
The other students all agreed.
Wukong, however, smiled. None of the other students knew it, but Subodhi had given him a secret message.


Journey to the West 4: Secret Formulas
When the other students went to bed that night, Wukong stayed awake. At three o'clock in the morning, he crept quietly through the dark temple. He entered Subodhi's room.
"Wukong, what are you doing here?" asked the sage.
"I understood your secret message," said the monkey. "You hit me on the head three times. That meant you wanted me to visit you at three o'clock. Now will you teach me how to live forever?"
Subodhi smiled. "I knew you were a worthy student. Come closer."
Subodhi whispered into Wukong's ear. The sage whispered prayers as well as secret formulas about the universe and nature. As the monkey listened to his teacher's words, powerful light filled the room.
Now Wukong knew how to live forever!
* * *
For the next few years, Wukong meditated and practiced the secret formulas. While the other students slept at night, Wukong stayed up.
Soon his mind and body were powerful, and he could change shape or size. He could turn into other animals and soar through the sky on clouds.
One day all the students were sitting outside.
"Wukong," said one student. "You have been busy lately."
"It's true," said another student. "What have you been doing?"
"I've been meditating and practicing secret formulas," said Wukong.
"Secret formulas?" said the first student.
Everyone looked very interested. They leaned in closer to Wukong.
"Yes," said the monkey. "Our master told them to me."
"He did?" said a student. "You must be special. He doesn't tell everyone those formulas. What did he teach you?"
Wukong smiled. "He taught me how to live forever. He also taught me how to change into other things."
"Show us what you can do," said the student.
Wukong stood up. He muttered a quick spell and made a sign with his hands. Suddenly— 
zap! 
The monkey was gone. An enormous pine tree stood in his place.
Wukong's voice came from the tree. "What do you think?"
The students clapped and cheered.
"That's amazing!" said one.
"The monkey is truly powerful!" said another.
The noise disturbed Subodhi. He ran outside and saw the enormous pine tree.
"What's going on out here?" he shouted.
Everyone stopped cheering. Wukong quickly turned back into himself.
Subodhi's eyes flashed with anger. "Everyone but Wukong, go inside!" he yelled.
Subodhi waited for the other students to leave.
"I taught you the secret formulas so you could live forever," said the sage. "Not so you could show off!"
"I'm sorry," said Wukong. "I—"
Subodhi kept talking. "Now all of the students have seen what you can do. They will want to know how to do it too! If you don't tell them, they might harm you. It's not safe for you to stay here anymore. You must go."
Wukong started to cry. "But, Master! Where will I go?"
"Go back home," said Subodhi.
"But you taught me so many things!" said the monkey. "I must repay you first."
"You don't need to repay me," said Subodhi. "Just try to stay out of trouble."
The sage looked at Wukong for a moment. Then he said, "I can see that you will do evil things someday. Don't tell anyone you were my student. Now go."
Wukong hung his head. "Good-bye, Master."
He leaped onto a cloud and left.
After a short journey, Wukong arrived at the Fruit and Flower Mountain.
"I have returned!" he called.
The gibbon ran to him. "Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!"


Journey to the West 5: The Demon of Chaos
"What happened here?" Wukong asked the gibbon.
A few more monkeys and apes gathered around Sun Wukong and the gibbon. They looked scared.
"A demon attacked us," said the gibbon. "We tried to fight him, but he was too powerful. He stole most of our things and kidnapped many of us."
Wukong was furious. "Who is he? Where does he live?"
"He is called the Demon of Chaos," said the gibbon. "He came from the north."
"Wait here," Wukong ordered. "I will handle the demon."
"The demon is very powerful," the gibbon warned.
"I learned many things from a sage," Wukong replied. "I am now as powerful as a god! I'm not afraid of any demon. I'll be back soon."
He leaped into the air and flew north.
His subjects stared in amazement.
"Our king can fly!" said the gibbon.
Wukong soon spotted a gloomy mountain. Dark clouds hung over it.
"That looks like a demon's home," he thought.
Wukong landed on the mountain and found a cave. Two guards stood at the entrance, practicing sword fighting.
"I'm king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain!" yelled Wukong. "The Demon of Chaos attacked my subjects! I want revenge!"
"Ahh!" the guards shrieked, and ran into the cave.
The Demon of Chaos was sitting at a table, eating a meal.
"Disaster!" one guard cried.
"What sort of disaster?" asked the demon.
"There's a monkey outside," said the other guard. "He said he's king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain. You attacked his subjects. Now he wants revenge!"
"The monkeys and apes have spoken of a king," said the demon. "He left to find a sage. I guess he returned."
The demon stood up. "Does the monkey have any weapons?"
"No," said one guard.
"Then get me my armor and my sword," said the demon.
A moment later the Demon of Chaos walked outside. He looked at Wukong and laughed. "You're just a little monkey!" he said.
Wukong looked up at the huge demon. "I am small," he said, "but I am more powerful than you can imagine."
"I'm not afraid of you!" said the demon. He swung his sword.
Wukong jumped out of the way and then flew at the demon.

Pow! 
Wukong hit the demon on the nose.
"Argh!" cried the demon.
Wukong pulled out a handful of his own hair and blew on it.

Poof! 
Each strand of hair turned into a fake monkey—exactly like Wukong. All at once the fake monkeys attacked the demon, punching and kicking him.
"What . . . What's going on?" cried the demon, trying to fight all the fake monkeys.
"It's a magic spell," said Wukong. "It's called Body Beyond the Body."
The Demon of Chaos was soon destroyed.
Wukong chased away the guards and then went into the cave. He found all the monkeys and apes that the demon had kidnapped. When they saw him, they cheered.
"Your Majesty!" cried the monkeys and apes. "You came back!"
Wukong smiled. "I will take you home!"
* * *
The next morning Wukong woke up early.
"Other demons might attack us," he thought. "We must be ready to protect ourselves."
Wukong spent the day teaching his subjects how to fight. They practiced with swords and spears.
Before long, the monkeys and apes were a fierce army.
"No demon will dare bother us now," said the gibbon.
"No," said Wukong. "There's just one problem though."
"What's that?" asked the gibbon.
"I can't use any of the weapons we have!" said Wukong.


Journey to the West 6: The Dragon King
"What's wrong with our swords and spears?" asked the gibbon.
"They're fine for normal monkeys and apes," said Wukong. "But I am very powerful. I need a much heavier weapon."
The gibbon thought for a minute. "A dragon king lives at the bottom of the Eastern Sea," he said. "Maybe he has a weapon you can use."
"That's a good idea," said Wukong. "I'll be back soon!"
He said a quick spell so he could breathe underwater. Then he dived into the stream. He swam to the ocean and went deeper and deeper. Soon he arrived at a large palace.
The Dragon King and the Dragon Queen were sitting at a table, having tea. The Dragon King looked over when Wukong walked in.
"Who are you?" asked the Dragon King.
"I'm king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain," said Wukong. "My name is Sun Wukong."
"It's nice to meet you," said the queen. "Would you like some tea?"
"No, thank you," said Wukong. "I need a heavy weapon because I'm as strong as a god. I want one of yours."
"Well," said the Dragon King, "I suppose I could find a weapon for you." The Dragon King looked at a turtle soldier. "Find a heavy weapon for Sun Wukong."
The turtle went out of the room. He soon came back, slowly dragging a huge sword. He dropped the sword and then fell down, out of breath.
Wukong picked up the sword with no trouble at all. 
Swish! 
Swoosh! 
He waved the sword through the air, pretending to fight.
"This sword is too light," said Wukong. "Find me a better weapon!"
"This monkey is rude," the Dragon Queen whispered to her husband.
"You're right, dear," the Dragon King whispered back. "Let's find him something quickly so he'll leave."
A few minutes later, several turtles and octopuses dragged an enormous spear into the room.
"There," said the Dragon King. "That looks like a very heavy weapon. Right, Wukong?"
Wukong lifted the spear and began stabbing at the air. He shook his head. "This spear is too light."
The Dragon King snorted. "That spear is very heavy! How can you say it's too light?"
"To me, it's light," said Wukong. "Find me something else!"
"We don't have anything else," said the Dragon King. "That's the heaviest weapon we have."
Wukong stomped his foot. "I'm not leaving until I get what I want!"
"This is an outrage!" said the Dragon King.
The queen whispered to him again. "What about the magical iron bar in the treasury? I'm sure that's heavy enough."
"We can't give that to him," said the Dragon King. "It's a treasure from Heaven."
"Who cares?" said the queen. "I just want this monkey out of my palace!"
The Dragon King sighed. "Wukong, we might have something heavy enough for you."
"Bring it here," said Wukong.
"We can't," said the Dragon King. "It's too heavy for anyone to lift. But if you can lift it, we'll let you have it."
"Show me where it is," said Wukong.
The group went to the treasury. An enormous iron pillar stood in the center of the room. Beams of golden light shone from it.
"That pillar was used to measure all the oceans and rivers," said the Dragon King.
Wukong went closer and looked up at the large piece of iron.
The Dragon King folded his arms. "If you can pick it up, you can have it."


Journey to the West 7: The Land of Darkness
Sun Wukong put his hand on the iron pillar. He felt it move.
"Hmm," he thought. "This piece of iron really is magical. I bet it will do whatever I want it to do."
"Smaller!" commanded Wukong.
The pillar shrank! Soon it was just a little taller than Wukong. He picked it up and swung it around.
"This is a perfect weapon for me," he said.
"I can't believe he can lift it!" said the Dragon Queen.
Wukong made the bar even smaller. Soon it was no bigger than a pin. He placed it inside his ear.
"I've got what I want," said Wukong. "Good-bye." He turned around and left.
"He was very rude," said the Dragon Queen.
The Dragon King clenched his fists. "I'm going to report him to the Jade Emperor!"
* * *
Back home, the others were amazed by Wukong's new weapon.
"Nobody will ever attack us again!" declared Wukong.
The monkeys and apes cheered. They held a big feast that lasted until late at night.
Wukong went to bed happy. But as he fell asleep, two spirits grabbed him.
"What are you doing?" asked Wukong. "Let go of me!"
He kicked and struggled as the spirits dragged him out of his cave. They walked toward a dark and creepy city. A sign on the entrance gate said "Land of Darkness."
"The Land of Darkness?" cried Wukong. "That's where people go when they die. I'm supposed to live forever!"
He yanked his arms free. "Grow!" he cried.
His iron bar quickly grew. 
Whap! 
He knocked out the first spirit. 
Crack! 
He knocked out the second spirit.
Wukong stomped into the Land of Darkness. He headed toward the Palace of Darkness. As he went, he swung his iron bar back and forth. Demons and ghosts fled.
A tall spirit stepped out of the palace.
"What's going on out here?" the spirit asked.
"Who are you?" asked Wukong.
"I am the Judge of the Dead," said the spirit. "Why are you causing all this trouble?"
"I want to know why I was brought here," said Wukong. "Tell me now!"
The judge held up his hands. "If you were brought here, it means your time on Earth is over."
"Nonsense!" yelled Wukong. "I'm going to live forever!"
The judge looked nervous. "Let's check the Directory," he said. "The Directory contains the name and age of every creature on Earth. It says when each creature will die."
Inside the palace the judge opened a large book. "What is your name?" he asked.
Wukong told him. The judge flipped through the pages.
"Here it is," said the judge. "It says 'Sun Wukong. Born from a stone three hundred years ago. Died today.'"
Wukong shook his head. "No. I'm going to live forever."
"The Directory isn't wrong," said the judge. "You'll have to stay here now."
Wukong raised his iron bar and glared at the judge. "Give me that book!"
The judge hesitated. "I can't give it to—"
"Now!" said Wukong.
Shaking, the judge handed the book to Wukong.
Wukong plucked two of his hairs and blew on them. They turned into a brush and a jar of ink. He drew a line through his name.
"You can't do that!" said the judge.
"Yes, I can," said Wukong.
Next, Wukong found the names of all the other monkeys and apes. He crossed out their names too.
"Now I really will live forever," said Wukong. "And so will all of my subjects!"


Journey to the West 8: A Job in Heaven
The Jade Emperor was sitting on his throne in the Cloud Palace.
A messenger ran into the court. "Your Majesty," he said. "The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea is here to see you."
"Let him in," said the emperor.
The Dragon King entered and bowed. "Your Majesty, I want to make a complaint. Sun Wukong came to my palace and demanded I give him a weapon. He was very rude."
Another messenger came in. "The Judge of the Dead would like to speak with you, Your Majesty."
The judge came in and bowed. "A monkey named Sun Wukong crossed out his name in the Directory. I beg you to punish him!"
The Jade Emperor rubbed his chin. "Who is this Sun Wukong? And how did he become so powerful?"
The emperor's captain stepped forward. "Sun Wukong is the monkey who was born from a rock three hundred years ago. I don't know how he became so powerful."
"I remember him," said the Jade Emperor. "I don't care how powerful he is. He is causing too much trouble on Earth. Gather some troops, and go down to the Fruit and Flower Mountain. I want Sun Wukong arrested!"
The spirit of the planet Venus stepped forward.
"Your Majesty," said Venus. "Perhaps we could give Wukong a job here in Heaven."
The Jade Emperor raised his eyebrows. "Why would we do that?"
"If he's here, we can keep an eye on him," said Venus. "It will be easy to keep him out of trouble."
"Very well," said the emperor. "Invite Wukong to come to live in Heaven. He will be in charge of the Royal Peach Garden."
* * *
Wukong was telling his subjects about his adventure in the Land of Darkness.
"After I crossed out my name," he said, "I crossed out all of your names too. We will all live forever!"
The monkeys and apes cheered. "Hooray for the Monkey King!"
Wukong noticed a spirit standing nearby. He pulled out his iron bar. "Who are you?"
"I am Venus," said the spirit. "I have an invitation from the Jade Emperor. He would like you to come to live in Heaven."
Wukong smiled. "At last he has invited me."
* * *
When Wukong entered the royal court in the Cloud Palace, he didn't bow.
"You're supposed to bow before the emperor," whispered Venus.
Wukong laughed. "I'm just as powerful as he is. Maybe he should bow before me!"
Everyone but the Jade Emperor gasped.
Wukong looked at the emperor. "I'm glad you invited me. I guess you finally realized I should be living up here with all of you."
"Show some respect," said Venus.
The Jade Emperor looked at Venus and smiled. "Wukong is new here. He can be excused for not acting the right way." He looked at Wukong. "I'm putting you in charge of the Royal Peach Garden. You will have a home here in Heaven. I hope you won't cause any more trouble."
"That sounds perfect!" said Wukong.
The next morning a gardener showed Wukong the peach garden. Bright, glowing peaches hung from every branch.
"The peaches in this garden are not like peaches on Earth," said the gardener. "These peaches take thousands of years to become ripe. Anybody who takes a bite of one will live forever."
Each morning Wukong inspected the trees in the garden. He took his job very seriously.
"These peaches look delicious," Wukong thought one day. He looked around. None of the gardeners were in sight. "Maybe I'll eat one."


Journey to the West 9: The Peach Garden
Wukong plucked a peach from a branch and bit into it.
"This peach tastes wonderful!" he said. He ate another peach. And then he ate another one.
Each morning after that, Wukong secretly ate more and more peaches. After eating he climbed into a tree and took a nap.
Time went by, and Wukong enjoyed his life in Heaven.
Meanwhile the queen of Heaven was busy. It was almost time for the annual Peach Festival. She called for her maidens, Red Gown and Blue Gown.
"How may we help you?" asked Red Gown.
"The Peach Festival is tomorrow," said the queen. "All the important gods and spirits in Heaven will be here. I also invited the bodhisattva Guanyin, the goddess of mercy. Go to the Peach Garden now, and pick plenty of ripe peaches."
Red Gown and Blue Gown went to the garden. As soon as they went through the gate, both maidens gasped.
"Where are all the peaches?" cried Red Gown.
"They're . . . gone!" cried Blue Gown.
"This is terrible!" said Red Gown. "The queen will be angry!"
Wukong had been sleeping up on a branch. When he heard the maidens, he woke up.
"Who's making all this noise?" he asked, jumping down to the ground. "I'm trying to sleep!"
The maidens were startled. "We're sorry to wake you, sir," said Red Gown. "We came to pick peaches for the Peach Festival. Do you know what happened to—"
"The Peach Festival?" said Wukong. His eyes lit up. "I didn't hear about that."
"Oh, it's a wonderful festival," said Blue Gown. "All the important gods and spirits will be there."
"That sounds like fun," said Wukong. "I'm sure I'm invited, right?"
Red Gown bit her lip. "Um, I don't think so."
Wukong was furious. "The queen did not invite me? I'm just as important as any other spirit or god!"
The maidens looked nervous.
"Sir," said Blue Gown. "Where are the peaches?"
"I ate them," said Wukong. "I ate every single one! And they were delicious!"
"Oh no!" cried Red Gown. "We must tell the queen."
"No, you're not going to tell the queen," said Wukong.
He quickly said a spell. Instantly Red Gown and Blue Gown fell asleep.
Wukong looked at all the empty peach trees. He shook his head. "I'm in big trouble."
* * *
When Red Gown and Blue Gown woke up, they ran back to the Cloud Palace.
"Your Majesty!" cried Red Gown. "Something terrible has happened! Sun Wukong ate all the peaches!"
"He got very angry and cast a spell on us," added Blue Gown. "When we woke up, he was gone."
The queen's eyes flashed with anger. She went to the royal court and told the Jade Emperor.
"That horrible monkey!" cried the emperor. He turned to his captain. "Gather 100,000 soldiers. I want Wukong arrested!"
The captain nodded and then left the palace.
Meanwhile the bodhisattva Guanyin left her home on Mount Potalaka in the South Sea. She soon arrived at the Cloud Palace.
"I'm sorry to tell you this," said the queen. "But there won't be a peach festival."
"Why not?" asked Guanyin.
"A monkey named Sun Wukong ate all the peaches," said the emperor. "I sent 100,000 soldiers to arrest him. They'll bring him back to Heaven soon."
Just then a messenger ran into the court. "We need more soldiers, Your Majesty!"
"What?" cried the emperor.
"Wukong defeated the entire army," said the messenger.
The Jade Emperor put his head in his hands. "We don't have any more soldiers!"


Journey to the West 10: The Powerful Sage
"How will we defeat Sun Wukong?" moaned the Jade Emperor. "I sent our entire army, and they couldn't arrest him!"
"Perhaps we can ask the sage Erlang to capture him," said Guanyin.
"Yes," said the Jade Emperor. "Erlang is very powerful." He turned back to the messenger. "Go to Plum Mountain. Ask Erlang if he'll help us."
* * *
Wukong stood in front of the waterfall with his cheering subjects.
"Our king has just defeated an entire army from Heaven!" said the gibbon.
"I hope the Jade Emperor learned his lesson," said Wukong. "He and his army are no match for—"
"Sun Wukong!" a deep voice boomed.
Wukong looked up. A large man was coming down from the sky. The apes and other monkeys ran and hid.
"I am Erlang," said the man. "The Jade Emperor sent me to arrest you."
Wukong laughed. "The Jade Emperor's entire army couldn't defeat me. What do you think you're going to do?"
"I am going to take you back to Heaven," said Erlang. "And you will be punished!"
Waving his iron bar, Wukong leaped at Erlang. 
Clang! 
Erlang blocked the bar with his sword and then struck back. Wukong jumped onto a cloud to get out of the way.
Erlang leaped into the air. He shook his body and suddenly grew much bigger.
Wukong laughed. "I can do that too!"
He shook his body and grew just as big as Erlang.
Clouds swirled and wind blew as the two giants fought in the sky. Their weapons banged together all through the night.
They were still fighting when the sun rose the next morning.
"This fight could last forever," thought Wukong. "I should try a different plan."
Wukong struck at Erlang one last time and then jumped back down to Earth. He turned himself into a sparrow and perched on a branch.
"Erlang will never find me now," thought Wukong.
He looked up and saw a hawk. The hawk swooped toward him.
"Oh no!" thought Wukong. "That's Erlang!"
Wukong dived into a stream. He turned himself into a fish and swam in the water. But then a crane flew over the stream.
The crane swooped down at the water. Its mouth was wide open. Wukong shot out of the stream. He changed back into himself and ran down a hill.
"I'll turn myself into a temple," he thought. "Then, if Erlang tries to enter, I'll bite him!"
Wukong's eyes became windows, and his mouth became a door. He turned his tail into a flagpole.
A moment later Erlang came down the hill. When he saw the temple, he scratched his head.
"Hmm," said Erlang. "I never saw a temple with a flagpole before. This must be Wukong. I'll kick in that door."
"Oh no!" thought Wukong. "He'll break all my teeth!"
Wukong changed back into himself and ran. Erlang was right behind him.
* * *
Up in Heaven the Jade Emperor, the queen, and Guanyin watched the chase. The sage Laozi came over to them.
"What's going on?" he asked, looking down.
"That monkey, Sun Wukong, ate all the peaches from the garden," said the Jade Emperor. "Then he defeated our entire army. Erlang is trying to catch him now."
"I can help," said Laozi.
He took a metal ring off his arm. He aimed carefully and hurled it down to Earth.

Clunk! 
The ring hit Wukong on the head. The monkey looked dizzy for a moment and then fell to the ground.


Journey to the West 11: Trouble in Heaven
Erlang quickly tied up Wukong and brought him up to Heaven.
"I want Sun Wukong destroyed," said the Jade Emperor.
Soldiers tied Wukong to a pillar in a courtyard. They struck him with swords. But his body was as hard as a diamond. The swords shattered.
Wukong laughed. "Your swords can't hurt me!"
The Jade Emperor turned to a messenger. "Bring in the fire gods."
Several fire gods entered the courtyard and threw balls of flame at Wukong. The courtyard filled with smoke. But when the smoke cleared, not one hair on Wukong's body was burned.
"Thank you!" Wukong laughed. "I was feeling a little cold!"
"Gather the thunder gods," said the Jade Emperor.
Several thunder gods entered the courtyard.
The Jade Emperor smiled as lightning bolts shot toward Wukong. But even the lightning couldn't harm the monkey.
"That tickled!" said Wukong with a smile.
The Jade Emperor shook his head. "It seems that Wukong can't be destroyed."
"That's because he ate all the peaches," said Laozi. "Just one peach would make someone live forever. He ate every peach in the garden!"
The emperor frowned. "Then how will we get rid of him?"
"I have an idea," said Laozi. "I'll put him in the large pot I use for making potions. Maybe we can burn him up slowly."
"Perfect," said the Jade Emperor.
Soldiers brought Wukong to a room in Laozi's palace. A large pot sat in the middle of the room. Laozi put Wukong into the pot and then closed the lid.
Laozi started a fire under the pot. Day and night he tended the fire. He kept it burning for 49 days.
"Wukong must have been destroyed by now," thought Laozi.
He slowly took the lid off the pot. Smoke poured from the opening, and Wukong leaped out! The pot fell over. Burning pieces of coal flew everywhere. Wukong's eyes were red, and he was coughing.
"That smoke was horrible!" he cried. He pushed Laozi, knocking the sage onto his back. Wukong pulled out his iron bar and smashed everything in the room.
"Somebody, stop him!" cried Laozi.
Wukong ran out of Laozi's palace. Gods and spirits fled as Wukong smashed everything in his path.
Laozi ran into the Cloud Palace.
"Your Majesty, Wukong is causing trouble all over Heaven!" he said.
"What!" cried the emperor. "He's alive?"
"Yes," said Laozi. "I took the lid off the pot because I thought he was burned up. But the fire didn't hurt him at all."
"This is an outrage!" said the Jade Emperor. "What are we going to do with that monkey?" The emperor thought for a moment.
"We must ask Buddha for help," he said. He turned to a messenger. "Go to the Western Paradise quickly. See if Buddha can come to help us."
Flying as fast as he could, the messenger headed toward the Western Paradise.
* * *
Everybody hid indoors as Wukong ran through Heaven. Using his iron bar, he smashed doors and windows and knocked over statues.
Suddenly he stopped. Before him was a huge figure, glowing with golden light.
"What do you want?" asked Wukong.
"I am Buddha," said the figure. "Who are you, and why are you causing all this trouble?"
Wukong smiled. "I am Sun Wukong, king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain. I should be the king of Heaven too! I'm going to the Cloud Palace to tell the Jade Emperor to leave. If he doesn't, I'll never stop causing trouble!"


Journey to the West 12: The Bet
Buddha smiled at Wukong. "How did you get so powerful?"
"A sage taught me secret formulas," said Wukong. "I practiced them for many years. I am now equal to the Jade Emperor."
"The Jade Emperor has been practicing the same formulas for many lifetimes," said Buddha. "How can you think you're equal to him? Go back to your mountain now and behave yourself."
"No," said Wukong. "I'm not leaving until I get to rule Heaven."
Buddha thought for a minute. "Sun Wukong, what powers do you have?"
"I can change into other animals," said Wukong. "I can soar through the sky on clouds. I can do anything I want!"
"Then let's make a bet," said Buddha. "If you win, you can rule Heaven. The Jade Emperor will come to live with me in the Western Paradise. But if you lose, you will be punished severely."
"What do I have to do?" asked Wukong.
"It's simple," said Buddha. He held out his hand. "You just have to jump off my hand."
Wukong laughed. "That's easy! I can jump across entire oceans!"
Buddha smiled. "Well then, let's see you do it."
Wukong stepped up onto Buddha's palm.
"You're a fool," he said to Buddha. "I'm going to jump farther than you could ever imagine. When I return, I'll be the ruler of Heaven!"
Wukong leaped and soared through the air. After a long time, he saw five enormous pillars. He landed in front of them.
"This must be the end of the world," he said to himself. "I'll go back now and tell Buddha to take the Jade Emperor away. Heaven is mine!"
Wukong was just about to jump back when he thought of something.
"There's nobody around," he thought. "How will I prove that I was here?" He tapped his chin. "I'll write a note on this pillar. Buddha can come here and check."
Wukong plucked two hairs and turned them into a brush and a jar of ink. On one of the pillars, he wrote: 
Sun Wukong was here.
"There," said Wukong. "Now I'll go and tell Buddha how far I jumped."
Wukong leaped once more. After a long time, he landed on Buddha's palm again.
"I'm back!" said Wukong. "Tell the Jade Emperor to leave."
Buddha frowned. "How can you say you're back? You never left my hand."
Wukong was confused. "Yes, I did! I reached the end of the world. There were five enormous pillars. I even wrote on one. Come with me and I'll show you."
"There's no need to go anywhere," said Buddha. "Just look down."
Wukong looked down. Near the bottom of Buddha's middle finger was the note: 
Sun Wukong was here.
Wukong stomped his foot. "It's a trick! You used some sort of magic!"
"It's not a trick," said Buddha. "You never left my palm."
"I did! I did!" cried Wukong. "I jumped all the way to—"
"You lost the bet, Sun Wukong," said Buddha. "And now you will be punished."
Holding Wukong tightly, Buddha reached down to Earth. His hand turned into a mountain, which he placed on top of the monkey.
"Grr!" Wukong grunted, and pushed with all his strength.
The mountain started to rise.
Buddha pulled a small sheet of magic paper from his sleeve. He laid the paper on top of the mountain. The mountain dropped back down.
Buddha turned to the Jade Emperor. "Sun Wukong can't lift the mountain now," he said. "He will be trapped until his punishment is over."


Journey to the West 13: The True Scriptures
Five hundred years passed. Wukong stayed trapped under the mountain. A thick layer of moss covered the monkey.
One day Buddha sat in the Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Paradise. He was talking to his students.
"The people in the east, in the Tang Empire, need our help," said Buddha. "They lie, cheat, and steal. They are greedy and constantly fighting." He held up a bundle of scrolls. "These are the True Scriptures. They will teach the people in the east to act better."
"Wonderful," said one student. "Let's bring the scriptures to the Tang Empire."
Buddha shook his head. "No," he said. "A true believer—a monk—needs to come here to get them. Will anyone go to the east to find a worthy monk?"
Guanyin stepped forward. "I will go."
* * *
The Tang Emperor smiled as his head monk read to a small group of people. The monk was reading old religious texts.
A woman interrupted the monk. "Why are you reading those old texts?" she asked. "Don't you know about the True Scriptures?"
The emperor stood up. "How dare you interrupt my—"
"It's okay," said the monk. He walked over to the woman. "What are the True Scriptures?"
The woman looked at the monk carefully. "They contain many lessons. People who learn the lessons never have to suffer again."
"Do you have them here?" asked the monk.
"No," said the woman. "They are with Buddha in the Western Paradise. Someone must travel to the Thunderclap Monastery to get them. But only a true believer may make the journey." She took a robe out of her bag. "Put this on."
The monk put on the robe. Beams of light shone from it. The emperor gasped.
"You are a true believer," said the woman. "Will you make the journey?"
"Yes," said the monk, looking down at the glowing robe. "It will be an honor."
"The journey will be very difficult," said the woman. "Wide rivers and steep mountains will block your path. Fierce creatures and evil demons will try to attack you. But don't fear—you will have help from me."
Suddenly the room filled with blinding light. The woman rose into the air and changed form.
"It's the bodhisattva Guanyin!" someone cried.
The emperor and everyone else in the room bowed. Guanyin rose higher and then disappeared.
The next morning there was a huge feast. The Tang Emperor sat next to the monk.
"Your journey will help our empire greatly," said the emperor. "No longer will our people suffer or treat each other badly. From now on, I will think of you as my brother. You will be called the Tang Monk."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," said the Tang Monk.
"How long will the journey take?" asked the emperor.
"I will return in a few years," said the monk.
Later that day the Tang Monk got ready for his journey. He put the special robe into a bag. He put dried foods into another bag.
A big crowd gathered to say good-bye.
"Good luck, my brother," said the Tang Emperor.
The Tang Monk climbed onto a horse and rode toward the west.
He had traveled for over a month when he came to a big mountain. Slowly his horse walked up a steep trail.
"I have a bad feeling," said the Tang Monk. He looked around uneasily. "I hope there aren't any demons here."
Suddenly a voice boomed, "Who is walking on my mountain?"


Journey to the West 14: A Promise to Protect
The Tang Monk trembled with fear.
The angry voice spoke again. "Who is walking on my mountain?"
"Ahh!" cried the Tang Monk.
He fell off his horse and tumbled down the mountain. At the bottom he saw a crack between the rocks. The monk looked in and saw a moss-covered monkey peering out at him.
"My name is Sun Wukong," said the monkey. "I am king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain."
"Why are you in there?" asked the Tang Monk. He stood up.
"Buddha put me here," said Wukong. "I am being punished for causing trouble in Heaven. Who are you?"
"I'm just a monk," said the Tang Monk. "I'm going to the Western Paradise to get scriptures from Buddha."
Wukong gasped. "You're the Tang Monk!" he cried. "I'm supposed to go with you!"
The Tang Monk took a step back. Was this strange monkey telling the truth?
"The bodhisattva Guanyin visited me," Wukong went on. "She said I'd be set free if I promise to protect you on the journey. Set me free, and I'll go with you to the West."
The Tang Monk relaxed. He looked at the rocks. "How can I free you?"
"There's a small piece of paper on top of this mountain," said Wukong. "You must remove it."
The Tang Monk went back up the mountain. He pushed aside shrubs and brambles and pulled himself over large boulders. Finally he reached the mountain's peak.
The monk picked up the paper. Right away a breeze swept it from his hand. The paper floated up and then disappeared among the clouds.
The monk hurried back down the mountain. "The paper floated away," he said to the monkey.
"It returned to Buddha," said Wukong. "Now step back."
The Tang Monk took a step back.
"Go farther," said Wukong.
The monk took another step back.
"Go farther," said Wukong again.
The Tang Monk went far from the mountain. He gasped as the entire mountain rose into the air. Wukong stood under the mountain, holding it up with his hands. He jumped out, and the mountain crashed down behind him.
Wukong grabbed the Tang Monk's hands. "Thank you, Master! I will help you reach the Western Paradise."
The Tang Monk rode the horse as Wukong walked. The monkey told the monk about himself. "The Jade Emperor's entire army couldn't defeat me." He laughed. "So I said 
I 
should be in charge of Heaven."
"What powers do you have?" asked the Tang Monk.
"I can become other animals," said Wukong. "Watch this!"
He quickly changed into a tiger. The Tang Monk gulped. Wukong changed into a snake, a vulture, and then back into himself.
"And that's not all," he said. "I can grow big!" The monkey's body grew so big that his head reached the clouds.
"And I can become tiny!" said Wukong. He shrank to the size of a bee and hopped onto the monk's head.
"I can do more!" said Wukong. He changed back to his normal size. His iron bar appeared from his ear. The monkey spun it around and then struck a huge boulder.

Smash! 
The boulder exploded into tiny pieces.
The Tang Monk watched in horror.
Wukong laughed. "Don't look so scared, Master. I'm protecting you!"
The two traveled farther until they saw a group of men blocking the road. The men looked rough and mean. They all had weapons.
One man stepped forward and waved a sword. "Give us your money, or you'll be sorry!"


Journey to the West 15: Tea with a Dragon
The Tang Monk looked at the robbers. He was shaking. "I'm s-sorry," he said. "But . . . we're just monks. We don't have any money."
"Then give us whatever else you have," said one robber. He came closer.
"Please, sir," said the monk. "We—"
Wukong put up his hand. "I'll deal with these robbers, Master."
Wukong approached the men. They all laughed.
"Look at the little monkey!" said one of them.
Wukong laughed too. "Yes, I am a monkey. And I am rather small, it's true." He removed the iron bar from his ear. "But you should be scared of me anyway."
His iron bar grew, and his eyes flashed red with anger.
"The monkey is a spirit!" cried one man.
"Run!" cried another.
The robbers tripped over one another, trying to get away. Wukong raised the iron bar, ready to strike.
"Stop, Wukong!" cried the Tang Monk. "Don't hurt them!"
Wukong turned around as the men ran away. "Why not?" he asked. "They were going to hurt us."
"A Buddhist monk never hurts people," said the monk. "I would rather get hurt than hurt someone else."
Wukong laughed. "That's ridiculous. We should have beaten them up!"
The Tang Monk shook his head. "You are cruel and violent, Wukong."
Wukong was angry. "I just saved your life!" he cried. "How dare you scold me!" He paused. "I don't have to accept this treatment. I'm leaving!"
Wukong leaped into the air and was gone.
The Tang Monk sighed and then continued his journey. Later that day he saw an old woman.
"Monk," said the woman. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to the Western Paradise," said the Tang Monk.
"Don't you have anyone with you?" asked the woman. "You can't go there alone."
"I did have a companion," said the Tang Monk. "But he got angry when I scolded him for being violent. He left."
"Your companion will come back," said the woman. "When he does, trick him into putting this on." She pulled a metal headband out of her bag. "Whenever he misbehaves, recite the Tight Headband spell." The old woman whispered a magical spell to the Tang Monk.
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk. "But how did you—"
There was a flash of bright light, and the woman rose into the air.
"The bodhisattva Guanyin!" cried the Tang Monk. He got down from his horse and bowed.
* * *
Meanwhile Wukong sat in the palace of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea. He and the Dragon King were drinking tea.
"I hope you've learned from your punishment," said the Dragon King.
"Yes, I have," said Wukong. "I won't cause any more trouble for the Jade Emperor."
The Dragon King sipped his tea. "What will you do now?"
"I was traveling west with a monk, to get scriptures from Buddha," said Wukong. "I promised Guanyin I would do it."
The Dragon King smiled. "That's wonderful!"
Wukong shrugged. "Yes, well, I'm not doing it anymore."
The Dragon King put down his teacup. "Why not?"
"That monk had a bad attitude," said Wukong. "He yelled at me. He said I was cruel and violent."
The Dragon King coughed nervously. "Well, Wukong. The monk has a point."
Wukong glared at the king. "What do you mean?"
The king hesitated and then said, "You 
are 
violent sometimes."
Wukong folded his arms and looked at the ground.
The Dragon King continued. "Not only that, but you made a promise to Guanyin. Perhaps, Wukong, it is you who has a bad attitude?"


Journey to the West 16: Wukong Gets Tricked
Wukong looked at the Dragon King and sighed.
"You're right," said the monkey. "I did make a promise to Guanyin." He put down his teacup and stood up. "Thank you, my friend. I will visit again soon."
The Dragon King smiled. "Good luck, Wukong."
The monkey hurried out of the Dragon King's palace. He found the Tang Monk traveling alongside a stream. "Master, I have returned," he called.
"I'm glad you're back, Wukong," said the monk. "I'm hungry."
"I'll find a village and beg for some food for you," said the monkey.
"You don't need to do that," said the monk. "There's rice in the bag. You can cook that."
The monk got down from the horse. Wukong opened the bag. When he looked inside, his eyes opened wide. He pulled out the headband.
"This headband is marvelous!" said Wukong.
"Oh," said the monk, watching the monkey closely. "Do you like it?"
"Yes!" said Wukong.
"Try it on," said the monk.
"Really?" asked Wukong.
The monk nodded.
Wukong put the headband on. He looked at his reflection in the stream.
"I look handsome!" said Wukong. "Thanks for—ahh!"
The monkey grabbed the sides of his head and fell over. His eyes bulged. "My head's going to explode!" he cried.
He saw the Tang Monk talking quietly.
"Wh . . . What are you saying?" cried Wukong.
The Tang Monk stopped talking, and the pain stopped.
"The bodhisattva Guanyin taught me a spell," said the monk. "She gave me the headband to force you to be good."
Wukong pulled at the headband. But it wouldn't come off.
"It's stuck!" cried the monkey. He stamped his foot. "You tricked me!"
"It's for your own good," said the monk. "You must stop being violent."
Wukong pulled out his iron bar and lunged at the Tang Monk.
The monk recited the Tight Headband spell again.
Wukong fell to the ground and rolled around in pain. "It hurts! It hurts!" he cried. "Please stop! I won't try to hurt you again!"
The Tang Monk stopped, and the monkey stood up.
"Now will you cook some rice?" asked the monk.
"I'll get a fire started," said Wukong.
The monkey waited until the Tang Monk had turned his back. Again he raised the iron bar.
But the Tang Monk saw Wukong's shadow.
"Ahh!" cried Wukong, once again falling to the ground.
The Tang Monk looked furious as he recited the spell. Wukong's head pounded.
"Please stop!" cried the monkey.
The Tang Monk stopped reciting the spell. "Don't try to hit me again," said the monk. "If you do, I'll recite the spell until your head really does explode."
"I'm sorry, Master," said Wukong. "I'll be good!"
* * *
The two traveled for a few more weeks. They arrived at a wide river.
"How will we cross this river?" asked the monk.
"It's too bad you're not a spirit," said Wukong. "I can leap over this river. But I can't take you with me."
"Why not?" asked the Tang Monk.
"You're a human," said the monkey. "So you must make the journey all by yourself. I can only protect you. I can't carry you."
"What will we do then?" asked the monk.
Before Wukong could answer, the water swelled and a dragon leaped from it.
"Look out!" cried the monkey. He yanked the Tang Monk off the horse as the dragon struck.
With one bite, the dragon swallowed the horse and then slipped back underwater.


Journey to the West 17: The Dragon in the River
"That dragon ate my horse!" said the monk. He fell to his knees. "How will I ever get to the Western Paradise? There are so many dangers along the way!"
Wukong laughed. "Master, you worry too much. There will be many dangers on your journey. But you have me, the Monkey King, to protect you. All of Heaven's soldiers couldn't defeat me. So why worry about a dragon?"
The monkey stepped into the water and pulled out his iron bar. "I'll get the dragon to come out of the water." He looked down at the water. "Dragon! Get up here right now!"
The dragon leaped from the water. "How dare you yell at me! Who are you?"
"It doesn't matter who I am!" shouted Wukong. "Give that horse back!"
The monkey attacked the dragon with his iron bar. The dragon spun around, blocking the bar with his tail. Then with a splash, he dived back underwater.
Wukong stomped his foot and yelled at the river. "Coward!"
"What will we do?" asked the Tang Monk. "I have no horse."
Wukong nodded. "And we can't cross the river with that dragon in there. I'll try another plan."
The monkey swirled the water with his iron bar. The water became rough. Waves crashed and churned. The water dragged up dirt from the river bottom. Soon the river was brown and muddy.
The dragon appeared again. "What on earth are you doing now?" he cried. "I'm trying to take a nap!"
"Give us back our horse!" demanded Wukong.
"I can't!" cried the dragon. "It's in my stomach!"
The monkey attacked the dragon again. But once more the dragon disappeared under the water.
For more than three hours, Wukong yelled at the river. He yelled all kinds of insults. But the dragon would not come back up.
Wukong climbed up the riverbank and sat down next to the Tang Monk. "That dragon is tough. I'm not afraid of him, but I can't beat him either. I need help."
"Who can help you?" asked the Tang Monk.
Wukong thought for a moment. "Guanyin told me I can ask her for help if I need it."
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "She told me the same thing."
Wukong felt the headband and shot a look at the monk. "She already did help you. She gave you this tight headband." He sighed. "But that doesn't matter now. You wait here. I'll be back soon."
* * *
Wukong shot into the air and flew south. Soon he came to Mount Potalaka in the South Sea.
Guanyin was in a garden next to her pagoda. "Hello, Wukong," she said. "How is the journey going? I see you're wearing the headband."
"Yes, thanks to your dirty tricks!" said the monkey.
Guanyin smiled. "You need that headband, Wukong. You are too violent and cruel."
Wukong rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'm here because I have a problem. We reached a wide river with a dragon in it. The dragon ate our horse."
"Did you tell the dragon that you're traveling with the Tang Monk?" asked Guanyin.
"No," said the monkey. "Why?"
Guanyin sighed. "That dragon was waiting for you. When I met him, he was being punished for setting fire to his father's palace. I told him to help the Tang Monk reach the Western Paradise. That way he can earn forgiveness."
Wukong scratched his head. "It's too late for that now. He won't come out of the water."


Journey to the West 18: The Robe
Wukong and Guanyin flew over the ocean and back to the wide river.
From the sky Guanyin called, "Dragon! Come out of the river at once. The Tang Monk is here!"
The dragon rose from the river and bowed. "Bodhisattva," he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize the monk had arrived. I was trying to rest. A nasty monkey was . . ." The dragon stopped talking when he saw Wukong next to Guanyin. "That's him!"
"This is Sun Wukong," said Guanyin. "He is traveling with the Tang Monk."
"The monkey didn't tell me that," said the dragon. "I even asked him who he was, and he didn't answer."
"I know," said Guanyin. She shot Wukong a look. "From now on, you must tell people who you are. There are others waiting for you too."
"Okay," said Wukong.
Guanyin looked back at the dragon. "You will carry the Tang Monk to the Western Paradise."
Sparkling light surrounded the dragon. When the light faded, a horse stood where the dragon had been. It looked exactly like the Tang Monk's horse.
After Guanyin left, Wukong led the horse to the Tang Monk.
"You got the horse back!" said the monk.
"No," said Wukong. "Guanyin was here. She turned the dragon into a horse. He's supposed to come with us."
The Tang Monk fell to his knees and bowed.
Wukong laughed. "Stand up, Master. The bodhisattva is back on Mount Potalaka by now."
"Do you need a ride?" called a voice.
Wukong spun around. A boat had arrived next to the shore.
"I will take you across the river," said the boatman.
The Tang Monk stepped onto the boat, and Wukong followed with the horse. The boatman didn't speak as he rowed them across the river.
On the other side of the river, the monkey led the horse onto the shore. The Tang Monk stepped out of the boat. When he turned to thank the boatman, the boat was gone.
Wukong laughed when he saw how confused the monk looked. "He was the river's spirit," the monkey explained.
The monk and the monkey continued their journey over hills and across plains.
"How long will it take to reach the Western Paradise?" the Tang Monk asked one afternoon.
"A long, long time," said Wukong. "We've barely started our journey."
They walked some more until they reached a Buddhist monastery.
"Let's stop here for the night," said Wukong. "We're Buddhists. The priests inside will gladly give us some food and a place to sleep."
Later that evening the Tang Monk and Wukong ate a meal with the priests. When the head priest heard where the Tang Monk was going, he was excited.
"You are going to get the True Scriptures," said the priest. "That is quite an honor. How did the bodhisattva choose you?"
"She said that only a true believer could make the journey," said the Tang Monk. "I tried on a robe, and she saw that I was a true believer."
"Do you have the robe with you?" asked the priest.
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "It's a Buddhist treasure." He reached into his bag and pulled out the robe.
The priest's eyes sparkled. "May I hold it?"
The Tang Monk handed the robe to the priest.
The priest admired it for a moment. "May I borrow it, just for tonight?"
The Tang Monk hesitated. "I guess that would be okay."
Late that night the priest was awake, gazing at the robe. "I can't return this robe. I must have it!"


Journey to the West 19: An Evil Plan
The head priest called for two other priests, who quickly ran into the room.
"Is everything okay, Master?" one priest asked.
"I can't give this robe back to the Tang Monk," said the head priest.
"But you must give it back," said the other priest.
"This robe is a Buddhist treasure," said the head priest. "It comes from the Western Paradise. As Buddhists, we must do everything we can to keep it in our monastery."
"The Tang Monk won't let you keep it," said the first priest.
The head priest smiled. There was an evil look in his eyes.
"I have a plan," he said.
* * *
Wukong was awake, meditating on a rooftop, when he heard footsteps. He looked down and saw two priests walking across the courtyard. They were carrying bundles of firewood.
"It's the middle of the night," thought Wukong. "Why are they starting a fire?"
The priests stacked the firewood next to the building the Tang Monk was sleeping in.
"Aha!" thought Wukong. "I'll bet that head priest wants to keep our robe. He's planning to kill us."
Wukong waited until the priests lit the wood on fire. Then he used his magic powers.
The priests screamed and ran as the fire shot across the courtyard. One building went up in flames, and then another. Soon most of the monastery's buildings were on fire. Walls crumbled and roofs caved in.
"Run for your life!" cried one priest.
"Our monastery is ruined!" cried another.
There was one building, however, that the fire didn't touch. The Tang Monk slept peacefully as the rest of the monastery burned down.
* * *
The next morning the Tang Monk woke up and opened the door. He gasped.
Smoke drifted through the air. Burned pieces of wood lay in heaps. The buildings' walls were black and crumbled.
"Oh no!" cried the Tang Monk. "What happened to the monastery?"
He turned around. That's when he realized that the building he'd slept in was fine.
Wukong walked over.
"Wukong!" cried the monk. "What happened here?"
"The head priest tried to kill you," said Wukong. "He tried to set the building you were in on fire."
The Tang Monk was confused. "But that building is fine. The fire didn't touch it."
Wukong laughed. "I used my magic to stop the fire."
The Tang Monk scratched his head. "The rest of the buildings burned."
"I used my magic for that too," said Wukong with a smile. "I used a spell that protected only your building and the robe. The spell made the fire spread everywhere else, though."
The Tang Monk's eyes filled with tears. He looked angry.
"That's horrible, Wukong!" he cried. "If you had the power to stop the fire, you should have stopped all of it!"
Wukong shrugged. "The priests here are evil. They deserved what they got."
Just then they heard a shout. Two of the priests ran toward them.
"Villains!" cried Wukong. "How dare you try to burn my master! I should club you with my iron bar!"
The two priests fell to their knees and bowed. "Please forgive us!" one cried. "We didn't want to harm you or the Tang Monk. It was the head priest's idea! He's evil!"
Wukong glared at the two priests for a moment. Then he relaxed. "Stand up," he said. "I believe you. Just bring us the robe so we can continue our journey to the West."
"We . . . we can't," said one priest. He was shaking. "The robe is gone!"


Journey to the West 20: The Black Bear Spirit
Wukong glared at the two scared priests. "The robe is gone?" he cried. "Where did it go?"
"We don't know!" said one priest.
"We tried to find it," added the other. "The robe was in a room that didn't get burned at all. But it’s not there anymore."
His iron bar instantly appeared from inside his ear. "Grow!" commanded Wukong. The monkey swung it toward the two priests.
But before the bar hit them, it dropped from the monkey's hands.
Wukong fell to the ground, crying in pain. "It hurts! It hurts!" he cried.
The Tang Monk was quietly reciting the Tight Headband spell. Wukong rolled around, kicking and screaming. The two priests jumped up and backed away.
"Stop reciting the spell!" Wukong yelled at the Tang Monk. "I'm begging you! I won't hurt the priests!"
The Tang Monk stopped, and Wukong stood up. The monkey took a deep breath and put the iron bar back in his ear.
The Tang Monk looked at the two priests. "You really don't know where the robe is?"
"No," said one priest. "The head priest ran away last night. He didn't have it with him."
Wukong tapped his chin. "A monster or demon might have stolen it. Are there any monsters or demons living near here?"
"Some people believe there's a monster in the mountains nearby," said the other priest. "They say it's a black bear spirit."
"I'll go see if the bear took the robe," said Wukong. "I'll be back soon."
Wukong leaped into the air and landed up in the mountains. He walked for a bit and then heard voices. Peeking over a boulder, he saw a group of spirits talking. One was a large black bear.
The bear laughed. "The monastery was on fire last night. I went down to check it out and found a wonderful Buddhist robe. I think it's a Buddhist treasure. Anyway, I stole it. So tonight I'm throwing a feast to celebrate!"
When Wukong heard the other spirits laugh, he was furious. He jumped over the boulder and landed in the middle of the group.
"Give back the robe right now!" he cried. He pulled out his iron bar. "Or I'll destroy all of you!"
The spirits all fled in different directions.
Wukong chased the bear until they reached a cave entrance. The bear ran inside and slammed the door shut.
Wukong pounded on the cave's door. "Come out here right now or I'll smash this door down!"
The door flew open. The bear stepped out. He was holding a lance.
"How dare you pound on my door and yell at me!" he cried.
"You stole my master's robe!" said Wukong.
"I can do whatever I want," said the bear. "I am the Black Wind King. I'm the most powerful monster in these mountains!"
"I am Sun Wukong, king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain," said the monkey. "I caused lots of trouble in Heaven five hundred years ago. The Jade Emperor's entire army couldn't defeat me!"
The Black Wind King snorted. "You don't impress me." He jabbed his lance at Wukong. 
Clang! 
The monkey blocked the lance with his iron bar.  Rocks tumbled and rolled downhill as the two warriors fought.
After an hour of fighting, the Black Wind King held up a hand. "I need to take a break. It's time for my lunch."
Wukong's jaw fell open. "What?"
Before Wukong could say anything else, the bear ran back into his cave. The door slammed shut.


Journey to the West 21: The Monster's Friend
Wukong stood before Guanyin. He was telling the bodhisattva everything that had happened at the monastery.
"Then a bear spirit called the Black Wind King stole the robe," the monkey went on. "I demanded he give it back. We fought—until the bear spirit said it was lunchtime and hid in his cave. I kicked the door and yelled insults at him for more than an hour. But he wouldn't come out. You must help me."
Guanyin sighed. "The Tang Monk should not have shown that robe to the priest," she said. "The robe is a Buddhist treasure. When other people see it, they will want it. And as that head priest tried to do, they might harm the Tang Monk."
"I agree," said Wukong. "I've told the Tang Monk many times not to do dumb things. But still he—"
"And you should have put out that fire," Guanyin said, interrupting Wukong. "What you did was terrible!"
Wukong looked at the ground. He kicked a pebble. "I know," he mumbled.
"I'll help you get back the robe," said Guanyin. "Let's go."
Wukong and Guanyin soared over the ocean. Soon they landed on the mountain.
"Where is the Black Wind King's cave?" asked Guanyin.
"It's close," said Wukong. "We should sneak up to it."
They heard footsteps coming closer. Wukong and Guanyin hid as a Daoist priest walked along the path. The priest was holding a tray. A bright purple pill sat on the tray.
The priest was talking to himself. "This is an exciting day," he said. "The Black Wind King has a new robe that is a Buddhist treasure. And I hope he likes the pill I made for him. It will make him live forever."
Wukong stared at the priest, using his magic sight.
"That's not a priest!" Wukong realized. "It's a wolf spirit dressed as a priest." The monkey's eyes lit up. "I have an idea, Bodhisattva!"
A little while later, the priest stood before the Black Wind King's cave door. He knocked and the door flew open.
"Are you still here, you little monkey?" shouted the Black Wind King. Then he saw the priest and smiled. "Oh, it's you, my old friend! Sorry for yelling. A pesky monkey spirit was here a little while ago." He looked around. "I guess he's gone."
"A monkey spirit was here?" asked the priest.
"Yes," said the bear. "He kept banging on my door and yelling at me. He was very rude."
The Black Wind King patted the priest on the shoulder. "But let's not talk about him. It's good to see you. How have you been?"
"I'm well," said the priest. "I brought you a gift, to celebrate your new Buddhist treasure." He held up the tray with the pill.
The Black Wind King looked interested. "What kind of pill is that?"
"It is a very special pill," said the priest with a smile. "I made it just for you. It will make you live forever."
The Black Wind King stroked his chin. "You know, I was just thinking this morning that I would like to live forever."
The bear picked up the pill and opened his mouth wide. As he brought the pill up to his mouth, the pill wiggled. "Huh? Did the pill just—"
But before the Black Wind King could finish speaking, the pill hopped off his hand. It shot into his mouth and slid down his throat.

Gulp!


Journey to the West 22: A Very Strange Pill
The Black Wind King took a step back. He looked confused. "That pill jumped down my throat!"
The entire cave filled with light. The bear squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, Guanyin was standing before him.
"Guanyin!" the bear cried. "You tricked me with a disguise!"
"Return the robe at once," said Guanyin.
"No," said the Black Wind King. "I don't want to . . . Ugh." He held his stomach and groaned.
"Are you feeling okay?" asked Wukong's voice.
The bear looked around, surprised. "I just heard the monkey!" He fell to his knees and groaned again. "Where are you?"
"I'm inside you!" said Wukong. "I changed myself into a pill to trick you. Now I'm going to practice some of my fighting skills!"
The monkey punched and kicked the bear's insides. 
Boomph! Pow! Boomph! Pow!
"Aargh!" cried the Black Wind King, rolling on the floor.
Wukong jumped up and down, did flips, and ran around in circles.
"Please stop!" shouted the Black Wind King. "You're hurting my belly!"
"Give back the robe," said Guanyin.
"I will, I promise!" said the bear. "I will do anything you say! Just please tell the monkey to stop!"
Guanyin held up a metal headband. It looked just like the one on Wukong's head. She placed it on the bear's head.
"Wukong, come out now," said Guanyin.
A tiny Wukong popped out of the Black Wind King's nose. He quickly grew to his normal size.
"Where's the robe?" asked the monkey.
The bear pointed to a dark room in the back of the cave.
After Wukong left to get the robe, the Black Wind King charged at Guanyin.
But the bear was too slow. Guanyin threw four more metal bands at him. Two clamped onto his wrists. The other two clamped onto his ankles.
When the bodhisattva began reciting a spell, the bear screamed. "Please stop!"
"Do you promise to be good?" asked Guanyin.
"Yes!" answered the Black Wind King. "I promise."
Wukong came back with the robe. When he saw the bear, he laughed. "You have five of those bands!"
The Black Wind King looked at the ground and sighed.
"I got the robe, Bodhisattva," said the monkey. "What should we do with the bear?"
"I will show him mercy," said Guanyin. "He can be my guardian on Mount Potalaka if he behaves."
The bodhisattva led the bear out of the cave and vanished.
* * *
Wukong flew back to the monastery.
"You got the robe!" cried the Tang Monk when he saw the monkey.
"I did," said Wukong.
The two travelers headed west again. Wukong told the monk about his adventure with the Black Wind King.
"I destroyed the Daoist priest," the monkey explained. "He was really an evil wolf spirit. Then Guanyin made herself look like him."
"And you turned yourself into a pill," said the Tang Monk.
"And I went right into that bear's belly." Wukong laughed. "He was very surprised!"
The Tang Monk smiled. "I think we both learned a valuable lesson, Wukong. I will never show anyone the robe again."
"That's a good idea," said Wukong. "The robe is a gift from Buddha. We must be careful . . ." He stopped talking and pulled out his iron bar. "There's a spirit nearby." He looked toward a nearby cave.
There was a snort. The Tang Monk shook with fear.
A pig-like creature leaped from the cave, swinging a heavy rake.


Journey to the West 23: Great Protectors
The creature had a pig's snout and ears. But he ran on two legs like a person. He swung the rake again.
Wukong blocked the rake with his iron bar. 
Clang! 
Then he swung the bar at the pig's feet.
"Oof!" cried the pig. He fell facedown in the dirt. He jumped back up. "You'll wish you hadn't done that!"
Wukong leaped out of the way as the pig's rake slammed down, smashing a boulder.
The two fought, kicking up dust and rocks. The Tang Monk hid behind his horse.
"Surrender now!" Wukong swung his iron bar again. "I am Sun Wukong. Five hundred years ago, I caused lots of trouble in Heaven. The Jade Emperor's entire army couldn't stop me!"
"I've heard of you," said the pig. "But you don't seem so powerful to me!" He lunged at the monkey again. Wukong jumped out of the way.
"I thought you were being punished," said the pig. He swung his rake again. "Weren't you trapped under a mountain?"
"I'm free now," said Wukong. "I'm going to the West with the Tang Monk to—"
"The Tang Monk!" cried the pig. He dropped his rake. "I'm supposed to go with him too!"
"You are?" asked Wukong.
"I was sent to Earth as a punishment," said the pig. "My name is Zhu Bajie. I caused trouble in Heaven too. Guanyin said I would be forgiven if I helped protect the Tang Monk."
Wukong rubbed his chin. "Okay," he said. "You can carry the bags."
Zhu Bajie joined the group, and the three of them continued west.
As they traveled, the pig kept complaining. "These bags are so heavy! Do we really need to bring them?"
"Stop complaining," snapped Wukong. "Going to the Western Paradise is 
supposed 
to be difficult."
The pig moaned. "I'm hungry too. When are we going to eat lunch?"
The Tang Monk frowned. "We just ate breakfast. How can you be hungry again?"
They went around a bend and saw a large tiger. Bajie and Wukong quickly pulled out their weapons.
"Who are you?" yelled Bajie. "What are you doing here?"
"My master, the great king Yellow Wind, is hosting a feast," said the tiger. He looked at the Tang Monk. "I'm gathering people to eat."
The Tang Monk's face turned pale, and he fell off his horse.
"Don't you dare harm our master!" Bajie warned. "He is the Tang Monk. He's going to the West to get the True Scriptures."
The tiger's eyes opened wide. "I heard that eating the Tang Monk will make someone live forever."
The tiger showed his claws. Then he lunged at Bajie. The pig hit him with the rake. The tiger tumbled over.
Wukong ran toward the tiger with his iron bar. The tiger dodged the bar and then almost got hit by the rake again. He turned and fled.
Wukong and Bajie ran after the tiger. For a moment they lost him. Then they spotted a flash of orange behind some bushes.
"There he is!" whispered Bajie.
The monkey and pig sneaked up to the bushes. But the tiger wasn't there. Instead a tiger skin lay over a rock.
Wukong laughed. "He was so scared, he ran right out of his skin!" He slapped Bajie on the back. "We are great protectors!"
The two friends walked back to the road, laughing. But suddenly their laughter stopped.
"Oh no!" cried Wukong. "Where is the Tang Monk?"


Journey to the West 24: The Great King Yellow Wind
Wukong and Bajie looked all around. But the Tang Monk was gone.
"That tiger ate our master," said Bajie. He shrugged. "I guess we don't have to protect him anymore. Good-bye, Wukong!"
The pig started to walk away. But Wukong grabbed him.
"You're not leaving!" said the monkey. "We have to save our master. That tiger said he works for a demon, the great king Yellow Wind. The king's cave must be nearby."
* * *
The tiger entered his master's cave. The Tang Monk was slumped over the tiger's shoulder.
The great king Yellow Wind was sitting on his throne.
"Great king!" cried the tiger. "I found the Tang Monk!"
The demon king looked surprised and happy. "I have heard that anyone who eats the Tang Monk will live forever. Was the monk alone?"
"He had two companions," said the tiger. "One is a pig. The other is a monkey."
Yellow Wind trembled. "A monkey?" he said. "He must be Sun Wukong—the monkey who caused all that trouble in Heaven!"
"Maybe," said the tiger. "But don't worry. I distracted them with a fake tiger skin. They'll never find us."
The tiger patted his stomach and looked at the Tang Monk. "I'll tell the other demons to start a fire and prepare some spices."
Yellow Wind held up his hand. "Sun Wukong is powerful. He and that pig might come looking for the monk. They'll be angry if they find out we ate him. Let's wait until they leave the area. Then we'll be able to enjoy our meal."
A small demon ran into the throne room. "Great king!" cried the demon.
"There are two strangers outside—a monkey and a pig. They said to hand over the Tang Monk. If we don't, they'll destroy our entire mountain!"
"Oh no," moaned Yellow Wind. "This is bad!"
"Don't worry, King," said the tiger. "I will get rid of them."
The tiger walked out of the throne room. The small demon followed him.
Outside the cave there was some yelling and then a crashing sound.
A moment later the small demon ran back in. "Great king, disaster!" he cried. "The tiger is dead! The pig killed him with his rake!"
"What?" cried Yellow Wind. He stood up and grabbed a trident. He puffed out his chest and stomped out of the cave. He saw Wukong.
"So you're the monkey who caused all the trouble in Heaven," said Yellow Wind.
"Hand over the Tang Monk!" demanded Wukong.
"I didn't know you were so small," said Yellow Wind.
"Hit me on the head," said the monkey. "I'll grow bigger."
The demon king hesitated.
"Go ahead!" said Wukong.
Yellow Wind knocked the monkey on the head. Instantly Wukong grew tall.
"Now I'll hit you!" cried Wukong. He swung his iron bar.

Crash! 
The demon king blocked the bar with his trident. 
Clang! 
The two fought up and down the side of the mountain.
"I'll use some magic," thought the monkey.
He grabbed a handful of hair and blew on it. Dozens of little Wukongs ran toward the demon king.
Yellow Wind laughed. "I know a magic trick too!" He looked down and blew three times.
The sky grew dark. A powerful yellow wind whipped across the mountain. Trees snapped and rocks tumbled.
Wukong, Bajie, and all the little Wukongs tumbled down the mountain. They landed at the bottom in a cloud of dust.
The demon king went back into his cave and slammed the door shut.


Journey to the West 25: Powerful Wind Magic
The wind stopped. Wukong jumped to his feet and called back the little Wukongs.
"Ugh," moaned Bajie. "I need a nap."
"Get up!" yelled the monkey. "We have to save the Tang Monk before the demon king eats him!"
Bajie rubbed his head. "How can we save him? That wind was too powerful."
Wukong tapped his chin and thought. "I'll sneak into the cave to see what I can find out."
The monkey changed into a mosquito and squeezed through a crack in the cave's door.
Deep in the cave, he heard someone crying. "That's the Tang Monk," thought Wukong.
The monkey found his master tied up in a dark room.
"Master!" cried Wukong. He landed on the monk's shoulder.
"Wukong?" asked the Tang Monk, looking around. "Where are you?"
"I'm on your shoulder," said Wukong. "I turned myself into a mosquito."
"You must save me," said the Tang Monk. He started to cry again.
"Stop crying," said Wukong. "You'll be free soon. First I must defeat the demon king. I'll be back!"
Wukong flew down a tunnel and arrived in the throne room. Yellow Wind was talking to some other demons.
"Your wind magic blew Sun Wukong away," said one demon.
Yellow Wind laughed. "Only the bodhisattva Lingji can stop my wind magic. Start a fire. We're having a feast tonight!"
"Aha!" thought Wukong. "The bodhisattva Lingji lives on Mount Sumeru. I will ask him for help—quickly!"
The monkey leaped onto a cloud and raced through the sky. When he arrived on Mount Sumeru, Lingji came out of his pagoda.
"It's nice to see you, Wukong," said Lingji. "Would you like some tea?"
"No, thank you," said Wukong. "I have an emergency!"
He quickly told the bodhisattva everything that had happened.
"I tried to fight the demon," said the monkey. "But then he used powerful wind magic."
"I know who the great king Yellow Wind is," said Lingji. "He's a weasel spirit. Buddha asked me to keep an eye on him. I told the spirit he could live on that mountain if he behaved." Lingji shook his head. "I guess he's not behaving anymore."
"Can you help me?" asked Wukong. "They're going to eat the Tang Monk tonight!"
"Of course," said Lingji. He picked up a staff and put a small object into his robe. "Let's go."
Soon they were in the sky, looking down at the cave door.
"Knock on the door," said Lingji. "Tell the demon to come out. I'll do the rest."
Wukong went down to the cave door and took out his iron bar. 
Smash! 
The door turned into a pile of rubble.
Yellow Wind rushed outside and yelled, "You smashed my door!" He took three deep breaths. But nothing happened.
"Huh?" said Yellow Wind.
He looked up and saw Lingji in the sky. The bodhisattva was holding a pearl in one hand.
"The wind-stopping pearl!" cried Yellow Wind.
The demon king ran. Lingji threw his staff, which turned into a golden dragon. The dragon threw Yellow Wind against some rocks. There was a puff of smoke, and the demon turned into a yellow weasel.
Lingji picked up the weasel. "I'll bring him to Buddha to be punished, Wukong. You may go find your companions. Good luck!"
Wukong ran into the cave and chased away the other demons. Then he untied the Tang Monk. The two of them went back out and found Bajie sleeping.
"Wake up, lazy!" shouted Wukong.


Journey to the West 26: The Monster in the River
"I hope we reach the Western Paradise soon," said the Tang Monk one morning.
Wukong and his companions were eating breakfast.
The monkey laughed. "The journey will take many years, Master! And you must face many challenges along the way. Buddha doesn't give the True Scriptures to just anyone. You must prove you're worthy by surviving a long and difficult journey."
The monk sighed.
Bajie put down his bowl. "I'm tired of this journey!" he cried. "My legs hurt. And we never have enough food."
"Stop thinking about food, Bajie," said Wukong. "We're Buddhist monks now. We should think only about reaching the Western Paradise."
The pig sighed. After he washed the bowls, the three companions headed down the road.
They soon reached a river. The water splashed, and a purple monster leaped from the waves.
"Master, stay back!" shouted Wukong. He pulled out his iron bar and blocked the monster's spear. 
Clang!
Bajie lunged at the monster, swinging his rake. The monster dived back into the river.
"Bajie, my powers aren't strong underwater," said Wukong. "Dive in, and get him to chase you out of the river. Then I'll surprise him."
"Okay," said the pig. "Let’s wait until he comes all the way up on shore though. Then I'll block his path so he can't go back in the river."
Bajie dived into the water. Wukong waited. A moment later the pig was back with the monster following.
The monkey swung his iron bar—and missed.
The monster dived back underwater.
"You didn't wait until he was on shore," said Bajie. "You're too impatient!"
Wukong shrugged and laughed. "Let's yell at the monster. Maybe he'll come back."
Wukong and Bajie yelled at the river for more than an hour. But the monster did not come back.
Finally the monkey sighed. "We can't cross this river with the monster in there. I'll ask Guanyin for help."
Wukong went to Mount Potalaka and told Guanyin about the monster.
"His name is Sha Wujing," said Guanyin. "He was waiting for you. He's going to help the Tang Monk reach the Western Paradise."
"I didn't know that!" cried Wukong.
Guanyin went back to the river with Wukong. "Sha Wujing!" she called. "The Tang Monk is here!"
The monster jumped out of the river and bowed. "I'm sorry, Bodhisattva," he said. "I didn't know he'd arrived."
"These two are his companions," said Guanyin. She waved her hand toward Wukong and Bajie.
Wujing looked surprised. "They attacked me!"
"You attacked us first!" shouted Bajie.
"Stop arguing," said Guanyin. "Wujing, you will help the Tang Monk reach the West."
"Yes, Bodhisattva," said Wujing.
Guanyin disappeared, and Wujing joined the group. He led the horse while the Tang Monk rode.
"I was being punished for breaking a glass in Heaven," said Wujing one day. "When we reach the Western Paradise, I will be forgiven."
"Bajie and I were punished for crimes in Heaven too," said Wukong.
"So was the horse. Did you know the horse is really a dragon?"
Wujing looked doubtful. "This horse is too slow to be a dragon."
"Oh, really?" said the monkey. "Watch this!"
He struck the horse. The horse shot down the road as fast as lightning. Its reins were ripped from Wujing's hand.
"Ahh!" cried the Tang Monk.
When the horse finally stopped, the Tang Monk was in a dark forest.
He gasped in fear. The forest was filled with wolves, bears, and tigers!


Journey to the West 27: The Ginseng Fruit
The Tang Monk trembled with fear. The animals showed their fangs.
"Master!" cried Wukong.
The monkey was running fast. He swung his iron bar, and the animals ran back into the forest.
Wukong smiled. "Sorry for making the horse run, Master. I thought it would be funny."
The Tang Monk frowned. "It wasn't funny at all! Those beasts were going to attack me!"
"Nonsense," said Wukong. "You never have to fear any wild animals. You have three powerful companions."
Bajie and Wujing soon caught up to them. They all continued along the road.
The Tang Monk pointed to a building up ahead. "That looks like a Daoist abbey."
"I'm sure the abbey's priests will let us rest for a while," said Wujing.
When they reached the abbey, Bajie knocked on the door. Two priests opened it.
"I'm here with the Tang Monk," said the pig. "May we come in?"
The priests looked at the Tang Monk.
"Our master told us about you," said one of them. "He said you would travel past our abbey someday. Please, come in."
"Who is your master?" asked the Tang Monk. "How did he know about me?"
"Our master is the Great Immortal," said the first priest. "He is very wise and powerful."
Wukong laughed. "I've never heard of him. I doubt he's very powerful."
The Tang Monk scowled. "Show some respect, Wukong," he whispered.
The priests looked annoyed. "Our master is visiting friends in Heaven right now. If he wasn't powerful, he wouldn't be able to do that."
Wukong shrugged. "I used to live in Heaven. The place isn't that great."
"Wukong," said the Tang Monk. "Please go outside and tend the horse."
Wukong went back outside. Wujing went out to get the bags.
"May I use the kitchen?" asked Bajie. "I want to cook some food for the Tang Monk."
"It's through that door," said one priest. He pointed to a door in the back of the room.
Bajie went into the kitchen while the Tang Monk talked to the priests.
"There's a ginseng tree behind the abbey," said one priest. "Its fruit takes ten thousand years to become ripe. According to legend, one bite of the fruit will make you live forever. Would you like one?"
"A fruit like that is a true treasure," said the Tang Monk. "Will your master be upset if I eat it?"
"Our master said we could give you one," said the other priest. "We'll go and cut one down."
The two priests went outside. A moment later they came back in with a tray. The Tang Monk screamed. On the tray lay a tiny sleeping baby.
"I can't eat that," cried the monk. "It—it's a baby!"
"It's not a baby," said one priest. "It's a ginseng fruit. It only looks like a baby to you because you're a mortal."
"Please take it away!" cried the Tang Monk.
The priests tried to convince him that the fruit wasn't a baby. But the monk just shook his head. The priests took the ginseng fruit out of the room and into a hallway.
"We shouldn't waste this fruit," said one priest.
"No," said the other. "It is too delicious and valuable. Let's eat it ourselves."
The two priests shared the ginseng fruit. Bajie was in the kitchen nearby. He had heard everything they'd said. His stomach growled.
"That fruit sounds wonderful," said Bajie to himself. "I want some too!"


Journey to the West 28: Wukong Leaves His Body
Bajie looked out the kitchen window. Wukong and Wujing were outside talking.
"Wukong, Wujing," said the pig quietly. "Come over here. I want to tell you something."
The two companions came over to the window.
"What is it?" asked Wujing.
"I heard the two priests talking," said the pig. "There's a ginseng tree at this abbey. They said its fruit is delicious and valuable."
Wukong smiled. "The fruit must taste wonderful."
"We should eat some," said Wujing.
Bajie rubbed his belly. "Yes," he said. "We should."
"You two wait here," said Wukong. "I'll go pick some of that fruit."
The monkey went behind the abbey and found the giant ginseng tree. The fruit sparkled in the sunlight. He plucked three pieces from the tree’s branches and went back to the kitchen.
He handed Bajie and Wujing each a ginseng fruit.
Wujing took a bite. "This fruit is delicious!"
"Yes," said Wukong. "It truly is."
Bajie opened his mouth wide and threw his ginseng fruit in. 
Gulp!
"Bajie, you should be ashamed of yourself," said Wukong. "You didn't even chew!"
"I was too hungry to chew," said the pig. He groaned. "And now I wish I had another ginseng fruit. I didn't even taste that one!"
At that moment the two priests were walking past the kitchen.
"Did you hear what the pig said?" whispered one priest. "I think the Tang Monk's companions are eating the ginseng fruit!"
The two priests ran outside and searched the ginseng tree. Three pieces of fruit were gone.
"This is terrible!" said one priest. "The Great Immortal will be very upset!"
They ran inside and found the Tang Monk.
"Your companions are criminals!" shouted one priest.
"What are you talking about?" asked the monk.
"They stole some of our ginseng fruit!" said the other priest.
Just then Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing walked in.
"Thieves!" cried the first priest.
"How dare you call us thieves!" shouted Bajie. "What did we steal?"
"Don't pretend you don't know!" said the other priest. "You ate ginseng fruit from our master's tree!"
Wujing wiped some juice from the side of his mouth. Wukong giggled.
"What is so funny?" asked the other priest.
Wukong laughed harder and pointed at Bajie. "It was his idea!"
"You're the one who stole the fruit!" cried the pig.
"You're all thieves and liars!" cried one of the priests. "We invited you into our abbey as guests! And you repay us by stealing from us!"
The two priests yelled and yelled. They called Wukong and his companions all sorts of terrible names.
"I don't want to listen to this," thought the monkey. He recited a quick spell and changed into a spirit form. He left his body standing in the room and went out behind the abbey.
Wukong stood before the ginseng tree. "Those priests are rude!" he said to himself. "So what if we ate some ginseng fruit? They have no right to call us names!"
Wukong grew very angry. Finally he took out his iron bar and struck the tree. There was a loud crack, and the entire tree crashed to the ground.
Wukong put the iron bar back in his ear and returned to his body. The priests were still yelling.
"Stop yelling!" commanded Wukong.
The priests stopped yelling and looked at the monkey.
"I think you made a mistake," said the monkey with a big smile. "Why don't you go outside to your ginseng tree and count the fruit again?"


Journey to the West 29: The Magic Sleeve
"I know we counted the fruit correctly," said one priest. "But we'll count again anyway."
The two angry priests went outside and gasped. The ginseng tree was lying on the ground. It was gray, and all its leaves were gone.
"The tree is dead!" cried one priest. "That monkey must have done this."
"But the monkey was inside the whole time," said the other priest. "How could he have been out here also?"
"He's a spirit," said the first priest. "He must have used magic." He looked at the tree and shook his head. "This tree was older than Heaven and Earth. The monkey must be very powerful."
"It would be dangerous for us to fight him," said the other priest. "Let's wait for our master, the Great Immortal, to return."
* * *
Inside the abbey the Tang Monk was scolding his companions. "We are guests here," he said. "I am very upset you stole fruit from our hosts."
The priests came back in.
"We owe you an apology," said one. "None of the ginseng fruit is missing after all."
"Oh," said the Tang Monk. "I'm glad to hear that."
"Thank you for your apology," said Bajie.
Wukong gave the priests a suspicious look. He knew they were lying. But he didn't know why.
"You're all welcome to spend the night," said one of the priests. "Follow us."
The priests led the group to a small room in the abbey. The Tang Monk and his companions went inside.
"This is a nice room," said Bajie.
Wukong noticed that the priests didn't come in. He was about to say something when one priest slammed the door shut. A lock clicked.
"Wait!" cried Bajie. "What kind of hosts are you? You locked us in!" 
Bam! 
He kicked the door. "Ow! My foot!"
Bajie fell to the floor, rubbing his foot.
"Why did they lock us in here?" asked the Tang Monk.
"They're afraid of us," said Wukong. "I knocked down their ginseng tree."
"What?" cried the Tang Monk.
"I was angry at them," said Wukong. "They're probably planning to keep us locked in here until their master comes back."
The Tang Monk glared at his companions. "How will I ever reach the Western Paradise with companions like you?" he asked.
Bajie stood up. "It's not my fault. I was hungry."
Wujing looked at the ground.
"Master, don't worry," said Wukong. "I'll get us out of here. When the priests go to sleep, I'll use my lock-picking magic. Then we'll be on our way."
* * *
The four travelers escaped that night and headed west. The next day they saw an old man on the road.
"Excuse me," said the man. "Did you come from the abbey?"
The Tang Monk glanced nervously at his companions. "Um, yes," he said.
"I thought so," said the man. He suddenly stood much taller. "I am the Great Immortal! You destroyed my ginseng tree. You're not going any farther until you give me a new one!"
Wukong pulled out his iron bar. Bajie and Wujing raised their weapons.
The Great Immortal rose into the air and landed on a cloud.
Wukong laughed. "You think you're special just because you can fly? We can do that too!"
The Great Immortal raised an eyebrow. "Can you do this? It's called Magic of the Cosmos in the Sleeve."
The Great Immortal waved his arm. His sleeve swooped down toward Wukong and his companions. Instantly they were all swept up in it.


Journey to the West 30: The Frying Pan
Wukong and his companions were tied up in a room in the abbey.
"I will deal with you all in the morning," said the Great Immortal. He turned around and left the room.
The Tang Monk began to cry. "It's bad enough that there are dangers along the journey," he said.
"But my own companions are causing trouble for me!"
"Calm down, Master," said Wukong. "We'll get out of this."
"Master, this is all Wukong's fault," said Bajie. "He stole the ginseng fruit, and he knocked down the tree."
"Stealing the fruit was your idea!" shouted the monkey.
"I can't help it if I was hungry," said Bajie. "You should have refused to steal it."
"Let's stop arguing and figure out how to escape," said Wujing.
"I have a plan," said Wukong. "But we must wait until the Great Immortal is asleep."
* * *
Late that night Wukong recited a spell. He shrank to the size of a pea and then slipped out from his ropes. He quickly untied his friends.
"Let's go," he whispered.
The group tiptoed through the dark and silent abbey. When they got outside, the sun was beginning to rise.
"That was easy," said Bajie as they walked down the road.
"I hope you all learned a lesson from this," said the Tang Monk.
Suddenly a voice boomed. "You can't escape from me!"
The Great Immortal flew toward them. Wukong pulled out his iron bar and swung. The Great Immortal moved out of the way. Bajie struck with his rake, and Wujing stabbed with his spear. But the Great Immortal was fast. He waved his arm, and his sleeve shot toward the group.
Once again the travelers were swept up.
Back at the abbey, the Great Immortal told his priests to start a fire.
"Bring out a large frying pan," said the Great Immortal. "We're going to fry these criminals. Let's start with Sun Wukong."
The priests carried an enormous frying pan into the room. They placed it over the fire.
"Uh-oh," thought Wukong. "I can sit on that frying pan all day and not get hurt at all. But the Tang Monk is mortal. He'll be burned to a crisp!"
He spotted a statue of a lion nearby. The monkey recited a quick spell and made the statue look exactly like himself. Then he disappeared.
"Throw Sun Wukong into the frying pan!" said the Great Immortal.
Thinking the statue was Wukong, the two priests tried to lift it.
"This monkey is much heavier than he looks," said one priest, breathing heavily.
"Yes," said the other priest, panting.
They finally dragged the statue to the frying pan and dropped it in.

Crack! 
The frying pan broke in half.
"The monkey tricked us!" shouted the Great Immortal. "He made that statue look like himself!"
"That rotten monkey!" cried Bajie. "He escaped without us!"
"Do you really think he left us?" asked the Tang Monk.
"Look around!" said Bajie. "He's gone! He probably returned to the Fruit and Flower Mountain. I'm sure he's playing in a field of flowers right now. Meanwhile we're trapped here!"
"I don't think he would leave us," said Wujing.
The Tang Monk started to cry.
The Great Immortal shook with anger. "It's bad enough that Sun Wukong wanted to escape. But did he really have to break my frying pan too?" He stamped his foot. "Bring out another frying pan. We'll fry his companions, starting with the Tang Monk!"


Journey to the West 31: Guanyin's Vase
The two priests pushed the Tang Monk toward the enormous frying pan.
"Stop!" cried Wukong.
The priests stopped. The Great Immortal looked around. Wukong appeared and landed on the floor.
"You came back!" cried the Tang Monk.
"I was here the whole time," said the monkey. He gave Bajie a nasty look. "I didn't escape without you."
Wukong turned to the Great Immortal.
"Please don't harm the Tang Monk," he said. "I will fix your ginseng tree. But I need to get help."
"He's lying!" said Bajie. "He doesn't know how to fix the tree!"
"Be quiet, Bajie!" said Wukong. "I'm not lying!"
The Great Immortal thought for a moment. "Okay, Wukong. I will give you until the end of the day to fix my ginseng tree. If you can't, the Tang Monk goes into the frying pan."
The monk shook with fear.
"Don't worry, Master," said the monkey. "I will find help. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Wukong shot out of the abbey and was gone.
Bajie shook his head. "We're doomed."
* * *
Wukong soared through the air until he came to Mount Potalaka. Guanyin was meditating in her pagoda.
"Bodhisattva!" cried the monkey. "I need your help! A Daoist named the Great Immortal is going to fry the Tang Monk. I have until the end of the day to fix his ginseng tree."
"What happened to the tree?" asked Guanyin. She gave the monkey a suspicious look.
"I, um, knocked it down," said Wukong.
"That was a terrible thing to do, Wukong," said Guanyin. "The Great Immortal's ginseng tree is older than Heaven and Earth. It was a rare treasure."
The monkey shrugged. "I was angry."
"You must learn to control your anger," said Guanyin.
The bodhisattva stood up. She went to a shelf and grabbed a vase.
"This vase is filled with magic dew," she said. "It can bring spirit plants, such as the ginseng tree, back to life."
* * *
A short while later, Wukong and Guanyin arrived at the abbey. Guanyin told Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing to stand the tree back up.
Guanyin rose into the air and poured the dew over the ginseng tree. As the dew droplets rolled over the branches, light sparkled. The tree's color came back, and new leaves and fruit grew. Soon the tree looked just as it had the day before.
To thank everyone, the Great Immortal decided to host a feast. "I would like to share some ginseng fruit with everyone here," he said.
Everyone went back into the abbey. The two priests brought in trays of ginseng fruits.
"Mmm," said Bajie. "This fruit tastes wonderful if you eat it slowly." He looked at Wukong. "Sorry I didn't believe you earlier."
"Don't worry about it," said the monkey. He took a bite of his fruit.
The Tang Monk looked nervously at his fruit.
"It's safe to eat," Guanyin assured him.
The monk took a bite and smiled. He looked at the ginseng fruit again. "It doesn't look like a baby anymore," he said.
* * *
The next morning the travelers headed west along the road. Weeks went by as they continued their journey. They walked through rain and sunshine, heat and cold.
Up ahead, an evil spirit named Lady Whitebone sat by the side of the road. She had been waiting by the road for years.
On this day she sniffed the air and smiled. "The Tang Monk is finally approaching. I will eat him up, and I will live forever!"


Journey to the West 32: Lady Whitebone
Lady Whitebone sat by the road and sniffed the air again.
"The Tang Monk has some powerful companions," she said. "I need a disguise."
* * *
Bajie dropped the bags. "I'm tired and hungry. Let's stop for lunch."
Using his magic sight, Wukong saw a peach orchard thousands of miles away.
"I'll be back in a minute," he said.
Soon after the monkey had left, a young woman came down the road. She held out a bowl.
"Are you the Tang Monk?" she asked. "I have food for you."
Bajie reached for the bowl. "Thank you!"
"Don't eat that!" Wukong was flying fast, back to the group.
He dropped all the peaches and pulled out his iron bar. 
Wham! 
He struck at the young woman. But before he hit her, she disappeared.
"Why did you do that?" cried the Tang Monk.
"You're a human, Master," said Wukong. "You couldn't see that the woman was really a spirit who wanted to harm you. Unfortunately she got away."
"Why are you so cruel?" asked the monk. "She was giving us food."
"It's not food," said the monkey. "See?" He held up the bowl, which was filled with worms.
"Don't believe Wukong," said Bajie. "He used magic to turn the food into worms." The pig looked at the ground where the woman had been and shook his head. "Wukong hit her so hard, there isn't anything left of her."
"That's ridiculous," said Wukong. "I—ahh!"
The monkey rolled on the ground as the Tang Monk recited the Tight Headband spell.
Bajie laughed. "I didn't know you could do that, Master."
Just then an old woman came down the road. The monk stopped reciting the spell, and Wukong stood up.
"I'm looking for my daughter," said the woman. "She was bringing food to the Tang Monk."
"Oh no," said the Tang Monk.
Bajie stepped forward. "You should ask this monkey what happened to your daughter."
Wukong looked at the old woman closely for a moment. Then he took out his iron bar and swung. But again he missed.
"She got away again!" cried Wukong.
"He killed another innocent person!" cried the pig. "Master, recite the spell!"
The Tang Monk recited the spell again. Wukong fell to the ground in pain.
"Please stop!" cried the monkey.
The Tang Monk stopped. "Don't hurt any more people," he said. "If you do, I'll recite the spell until your head explodes."
Just then an old man came down the road.
"I'm looking for my wife and daughter," he said.
"That's the evil spirit woman again," thought Wukong. "If I don't destroy her, she'll harm the Tang Monk. But if I do hurt her, the monk will make my head explode."
Wukong sighed. "I must protect the Tang Monk, no matter what," he thought.
Wukong whipped out his iron bar and swung. There was a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, a skeleton lay on the ground.
"I got her!" cried Wukong. "See? She was an evil skeleton spirit!"
The Tang Monk frowned.
"Recite the spell again," Bajie said to the monk.
"I want you to leave, Wukong," said the Tang Monk.
"Master," said the monkey. "I just saved your life."
"I don't believe you," said the monk. "Now leave or I'll recite the spell again."
Wukong became angry. "If you really want me to leave, I'll leave. But don't come looking for me when you need help!"
He leaped into the air and vanished.


Journey to the West 33: Bajie Takes a Nap
After the Tang Monk sent Wukong away, he and the others continued west.
Later that day they stopped to rest. Bajie sat down in the grass next to the road. He let out a great big yawn.
"Bajie," said the Tang Monk. "Why don't you go find us some food? Wujing and I will wait here."
The pig moaned. "Ugh! I just sat down!" He got back up. "This journey is too difficult," he said. Then he wandered off.
After a few minutes of walking, Bajie looked around. He was all alone.
"I'm too tired to look for food," he said to himself. "But if I go back now, Master will be angry." He yawned. "I'll take a nap. When I wake up, I'll go back to Master. I'll tell him I searched everywhere but couldn't find any food."
The pig lay down behind some bushes. Soon he was snoring loudly.
* * *
An hour later the Tang Monk and Wujing were still waiting by the road.
"What is taking Bajie so long?" asked the monk.
Wujing looked annoyed. "He probably found food and is now eating it all himself. I'll go and look for him."
Wujing got up and headed down the road. "Mmm," said a voice suddenly. "Yummy noodles!"
Wujing frowned. "That's Bajie. He 
did 
find food, and he's not sharing it with us!"
* * *
Meanwhile the Tang Monk became bored. He stood up to stretch his legs. He looked around.
"This is a beautiful forest," he said to himself. "I'll take a short walk."
The monk walked quietly through the woods, admiring flowers and plants as he went. He went deeper and deeper into the forest. Then, in the midst of all the trees, he saw a pagoda.
"This is a strange place for a pagoda," he thought. "Maybe we can all stay here tonight."
The Tang Monk went to the door of the pagoda and opened it. He gasped. A monster was sleeping inside! The monster had a purple beard and long, sharp fangs.
The Tang Monk tried to walk away, but the monster woke up.
"Who's there?" called the monster. He stood up.
The Tang Monk turned around, shaking with fear.
"Sorry to wake you," he said. "I, uh . . ."
The monster came closer and smiled. "You're a monk," he said. He licked his lips.
"Y-yes," said the Tang Monk. "I'm from the T-Tang Empire. I . . ."
The monster's eyes lit up. "You're the Tang Monk!"
* * *
Meanwhile Wujing stomped toward Bajie's voice. He peered behind some bushes and saw the pig fast asleep.
"May I have more tofu?" asked Bajie. He was talking in his sleep. "Yes, please cook lots more. I will eat it all."
Wujing kicked the pig. "Wake up!"
Bajie jumped to his feet, wiping drool from the side of his mouth.
"How dare you sleep while we wait for you?" said Wujing. "Now let's go back to Master."
The pig sighed. With his head hung low, he followed Wujing back to the road.
But when they got there, the Tang Monk was gone.
"Maybe he went for a walk," said Wujing.
He and Bajie wandered through the woods, looking for the monk. Soon they saw the pagoda.
They knocked on the door, and the monster answered.
"Who are you?" asked the monster.
Wujing told the monster who they were. "We're looking for a monk."
The monster laughed. "I have a monk here. I'm going to eat him for dinner!"


Journey to the West 34: Tricked by the Princess
The Tang Monk was tied up in a room. He heard his companions yelling at the monster.
"Hand over the Tang Monk now!" shouted Bajie.

Clang! 
The Tang Monk heard the sound of weapons clashing.
"I hope they rescue me," said the monk.
A young woman entered the room.
"Wh-who are you?" asked the Tang Monk.
"I'm a prisoner here," said the woman. "That monster kidnapped me 13 years ago and won't let me leave. Will you help me?"
"I wish I could help you," said the Tang Monk. He showed the young woman his ropes.
"I can help you get free," said the young woman. "If I do, will you deliver a letter to my parents?"
"Of course," said the monk. "Who are your parents?"
"They're the king and queen of the Precious Image Kingdom," said the young woman. "My name is Princess Hundred Flowers."
Bajie and Wujing were still fighting the monster when the princess ran outside.
"Monster!" she cried. "I must ask you a favor."
Right away the monster stopped fighting and turned to the princess.
"What can I do for you, my sweet?" asked the monster.
"There's a monk inside," said the princess. "It makes me so sad to see him tied up. Won't you let him go?"
The monster hesitated. "That monk isn't an ordinary monk. He's the—"
Princess Hundred Flowers pretended to cry.
The monster held up his hands. "Okay, okay, sweetie. You know I only want you to be happy. The monk may go." The monster followed the princess back inside.
Bajie and Wujing looked at each other in confusion.
"The monster is going to free him?" mumbled Bajie.
A moment later the Tang Monk came out. "There's something we must do," he said quietly to his companions.
* * *
Later that day the travelers reached the palace of the Precious Image Kingdom. The queen was reading the letter from her daughter. Tears were in her eyes.
"Our poor daughter," said the queen. "She's been a prisoner all this time."
The king stood up, his eyes blazing with anger. He called to his general, who was standing nearby.
"Gather your troops," said the king. "I want my daughter back. And I want that monster destroyed!"
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," said the general. "But we are just men. How can we defeat such a powerful monster?"
"My two companions are powerful spirits, Your Majesty." The Tang Monk spoke up. "I'm sure they can rescue your daughter."
Soon Bajie and Wujing were back at the pagoda.
The pig swung his rake. 
Crash! 
The door exploded. "Get out here, you rotten monster!" he shouted.
The monster ran outside. "You brutes!" he yelled. "I let the monk go free. Why did you smash my door down?"
"We're here for the princess," said Wujing. "The king of the Precious Image Kingdom sent us."
"You can't take the princess away," said the monster. "We are in love."
Bajie and Wujing attacked. The monster blocked their weapons. They fought for over an hour.
Finally Bajie, tired from fighting, turned and ran.
Wujing was furious. "Bajie!" he shouted. "Where are you—oof!"
The monster knocked out Wujing and tied him up. He dragged Wujing into the pagoda and locked him in a room.
"The king knows that the princess is here," said the monster to himself. "But how?" He tapped his chin and thought.
"Aha!" he said. "The princess must have asked that monk to go to the king." His eyes became dark and angry. "She tricked me!"


Journey to the West 35: A Visit to the King
"Princess Hundred Flowers tricked me!" said the monster. He stamped his foot.
Then he sighed. "I can't be angry with her. I love her too much. But that pig got away. He'll go back to the king, and troops will come."
The monster thought for a minute. Finally he had a plan. He went to the princess' room.
"My sweet," said the monster. "I'm going to visit your father."
"What?" said Princess Hundred Flowers in shock.
"I'm going to tell him what a nice fellow I am," said the monster. "We can all be a happy family."
Before the princess could say another word, the monster left the room.
"I need a disguise," he said to himself. He recited a quick spell. Light sparkled. Now the monster looked like a handsome young man.
"Ha-ha!" he laughed.
* * *
Bajie ran back to the Precious Image Kingdom. He told the king that he and Wujing couldn't save Princess Hundred Flowers.
The pig hung his head. "As I ran away, Wujing was captured."
"We must save my daughter," said the king. He turned to his general. "Gather the troops!"
A messenger ran into the court.
"Your Majesty, your son-in-law is here to see you," said the messenger.
The king was confused. "I don't have a son-in-law!"
A handsome young man walked into the hall. "Hello, Father. I'm sorry I haven't visited you until now."
"Who are you?" asked the king.
"I married Princess Hundred Flowers 13 years ago," said the young man. "I found her in a forest just as a tiger was about to attack her. I saved her life and chased away the tiger."
The king relaxed a little. "That was very brave."
"Yes, it 
was 
very brave," said the young man. "However, that tiger has wanted revenge ever since. Sometime ago it became a spirit. Now it disguises itself as a monk." The young man narrowed his eyes at the Tang Monk and pointed. "That monk!"
"What!" cried the Tang Monk.
The king frowned. "I don't believe you."
"I'll prove it," said the young man.
He pointed at the monk again and recited a spell. Light sparkled.
Everybody gasped. Now a tiger sat in the Tang Monk's spot!
* * *
Later, in the stable, a boy was giving hay to the Tang Monk's horse.
"Did you hear about the Tang Monk?" asked another boy. "He was really a tiger spirit. A handsome young man changed him back into his true form."
"Wow," said the first boy. "Where is the tiger now?"
"He's locked up in a cage," said the other boy.
* * *
That night Bajie was sitting alone outside when he heard a voice.
"Psst!" said the voice. "Bajie!"
Bajie looked around. "Who's calling me?" He saw the horse peeking from behind a wall.
"You're talking!" cried Bajie.
"Shh," said the horse. "We have a problem. A young man turned the Tang Monk into a tiger. The monk is locked in a cage now."
"Oh, I know!" cried Bajie. "It's terrible! Master is now a tiger, and Wujing was captured by a monster." He sighed. "The journey is over. Let's just go home."
The horse bit Bajie on the leg.
"Ouch!" cried the pig. "Why did you do that?"
"We're not going home!" said the horse. "The young man is probably just the monster in disguise. We need to defeat him and save our companions."
"But how?" asked Bajie.
The horse thought for a minute. "You must find Wukong. He can help us."
Bajie shook his head. "He won't help us."


Journey to the West 36: Tricked Again
"Why won't Wukong help us?" the horse asked Bajie.
The pig sighed. "He told us not to look for him if we needed help. Plus I kept telling Master to use the Tight Headband spell. I'll bet the monkey is really mad at me."
"That doesn't matter now," said the horse. "You must get Wukong to come back."
Bajie hesitated for a moment and then leaped onto a cloud. He soared through the sky and soon arrived at the Fruit and Flower Mountain.
He found Wukong sitting beside the big waterfall. Other monkeys and apes were nearby. They held swords and spears. They stared at Bajie silently.
"Hello, Wukong," said the pig. "This is a lovely mountain."
Wukong scowled. "What are you doing here, Bajie?"
The pig looked at the ground. "The Tang Monk would like you to come back," he mumbled.
"Well, that's too bad," said Wukong, standing up. "He told me to leave. I'll never help him again."
"Please come back," said Bajie. "We all miss you."
"I don't miss 
you 
," said Wukong. "You told Master to use the Tight Headband spell. I should take out my iron bar and clobber you!"
Bajie forced a laugh. "I was just joking, Wukong. I knew you were really just protecting Master."
"It wasn't funny," said Wukong. "That spell really hurts!"
The pig began to cry. "Please come back. The Tang Monk is in danger—big danger. A monster turned him into a tiger. And Wujing was captured."
Wukong shrugged. "Just tell the monster that you're friends with me, the Monkey King. He'll be scared and leave all of you alone."
"Oh, I did tell him about you," Bajie lied.
"Really?" Wukong leaned closer. "What did he say?"
Bajie bit his lip. "He laughed and said that you're a tiny little coward."
Wukong's eyes blazed with fury. "He will regret saying that! Let's go, Bajie!"
* * *
The monster sat in the dining hall, still disguised as a handsome young man. He was eating a meal with the king and the queen.
A servant came in and handed a note to the young man.
The young man read the note and stood up. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I must go." He ran out of the dining hall.
From behind a pillar, the servant watched the man leave. Light sparkled, and the servant turned into Bajie.
The pig giggled. "The monster is going to be so surprised!"
The young man ran outside and turned back into a monster. He flew through the air and returned to his pagoda.
He burst through the door in a panic. Then he saw Princess Hundred Flowers and relaxed.
"Oh, my sweet!" he cried. "I was so scared. I thought I had lost you forever!"
"Why did you think that?" asked the princess.
The monster sighed. "I got a note. It said there was a monkey here, and he was trying to destroy my pagoda."
"A monkey was here earlier," said the princess.
"Really?" said the monster. He looked around. "He didn't destroy the pagoda. What did he want?"
The princess hesitated. "You're not going to be happy about this," she said. "But he freed the purple spirit you had captured."
The monster looked angry. "How dare he—"
"The monkey did something else too," said the princess.
"What did he do?" asked the monster.
There was a flash of light. Suddenly Wukong stood before the monster.
The monkey smiled. "I freed the princess too!"


Journey to the West 37: Missing from Heaven
"Who are you?" the monster asked the monkey. "What are you doing here?"
"I am Sun Wukong, king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain," said the monkey.
"I'm helping the Tang Monk reach the Western Paradise. Five hundred years ago, I caused a lot of trouble in Heaven. Now I'm here to cause a lot of trouble for you!"
"I remember you," said the monster.
Wukong pulled out his iron bar and swung it. 
Poof! 
The monster vanished. Wukong leaped into the air. He looked in every direction but didn't see the monster anywhere.
"That monster said he remembered me," thought Wukong. "He must be from Heaven. I'll go up there now to see if any spirits are missing."
Wukong soared higher and higher until he reached the southern gate of Heaven.
"Greetings, Wukong," said the guard.
"There's a monster on Earth causing trouble for the Tang Monk," said Wukong. "I think the monster is a spirit who escaped from Heaven. Is anyone missing?"
The guard sent a messenger to check. A moment later the messenger returned. A god was with him.
"You found the Wood Wolf Star," said the god.
"Who?" asked Wukong.
"The Wood Wolf Star is a wolf spirit who lives in Heaven," said the god. "He escaped 13 days ago, and I've been looking all over for him."
Wukong rubbed his chin. "That makes sense," he said. "The monster kidnapped a princess 13 years ago on Earth. Thirteen years on Earth is equal to 13 days in Heaven."
The god nodded. "Yes. Let's go. I'll help you catch the Wood Wolf Star."
Wukong returned to Earth with the god. From the sky the god called down, "Wood Wolf Star! Come up here at once!"
Wukong saw a small splash in a river below. The monster leaped out. The monster turned into a wolf and flew up to the god.
The wolf looked nervous.
"You will be punished!" said the god. He turned and led the wolf back up to Heaven.
Wukong flew to the Precious Image Kingdom and went into the palace. A big celebration was taking place. The king and queen were both hugging their daughter, Princess Hundred Flowers.
The princess saw Wukong and smiled. "Father, Mother—this is Sun Wukong. He's the monkey spirit who rescued Sha Wujing and me earlier."
The king and queen bowed.
"We can never thank you enough," said the queen. "You and your friends have made us very happy."
"It was nothing at all," said Wukong with a laugh. "We save people from monsters and demons almost every day." He looked around. "Where's the Tang Monk?"
The king looked at the ground. "Didn't your friends tell you? He is really a tiger."
"Nonsense!" said Wukong. "That monster turned him into a tiger, that's all. Where is he?"
The king and queen led Wukong out of the hall. They went down a flight of stairs and arrived at the palace dungeon. A large tiger sat in a cage.
"Don't worry, Master," said Wukong. "I'll change you back into yourself."
Wukong recited a spell. Bright light surrounded the cage for a moment. The Tang Monk was back! Wukong grabbed the bars and twisted them apart.
"Thank you, Wukong," cried the monk. He took the monkey's hands in his own. "I never should have told you to leave. Will you continue the journey with us?"
Wukong smiled. "We will reach the Western Paradise together."


Journey to the West 38: Bajie Tries to Sleep
Time passed, and it was soon spring. The air grew warm, flowers bloomed, and birds swooped from tree to tree.
The road Wukong and the others were traveling began to go up a mountain.
Wukong stopped the group. "Bajie, go up the road and search the mountain. There might be a demon up there, and I don't want Master to get hurt."
"Ugh," moaned the pig. "You make me do all the hard work." Dragging his feet, he headed up the mountain road.
Wukong turned to the Tang Monk and Wujing. "I'm going to follow the pig. I want to make sure he really searches the mountain."
The monkey turned invisible and followed Bajie up the road.
The pig walked for a few minutes. When he was sure his companions wouldn't hear him, he turned around.
"You dummies!" shouted Bajie. "You make me do all the hard work! Well, guess what? I'm not going to search this mountain. I'm going to take a nap instead. And when I come back, I'll lie and say I searched the mountain!"
Bajie found a big log. He lay down behind it and fell fast asleep.
"This pig is so lazy," thought Wukong. "I'll teach him a lesson."
The monkey turned himself into a woodpecker and pecked the log. 
Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap!
Bajie rolled over and mumbled.
Wukong pecked again. 
Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap!
The pig sat up. "Quit tapping, you annoying woodpecker! I'm trying to sleep!" He fell asleep again.
Wukong landed on Bajie's head. 
Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap!
"Ouch!" cried the pig, jumping to his feet.
Wukong flew away.
Bajie rubbed his head. "I can't even take a nap!" He sighed. "I guess I'll go back down."
When Bajie found his companions, he lied. "I searched the entire mountain," he said. "It's safe."
"Did you see any demons or monsters?" asked Wukong.
Bajie shook his head.
"How about woodpeckers?" asked the monkey. "Did you see any of them?"
The pig looked surprised. "What . . . how did you . . . ?"
"That was me, Bajie!" shouted Wukong. "You took a nap! You didn't search the mountain at all!"
Bajie hung his head.
"You should be ashamed of yourself, Bajie," said Wujing.
The Tang Monk frowned. "Please go back and search the mountain, Bajie."
The pig headed back up the road. He had walked for a while when he saw a fox.
"I know that's you, Wukong!" he shouted. He swung his rake. The fox trotted away.
A robin flew past Bajie's head. "Get away from me, Wukong!" yelled the pig.
As he waved the rake at the bird, Bajie tripped and fell.
"Wukong!" shouted the pig. "I know you're here. You're invisible, and you just tripped me."
He got back up and stood still for a moment. When he didn't see or hear Wukong, he continued walking. Every time Bajie saw an animal, he waved his rake and yelled.
The road became very steep. The pig soon came to a cave. In front of the cave was a demon.
Bajie held out his rake. "Tell me who you are!" he demanded.
"My name is Golden Horn," said the demon. "Who are you?"
"I am Zhu Bajie," said the pig. "I'm traveling to the Western Paradise with the Tang Monk."
"Oh, the Tang Monk . . ." A smile curled along the demon's lips. "I have heard that anyone who eats the Tang Monk will live forever."


Journey to the West 39: The Injured Monk
Bajie waved his rake at the demon Golden Horn. "You'll never harm the Tang Monk!" shouted the pig. "My rake is very powerful!"
Bajie rushed toward Golden Horn. But the demon was strong. Bajie was knocked out. When he woke up, he was tied up in a dark cave.
* * *
"Bajie is taking a long time to search the mountain," said the Tang Monk. "I hope he's okay."
Wukong frowned. "He probably went back to sleep. I should have followed him again."
"Let's keep walking," said Wujing. "We'll find Bajie along the way."
"We must stay alert though," said Wukong. "We still don't know if there are any demons on this mountain."
The group headed up the mountain. Soon they heard a voice.
"Help me!" cried a man.
"Someone is in trouble," said the Tang Monk.
He and his companions hurried ahead and found an old monk lying near the road.
"Thank goodness!" cried the old monk. "You must help me."
The Tang Monk got down from his horse. "Of course we will help you," he said. "Please stand up."
"I can't," said the old man. "My leg is injured. It hurts terribly." He started to cry. "How will I ever get back home?"
"Please don't cry," said the Tang Monk. "We will help you. How did your leg get hurt?"
"A tiger attacked me," said the old monk.
Wukong looked suspiciously at the man. "He isn't really a monk," he thought. "I'm sure he wants to harm Master. But I can't tell Master that—he won't believe me."
"Wukong," said the Tang Monk. "Please carry this poor monk down the mountain."
Wukong walked over and picked up the old monk.
"Ouch!" cried the monk.
"Be careful, Wukong," said the Tang Monk. "His leg is hurt badly."
The group continued along the road. Wukong carried the injured monk. He walked slowly, letting the Tang Monk and Wujing go ahead.
"I know you're really a demon," the monkey whispered. "And I know you want to eat the Tang Monk."
"I don't know what you're talking about," said the monk. "I'm just a simple monk who was attacked by a tiger."
Wukong laughed. "Do you know who I am? I am Sun Wukong. Heaven's entire army couldn't defeat me. You're going to wish you'd never tried to harm the Tang Monk."
As Wukong talked, he felt a heavy weight pressing down on him. He glanced up and realized an entire mountain was balanced on top of his head.
The monkey laughed again. "So you're going to use magic tricks to trap me under a mountain? Well, let me tell you—Buddha himself once trapped me under a mountain. And I was able to lift it."
Wukong felt more weight. Now he had two mountains on top of him. He walked more slowly.
"This still isn't enough weight to stop me," he said. "Now that the Tang Monk isn't around, I should clobber you with my iron bar."
Suddenly the old monk vanished. A third mountain appeared on top of the first two. Wukong's knees buckled, and all three mountains crashed down on top of him. The monkey was trapped.
The old monk appeared again. There was a flash of light as he changed back into his demon form.
Golden Horn laughed with delight. "Wukong was the most powerful of these travelers. It will be easy to defeat Wujing. Tonight I will dine on the Tang Monk!"


Journey to the West 40: The Magic Gourd
Bajie was in the cave when the door opened. Two small demons entered, dragging Wujing and the Tang Monk.
"What happened?" cried Bajie after the demons left.
"A demon attacked us," said Wujing. "I tried to fight him, but he was too powerful."
"I'm worried," said the Tang Monk. "We don't know what happened to Wukong."
* * *
In another room inside the cave, Golden Horn talked to some smaller demons. They all laughed when Golden Horn told them Wukong was trapped under three mountains.
"Let's celebrate!" said one demon.
"Not yet," said Golden Horn. "I'm afraid Sun Wukong might escape." He handed a gourd to one of the demons. "Take this magic gourd to the monkey. Say his name, and he will be sucked into the gourd. After an hour he will turn into liquid."
"Yes, Master," said the small demon.
* * *
"Grr!" Wukong pushed as hard as he could. But the mountains were too heavy.
"How will I ever get out of this?" thought the monkey.
He was about to push again when the mountains rose into the air.
Wukong jumped to his feet and looked around.
A spirit stood nearby. "Wukong, I am the spirit of these mountains. Please forgive me. I tried to stop that demon from taking my mountains, but he was too powerful."
The spirit bowed and then vanished with the mountains.
"I'm lucky that spirit arrived," said Wukong. "Now I must find my companions. I wonder where that demon lives."
He spotted a small demon coming down the road. The demon was carrying a gourd.
Wukong ducked behind a rock before the demon saw him.
"Another demon," thought the monkey. "He probably knows the one who trapped me under the mountains."
Wukong made himself look like a demon and stepped back onto the road. "Hello!" he called. "Where are you going?"
"My master sent me to capture Sun Wukong," said the demon.
Wukong laughed. "I know that monkey, and I don't like him at all. I'll help you capture him."
"Thank you," said the demon. "But I can catch him myself quite easily."
"Oh, really?" asked Wukong. "How will you catch him?"
The demon showed Wukong his gourd. "This gourd is magical. It can hold a demon or a spirit. I just have to say 'Sun Wukong,' and he'll be sucked into it. After an hour he'll turn into liquid."
Wukong laughed. "I have a better gourd." He quickly plucked a hair and turned it into a gourd.
He showed the gourd to the demon. "It can hold all of Heaven!"
The demon looked interested. "I wish I had your gourd."
"Well," said Wukong. "I might be willing to trade gourds with you."
The demon gave Wukong a suspicious look. "How do I know you're telling the truth? Prove that your gourd can hold all of Heaven. Then we'll trade."
"I'll prove it to you," said Wukong. The monkey recited a quick spell and left his body standing on the road. He flew fast up to Heaven.
"I must make it look like Heaven got sucked into this gourd," he thought. "I'll ask the guard to close the gate and dim the stars. Then it will look like Heaven's gone."
"Greetings, Wukong," said the guard at the southern gate of Heaven.
"I need to pretend that Heaven has been sucked into a gourd," said Wukong. "When I say 'Heaven,' close the gate and dim the stars."
The guard frowned. "I can't do that!"


Journey to the West 41: A Trade
Wukong was angry at the guard at the southern gate of Heaven. "Why can't you close the gate and dim the stars?"
The guard looked nervous. "I can do that only if I have permission from the Jade Emperor."
"I'm trying to save the Tang Monk!" cried Wukong. "A demon is planning to eat him."
"I'm sorry," said the guard. "But I can't help you."
Wukong's eyes became dark and angry. He pulled the iron bar out of his ear.
* * *
A messenger ran into the Cloud Palace and bowed. "Sun Wukong is at the southern gate of Heaven, Your Majesty. He's going to destroy Heaven if we don't do what he says."
The Jade Emperor slammed his fist down. "That rotten monkey! What does he want?"
"He wants us to close the gate and dim the stars," said the messenger.
"Why?" asked the emperor.
"He wants to pretend Heaven got sucked into a gourd," said the messenger.
The Jade Emperor looked confused. "Why does he want to do that?"
"He didn't say," said the messenger. "He just said he's trying to save the Tang Monk."
The Jade Emperor sighed. "You have my permission to close the gate and dim the stars. I don't want any more trouble from that monkey."
The messenger returned to the gate. "We will close the gate and dim the stars," he said.
"Good," said Wukong. He put the iron bar back in his ear. "Wait until I say 'Heaven.'"
Wukong returned to his body, which was still in disguise as a demon.
"Now I will call to Heaven," said the monkey to the demon. "The whole place will get sucked into this gourd."
He held up the gourd. "Heaven!"
Right away the sky went dark.
"Amazing!" cried the demon. "All of Heaven is now in that gourd?"
"Yes," said Wukong. "All the stars, planets, spirits, and gods are in here. Even the Cloud Palace is in here, with the Jade Emperor too! Now I will let Heaven back out." He held up the gourd. "Heaven, return!"
The sky lit up again.
"Fascinating!" said the demon. "Let's trade gourds!" He handed his gourd to Wukong.
Wukong gave the fake gourd to the demon. Then he made the real gourd tiny and hid it in his robe.
"I'll try to capture Heaven now," said the demon. He held up the gourd. "Heaven!"
Nothing happened.
"Heaven!" said the demon again. "Heaven! Heaven!" He looked at the gourd. "This gourd isn't working. What's wrong with it?"
Wukong laughed and made the fake gourd disappear. Then he made himself invisible.
"I was tricked!" cried the demon. "I must tell Golden Horn."
The demon ran off, and Wukong followed. Soon the road went up a mountain. The demon ran into a cave.
Wukong made himself visible and stormed into the cave. Looking around at the group of demons, he pulled out his iron bar.
"Return my friends at once!" he shouted. "Or I'll clobber all of you!"
"Ahh!" cried the small demons. They ran in every direction, tripping over one another.
Wukong swung his iron bar at Golden Horn. The demon stepped out of the way and pulled a golden rope from his sleeve. He swung the rope, and it shot toward Wukong.
The monkey tried to get out of the way, but the rope snagged him. It looped around his waist. The more Wukong tried to wriggle free, the tighter the rope got.
Golden Horn laughed. "You'll never escape the golden rope. Tonight I will dine on the Tang Monk!"


Journey to the West 42: Sun Kongwu
Wukong struggled to free himself from the golden rope. The gourd fell from his robe.
"My magic gourd!" said Golden Horn, picking it up. He dragged Wukong to a dark room in the cave and locked him in.
Right away Wukong made himself tiny and escaped. He flew down a tunnel and squeezed through the cave's main door. Once he was outside, he returned to his normal size.
He banged on the cave door. "Open up right now!"
The door flew open and Golden Horn appeared. "Sun Wukong!" shouted the demon. "How did you escape?"
"I'm not Sun Wukong," the monkey lied.
"But you look just like him," said Golden Horn.
"Yes, I do," said Wukong. "Sun Wukong is my twin brother. My name is Sun Kongwu."
"Why are you here, Sun Kongwu?" asked Golden Horn.
"I know you captured my brother," said Wukong. "Set him free."
Golden Horn laughed. "I'm not going to do that!"
"Oh, that's too bad," said Wukong, pretending to feel bad. "I was hoping to solve this problem without violence." He took the iron bar out of his ear.
Golden Horn had been holding the gourd behind his back the whole time. He quickly held it up and shouted, "Sun Kongwu!"

Shloomp! 
Wukong was sucked into the gourd. Golden Horn put a cap on the gourd and went back into his cave.
Inside the gourd Wukong stamped his foot. "How will I get out of here? I know I won't turn into liquid because I'm going to live forever. But I still have to save my friends." He tapped his chin. "I have an idea."
He plucked a hair and made it look almost exactly like himself. There was just one difference. The fake Wukong had no legs.
Next Wukong made a hair look like a puddle. He placed the fake Wukong on the puddle. Now it looked as if the fake Wukong's legs had turned into liquid. Then the monkey made himself very, very tiny.
Wukong went near the opening of the gourd and shouted, "Oh no! My legs turned into liquid!"
The gourd shot out light as Golden Horn removed the cap. The tiny Wukong leaped out, unseen.
Golden Horn peered into the gourd and saw the fake Wukong in the puddle. "Ha-ha! The monkey's legs did turn into liquid. Soon his entire body will be liquid!"
Golden Horn laughed again and closed the gourd. He put the gourd down and started eating.
The real Wukong returned to his normal size and then made himself look like a demon. He walked over to Golden Horn.
"Hello, sir," said Wukong. "Are you enjoying your lunch?"
"Yes," said Golden Horn.
Wukong picked up the gourd. "Is Sun Kongwu still in here?"
"Yes," said Golden Horn. "He will turn completely into liquid soon. Stop asking me questions. I'm trying to eat my lunch."
Golden Horn tilted his head to take a drink. Wukong slipped the gourd into his robe. He quickly made a fake gourd with one of his hairs. He put it on the table and then ran outside.
Wukong changed back into himself and then banged on the cave door again.
Golden Horn threw the door open.
"My name is Kong Sunwu," said Wukong. "You captured my nephews. Return them at once!"
Golden Horn held up the fake gourd. "Kong Sun—"
"Wow!" cried Wukong, interrupting the demon. "I have a gourd that looks just like that!"


Journey to the West 43: A Visit from Laozi
Golden Horn scowled at Wukong. "I doubt you have a gourd like mine."
"I do," said Wukong. He held up the real gourd.
The demon looked carefully at the gourd. "That does look like my gourd. But my gourd is magical."
"My gourd is magical too," said Wukong.
The demon rubbed his chin. "What can your gourd do?"
"It can hold a demon," said Wukong. "All I have to do is say the demon's name. The demon will get sucked in and then turn into liquid."
Golden Horn raised his eyebrows. "My gourd can do that too. Let's see whose gourd works better. I'll go first. Um, I forgot your name."
"Kong Sunwu," said Wukong.
"Oh yes. Now I remember." Golden Horn held up his gourd. "Kong Sunwu!"
Nothing happened.
Golden Horn looked at his gourd. "Why isn't my gourd working?"
"Let me try mine," said Wukong. "Golden Horn!"

Shloomp! 
Instantly the demon was sucked into the gourd.
"Ha-ha!" Wukong laughed. "Golden Horn will soon be turned into liquid!" He closed the gourd and ran into the cave.
Several demons were inside. The monkey waved his iron bar at them. "Get out of here before I clobber you all!" he shouted.
"Ahh!" The demons screamed and ran out of the cave.
After a quick search of the cave, Wukong found his companions.
"We thought you were trapped under mountains," said the Tang Monk.
"I was freed a couple of hours ago," said Wukong. He untied the monk.
"A couple of hours ago?" asked Bajie. "What were you doing for all that time? We were scared to death in here!"
Wukong shrugged. "I couldn't free you right away. I had to get rid of the demon first."
The monkey untied Bajie and Wujing. They all went outside.
"It's still early in the afternoon," said Wujing. "Let's start walking now."
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "I want to be as far from this mountain as I can by nighttime."
The travelers hurried west along the road. They hadn't gone far when an old man approached them.
"Give me back my gourd!" said the old man.
Wukong stepped forward. "What gourd? I don't have a gourd."
"I know you have my gourd," said the man.
"I don't know what you're talking about," said the monkey.
There was a flash of light. Then Laozi the sage stood before the travelers. He looked angry.
"Give me my gourd, Wukong!" boomed the sage.
Wukong laughed. "Relax, Laozi. I was just joking around. I knew it was you. Here's your gourd."
Wukong took the gourd out of his robe and handed it to the sage.
"Why did that demon have your gourd?" asked the monkey.
"Golden Horn works for me," said Laozi. "I sent him here to cause trouble for you. Buddha wanted to make sure you are all serious about reaching the Western Paradise. You fought well, Wukong."
Wukong glanced at the gourd. "Golden Horn is probably all liquid by now."
"No," said Laozi. "The gourd won't harm him. Good-bye." The sage vanished.
The group continued west. As night fell they arrived at a monastery. After a small dinner with the monastery's monks, everyone went to bed.
The Tang Monk was almost asleep when he heard a moaning sound from outside. The monk sat up, trembling with fear. Was a ghost approaching?
Slowly his door creaked open. A man stood in the doorway, dripping wet. He looked at the monk and held out his hands. "Please help me!"


Journey to the West 44: The King's Ghost
The man walked into the Tang Monk's room.
"Wh-who are you?" asked the Tang Monk nervously.
"I'm king of the Black Rooster Kingdom," said the man. "My kingdom suffered a horrible drought five years ago. Crops wouldn't grow, and my people were starving. One day a Daoist arrived in the kingdom. He said he had great powers and could pray for rain."
"Did the Daoist's prayers bring rain?" asked the Tang Monk.
The king nodded. "It rained for days, and our crops began to grow."
"Wonderful!" said the Tang Monk with a smile. But then his smile faded. "I'm confused. Why do you need my help?"
The king took a deep breath. "After the Daoist brought the rain, we became close friends. One day we were walking when I noticed a strange light coming from my well. I went to the well and looked in. Suddenly I felt someone push me in. It was the Daoist! He had made the light with magic so he could trick me. I fell deep into the water, and he sealed the well shut."
Tears came to the king's eyes. "My body is still down there. I'm just a . . . ghost."
"That's horrible!" said the Tang Monk. "Your guards punished the Daoist, right?"
The king shook his head. "The Daoist made himself look like me, and now everyone thinks he's the real king." The king paused. "I've been in the Land of Darkness ever since. Tonight a spirit brought me to see you. He said you can help me."
"How can I help you?" asked the Tang Monk. "I'm just a monk."
"Yes, but you're traveling with Sun Wukong," said the king. "Sun Wukong is very powerful. He can destroy the Daoist!"
The Tang Monk hesitated. "Wukong can't charge into the palace and attack the Daoist. People will think the monkey is evil, attacking a king for no reason."
"My son, the prince, can bring all of you into the palace," said the king. "Then Sun Wukong can fight the Daoist in private."
"Where can we find the prince?" asked the monk.
"He will be out hunting tomorrow," said the king. "Tell him everything I told you."
"But he won't believe us," said the monk. "He thinks that Daoist is his father."
"Show him this." The king held up a jade coin. "This is the one royal treasure I still have. When my son sees it, he'll know you're telling the truth."
Suddenly the king looked at the door. "The spirit is calling me. I must go." The king vanished.
The Tang Monk called to his companions, who rushed into the room. The monk told them everything that the king had said.
"He showed me a jade coin," said the monk. He looked around. "I don't know where it is now though."
"It was just a dream," said Wukong.
"No, it wasn't a dream," said the monk, still looking around. He went outside, and the others followed. "There it is!"
A jade coin lay on the ground by the door.
* * *
The next morning the prince went out hunting. He saw a white rabbit and shot an arrow. He missed and the rabbit ran. The prince chased the rabbit as it ran into a monastery.
Inside, the prince saw a monk, a pig, and a purple spirit. Then the rabbit turned into a monkey.
"What's going on here?" cried the prince.
The monk stepped forward. "Don't be scared, Prince. We must tell you something."


Journey to the West 45: The Treasure in the Well
The Tang Monk introduced himself to the prince and then waved toward the others. "These are my companions. We're going to the Western Paradise to get scriptures from Buddha."
"What's going on?" asked the prince. "Why did the monkey lead me here?"
"The man ruling the Black Rooster Kingdom is not really the king," said the monk. He told the prince everything.
When the Tang Monk's story was finished, the prince was furious. "You're lying! I will have you arrested for making up such a story!"
The Tang Monk reached into his robe. He pulled out the jade coin. "Your father told me to show you this."
The prince gasped. "That coin belongs to my father! It's a royal treasure." He began to cry. "Your story must be true. My poor father. All this time, people thought that evil Daoist was him."
"Don't worry," said Wukong. "We'll get rid of that fake king."
* * *
Late that night Wukong lay awake. "The Daoist will deny everything," he thought. "We need proof that he killed the real king."
He poked Bajie, who was fast asleep. "Bajie, wake up."
The pig rolled over. "Leave me alone . . . sleeping."
"We need to do something," said Wukong.
"Not now," mumbled Bajie.
"I know where there's treasure," the monkey lied.
Bajie's eyes popped open. "Where is the treasure?"
"Follow me," said Wukong.
They went outside and flew to the palace. In a small courtyard, Wukong rushed toward a well.
"The treasure is in this well," said the monkey, pulling the lid off.
Bajie peered down into the darkness. "Is this the well the king was pushed into?"
"Oh, I'm not sure," said Wukong, pretending to not know. "The treasure is definitely down there though."
"How will we get it out?" asked the pig.
Wukong pushed Bajie, and the pig splashed into the water.
"You rotten monkey!" shouted Bajie.
The monkey laughed. "Find the treasure, and I'll let you back up."
Angry, Bajie dived down, deeper and deeper, until he arrived at a palace.
"Greetings," said a dragon. "I'm the Well Dragon King."
"My name is Zhu Bajie," said the pig. "I'm here for treasure."
"I don't have any treasure for you," said the dragon.
He looked up. "You came from the well. Are you from the Black Rooster Kingdom?"
"Not exactly," said Bajie. "My friends and I are helping the king of the Black Rooster Kingdom."
"Oh, really?" The dragon raised his eyebrows. "I have something for you. Follow me."
The Well Dragon King led Bajie into a room. The pig gasped. The body of a man lay on a table.
"This is the Black Rooster King's body," said the dragon. "Please take it back with you."
Bajie was furious that Wukong had tricked him. He lifted the king's body and headed back to the well. "I will get revenge later," he said to himself.
* * *
The next morning the Tang Monk looked at the king's body. "I wish we could bring him back to life."
"Wukong can bring him back to life," said Bajie suddenly.
"What!" cried the monkey.
The Tang Monk smiled. "That's wonderful, Wukong. Please bring him back to life right away."
Bajie giggled.
"I don't know how to do that!" said the monkey.
"Don't believe him, Master," said Bajie. "He can bring the king back to life. He just doesn't want to."
"That's not true!" protested Wukong.
"He's lying, Master," said Bajie. "Use the Tight Headband spell!"


Journey to the West 46: One Thousand Pills
The Tang Monk glared at Wukong. "Bajie says you can bring the king back to life," said the monk. "Please do so now."
Wukong shot a look at Bajie, who was trying not to laugh.
"Master, use the Tight Headband spell!" said the pig.
"Don't!" cried Wukong. "I'll ask Laozi for help. He makes pills that can make people live forever. Maybe he makes pills that can bring people back to life."
* * *
Laozi was busy working on a potion. Steam rose from the bubbling cauldron.
Suddenly Wukong burst into the room. "Hello, Laozi!"
Laozi groaned. "What are you doing here, Wukong? You're supposed to be helping the Tang Monk reach the Western Paradise."
Wukong walked around the room, looking at all the bottles and equipment. "I'm still helping the Tang Monk," he said. "We're helping a king right now though." He poked a blue bottle filled with liquid.
Laozi looked up from his potion. "Don't touch anything. Just tell me why you're here."
"I need pills that will bring someone back to life," said Wukong. "Give me one thousand of them."
Laozi stopped what he was doing and walked over to Wukong. "How dare you tell me to give you one thousand pills!" he said. "Get out of here right now!"
The monkey laughed. "I'm kidding. I don't really need one thousand pills. Just give me one hundred, and then I'll leave."
Laozi squeezed his hands into fists. "I'm not giving you any pills. Now get out of here!"
Wukong scratched his head, pretending to think. "Now that I think about it, I don't need one hundred pills. Just give me ten."
"You are rude and disrespectful!" yelled Laozi. "Get out!"
"I really just need one pill," said Wukong. "Give me that."
"Get out!" shouted Laozi.
Wukong sighed and then left.
Laozi went back to his potion and stirred. But then he stopped. "That monkey will definitely come back and cause trouble," he said to himself. "I should just give him a pill."
The sage opened a jar and took out a pill. He went outside and found Wukong waiting for him.
"Hello again," said the monkey. "I was just trying to decide what sort of trouble I could cause for you."
Laozi frowned, shoving the pill toward Wukong. "Take this and leave."
* * *
Wukong returned to the monastery. Everyone watched as the monkey put the pill in the king's mouth. Light sparkled around the king, and then his eyes popped open.
The king sat up and looked at Wukong. "You . . . saved me," the king said. "I'm alive again!" He turned and saw the prince standing nearby. "My son!"
"Father!" said the prince. He took his father's hands and bowed his head. "I've missed you. It's time for you to return to your palace."
The prince led everyone to the palace. They walked past guards and went into the throne room. The prince kneeled down before the Daoist.
"Greetings, son," said the Daoist. "Who are these people?"
The prince stood up. "This is the Tang Monk. He is going to the Western Paradise to get scriptures from Buddha. These three are his companions."
The Daoist looked at a person standing near them. The person was wearing a hood. "Who is that man wearing the hood?"
The man pulled the hood back and showed his face.
The Daoist gasped. "The king!"
Wukong pulled out his iron bar and leaped toward the Daoist.
The Daoist snapped his fingers and vanished.


Journey to the West 47: Two Tang Monks
The Daoist had vanished! Wukong ran outside and shot into the air. He looked in every direction.
"Where did the Daoist go?" asked the monkey.
Then he heard a shout from inside the palace.
"There are two Tang Monks!" cried Bajie.
Wukong flew back inside. Two Tang Monks stood side by side.
"We can't tell them apart," said Wujing. "They look exactly alike."
"Which one of you is the real Tang Monk?" asked Wukong.
"I am!" said one.
The other monk glared at the first one. "No, I am!"
The first monk looked at Wukong. "Don't believe him, Wukong. I am the real Tang Monk."
"Don't believe 
him! 
" said the other monk. " 
I 
am the real Tang Monk."
Angry, Wukong pulled out his iron bar. "Which one of you is the real Tang Monk?"
Both Tang Monks fell to their knees, shaking with fear. "Don't hit me!" they both cried.
The monkey sighed. He turned to Bajie and Wujing. "What can we do?"
"I have an idea," said Bajie, smiling. "But you won't like it."
"What is it?" asked Wukong.
"The two Tang Monks should recite the Tight Headband spell," said the pig. "Only the Tang Monk, Guanyin, and Buddha know the spell. We'll know right away which Tang Monk is fake."
"You just want to see me in pain!" said Wukong. Then he sighed. "But it is a good idea."
Bajie and Wujing stood near the monks.
"Master, recite the Tight Headband spell," said Wukong.
Both monks began speaking, and Wukong fell to the floor. "It hurts!" he cried.
Bajie watched the Tang Monks carefully. One of them was reciting the spell. But the other one wasn't.
"This is the fake Tang Monk!" shouted the pig, pointing. "He's just mumbling nonsense!"
The real monk stopped reciting the spell. Bajie and Wujing tried to grab the fake monk. But the monk changed into a green lion and ran out of the throne room.
"Get him!" shouted Wukong.
He and his companions chased the lion. Outside, the lion leaped into the air. Wukong and the others shot after him. Clouds swirled, and soon they had the lion surrounded. Wukong pulled out his iron bar and raised it to strike.
Just then a deep voice called out, "Do not hit him, Sun Wukong!"
Everyone looked up.
"It's the bodhisattva Manjusri!" said Wukong.
"This green lion is my pet," said the bodhisattva. "The king of the Black Rooster Kingdom was cruel to someone many years ago. So my lion came to Earth to punish him. The king's punishment is over now."
The bodhisattva and the lion disappeared above the clouds.
That night the king of the Black Rooster Kingdom hosted a feast. During the feast he turned to the Tang Monk. "Thank you for your help. I hope you will reach the Western Paradise very soon."
* * *
Weeks passed, and the travelers continued west. One day Wukong saw a mysterious red cloud over the mountains ahead.
"Stop walking," he said quietly.
"What's wrong?" asked the Tang Monk.
The red cloud disappeared. Wukong shook his head. "Nothing, Master. I thought I saw a red cloud."
They walked some more. Wukong saw the red cloud again. He held up his hand for the others to stop. The red cloud disappeared once again, and Wukong started to walk again. But then the red cloud reappeared.
"Stop," said the monkey.
The Tang Monk groaned. "Wukong, should we keep going or not?"


Journey to the West 48: The Scared Boy
Wukong stared at the mountains. "A red cloud keeps appearing over those mountains," he said. "There must be a demon ahead."
"The road leads right into those mountains," said the Tang Monk nervously.
Wukong nodded. "We must be careful." He pulled out his iron bar and held it up.
Wujing held up his spear, and Bajie held up his rake. The group walked cautiously.
* * *
A red demon sat on a mountain peak, watching the travelers approach.
"The Tang Monk has finally arrived at my mountain," the demon said to himself. "I've heard that eating just one bite of him will make me live forever."
The demon looked at the travelers again. "Uh-oh. The monk's companions have their weapons out. They probably saw my red cloud. I'll have to trick them with a disguise."
The demon made himself look like a scared little boy. Then he went down to the road, sat alongside it, and waited.
Soon the travelers approached. The Tang Monk saw the boy and got down from his horse.
"Master, that's a demon," warned Wukong.
The Tang Monk scowled at the monkey. "He's just a scared little boy." He turned back to the boy. "What's wrong?"
"My family was attacked by robbers," said the boy. "Please help me."
"I know what you are!" shouted Wukong. "You're a demon! I won't let you eat the Tang Monk!"
The boy looked horrified.
"Wukong!" snapped the Tang Monk. "You're scaring him!"
"Master, you're being a fool again!" cried the monkey. "You always fall for demons' tricks, and you never believe me."
"Be quiet, Wukong," said the Tang Monk. "Or I'll recite the Tight Headband spell."
Wukong glared angrily at the boy. But he didn't say another word.
The Tang Monk helped the boy to stand up. "Can you walk?" asked the monk.
The boy shook his head. "My leg is injured."
The Tang Monk waved Wukong over. "Please carry the boy. And don't be mean to him."
The group continued west, with Wukong carrying the boy on his back. The monkey walked slowly, and soon his companions were far ahead.
"You tricked the Tang Monk," said Wukong to the boy. "But you haven't tricked me. I know you're a demon."
"I don't know what you're talking about," said the boy.
A powerful wind blew, uprooting trees and almost knocking over Wukong.
The monkey laughed. "I know that you're making this wind blow. Use all the magic you want. You won't be able to blow me away. I once defeated Heaven's entire army!"
The road now ran along the edge of a cliff. Wukong looked down.
"I'll throw you over the edge of this cliff," he said. "Then I'll just tell the Tang Monk you ran away."
The monkey tried to grab the boy from his back. But at that moment, the boy disappeared.
Wukong laughed. "He must have gotten scared."
The wind suddenly grew stronger, and dust filled the air. Wukong heard screams and rushed ahead to find his friends.
"Master!" cried the monkey, trying to see through the dust. "Where are you?"
When the wind stopped, he saw Bajie and Wujing lying by the road.
"That was some wind," said the pig, getting up.
"It knocked us over," said Wujing.
Wukong looked frantically around. "Where's Master?"
"Oh no!" cried Bajie. "That boy 
was 
a demon. He kidnapped Master!"
Wukong shook his head. "Let's all go home. The journey is over."


Journey to the West 49: Red Boy
"Wukong is right," said Bajie. "We should all go home and forget about reaching the Western Paradise. I'll return to my cave and take a nice long nap."
Bajie started to walk away.
Wujing grabbed him. "Are you crazy?" He looked at Wukong. "We can't go home!"
"I know that," said the monkey. "I wasn't serious about going home. But I'm angry with Master. How many times have I warned him about demons? He never believes me! If he had listened to me earlier, he wouldn't have been kidnapped."
Wukong sighed. "We need to figure out where the demon took him. I'll summon a local spirit."
The monkey closed his eyes and muttered some words. A soft breeze blew, and then a spirit appeared.
"Hello, Sun Wukong," said the spirit. "I am the spirit of this mountain."
"Our master was kidnapped by a demon," said Wukong. "We think the demon lives near here, but we don't know where."
"Oh dear," said the spirit. He looked nervous. "Your master was probably kidnapped by Red Boy, a very nasty demon. His cave is near the peak of that mountain." The spirit pointed to a nearby mountain.
"You shouldn't go there though," the spirit continued. "Red Boy is very powerful. His father is the Bull Demon King, one of the most horrible demons ever."
A smile spread across Wukong's face, and he began to laugh. "That is good news!"
Everyone looked at the monkey in surprise.
"Why is that good news?" asked Wujing.
"The Bull Demon King is an old friend of mine!" said Wukong. "Before I caused trouble in Heaven, I was friends with a group of demon kings. The Bull Demon King was one of them. When I tell Red Boy who I am, he'll release the Tang Monk right away!"
The three travelers said good-bye to the spirit and headed up the mountain. They came to a cave near the peak. The door was closed.
Wukong knocked. "Open up, Red Boy. I need to speak with you!"
The door flew open, and Red Boy stepped out.
"Who are you?" demanded Red Boy. "What do you want?"
"You kidnapped our master, the Tang Monk," said the monkey. "Please return him to us."
Red Boy snorted. "I'm not going to return the Tang Monk to you. I'm going to eat him and live forever. Now go away before I get very angry!"
Wukong laughed. "My dear boy, you don't realize whom you're talking to. I am Sun Wukong—the Monkey King. Your father and I are old friends."
"I don't care who you are!" said Red Boy. "Now all of you, get off my mountain!"
Wukong shook his head, pretending to be disappointed. "I was hoping we could solve this problem nicely." He removed the iron bar from his ear.
Red Boy laughed. "Do you think I'm scared of your little weapon?"
"This iron bar is a treasure from Heaven," said Wukong. "It was used to measure the oceans and rivers. It is very powerful and can do whatever I tell it to do."
The monkey puffed out his chest. "Now return the Tang Monk at once, or I'll destroy your entire mountain!"
"I also have a powerful weapon," said Red Boy. "I'll show it to you."
The demon punched himself in the nose. Smoke poured from his nostrils, and fire shot from his mouth. A moment later flames covered the entire mountainside!


Journey to the West 50: Magic Fire
Wukong and his companions ran back down the mountain, escaping the fire.
"Red Boy's fire is powerful," said the monkey.
"We were nearly roasted!" said Bajie.
Wujing looked up at the mountain peak. "The fire is dying down now."
"Yes," said Wukong, looking at the last few wisps of smoke. "But he'll use it again if we go back up there."
"We need water," said Wujing. "Then if he makes fire again, we can just put it out."
Wukong nodded. "You two wait here. I know who can help us."
The monkey shot into the air and flew away. When he returned, the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea was with him. Wukong introduced the Dragon King to Bajie and Wujing.
"I can summon rain clouds," said the Dragon King. "Go back up the mountain, and get Red Boy to come out. As soon as he makes his fire, I'll create a huge rainstorm."
The Dragon King flew up into the sky. Wukong and the others returned to the cave.
"Open up, Red Boy!" The monkey pounded on the cave door.
The door flew open and Red Boy ran outside.
"Release the Tang Monk right now!" shouted Wukong.
"Never!" shouted the demon. He made a fist and punched himself in the nose. Smoke and fire poured from his face again.
"Dragon King!" called the monkey. "Make it rain!"
Thunder rumbled as dark clouds filled the sky. Rain poured down. The fire, however, didn't go out. Instead it grew—bigger and bigger. The smoke became thick.
Coughing and unable to breathe, Wukong covered his face. He saw Bajie and Wujing running away. The monkey tried to get to the cave door, but the smoke was too thick. He tripped on a rock and tumbled down the side of the mountain.

Splash! 
Wukong landed in a river and floated downstream. Finally he washed up on the riverbank, coughing and wheezing.
Bajie and Wujing rushed over to the monkey.
"Wukong, are you all right?" asked Wujing.
"I think so," said the monkey. He coughed again. "That fire is no ordinary fire. The water made it worse."
"You're right," said the pig. "It must be magic fire. What will we do now? Red Boy still has the Tang Monk in his cave."
"I'll ask Guanyin for help," said Wukong, standing up.
"You rest," said Bajie. "You breathed in a lot of smoke. I'll go to Guanyin."
The monkey coughed again. "Okay, Bajie. But go straight to Guanyin. No naps!"
Meanwhile Red Boy was sitting on his mountain peak.
"My fire was too powerful for Sun Wukong and his friends," he said to himself. "They must be dead now."
The demon patted his belly. "And that is good because I am hungry. I'll go inside now and start cooking the Tang Monk."
The demon stood up to leave when he spotted something in the sky.
"It's the pig!" he said. "He's heading south. I wonder why." Red Boy thought for a minute. "Aha! The bodhisattva Guanyin lives on Mount Potalaka, in the South Sea. The pig must be going to ask her for help. I'll stop him!"
The demon recited a quick spell, and light sparkled around him. Now Red Boy looked exactly like Guanyin.
Bajie soared through the sky on his cloud. He saw Guanyin coming toward him.
"Bodhisattva!" cried the pig with a smile. "This is a surprise. I was just coming to see you!"


Journey to the West 51: Guanyin Becomes Angry
Bajie didn't know Guanyin was really Red Boy in disguise.
"The Tang Monk is in trouble," said the pig to the fake Guanyin. "A demon named Red Boy is planning to eat him. Can you help us?"
"Of course," said the fake Guanyin. "I know Red Boy. He's very nice. I doubt he'll harm the Tang Monk. Let's go to Red Boy's cave and talk to him."
Bajie and the fake Guanyin flew to Red Boy's cave. Bajie went in first. Red Boy returned to his normal appearance and then sneaked up behind Bajie. He threw a sack over the pig.
"Hey, what's going on?" shouted Bajie.
"I'm not Guanyin, you fool!" The demon laughed. "I'm Red Boy! And now you're trapped!"
The demon locked Bajie in a room.
* * *
"Why isn't Bajie back yet?" asked Wujing.
Wukong frowned. "He probably stopped to take a nap. That pig is so lazy."
Wujing nodded. "Yes, he's very lazy. What should we do now?"
"I'm going to sneak into Red Boy's cave," said Wukong. "I want to make sure the Tang Monk is still alive. Then I'll go to Guanyin myself."
The monkey turned himself into a bee and flew up the mountain. He slipped through the cave door and flew down a long tunnel. Soon he heard the Tang Monk crying.
"Master is scared," thought Wukong. "But at least he's still alive." The monkey then heard a shout.
It was Bajie. "You filthy demon! How dare you make yourself look like Guanyin and fool me!"
"Aha!" thought Wukong. "Bajie didn't take a nap after all. I must go to the real Guanyin right away."
The monkey flew out of the cave and told Wujing what he'd just learned. Then he jumped onto a cloud and headed south. He found Guanyin in her pagoda.
"Wukong, why are you here?" asked Guanyin.
"We have a problem, Bodhisattva," said the monkey. "The Tang Monk was caught by a demon named Red Boy. The demon makes magic fire that water can't put out. Bajie was on his way here to ask for your help. But the demon made himself look like you and tricked the pig."
Guanyin's face burned with anger. "How dare that demon make himself look like me!"
The bodhisattva grabbed a vase and stormed outside. She threw the vase down into the ocean, where it sank beneath the waves.
Wukong gasped. "That vase was a Buddhist treasure! Why did you throw it away?"
Guanyin didn't answer. A minute later the water rumbled. The vase reappeared. It was atop the shell of a giant turtle. The turtle came onto the shore and bowed its head.
"Go down and get the vase, Wukong," said Guanyin.
The monkey ran down the mountain and tried to pick up the vase.
"Grr!" Wukong grunted and used all of his strength. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't lift the vase at all.
"Bodhisattva!" he called. "I don't understand. It's just a small vase, but I can't lift it!"
Guanyin came down the mountain. "That vase just traveled around the world, through all the oceans and rivers. It now holds an ocean's worth of water—magic water. The water will put out Red Boy's fire."
Guanyin picked up the vase with one hand. She held up her other hand, and several swords appeared. She waved them, and they turned into a large lotus platform.
"I have what I need now," said Guanyin. "Let's go."


Journey to the West 52: An Ocean from a Vase
Wukong and Guanyin stood on the lotus platform above Red Boy's mountain.
"Let's attack Red Boy now," said the monkey.
"Wait, Wukong," said Guanyin, holding up a hand. "There's a lot of water in this vase—enough for an ocean. I don't want any animals harmed when I pour it out." She recited a quick spell.
A moment later the local spirit arrived. "Bodhisattva," said the spirit. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm going to pour magic water around Red Boy's mountain," said Guanyin. "Please make sure all the animals are far, far away from the mountain."
"Yes, Bodhisattva," said the spirit.
The spirit flew down to earth. Wukong watched the ground below. First he saw some small animals scurry out from under bushes. Birds flew from branches. Then tigers, bears, and other large animals stampeded down the mountainside. Soon there wasn't a single animal anywhere near the mountain.
"Now I can pour the water out," said Guanyin.
She tipped the vase, and rolling waves of water poured out. The waves washed down the slopes of the mountain. The water level rose higher and higher, forming an ocean. Only the top of the mountain was above water.
"Wukong, go down there and get the demon to come out," said Guanyin. "Fight him, but don't defeat him. Instead, lead him up here to me."
Wukong jumped down to the mountain. He pulled out his iron bar and swung it. 
Smash! 
The door to the cave exploded.
Red Boy ran out of the cave, looking furious. "You smashed my front door!" he shouted.
"That's right," said the monkey. "And I'll smash 
you 
if you don't release my friends."
"Ha!" Red Boy laughed and then punched himself in the nose. Nothing happened.
"Why didn't my fire magic work?" asked the demon. Then he noticed the ocean surrounding his mountain.
Wukong laughed. "That is magic water, brought here by the bodhisattva Guanyin. You can't make fire anywhere near it."
"Aargh!" Red Boy stabbed at Wukong with his lance.

Clang! 
The monkey blocked the lance with his iron bar. Red Boy grunted and stabbed again. Wukong swung his iron bar, nearly knocking the lance from Red Boy's hands.
The two fought until Wukong, pretending to be scared, leaped into the air. Red Boy followed. Up into the sky they flew. Red Boy kept jabbing his lance at Wukong. The monkey blocked it with his iron bar.
Wukong hurried toward Guanyin on the lotus platform. He flew fast and ducked behind her.
When Red Boy saw the bodhisattva, he stopped. "What are you doing here, Bodhisattva?" he demanded.
Guanyin stared back at the demon. But she didn't say a word.
"I asked why you're here!" shouted Red Boy.
Again Guanyin didn't answer.
"Did Wukong ask you to come here?" shouted the demon. "Why don't you speak?"
Guanyin continued to stare silently at Red Boy. The demon became furious. He raised his lance and shot toward Guanyin. The bodhisattva vanished!
Red Boy laughed. "I guess she was scared of me." He looked at the empty lotus platform. "Wukong is a fool! He couldn't defeat my fire magic, so he asked Guanyin for help. And what did she do? She ran away as soon as I raised my weapon. Now this Buddhist treasure is mine!"
Red Boy sat down on the platform. Instantly the platform turned back into swords, which surrounded the demon. Sharp points stuck at him on all sides.
"Oh no!" cried Red Boy. "I'm trapped!"


Journey to the West 53: The Man in the Canoe
From behind Guanyin, Wukong peeked at Red Boy. The demon was trapped by the swords, all pointed at his face.
"Get these swords away from me!" cried the demon.
"You must become a Buddhist," said Guanyin. "Then I'll release you."
"I promise!" cried Red Boy. "I'll do whatever you say!"
Guanyin recited a spell, and the swords vanished. Red Boy's eyes flashed with anger.
"Bodhisattva, watch out!" cried Wukong.
Red Boy charged toward Guanyin. Wukong jumped in front of him. The monkey was about to strike the demon when Guanyin held up five metal bands. She threw them at Red Boy. Instantly they clamped around his head, wrists, and ankles.
"Evil demon!" said Guanyin. "How dare you try to attack me!"
Unable to move, Red Boy glared at Guanyin.
Wukong raised his iron bar to strike him.
"No, Wukong," said Guanyin. "Don't hurt the demon. I will take him back to Mount Potalaka to be my student."
"Yes, Bodhisattva," said the monkey.
Guanyin took the vase down to earth. She recited a spell, and all the water flowed back into the vase. She then led Red Boy toward the south.
Wukong went into Red Boy's cave and freed the Tang Monk. Then he found Bajie and freed him. The three of them went down the mountain and found Wujing.
The group continued west. They traveled for weeks and then months. One day they came to a wide river.
"I can't believe we have to cross another river," muttered Bajie.
"There are many rivers between here and the West," said Wukong. "We'll have to cross them all."
"How will we cross this one?" asked the Tang Monk.
A small canoe came into view. A man paddled it toward the travelers. As the man paddled, he stared at the Tang Monk.
"Greetings!" called the man as he came closer. "Do you all need a ride across the river?"
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "We were just wondering how we would get across. We're going to the West to get scriptures from Buddha."
"You must be the Tang Monk!" said the man brightly. "I've heard you would pass through this area eventually."
"Really?" asked the Tang Monk.
"Yes," said the man with a smile. "You're famous." He glanced down at his canoe. "I would be happy to take you all across. But as you can see, my canoe is not very big. I can take only two passengers at a time."
As the man talked, Wukong watched him carefully. Something about the man didn't look quite right. The monkey was about to say something when Bajie stepped forward.
"The Tang Monk and I will go first," said the pig.
Wukong hesitated. "Master, I don't think this is a good idea."
The Tang Monk frowned. "You never trust people, Wukong. This kind man is willing to help us cross the river."
The monkey bit his lip as the monk and Bajie climbed into the canoe. They sat down, and the man paddled away from shore. Wukong watched the canoe glide across the river. When it was about halfway across, Wukong noticed something.
"Am I imagining things, or is the canoe sinking?" asked the monkey.
Wujing looked. "You're not imagining things," he said. "It is sinking!"
The two of them watched as the canoe slipped under the surface of the water.
Wukong stamped his foot. "That man kidnapped Master and Bajie! I knew he looked suspicious!"


Journey to the West 54: The River God
Wukong stared at the river. "I should have stopped Master from getting in that canoe. But whenever I warn him about someone, he doesn't believe me."
Wujing nodded. "I'll find out where that man took our friends."
The purple spirit dived into the river. He soon came to a palace. A sign on the gate read "Home of the Black River God."
Wujing tapped on the door with his spear. "Open up!"
The door opened, and a lizard peeked out. "What do you want?" asked the lizard.
"I'm looking for my companions," said Wujing. "One is a monk, and the other is a pig. They were kidnapped by a man."
"They were kidnapped by me," said the lizard.
"You?" said Wujing.
"Yes." The lizard smiled. "I plan to eat the Tang Monk and live forever!"
Wujing struck at the lizard with his spear. The lizard spun around, blocking the spear with his tail. The force nearly knocked Wujing over. Right away the lizard was on top of him.
"Get off me!" shouted Wujing. He shoved the lizard.
The lizard attacked again. Wujing swung his spear and then swam upward. He splashed out of the river and landed next to Wukong.
"There's a lizard demon down there," said Wujing, breathing heavily. "He's very powerful."
Wukong was about to respond when he noticed someone nearby. The man from the canoe was walking toward them.
The monkey pulled out his iron bar. "How dare you kidnap our friends!"
The man fell to his knees, shaking. "It wasn't me!" he cried. "It was a lizard demon. I'm the Black River God, and this is my river. But that lizard pretended he was me!"
Wukong put the iron bar back in his ear. "I believe you," he said. "Do you know who the lizard is?"
"I don't," said the river god. He looked even more frightened now. "But his uncle is the mighty Dragon King of the Eastern Sea."
Wukong laughed. "That dragon is a friend of mine. He's also a bit scared of me. I'll go have a talk with him."
A moment later the monkey was at the Dragon King's palace.
"Hello again, Wukong," said the dragon, smiling. "What can I do for you?"
"Why did you let your nephew take over the Black River?" demanded the monkey.
The dragon's smile faded. "What are you talking about?"
"Your nephew—a lizard demon—took over the Black River," said Wukong. "And now he's planning to eat the Tang Monk."
"Oh dear," said the dragon. "I had no idea. I'll take care of it."
Wukong and the dragon flew back to the Black River.
The Dragon King shouted, "Nephew! Come out of that river at once!"
The lizard leaped from the river. "Uncle!" he said. "It's nice of you to visit."
"I'm not here to visit!" yelled the dragon. "I'm here to take you to the Jade Emperor. You will be punished."
The lizard gulped. His head hanging low, he followed his uncle up into the sky.
With a splash, the river god appeared from the water. The Tang Monk and Bajie were with him.
"Thank you, Wukong," said the god.
"You're welcome," said the monkey. "But we still need to cross your river."
"That's easy," said the river god. He held up his hand. Instantly the river stopped flowing, and the water formed walls. The travelers walked across the muddy riverbed and continued west.


Journey to the West 55: The Monks and the Cart
"Everybody, wake up!" called Wukong.
The travelers had camped for a night in the woods. The Tang Monk woke up and stretched. Wujing opened his eyes and yawned.
Bajie moaned, "It's too early. Let me sleep just a few more hours."
"Bajie, don't be lazy," said the Tang Monk. "It's time to get up. Please start making breakfast."
The pig got to his feet. "All we do is work," he said. "Cook food . . . carry bags . . . walk, walk, walk!"
"We're on a noble mission," said Wujing. "Because of our difficult journey, the Tang Empire will have the True Scriptures. You should be happy to do all this work."
After a quick breakfast, the group started walking. They went through a valley and over some hills. Later that afternoon they heard yelling.
"It sounds like some people are in trouble," said the Tang Monk.
Wujing nodded. "Yes. I wonder what's going on."
"You all wait here," said Wukong. "I'll go and investigate."
The monkey leaped into the air and looked around. He saw a group of Buddhist monks pushing a cart up a steep hill. The cart was loaded with big stones. The monks looked miserable. Their robes were dirty and ripped.
Two Daoist priests stood nearby. They were dressed in fine clothes.
"Work faster!" yelled one of the priests.
The Buddhists looked frightened. They struggled to move the cart faster.
"Why are those monks pushing that cart?" thought Wukong. "And why are they scared of the Daoists?"
The monkey waited for the Daoists to leave. Then he made himself look like a Buddhist monk.
"Hello," said Wukong, walking toward the group of monks. "Why are you pushing this cart?"
The monks stopped pushing the cart and turned toward Wukong. They looked surprised.
"You must be new here," one monk said. "You should leave before you're discovered."
"Why?" asked Wukong.
"Daoists are in charge here," said another monk.
Wukong shrugged. "People from different religions can still get along."
"Not in this kingdom," said the first monk. "Buddhists are treated horribly here. The Daoists make us do hard work."
"Why do the Daoists treat you so badly?" asked Wukong.
"Years ago this kingdom had a drought," said the monk. "Crops died and people starved. Buddhist monks prayed to Buddha for rain. But no rain came."
"One day a powerful Daoist arrived," said the other monk. "He's called the Tiger Immortal. He recited prayers, and right away rain fell. Since then Daoists have been in charge. They destroyed all the Buddhist monasteries and statues."
"That's terrible," said Wukong. "Those Daoists can't get away with this."
"The Daoists won't treat us this way forever," said a third monk. "The spirit of the planet Venus visited us in a dream one night. He said that one day someone would come along to save us."
"Oh really?" Wukong raised an eyebrow. "Who is going to save you?"
"A fierce monkey spirit," said the monk. "His name is Sun Wukong. He is so powerful that Heaven's entire army couldn't defeat him!"
Wukong smiled. "I've heard of Sun Wukong. And it's true that he's very powerful. Did Venus tell you what he looks like?"
"Oh yes," said the monk.
"So you'll recognize him if you see him?" asked Wukong, trying not to laugh.
"Certainly," said the monk. "Why do you ask?"
Light sparkled around Wukong. A moment later he was a monkey again.
"Sun Wukong!" cried the monks. They all fell to their knees and bowed.


Journey to the West 56: The Tiger Immortal
Wukong led the monks to his companions. The monks told the Tang Monk everything that they had told Wukong.
"That's terrible," said the Tang Monk. "We must help you."
"Yes," the monkey agreed. "I'll deal with the Tiger Immortal in the morning."
The monks knew of an empty building nearby. They led the travelers there, and everyone went to sleep for the night.
The next morning Wukong woke up early. Someone was pounding on the door of the building.
A voice boomed, "I am the Tiger Immortal!"
The Tang Monk's eyes popped open. He and all the other monks trembled with fear.
Wujing and Bajie drew their weapons.
Wukong smiled. "Don't worry, everyone. I'll deal with this villain."
The monkey went outside.
"Who are you?" demanded the Tiger Immortal.
"I am Sun Wukong," said the monkey. "And you should be ashamed of yourself! Just because you're a little powerful, you think you can treat the Buddhist monks badly."
"A little powerful?" The Tiger Immortal looked offended. "I am 
very 
powerful!"
Wukong laughed. "You're not as powerful as I am. Did you know that the Jade Emperor is afraid of me? I once defeated his entire army."
The Tiger Immortal puffed out his chest. "I can summon rain," he said. "I doubt you can do that."
Wukong snorted. "I can summon rain. It's easy."
"Well then, let's have a contest," said the Tiger Immortal. "Whoever summons more rain is the winner. If you win, I'll let you and all the monks go free. But if I win, you must stay here and be my slaves."
"You're a fool," said Wukong. "I accept your challenge."
The Tiger Immortal led everyone into town. In the center of town was a Daoist altar. A stone tablet, incense sticks, and papers with magic writing were on the altar.
A crowd of people arrived to see what was going on.
"I will go first," announced the Tiger Immortal. He walked toward the altar.
The Tang Monk shook his head. "This is terrible," he muttered.
Bajie glanced at him. "Don't worry, Master. Wukong will win this contest."
"But what if he doesn't win?" asked the monk. "We'll all be stuck here, forced to work for the Tiger Immortal. If that happens, we'll never reach the Western Paradise. The True Scriptures will never get to the Tang Empire." The monk buried his face in his hands.
"Bajie is right, Master," said Wujing. "We have nothing to worry about."
Wukong stood by them, smiling.
From the altar the Tiger Immortal called out, "I will now pray to Heaven for rain!"
The Tiger Immortal lit the incense and then sat down. He closed his eyes and began to recite a spell. Next he lit one of the papers on fire. When that one went out, he lit another paper. Soon all of the papers were gone. The Tiger Immortal lifted the stone tablet and then slammed it down. 
Bam!
There was a gasp from the crowd. Wukong looked up at the sky, which was becoming dark. Wind blew and dark clouds moved in. Thunder rumbled.
The Tang Monk trembled. "Oh no! It's working! It's going to rain!"
Wukong chuckled. "You all wait here. I'll be right back."
The monkey recited a quick spell and then left his body. Up in the sky, he found the Old Woman of the Wind fanning the clouds. The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea was approaching.
Wukong called out, "Stop what you're doing! Don't make any rain!"


Journey to the West 57: A Guessing Game
"Don't make any rain yet," Wukong repeated.
"But we must," said the Old Woman of the Wind. "Someone on Earth just prayed for it."
"And the Jade Emperor heard the prayers," added the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea.
"The person who recited the prayers is bad," said Wukong. "He's the Tiger Immortal, and he plans to make the Tang Monk a slave."
The Dragon King looked concerned. "That's terrible. We all want the Tang Monk to reach the Western Paradise."
"But we must obey the Jade Emperor's orders," said the woman.
"Just wait a moment," said the monkey. "I'll go back down to the ground now. When I raise my iron bar, you can make it rain."
The woman and the Dragon King agreed to wait a moment. Wukong returned to his body.
The sky cleared, and the Tiger Immortal shook with anger. "Why didn't my spell work?" he cried.
Bajie laughed at him. "Some rain! You couldn't even summon one drop!"
"I'll try again," said the Tiger Immortal.
"No, you won't," said Wukong. "You had a chance to summon rain, and you obviously can't. Now it's my turn."
The monkey raised his iron bar into the air. Instantly clouds moved back in, and thunder boomed. Rain began to pour down. The crowd cheered.
The Tang Monk sighed. "Wonderful! Now all the Buddhist monks will be free. And we can continue our journey."
The Tiger Immortal stomped over to Wukong. "I want another contest!"
Wukong laughed. "Why would you want another contest? You'll only lose again."
The Tiger Immortal ignored the monkey's question. "I challenge the Tang Monk to a guessing game."
The Tang Monk's mouth fell open. "But—"
"We accept your challenge," said the monkey with a smile.
"Good," said the Tiger Immortal. "I will be right back." He walked away.
"Wukong, why did you agree to this contest?" asked the Tang Monk. "I won't win."
"Don't worry, Master," said the monkey. "I'll help you."
The Tiger Immortal soon came back with a small box. "If you can guess what's in this box, I will let you all go free."
As the Tang Monk stared at the box, Wukong plucked a hair. Using his magic, he made the hair look like himself. Then he made himself tiny and squeezed through a crack in the box. Inside the box was a ripe peach. Quickly he ate the peach, leaving only the pit.
A moment later he was standing next to the Tang Monk again.
Wukong leaned toward the monk and whispered, "It's a peach pit."
"Are you sure?" whispered the monk. "How do you know?"
"Stop talking to each other!" said the Tiger Immortal. "What's in the box?"
"I think it's a peach pit," said the monk nervously.
"Ha!" said the Tiger Immortal. "You're wrong, Monk. It's not just a peach pit. It's a whole peach. I'll show you."
The Tiger Immortal opened the box and showed it to everyone. "See?"
The Tang Monk smiled. "I was right! It 
is 
a peach pit."
"What?" cried the Tiger Immortal. He looked in the box and gasped. "Who ate the peach?"
Wukong laughed. "The Tang Monk guessed correctly!"
"I guess we can leave now," said Wujing.
"Yes, but we should eat some dinner first," said Bajie. "All this talk about peaches has made me hungry."
Wukong looked at the Tiger Immortal. "You will set the Buddhist monks free now, right?"
The Tiger Immortal glared at the monkey. "I challenge you to another contest!"


Journey to the West 58: The Meditation Contest
"I challenge you to a meditation contest," said the Tiger Immortal. "Whoever can meditate the longest without moving is the winner."
Wukong gulped. "I used to meditate a lot," he thought. "But I haven't done it lately. I'm terrible at sitting still."
The Tang Monk stepped forward. "I accept your challenge."
"Master, are you sure?" asked Wujing.
The Tang Monk nodded. "I've spent many years meditating. This contest will be easy for me."
The Tiger Immortal grinned. "This won't be an ordinary meditation contest. We will float in the air and meditate. Can you do that?"
Now the Tang Monk looked nervous. But before the monk could answer, Wukong clapped him on the back.
"Of course the Tang Monk can float in the air," the monkey replied.
Then he whispered into the monk's ear. "Don't worry, Master. You just meditate. I'll handle everything else."
"What are you babbling about?" snapped the Tiger Immortal. "Let's start the contest."
The Tiger Immortal and the Tang Monk went in front of the crowd. They sat down with their legs crossed and their palms facing up. They closed their eyes and started meditating.
After a moment the Tiger Immortal slowly floated up into the air.
"Uh-oh," said Bajie. "Master can't do that. He'll lose the contest."
"Don't worry," said Wukong. "He just needs some help from me."
The monkey recited a spell and then blew toward the Tang Monk. The monk lifted off the ground. His eyes remained closed. Soon he was floating next to the Tiger Immortal.
"I think Master will win this contest," said Wujing.
"I'm pretty good at meditating too," said Bajie. "I could have competed in this contest."
Wukong smirked. "It would take a lot of magic to lift you, Bajie."
The pig snorted.
"Master's face is twitching!" said Wujing suddenly.
"Uh-oh," said Bajie. "I wonder what's wrong."
"Maybe he has a headache," said Wujing. "This isn't good. If the monk moves at all, he will lose the contest."
Wukong looked up at the Tang Monk. "I think he has an itch," said the monkey. "Wait here."
Wukong became invisible and flew up to the monk. A flea was crawling on the monk's head.
"Hmm," thought Wukong. "Why would a flea be on the Tang Monk? He has no hair." The monkey bit his lip. "The Tiger Immortal must have used magic to put this flea here. That rotten cheater!"
Wukong brushed the flea away and scratched the Tang Monk's head. The monk's face stopped twitching.
"Now I'll teach the Tiger Immortal a lesson," thought Wukong.
The monkey plucked one of his hairs and turned it into a centipede. He dropped the centipede onto the Tiger Immortal's head.
The Tiger Immortal's ear twitched as the centipede crawled over it. Then the centipede crawled along his mouth. The Tiger Immortal's lip curled slightly. His nose wrinkled. Next the centipede crawled on the Tiger Immortal's nose. The Tiger Immortal sniffed. And then . . .
"Ouch!" cried the Tiger Immortal. "Something bit me!" He lost his concentration and fell, hitting the ground with a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, a dead tiger lay on the ground. The crowd gasped.
Wukong and the Tang Monk came back down.
The crowd was silent. Daoists and Buddhists all stared at one another.
The monkey cleared his throat. "The Tiger Immortal was just an evil tiger spirit. Now that he's gone, I want you Daoists to treat the Buddhists kindly. Everybody should live together peacefully."


Journey to the West 59: Scared Villagers
"Can we please stop to rest?" moaned Bajie one day.
The group had spent the morning walking down a long mountain trail.
"My knees feel weak!" cried the pig.
"We'll rest in a little while, Bajie," said the Tang Monk.
As they walked, the travelers started to hear the sound of rushing water. It grew louder and louder.
"We're approaching a river," said Wujing.
The trail went around a hill. A moment later the travelers saw the river.
"How will we cross this river?" said the Tang Monk. "It's so wide, I can't see the other side."
Wukong leaped into the air and looked around. "There's a small village nearby," he said. "Maybe someone there has a boat."
The group walked to the village. The street was deserted. A few villagers peeked out of windows and from behind doors. They looked scared.
A man was getting water from a well.
"Hello!" said Wukong.
Startled, the man dropped his bucket down the well and spun around. "Wh-who are you?"
The Tang Monk stepped forward. "I'm from the Tang Empire. We're traveling to the Western Paradise to get scriptures from Buddha."
The man relaxed a bit. "That's wonderful!"
"We need a boat to get across the river," said Bajie.
"I don't have a boat," said the man. "But someone in the village might. Please come with me. I'll make some tea. My name is Chen."
The travelers followed Chen to his home. Inside, they sat down as Chen boiled water for tea.
"Why does everyone in this village seem so scared?" asked the Tang Monk.
Chen sighed and sat down. He started to cry.
"My dear man," said the Tang Monk. "What's wrong? Did I upset you?"
"No," said Chen through his tears. "It's just that life is very bad in this village. A few years ago, a terrible demon arrived. He's always treated us badly, but now things are worse. He demanded that we give him a child. If we don't, he'll destroy our entire village. Tomorrow morning I must . . . hand over my son!" Chen burst into tears all over again.
Wukong giggled and then laughed.
The Tang Monk glared at the monkey. "Wukong! Why are you laughing?"
Bajie shook his head. "He's cruel, Master. You should recite the Tight Headband spell."
"There's no need for that," said Wukong, still laughing. He turned to Chen. "I'm not laughing at you, sir. I'm laughing because today is the luckiest day of your life."
Chen raised his eyebrows. "How am I lucky?"
"You've probably never heard of me," said Wukong. "But I am Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. I once defeated the Jade Emperor's entire army. And tomorrow I will save your son's life."
"Are you a spirit?" asked Chen.
"Yes, a very powerful spirit," said Wukong. "Bring your son out here. I need to look at him."
Chen left the room for a moment. When he came back, a small boy was with him.
"This is my son," said Chen.
Wukong walked around the boy, examining him closely. Finally the monkey folded his arms and said, "I have a plan."
* * *
The next morning the boy climbed onto a small platform. Several villagers carried the platform to the edge of the river. They placed the platform on the ground and then backed away.
For a moment everything was quiet. The boy sat alone on the platform.
Suddenly a dark cloud approached. A fierce-looking demon emerged from the cloud. It had sharp teeth.
The boy smiled at the demon. "Hello!"


Journey to the West 60: Snow!
The demon eyed the smiling boy suspiciously. "Aren't you scared of me?" asked the demon.
"No," said the boy. "Should I be?"
"Well, yes," said the demon. "I plan to eat you. Doesn't that sound terrible?"
The boy shrugged. "Not really."
The demon hesitated for a moment and then moved closer. Suddenly the boy changed into Wukong. The monkey pulled out his iron bar and swung.
The demon jumped back, and Wukong missed.
"Who are you?" demanded the demon.
"I am Sun Wukong," said the monkey. "And you should be ashamed of yourself! What kind of monster eats children?"
"Sun Wukong?" said the demon. "I thought you were trapped under a mountain. What are you doing here?"
"My punishment is over," said the monkey. "I am traveling to the Western Paradise with the Tang Monk."
The demon's eyes lit up. "The Tang Monk!"
Wukong lunged. The demon spun around and disappeared.
The monkey returned to Chen's home and told everyone what had happened.
"Because of you, I still have my son," said Chen. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," said Wukong. "But I believe the demon now wants to capture the Tang Monk. So in the morning we must find a boat and leave."
Meanwhile the demon was deep under the water. "I must capture the Tang Monk and eat him," he said to himself. "It won't be easy with that monkey around. I'll need some magic."
* * *
Late that night a cold wind blew. A snowflake drifted to the ground. Then another one fell, and another.
Bajie couldn't sleep. "It's freezing in here," he said to himself.
He looked at Wukong and Wujing. Both of them were sleeping soundly.
"Those two look very comfortable," said the pig. "Their blankets must be warmer than mine."
In the morning Wukong woke up, shivering. "Th-that was a t-terrible night's sleep," he said to himself. "I was so cold!" He looked down at his body. "No wonder I was cold! What happened to my blanket?"
Wujing woke up. "Why is it so cold in—ah-choo!—in here? Where did my blanket go?"
They looked at Bajie. The pig was tucked cozily under three blankets. Even his head was covered.
Wukong gave him a kick. "Wake up, thief!"
Bajie rolled over, giggling under the blankets.
Wujing frowned. "You stole our—ah-choo!"
Wukong scratched his head. "Why is it so cold anyway? It's spring." He looked out the window and gasped. "It snowed last night!"
They woke the Tang Monk and Chen, and everyone went outside. A thick blanket of snow covered the entire village.
"It would be dangerous to cross the river in this weather," said Chen. "You should stay here until the snow melts."
A villager ran over. "The river is frozen solid!" he said.
"That's wonderful news!" The Tang Monk smiled. "Maybe we can walk across it."
The travelers thanked Chen and said good-bye. Soon they were standing at the edge of the frozen river.
"I wonder if it's safe to walk on," said Wujing.
"I'll test it with my rake," said Bajie.
The pig walked onto the ice and raised his rake. 
Slam! 
He brought the rake down hard, but the ice didn't crack.
"It's solid," he said.
The travelers stepped onto the ice and started walking. After a few hours, the riverbank was no longer in sight. Suddenly there was a rumbling sound, and the ice shook.
"What caused that?" asked the monk.
"I don't know," said Wukong, "But we should be—"

Crack! 
Underneath them, the ice split wide open!


Journey to the West 61: The Demon under the Ice
Wukong leaped into the air. His three companions and the horse fell into the water with a splash.
Bajie climbed back out, coughing. Wujing came up next, pulling the horse behind him.
"Where's the Tang Monk?" cried Wukong.
Below the ice the Tang Monk struggled as the demon carried him deep underwater.
The demon laughed. "You all fell for my trick! I froze the river and waited for you to cross it. Once you were above me, I cracked the ice open. As soon as your friends leave, I will eat you and live forever!"
They arrived at a palace. A sign over the door read "Residence of the River Turtle." The demon went inside and locked the monk in a stone box.
* * *
Up on the ice, Wukong paced back and forth.
"The ice didn't crack by accident," said the monkey. "I'm sure it was the demon. The demon probably caused this strange cold weather too." He made a fist. "I can't believe we fell for his trick! We must save the Tang Monk!"
Wukong stopped pacing and looked at his companions. "My powers aren't very strong underwater. You two must go down there and get the demon to come back up. I'll surprise him."
Wujing and Bajie nodded and dived into the river. They soon spotted a palace.
Wujing read the sign over the door: "Residence of the River Turtle. I wonder if the demon is in here."
Bajie knocked on the door. "Open up!" he shouted.
The door opened, and the demon stepped out. He was holding a large hammer. "What do you want?" he asked.
"Did you kidnap our master?" asked Wujing.
"Yes," said the demon. "And I plan to eat him. Now go away!"
The demon tried to close the door, but Wujing stopped the door with his spear. The demon moved toward him. Bajie's rake came crashing down. 
Clang! 
The demon blocked the rake with his hammer.
Fish and other creatures fled as the three spirits fought. After a few minutes, Bajie pretended to be scared. He swam upward, and Wujing soon followed.
"Cowards!" called the demon, swimming after them toward the surface. The demon jumped out of the water and onto the ice.
Wukong was waiting for him. The monkey swung his iron bar. The demon ducked. 
Crack! 
The bar hit the ice.
The demon swung his hammer. 
Bam! 
More cracks formed in the ice.

Clang! Boom! Crash! 
Weapons clashed as the spirits fought on the breaking ice.
The demon hit Bajie's legs.
"Whoa!" cried the pig. He slid across the ice and slammed into Wujing.
"Oof!" The purple spirit slipped and fell.
"Ha!" The demon laughed and dived back under the ice.
Bajie and Wujing stood back up.
"The demon escaped," said the pig.
"We must stop him before he eats the Tang Monk," said Wukong. "Go back down there and try to lead him up here again."
Wujing and Bajie dived into the river. When they reached the palace, they found a huge pile of rocks blocking the door.
Bajie struck the rocks with his rake. The rake bounced off the rock pile. The rocks didn't move at all. Wujing stabbed at the rocks with his spear. Again, the rocks didn't move.
"What kind of rocks are these?" cried the pig.
"Maybe they're held in place with magic," said Wujing.
They returned to the surface of the river and told Wukong about the rocks.
The monkey sighed. "We need Guanyin's help."


Journey to the West 62: The Goldfish in the Basket
Wukong landed on Mount Potalaka. A young man was meditating in the garden.
"Where's Guanyin?" asked the monkey.
"She's making a basket," said the man. He glanced up at the monkey. "It's good to see you again, Wukong."
Wukong was puzzled. "How do you know my name?"
"Don't you recognize me?" said the man.
Wukong stared for a moment and then gasped. "You're Red Boy! You look like a kind spirit now."
"Yes," said Red Boy. "I'm not an evil demon anymore. And I have you to thank for that. You brought Guanyin to me. She has taught me all about Buddhism, and now I'm very happy."
"You're welcome," said Wukong. "You and I have a lot in common. We were both evil, causing all sorts of problems. Now we're both Buddhists."
Guanyin came over holding a basket. "Hello, Wukong," said the bodhisattva. "I knew you would come here today. I've been working on this basket all morning."
A look of confusion spread across the monkey's face. "That's a nice basket, Bodhisattva. But what is it for?"
"This basket has magical powers," said Guanyin. "I will catch the demon with it. Let's go."
Wukong returned to the river with Guanyin. The bodhisattva used a rope to lower the basket into the river. She recited a spell and then waited. After a moment she pulled the basket out of the water.
Wukong looked in the basket. A small goldfish was flopping around in it.
The monkey laughed. "I guess you need to try again, Bodhisattva. That's not the demon."
"This is my goldfish," said Guanyin. "It usually lives in my lotus pond. The pond is near my garden, where I teach my students. After years of listening to my lessons, the fish became a spirit. It escaped to Earth a few days ago. I had been wondering where it was."
"A few days ago," repeated Wukong. "That means it's been on Earth for a few years."
"Correct," said Guanyin. "The Tang Monk is safe now. You may go free him and continue your journey to the Western Paradise."
Guanyin flew off, and Wukong swam down to the palace. Now that the goldfish was gone, so was its magic. The monkey smashed the rocks with his iron bar and went inside.
"Master, I'm here!" he cried. He got the monk out of the box and carried him out of the river.
By now all the villagers had heard that Wukong had saved Chen's son. When the travelers returned, the villagers cheered.
"Please stay in our village!" said a man.
"Yes," said an old woman. "There's no rush to leave. Stay for as long as you like."
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk. "But we can stay only one more night, to rest. In the morning we must leave. We still have far to travel."
The villagers held a feast for the travelers that evening. By the time everyone went to sleep, it was late.
The next morning the travelers woke to the sound of chopping.
"What's going on?" asked the Tang Monk.
They went to the river and found a very busy scene. Several men were chopping down trees. Other people carried tools.
"We're building a boat for you!" said a smiling man.
"Thank you," said the monk.
He and his companions sat down by the water to wait. Suddenly there was a rumble, and waves splashed onto the shore.
Everyone stared in fear as a large creature rose from the waves.


Journey to the West 63: A Question for Buddha
The Tang Monk jumped to his feet as the villagers hid behind trees. Wukong, Wujing, and Bajie pulled out their weapons.
A large shell rose from the water.
"It's a giant turtle!" said Bajie.
The turtle bowed its head toward Wukong. "That demon had taken over my house and river. Thank you for getting rid of him." The turtle then looked at the villagers. "You don't need to make a boat. I can take the travelers across the river."
"That's wonderful!" said the Tang Monk. "I'm from the Tang Empire, and—"
"I know who you are," interrupted the turtle. "You're traveling to the Western Paradise to get scriptures from Buddha. I knew you would cross my river eventually. Climb onto my shell."
Wukong eyed the turtle suspiciously. "How do we know we can trust you? Demons all along the way are waiting for my master to pass by."
"They all want to eat him," added Bajie.
"I promise I won't hurt the Tang Monk," said the turtle. "I want to help him reach the Western Paradise."
After a little more hesitation, the travelers stepped onto the turtle's shell. The turtle began to paddle.
The villagers came out from behind the trees and waved.
"Good-bye!" called a woman.
"Please visit us on your way home!" shouted someone else.
"We will, I promise!" called the monk.
Soon the turtle was far from shore. Bajie fell asleep.
The turtle glanced back at the Tang Monk. "Excuse me, but can you do me a favor?"
"Of course," said the monk. "What do you need me to do?"
"I have been a good Buddhist for over a thousand years," said the turtle. "But sadly I'm still just a turtle. Can you ask Buddha when I will be reborn as a human?"
The Tang Monk nodded. "I will ask him."
A few hours later, the turtle reached the other side of the river. The travelers stepped onto dry land.
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk.
"You're welcome," said the turtle. "Please don't forget to ask Buddha about me." The turtle disappeared under the water.
The Tang Monk climbed onto the horse, and the group continued on the road.
As usual, Bajie soon started complaining. "I'm tired of walking already. I wish we could ride that turtle the whole way to the West."
"Stop complaining," said Wukong. "Be happy that the road is flat here."
They walked for another couple of hours. The road started to go up a mountain, getting steeper and steeper.
The pig moaned, "The road isn't flat anymore!"
A cold wind whipped past them.
"Brr!" Wujing shivered.
"Look!" said the Tang Monk, pointing. Higher up the mountain was a large monastery. "Maybe we can rest there."
Wukong looked at the monastery. A dark mist hung over it.
The monkey shook his head. "That's a bad place. We're not going there."
"It looks fine to me," said the monk.
"I can see things that humans can't see," said Wukong. "And I see a dark mist hanging over that monastery. A demon could be in there."
There was a sudden growling sound. Wukong looked around to see what had caused it.
Bajie patted his stomach. "Sorry, I'm a bit hungry."
"We're all tired and hungry," said the Tang Monk. "We should just go to that monastery."
"No," said Wukong sharply. "Stay here. I will find food for us." He looked at the monk and warned him again, "Do not go to that monastery!"


Journey to the West 64: Magnificent Silk Vests
"I hope that monkey finds a lot of food," said Bajie. "I'm hungry."
The Tang Monk shivered and hugged himself. "I'm so cold," he said. He looked up at the monastery again and then back at his companions. "Do you two believe there are demons up there?"
Wujing stroked his chin. "I'm not sure. Wukong believed it though."
Bajie snorted. "Wukong is too careful. He's always worried that we'll bump into a demon." His stomach grumbled. "I'm starving."
Wujing looked at the monastery again. "That place looks perfectly safe to me."
Bajie nodded. "It looks warm too. Maybe the monks there will take us in."
"It would be nice to get out of this cold," said the Tang Monk.
"That settles it," said the pig. "Who cares what that monkey thinks? What does he know? Let's go up there, get warm, and eat some food."
The Tang Monk climbed back onto the horse, and the three travelers headed toward the monastery. When they got there, no people were around.
"This place is deserted," said Wujing.
Bajie knocked on the door, but no one answered.
"Hello!" the pig called. "Is anybody in there?" Again there was no answer.
Bajie looked at his companions. "Maybe the monks didn't hear me." His eyes lit up. "Maybe they're all in the kitchen, cooking food! With noodles boiling and vegetables sizzling, a kitchen can be quite noisy." The pig's stomach growled again. "I'll go in and find out."
He opened the door and stepped inside. The monastery was dark and silent.
"I don't hear anyone cooking," Bajie said to himself. "Maybe there isn't anyone here."
He walked down a long hallway, past several dark rooms.
"Hello?" he called again.
Then he saw a room that was lit up. He went inside. Bright sunlight was streaming through a window and onto a table. On the table were three silk vests.
"Those vests look magnificent," said the pig. He shivered. "They also look warm." He looked around. Then he grabbed the vests and hurried back outside.
"Nobody's in there," he said to the monk and Wujing. "But I found these vests."
"Great!" Wujing grabbed a vest. "I'm freezing."
Bajie handed a vest to the Tang Monk. "Here you go, Master."
The monk frowned. "I won't wear that. You stole it!"
"I didn't steal it," said Bajie. "I . . . borrowed it."
The monk glared at him. "You must return those vests right away!"
"We can return the vests before we leave," offered Wujing. "Right, Bajie?"
"Oh, um, sure," said the pig. "We can do that."
"You two are terrible," said the Tang Monk. "We'll never get the True Scriptures from Buddha if you steal."
Bajie shrugged. "Master, you don't have to wear your vest. But I'm cold."
He put his arm through the armhole. Wujing did the same. Bajie put his other arm through. Wujing began buttoning his vest. Suddenly they both cried out.
"It's tight!" cried Bajie.
"I can't breathe!" cried Wujing.
They both fell to the ground, trying desperately to take the vests off.
"This vest won't come off!" cried the pig.
"Who stole my vests?" a voice shouted.
A demon with one big horn rushed over. He looked at Bajie and Wujing, and then turned to the Tang Monk.
"Who are you?" demanded the demon.
"I-I'm from the Tang Empire," said the monk, shaking with fear. "I'm traveling to the West for—"
The demon clasped his hands together. "You're the Tang Monk!"


Journey to the West 65: The Metal Ring
The demon tied up the Tang Monk in a dark room. Then the demon dragged in Bajie and Wujing. They were still trapped in the vests. The demon dumped them in a corner and approached the monk.
"I've been hoping you would pass my mountain," the demon said with an evil smile.
"Please let us go," said the Tang Monk. "We're trying to reach the Western Paradise."
"I know where you're going," said the demon. "I also know that I'll live forever if I eat you."
"Who are you?" demanded Wujing from the corner.
The demon turned to face him. "I am One-Horned Buffalo."
"Our friend will find us soon," said Bajie. "He's very powerful. And when he learns that you kidnapped us, he'll destroy your entire mountain."
One-Horned Buffalo smirked. "Who is your friend?"
"His name is Sun Wukong," said Bajie.
The demon's smirk disappeared. "Is he the Sun Wukong who caused trouble in Heaven?" The demon sounded nervous.
"Yes, he is," said Wujing. "Heaven's entire army couldn't defeat him."
"Even the Jade Emperor is afraid of him," Bajie added.
One-Horned Buffalo stood taller. "Well, I'm not afraid of him!"
The demon walked out of the room. Once he was away from the others though, he grew worried again. "That monkey is powerful," he said to himself. "I'm going to need my special weapon to defeat him."
He lifted his sleeve, revealing a metal ring around his arm.
* * *
Carrying food, Wukong returned to where he'd left his friends. When he didn't see them, he looked up toward the monastery. The building was gone. In its place was a dark cave.
Wukong shook his head. "That monastery was an illusion. A demon must have made it to trick people." He stamped his foot. "Why don't my friends believe me when I warn them about demons?"
He put down the food and rushed to the cave.
"Open up!" shouted the monkey. "If you don't, I'll turn this entire mountain into a pile of rubble!"
The door flew open, and One-Horned Buffalo stepped out.
"Why are you yelling?" demanded the demon. "It's rude!"
"Release my friends!" yelled Wukong.
"No." One-Horned Buffalo folded his arms. "I'm not going to release your friends. They're criminals. They stole my valuable silk vests."
"That's a lie," said Wukong. "The Tang Monk is a good and honest man. He would never steal. I can't believe you would even suggest— "
"It was the pig," said the demon.
"Oh." The monkey scratched his head. "Well, then I believe you. But that doesn't matter!"
Wukong pulled out his iron bar and swung it at the demon.
One-Horned Buffalo dodged the bar, which smashed into the mountainside. Rocks exploded and tumbled down the mountain's slope.
The demon glared at Wukong. "I remember you. The Jade Emperor might fear you, but I don't!"
He rushed at Wukong, and the monkey swung his iron bar again. The demon blocked it with his arm. 
Bam!
"Ow!" cried One-Horned Buffalo, rubbing his arm. He fell to his knees and turned his back to the monkey.
"My iron bar is not an ordinary weapon," said Wukong. "It's extremely heavy." He noticed the demon reaching up his sleeve. "What are you doing?"
One-Horned Buffalo spun around, holding up the metal ring.
Instantly Wukong felt himself being pulled toward the ring. Using all of his strength, the monkey leaped into the air. But the bar was ripped from his hands.
It flew into the metal ring and vanished.


Journey to the West 66: Help from Heaven
One-Horned Buffalo went back into his cave and slammed the door shut.
"He stole my iron bar!" cried Wukong. "What am I going to do?"
He thought for a moment. "That demon said he remembered me. He also mentioned the Jade Emperor. Maybe that demon escaped from Heaven."
The monkey shot into the sky and soon arrived at the southern gate of Heaven. He told the guard everything that had happened. The guard sent a messenger to see if any spirits were missing from Heaven.
The messenger returned quickly with a warrior. The warrior held a large sword.
"The emperor sent me," said the warrior. "Nobody is missing from Heaven. But I will arrest One-Horned Buffalo for you."
Wukong returned to Earth with the warrior.
The warrior banged on the cave door. "Open up, One-Horned Buffalo!"
The demon came outside and eyed the warrior. "What do you want?"
The warrior puffed out his chest. "I'm here to arrest you."
One-Horned Buffalo snorted. "Go away."
"How dare you tell me to go away!" said the warrior. "The Jade Emperor sent me." He pointed his sword at the demon. "If you don't come with me, I'll have to—"
One-Horned Buffalo held up the metal ring, and . . . 
whoosh! 
The warrior's sword flew into it.
The warrior's face fell as he looked at his empty hand. The demon laughed and went back into his cave.
"That metal ring is powerful," said the warrior to Wukong. "We need more help."
They returned to Heaven and bowed before the Jade Emperor.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," said the warrior. "But the demon stole my sword. I need more help."
The Jade Emperor turned to his general. "Send a fire god to Earth with these two."
A fire god joined Wukong and the warrior. The god held a large, flaming spear.
"I'll arrest the demon for you," said the god.
The three of them went down to Earth and landed on the mountain.
The fire god stood in front of the cave door. He held up his fire spear and shouted, "Come out, One-Horned Buffalo! You are under arrest!"
The cave door opened, and the demon stepped outside. "Who are you?"
"I'm a fire god, sent by the Jade Emperor," said the god.
One-Horned Buffalo laughed. "I'm not afraid of you!"
The fire god threw the flaming spear at the demon. But once again the demon held up the metal ring. The spear was gone. The demon returned to his cave.
Wukong shook his head. "This is bad."
The three of them returned to Heaven and bowed before the Jade Emperor.
"Your Majesty," said the fire god. "One-Horned Buffalo is very powerful. I wasn't able to arrest him. We need more help."
The Jade Emperor sighed and turned to his general. "Send a thunder god with them this time."
Back down on Earth, Wukong watched as the thunder god approached the cave door.
"Be careful," warned the warrior.
"Yes," said the fire god. "The demon's metal ring is very dangerous."
The thunder god laughed. "Don't worry about me!"
He turned to the cave door and boomed, "One-Horned Buffalo! You are under arrest!"
The cave door opened, and One-Horned Buffalo stepped outside. The thunder god instantly hurled his thunderbolt at the demon. One-Horned Buffalo held up the metal ring and— 
whoosh! 
The thunderbolt was gone.
The demon looked around at everyone and laughed. "Thank you for all the weapons!" He went back into his cave and slammed the door shut again.


Journey to the West 67: The Master Thief
"What are we going to do now?" cried Wukong. "One-Horned Buffalo stole all our weapons!"
The warrior rubbed his chin. He looked very serious. "We can't go back to the Jade Emperor. He'll be angry if he finds out we couldn't arrest the demon."
"You're right," said the fire god. "We need a different plan. It's getting dark out, almost nighttime. Maybe one of us can sneak into the cave and steal that metal ring."
The thunder god smiled. "I know who's perfect for that job."
The others all looked at the god.
"One of us is a master thief," the thunder god continued. "He once stole all the peaches from the Royal Peach Garden."
Now everyone looked at Wukong.
The monkey pretended to laugh. "Ha-ha. Yes, it's true. I used to steal things, but I know now that stealing is wrong. However, I will steal that metal ring because I need to save the Tang Monk. You all wait here."
The monkey turned himself into a tiny bug and flew into the cave. He went down a long, dark tunnel followed by another tunnel. Then he heard One-Horned Buffalo.
Wukong flew toward the voice. The demon was sitting on the edge of a bed, talking to himself. The metal ring was still on his arm.
"It's time for bed," said the demon with a yawn. "I hope I can eat the Tang Monk tomorrow. I couldn't eat him today because of that annoying monkey and his friends from Heaven."
The demon lay down and was soon asleep.
Wukong flew over and landed on the demon's arm. "I'll bite his arm," thought the monkey. "He'll get itchy and have to take off the metal ring."
Wukong bit the demon's arm again and again.
The demon rolled over and mumbled in his sleep, "Bugs . . . itchy . . ." He scratched his arm.
Wukong bit him some more. The demon scratched and scratched. But he didn't take off the metal ring.
"This isn't working," thought Wukong. He was about to leave the room when he spotted some things in the corner. He gasped. "Our weapons!"
Quietly he changed back into himself. He made his iron bar small and put it in his ear. Then he grabbed the flaming spear, the thunderbolt, and the sword.
* * *
Outside the cave the others were waiting.
The warrior made a fist. "I hope Wukong steals that metal ring. I am so angry at that demon!"
"So am I," said the fire god. "I can't believe he stole my fire spear."
The thunder god held up a hand. "Shh. The door is opening."
The three of them held their breath. When they saw Wukong peek out, they were relieved.
"Did you get the ring?" asked the thunder god.
"No, but look!" The monkey held up the weapons.
"Well done, Wukong!" said the fire god.
The thunder god clapped the monkey on the back. "Thank you, Wukong."
The warrior held up his sword. "We're all armed. We can easily defeat the demon now."
"You're right," said Wukong. He looked around. "Is everyone ready?"
"Yes!" said the warrior.
"Yes!" said the fire god.
"Yes!" said the thunder god.
The monkey banged on the cave door. "Wake up, One-Horned Buffalo! Get out here right now or we'll destroy your entire mountain!"
The demon stepped outside, yawning. Then he saw the weapons. "How dare you steal from me!" He held up the metal ring. Before anyone could react, the weapons were sucked into it once again.


Journey to the West 68: The Woman in the Crowd
Wukong stared at the cave door, shocked. "I don't believe it. One-Horned Buffalo stole our weapons again!"
"What will we do now?" asked the fire god.
"This demon's powers are stronger than any I've seen before," said Wukong. "I know one person who can definitely defeat him—Buddha. I'll be back soon."
The monkey leaped onto a cloud and soared toward the west. He arrived at the Thunderclap Monastery. A guard at the gate stopped him.
"I need to ask Buddha for help," Wukong told the guard. "It's about the Tang Monk's journey."
The guard waved the monkey through. Wukong entered the monastery and bowed before Buddha.
"Greetings, Buddha," said the monkey. "I need—"
Buddha held up a hand. "I know why you're here, Wukong. I also know who the demon is. You must go to Laozi for help."
"Oh, okay," said the monkey, a bit surprised. "Thank you."
Wukong flew toward Heaven.
"Laozi doesn't like me much," thought the monkey. "He won't be happy to see me."
When Wukong arrived at Laozi's house, the sage frowned.
"What do you want, Wukong?" asked Laozi.
"Buddha told me to come here," said Wukong. "The Tang Monk was captured by a demon called One-Horned Buffalo."
"Oh dear!" said Laozi.
"Do you know him?" asked the monkey.
Laozi nodded. "He's my green buffalo. I didn't realize he'd escaped."
"Well, he did," said Wukong, getting annoyed. "And he's planning to eat the Tang Monk. Your buffalo also has a metal ring. Every time we try to fight him, the ring sucks in our weapons!"
Laozi held up his hands. "Okay, okay. I can capture the buffalo. Don't worry."
The sage went into another room. When he came back, he was holding a fan. "Let's go."
Wukong and Laozi returned to the mountain.
"Buffalo!" shouted Laozi. "Get out here right now!"
The door flew open, and One-Horned Buffalo stepped outside. His face fell when he saw Laozi.
Laozi raised the fan and brought it down fast. A fierce wind nearly knocked over One-Horned Buffalo. The demon pulled off the metal ring and flung it at Laozi. The sage caught it and brought the fan down once more. The wind knocked over the demon, and he turned into a large, green buffalo. The buffalo stood up and snorted.
Laozi tucked the fan and the ring into his robe. Then he climbed onto the buffalo and rode up into the sky.
Wukong went into the cave, and the warrior and two gods followed. They soon found their weapons.
"The gods and I will return to Heaven now," said the warrior. "Good luck with your journey, Wukong."
"Thank you," said the monkey.
Wukong found his companions deep in the cave.
"What took you so long?" cried Bajie.
"I was busy fighting a demon," said Wukong, untying the Tang Monk.
"Thank you, Wukong," said the monk.
"You’re welcome," said the monkey. "But next time I tell you to stay away from a place, please listen!"
* * *
A few weeks later, the travelers arrived at a busy city. The streets were filled with people selling vegetables, spices, and other goods. An old woman was stirring a large pot of soup. Other food sizzled over fires.
Bajie breathed deep. "Ah! That smells wonderful!"
Suddenly a young woman rushed out of the crowd. "The Tang Monk!" she cried. She threw her arms around the monk.
A fierce wind swirled, and a second later they were both gone!


Journey to the West 69: The Stabbing Pain
"That woman was a demon!" cried Wukong. "And she kidnapped the Tang Monk!"
He leaped into the air, and Bajie and Wujing followed. In the distance the monkey saw a dark cloud speeding toward a mountain.
"That must be her," said Wukong.
"Quickly!" said Wujing. "We must catch her!"
They raced after the cloud, which disappeared when it reached the mountain. They soon arrived at the mountain and found a cave. Its door was closed.
Wukong pounded on the cave door. "Open up!" he yelled.
The door flew open, and the woman came out.
"Who are you?" demanded the woman. "Why are you pounding on my door?"
"Release our master!" shouted Wukong, ignoring her questions.
The woman laughed. "Don't tell me what to do!"
The monkey attacked. The woman spun around fast, blocking his iron bar and striking back with fury.
"You shouldn't have come here!" she shouted as she fought. "Even Buddha is afraid of me!"
Bajie tried to hit her with his rake but missed. The woman was now spinning faster and faster.
"She's faster than a tornado!" cried the pig.
Wukong leaped at the woman. Suddenly he felt a stabbing pain.
"Ahh!" cried the monkey, grabbing his head. "It hurts! It hurts!" He ran down the mountain.
Bajie and Wujing stared after Wukong in shock. The woman went back into her cave.
"What happened to Wukong?" asked the pig. "Nothing hurts him except for the Tight Headband spell."
"I don't know," said Wujing, scratching his head.
They went down the mountain and found the monkey crouching by a stream. He was still holding his head.
"Are you all right?" asked Wujing.
"That woman stabbed me in the head," moaned Wukong. "The pain is horrible!"
Bajie snorted. "You're always bragging about how tough you are. Now you're crying about getting stabbed in the head?"
"It hurts!" shouted the monkey.
Wujing moved closer. "Let me see where she stabbed you."
Wukong lowered his hands. There was no injury.
Bajie laughed. "He's fine. He just wants us to feel bad for him."
The monkey glared at the pig. "I'm telling you, it hurts!" He took a deep breath. "The pain is going away now though. Let's go back up there and fight her again."
The three companions returned to the cave.
"Wukong, you stand back," said Bajie, laughing. "I don't want you getting hurt again."
Wukong clenched his teeth.
The pig hit the door with his rake. 
Smash! 
The door exploded.
The woman ran outside. "You smashed my door!" she shouted.
"Release our master!" shouted the pig. "Or we'll smash your entire mountain!"
The woman spun around, faster and faster. Bajie and Wujing tried to strike her with their weapons. But the woman was too fast. Wukong raised his iron bar, waiting for a good moment to strike.
Suddenly Bajie cried out, "Ahh!" He covered his nose and ran back down the mountain.
The woman spun toward Wukong and Wujing. They turned and ran back down the mountain.
Bajie was huddled on the ground, tears streaming from his eyes. "It hurts so badly!"
Wukong laughed.
"Don't laugh at me!" cried Bajie. "She stabbed my nose!"
"You deserved it!" said the monkey. "You didn't believe me when I got hurt."
"Stop arguing," said Wujing. "We still have to save the Tang Monk."
"You're right," said Wukong. "Let's go back up there."    
A voice called out, "Wait!" It was Guanyin. The bodhisattva was walking toward the group. "Beware of that scorpion spirit!"


Journey to the West 70: The Star Lord
"You cannot go back to that cave," said Guanyin.
"But we must go back!" said Wukong. "That woman kidnapped the Tang Monk."
Guanyin shook her head. "That woman is a scorpion spirit. She is very dangerous."
"She sure is!" cried Bajie. "What did she stab us with anyway?"
"It was her stinger that stabbed you," said Guanyin.
Wukong shuddered, thinking about the pain he'd felt.
"I won't go near her," said Guanyin. "Even Buddha is afraid of her. He was teaching his students one day and saw that scorpion creeping toward him. He tried to move it away, but it stung him. The pain was horrible! He told his guards to capture the scorpion. But it escaped to Earth."
Wukong started pacing. "What are we going to do then? We must save the Tang Monk."
"Go to Heaven and ask the Star Lord for help," said Guanyin. The bodhisattva then disappeared in a flash of light.
A little while later, Wukong stood at the southern gate of Heaven.
"Greetings, Wukong," said the guard.
"I must speak with the Star Lord," said the monkey.
The guard told Wukong the way to the Star Lord's palace. A few minutes later, the monkey knocked on the palace door.
"Wukong," said the Star Lord. "What can I do for you?"
"I need your help," said Wukong. "I'm traveling to the Western Paradise with the Tang Monk. But he was captured by a demon. Guanyin said you can help me."
The Star Lord looked confused. "I don't know why you need my help. I've heard you're quite strong. What kind of demon is it?"
"It's a scorpion spirit," said the monkey.
"Oh," said the Star Lord, nodding. "I understand now. Lead the way. We must hurry!"
Wukong led the Star Lord out of Heaven and down to Earth. They landed on the mountain, where Bajie was still rubbing his nose.
"The Star Lord is here to help us," said Wukong.
The Star Lord looked at Bajie's nose. "I can heal that for you."
Bajie walked over to the Star Lord, who then blew on the pig's nose. The injury healed instantly.
"Thank you," said the pig, smiling.
"I was stabbed too," said Wukong. "But the stinger didn't leave a mark on me." He grinned at Bajie. "I'm much more powerful than the pig."
Bajie frowned.
"I have special magic that I'll use to defeat the scorpion," said the Star Lord. "You just need to get her to come outside."
Everyone went up to the cave. Bajie and Wujing hid behind some rocks.
Wukong stood in front of the cave entrance and shouted, "Release our master right now!" Then he ran as fast as he could away from the cave.
The woman rushed out of the cave, spinning wildly.
Suddenly the Star Lord turned into an enormous rooster. The rooster crowed, and the sound echoed through the mountains. The woman screamed and held her hands over her ears. The rooster crowed again, and the woman disappeared in a puff of smoke. In her place was a dead scorpion.
Wukong ran into the cave. He found the Tang Monk sitting at a table.
The monk's eyes lit up. "Wukong! Thank you for saving me!"
The monkey smiled. "As long as I'm protecting you, no demon will ever harm you."
The Tang Monk shook his head. "That woman didn't want to harm me—she wanted to marry me!" The monk sighed. "But I told her that I'm a Buddhist monk and I will never marry. My only goal is to reach the Western Paradise."


Journey to the West 71: Money
"I'm hungry," Bajie moaned. His stomach grumbled loudly. "Can we stop walking?"
"We'll stop for lunch soon," said the Tang Monk. "The weather is nice, and the road is smooth. I want to keep moving. I'm eager to reach the Western Paradise."
Wukong laughed. "Master, I don't know why you're still going there. You should have married that scorpion spirit instead!"
The Tang Monk frowned. "That's not funny, Wukong."
"I agree with Wukong," said Bajie. "I would have gladly married her."
Wujing raised an eyebrow. "I doubt she would have married you."
"Why not?" Bajie puffed out his chest. "I'm very handsome!"
Everybody laughed, including Bajie.
They had continued for another hour when the pig complained again. "My legs are tired," he said.
"We'll stop at the next village," said the Tang Monk.
Bajie sighed. "I hope we reach the next village soon."
"I know how we can get there soon," said Wukong with a laugh. The monkey smacked the horse, which shot forward.
"Wukong!" cried the Tang Monk, hanging on tightly.
When the horse finally stopped running, the monk was far ahead of his companions. A group of nasty-looking men stood in front of him.
"Give us all your money!" said a man with an ax.
The Tang Monk shook with fear.
Wukong was already running over. "Don't you dare harm my master!" shouted the monkey.
"Who are you?" asked the man.
"My name is Sun Wukong."
"Give me your money, Sun Wukong," said the man.
"I don't have much money," said the monkey. "You'd better give me yours."
The man's face turned red. "I'm not going to give you money!"
"Let's make a bet then," said Wukong. He pulled out his iron bar, which quickly grew to the height of a person. The men looked nervous.
The monkey stood the bar on the ground. "If you can pick this up, we'll give you all of our money."
"You're a fool," said the man with an ax. "I'm sure I can pick that bar up."
"Go ahead and try," said Wukong.
The man put down the ax. He grasped the bar with his hands and tried to lift it. "It's heavier than it looks," said the man.
He tried to lift the bar again. Sweat poured down his red face. But the bar didn't budge.
"Now it's my turn!" said Wukong. He lifted the bar over his head and twirled it around. His eyes flashed with anger. He got ready to strike the man.
"Wukong, don't!" shouted the Tang Monk.
The man took a step back.
Suddenly the bar dropped from Wukong's hands.
"Aargh!" cried the monkey, holding his head. He fell to his knees as the Tang Monk quietly recited the Tight Headband spell.
The robbers glanced at one another and then ran away.
When the monk stopped reciting the spell, Wukong was furious. "Why did you do that?" he cried. "They were going to—"
"You must not hurt people!" commanded the monk.
"I destroy demons all the time," said the monkey.
"It's fine to hurt demons. But you must not hurt 
people. 
"The monk sighed. "You're still evil, Wukong. I can't bring you to the Western Paradise. You must leave."
"But you need me, Master!" Wukong insisted. "I refuse to leave."
"Go!" said the Tang Monk. "Or I'll recite the Tight Headband spell until your head explodes!"
Wukong could see that the monk wasn't going to change his mind. With tears in his eyes, the monkey leaped into the air and was gone.


Journey to the West 72: A Surprise at the Fruit and Flower Mountain
Wukong went straight to Mount Potalaka.
The bodhisattva Guanyin was in her garden. "Hello, Wukong. How is the journey going?"
Wukong threw up his hands. "The Tang Monk is crazy!"
"Why?" asked the bodhisattva.
"He told me to leave," said the monkey. "He was mad because I was going to hurt some robbers."
Guanyin frowned. "It's wrong to hurt people, Wukong. You know that."
"I hurt demons all the time," said Wukong.
"That's different," said Guanyin. "Demons are evil, and you're doing a good thing when you get rid of them. But you must not hurt people."
The monkey sat down and put his head in his hands. "Oh, Bodhisattva, you're right." He started to cry. "This is terrible. Now I'll never reach the Western Paradise with the Tang Monk. I wanted to earn forgiveness."
"Don't cry, Wukong," said Guanyin. "You will still help the Tang Monk reach the Western Paradise. He will need your help soon. In the meantime you may stay here with me."
* * *
Bajie dropped the bags. "Let's rest here," he said. "I'm starving."
The Tang Monk climbed down from his horse and stretched. The horse drank from a stream while Bajie looked in a bag.
"We're out of rice," said the pig.
"We'll have to beg for food somewhere," said Wujing. He looked at the monk. "Master, you wait here while Bajie and I find a village."
The monk's two companions flew off. The monk sat down in the grass next to the road and closed his eyes. He had nearly dozed off when he heard a voice.
"Master!" It was Wukong.
The Tang Monk glared at the monkey. "Why are you here, Wukong?"
The monkey fell to his knees. "I'm begging you—please let me join you again."
"No," said the monk. "You're evil, Wukong. You can't go to the Western Paradise with me. Now leave before I recite the Tight Headband spell!"
The monkey was furious. He pulled out his iron bar, which quickly grew. Before the monk could recite the spell, Wukong struck. 
Whap! 
He knocked out the monk. Quickly, the monkey grabbed the bags and then vanished.
Wujing and Bajie soon returned. They found the Tang Monk sitting by the road, rubbing his head.
"Master!" cried Wujing. "What happened?"
"Where are the bags?" asked Bajie, looking around.
"Wukong returned," said the Tang Monk. "He begged me to let him join us again. I said no, and then he attacked me!"
"That's terrible!" said Wujing.
"That rotten monkey!" Bajie stomped his foot. "We can't let him get away with this! He probably went home, to the Fruit and Flower Mountain."
"I'll go there and deal with him," said Wujing.
Bajie gave Wujing directions to the Fruit and Flower Mountain. When Wujing arrived there, he found Wukong near the waterfall.
"Wukong!" shouted Wujing. "Why did you attack Master?"
The monkey looked at Wujing blankly. "Who are you?"
Wujing raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? You know who I am."
"No, I don't," said Wukong.
"I'm Sha Wujing! We were traveling to the West together."
"I'm going to the West but not with you," said Wukong. He pointed to a group of figures. "I'm going with them."
Wujing looked over. A monk who looked exactly like the Tang Monk sat on a horse. A pig stood next to the horse.
"Bajie?" said Wujing. Just then he saw a purple figure walk over to the horse.
Wujing gasped in shock. "That's me!"


Journey to the West 73: Two Wukongs
Wujing watched as the fake Wujing fed the horse some hay.
"I don't know how you made fake versions of us, Wukong," said the purple spirit. "But you won't get the True Scriptures without the real Tang Monk."
Wukong folded his arms. "Oh yes, I will."
Wujing leaped into the air and flew south. "I'll tell the bodhisattva what Wukong is doing," he thought. "She can stop him."
When Wujing arrived at Mount Potalaka, he was even more shocked. Wukong was meditating in the bodhisattva's garden.
"Wukong!" cried Wujing. "How did you get here so fast?"
"What are you talking about?" asked the monkey.
Guanyin came out of her pagoda. "Wujing, what are you doing here?"
The purple spirit bowed. "Bodhisattva, I must speak with you. Wukong has made fake versions of me, Bajie, and the Tang Monk. He's planning to make the journey without us."
"What!" shouted Wukong.
Wujing glanced at the monkey. "I just saw him on the Fruit and Flower Mountain. I don't know how he got here before me."
"You're lying!" yelled Wukong.
Guanyin smiled. "You're mistaken, Wujing. Wukong has been here the whole time."
Wujing was surprised. "He has?"
Guanyin nodded.
Wukong made a fist. "Someone is pretending to be me! And he's living on my mountain! I'm going there right now. I'm going to destroy him!"
"I'll go with you," said Wujing.
Wukong and Wujing soon arrived on the Fruit and Flower Mountain. The monkey's eyes burned with anger when he saw the fake Wukong.
"Who are you?" demanded Wukong.
"Who are 
you? 
" asked the fake Wukong.
"I am Sun Wukong, king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain!"
"No," said the other monkey. " 
I 
am Sun Wukong, king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain!"
Furious, Wukong pulled out his iron bar. The fake Wukong pulled out his iron bar.
Wukong attacked, and so did the fake Wukong. 
Clang! 
The ground shook as the iron bars crashed into each other. The two monkeys fought with fury.
Wujing watched as one Wukong struck the other. 
Crack! 
The other Wukong blocked the bar and swung back. 
Bam!
"Wujing, help me!" cried one Wukong.
Wujing raised his spear and was about to enter the fight.
The other Wukong shouted. "No, Wujing! Help 
me 
!"
Wujing looked from one Wukong to the other. "Who is the real Wukong?"
"I am!" shouted one Wukong as he struck at the other.
"No!" shouted the other Wukong, blocking the first one's attack. " 
I 
am!"
"Don't listen to him!" cried one monkey.
"Don't listen to 
him 
!" cried the other.
Wujing stamped his foot. "Stop fighting!" he shouted.
Instantly both monkeys stopped fighting. They looked at the purple spirit.
"I don't know which one of you is the real Wukong," said Wujing. "Go to Mount Potalaka. Guanyin will be able to tell who is who. I will return to the Tang Monk to tell him what's going on."
The two Wukongs glanced at each other.
"That's a good idea," said one of them. "Guanyin will easily see that I am the real Wukong."
"It 
is 
a good idea," the other agreed. "Guanyin will easily see that 
I 
am the real Wukong."
Soon the two Wukongs stood before Guanyin. She looked carefully at each one.
"I can't tell which one of you is the real Wukong," she said.
One Wukong took a deep breath. "Use the Tight Headband spell. The spell will work only with my headband—the real headband."
"Yes!" said the other one. "Use the Tight Headband spell! The spell will work only with 
my 
headband."


Journey to the West 74: Curious Ear
Guanyin recited the Tight Headband spell. Both Wukongs fell to the ground, howling in pain.
"Please stop!" they cried.
Guanyin stopped reciting the spell, and the two monkeys stood back up.
The bodhisattva frowned. "I still don't know which of you is the real Wukong. You should both go to Heaven. The real Wukong used to live there. Maybe the Jade Emperor can tell who is who."
"Good idea," said one Wukong. He pointed at the other. "The Jade Emperor will see that this monkey is a fake!"
"I'm not a fake!" cried the other monkey. "You are!"
He tried to strike the other Wukong. But that one dodged the blow and swung back.
The two monkeys were still fighting when they arrived at the southern gate of Heaven.
The guard narrowed his eyes. "Wukong? Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me," said both of the Wukongs.
"I must speak with the Jade Emperor," said one monkey. He pointed at the other monkey. "He's a fake Wukong!"
"I'm not a fake Wukong!" said the other monkey. "I'm the real one! I must speak with the Jade Emperor!"
The guard allowed both Wukongs to enter Heaven.

Crash! Clang! Bang! 
Spirits and gods fled as the two Wukongs fought all over Heaven. The monkeys knocked over statues and trees.
Still fighting, they stormed into the Cloud Palace. When the Jade Emperor saw them, he was furious.
"What's going on?" he boomed.
"Your Majesty!" said one of the Wukongs. "Please punish this monkey. He's pretending to be me."
"Punish 
him! 
" cried the other.
"He's pretending to be me!"
"Stand still, both of you," said the Jade Emperor. "Let me get a good look at you."
The two Wukongs stood still as the Jade Emperor looked carefully at them.
Finally the emperor shrugged. "You look exactly alike. I can't tell who is who."
One of the Wukongs swung at the other with his iron bar. "I'm the real Wukong!"
"No!" The other Wukong blocked the bar and swung back. "I'm the real Wukong!"
"Both of you, leave at once!" thundered the Jade Emperor. "One Wukong is bad enough. I don't want two of you around. You can fight somewhere else!"
The two monkeys kept fighting as they headed out of the palace. The spirit of the planet Venus followed them.
"Wukong, wait," said the spirit.
Both monkeys stopped to look at him.
"Go to the Land of Darkness," said Venus. "Maybe the Judge of the Dead can tell you apart."
Soon the two Wukongs were standing before the Judge of the Dead.
The judge shook his head. "You look exactly alike."
"Check the Directory," said one of the Wukongs. "Maybe it will have some information about a fake Sun Wukong."
"Yes," said the other Wukong. "Check the Directory."
The judge nodded and opened the Directory. He turned the pages of the giant book, reading carefully. Finally he closed it.
"There's no 'Fake Sun Wukong' in the Directory," said the judge. "I'm sorry. But I have no idea which one of you is the real Wukong."
A spirit was sitting at a nearby desk. "I believe my pet beast, Curious Ear, can help," said the spirit. He took a step back, and a small beast crept out from under the desk. "Curious Ear can tell the true from the false," said the spirit.
The beast stared hard at the two Wukongs.
Finally it spoke. "I know who the fake Sun Wukong is."


Journey to the West 75: Battle of the Wukongs
The two Wukongs stared at Curious Ear.
"I'm the real Wukong!" shouted one monkey. "Right?"
"No, it's me!" shouted the other monkey.
"I know which of you is the fake Sun Wukong," said Curious Ear. "But I won't say who it is. The fake Sun Wukong has all the same powers as the real one. If I point him out, he'll be angry. He could destroy the entire palace."
"It's true," said one Wukong. "I could destroy this whole palace if I wanted to."
"You mean, I could destroy it," said the other Wukong.
"No!" yelled the other. "I could!"
The two Wukongs began swinging their iron bars at each other.
"Please stop!" cried the Judge of the Dead. "You'll tear this whole palace down!"
The monkeys stopped.
"Buddha can help you," said Curious Ear. "He'll be able to see which of you is the real Wukong. And he's powerful enough to destroy the fake one."
"Of course!" cried one Wukong. "We'll go see Buddha!"
"Oh, um, sure," said the other Wukong. He looked worried.
"You're nervous!" said the first Wukong. "That's because you know Buddha is going to see who you really are."
"No!" shouted the other Wukong. He swung his iron bar furiously.
"Get out!" cried the Judge of the Dead. "Take your fight somewhere else!"
The two Wukongs left the Land of Darkness. Clouds swirled and thunder boomed as the two mighty spirits battled across the sky.
They soon arrived in the Western Paradise. A guard rushed out of the Thunderclap Monastery.
"Stop fighting immediately!" he called up to them. "Tell me who you are!"
The two Wukongs landed in front of the guard.
The guard looked surprised. "Wukong?" he said. "There are two of you!"
"Yes," said one of the Wukongs. "I must speak with Buddha right away."
The other Wukong scratched his head. "If Buddha is busy, we can just come back another time."
The first Wukong shot a look at the other. "No, we can't."
"You may enter," said the guard. "But you must behave yourselves while inside."
As the first Wukong started to enter the monastery, the other one backed away.
"You're coming with me!" said the first Wukong. He grabbed the other monkey by the arm and dragged him into the monastery.
In front of Buddha, the first Wukong bowed. The other Wukong hesitated a moment and then bowed also.
"Greetings, Buddha," said the first Wukong. "I must ask for your help."
"I know why you're here, Wukong," said Buddha. He looked at the other monkey. "And I know that 
you 
are a fake."
The other Wukong gasped and then vanished. Buddha held a bowl up in the air and then placed it upside down on a table.
"I've trapped the fake Wukong under this bowl," said Buddha.
When Buddha lifted the bowl, a tiny monkey spirit lay on the table. Wukong leaned closer to see.
"He was a monkey who became an evil spirit," said Buddha. "He wanted to be you because you're so powerful."
Wukong laughed. "Many spirits want to be me."
The monkey thanked Buddha and then flew back to Mount Potalaka.
Guanyin decided it was time for Wukong to rejoin his companions on the journey. She and the monkey found the Tang Monk and the others along the road to the west.
The bodhisattva told the Tang Monk that it wasn't Wukong who'd attacked him.
"You must keep Wukong with you," explained Guanyin.
"Yes, Bodhisattva," said the Tang Monk, bowing.
"Thank you, Bodhisattva," said Wukong. "I'll make sure the Tang Monk reaches the Western Paradise!"


Journey to the West 76: The Iron Immortal
Wukong was once again traveling west with the Tang Monk.
"Master," said Wukong. "While I was at Mount Potalaka, I thought a lot. I realize now that it's wrong to harm people. I won't ever do it again."
"I'm glad, Wukong," said the Tang Monk.
"Can we please slow down?" Bajie moaned. "I'm tired and it's hot!"
Wukong laughed. "Not much has changed since I left. Bajie still complains all the time!"
Wujing wiped his brow. "It 
is 
hot. Maybe we should take a break."
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "But I don't understand why it's so hot. It's not summer."
The travelers soon reached a village. An old man offered to take them in for the night.
Later that evening they were all eating dinner.
"Is it always so hot here?" asked Bajie.
The man nodded. "The Mountain of Flames is near here. It's always burning."
"Well, I'll be happy when we continue on our journey," said the pig. "Then we can get away from this heat."
"Where are you going?" asked the man.
"We're going to the Western Paradise," said the Tang Monk.
The man frowned. "You can't travel west from here."
Everyone stopped eating and looked at the old man.
"Why not?" asked the Tang Monk.
"The Mountain of Flames is to the west," said the man. "It's impossible to pass."
"We'll go around it," said the Tang Monk.
The old man shook his head. "All the land around the mountain is covered in flames. The land stretches far to the north and the south. It's impossible to go around."
"Then we must wait for a strong rainstorm," said Bajie. "That will put out the flames."
"No," said the man. "The flames are magical. There is just one spirit who can put them out."
"Who?" asked Wujing.
"She's called the Iron Immortal," said the man. "She has a special fan that can put out the flames. It's made from a plantain leaf."
Wukong stood up. "Where does the Iron Immortal live? I'll demand that she put out the flames."
She won't listen to you," said the man. "She is very powerful."
Wukong folded his arms in front of his chest. "I am as powerful as a god. Just tell me where she lives."
The old man told Wukong where the Iron Immortal lived. The monkey leaped into the air.
The man gasped. "He's a spirit!"
Wukong was soon on the Iron Immortal's mountain. He found a cave door and knocked.
"Open up!" he demanded.
The door flew open, and a tall woman appeared. She held a large fan.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"I am Sun Wukong. I need to borrow your fan.
"Sun Wukong? Ugh!" cried the Iron Immortal. "You are my worst enemy!"
Wukong was confused. "I am? Why?"
The Iron Immortal glared at the monkey. "My husband is the Bull Demon King, who used to be your friend. And our son is Red Boy. Because of you, Red Boy is a prisoner of the bodhisattva Guanyin!"
Wukong laughed. "Red Boy isn't a prisoner. He is Guanyin's student. He isn't evil anymore."
The Iron Immortal shrieked. "That's even worse!"
Wukong sighed. "Can I please just borrow your fan for a little while?"
"No!" said the woman.
"Well then, can I speak with the Bull Demon King?" asked the monkey.
"He's at a banquet," said the Iron Immortal. "Now leave!"
Wukong grew angry. "I'm not leaving until I borrow your—"

Whoosh! 
The Iron Immortal waved the fan. A furious wind blew, and Wukong was gone!


Journey to the West 77: The Magic Fan
For over a day, the wind from the fan carried Wukong. When he finally landed, he was far from the Iron Immortal's mountain.
Wukong looked around and saw a mountain nearby. It looked familiar.
"Mount Sumeru!" said Wukong. "The bodhisattva Lingji lives there. Maybe he can help me deal with the Iron Immortal. He was able to stop the great king Yellow Wind's wind magic."
The monkey went to Lingji's pagoda. The bodhisattva was sitting in his garden.
"Greetings, Bodhisattva," said Wukong.
"Hello, Wukong," said Lingji. "It's good to see you again. I was just about to have tea."
Wukong and Lingji sat outside, drinking tea. The monkey told the bodhisattva everything that had happened with the Iron Immortal.
The bodhisattva handed a small stone to Wukong. "Keep this magic stone in your pocket. It will stop the wind from blowing you away."
"Thank you, Bodhisattva," said the monkey.
"Would you like to stay for lunch?" asked Lingji.
"No, thank you," said Wukong. "I must get back to my companions. I need to get that fan from the Iron Immortal so we can continue west."
* * *
Wukong returned to the Iron Immortal's cave door. "Open up!" he shouted. "I need your fan!"
The Iron Immortal came out and wrinkled her nose. "I thought I got rid of you." She raised her fan. "I'll just have to wave harder this time!"
The woman waved the fan furiously. A terrible wind blew past Wukong. But the monkey didn't move.
The Iron Immortal's eyes burned with anger. "How did you—"
"The bodhisattva Lingji gave me a magic stone," said Wukong. "Your fan can't blow me away now."
The monkey pulled out his iron bar. "Now give me that fan!"
The Iron Immortal shot back into her cave. Before she could shut the door, Wukong turned into a cricket. He quickly leaped into the cave.
Silently he followed the Iron Immortal along a tunnel. When the woman reached a room, she sat down. She tucked the fan into her robe.
"Wukong is a horrible monkey!" she said to herself. "He forced my poor baby, Red Boy, to become good. Then he demanded to borrow my precious fan!"
The Iron Immortal reached for a cup of water. As she took a drink, Wukong leaped into the cup.

Gulp!
Inside the Iron Immortal's stomach, Wukong changed back into himself.

Boomph! Pow! Boomph! Pow! 
The monkey punched and kicked.
The Iron Immortal fell to her knees. "Ahh! What was in that water? I feel awful!"
"It was me!" shouted Wukong. "I'm in your stomach now! And I won't stop punching and kicking until you give me that fan!"

Boomph! Pow!
"Please stop!" cried the Iron Immortal. "You can have the fan. Just don't hurt me anymore!"
Wukong leaped out through the woman's nose and returned to his normal size. "Give me the fan!" he demanded.
The Iron Immortal climbed back to her feet. She reached into her robe and pulled out a fan. "Here, take it. Now leave!"
* * *
Wukong found his companions in the village with the old man. The monkey explained how he'd tricked the Iron Immortal.
"Wonderful!" said the Tang Monk. "Now we can continue our journey."
They all thanked the old man and then headed west. They came to the top of a hill and saw the Mountain of Flames. Fire covered all the land around it.
"Watch this," said Wukong.
The monkey waved the fan hard. 
Whoosh! 
A strong wind blew toward the mountain.
Wukong smiled. "In a moment, we'll—"
Suddenly there was a roar as the flames grew bigger, filling the sky!


Journey to the West 78: Tricked Again and Again
"Oh no!" Wukong looked at the fan. "This fan doesn't work! The Iron Immortal must have tricked me."
The travelers backed away as the fire burned hotter.
"What will we do?" asked the Tang Monk. "We can't go through that fire."
Bajie threw his hands up. "Let's just go home. We'll write a letter to Buddha explaining what happened."
"Bajie, we can't do that!" the Tang Monk scolded.
Wukong spoke up. "I used to be friends with the Iron Immortal's husband, the Bull Demon King. I have an idea."
* * *
The Iron Immortal was in her cave when she heard a knock.
"Oh no," she said to herself. "That monkey is back."
She walked quietly to the door and peeked outside. When she saw the Bull Demon King, she smiled and opened the door.
"I'm glad you're back," said the Iron Immortal. "Sun Wukong was here."
"I used to be friends with him." The demon smiled. "It would have been nice to see him again."
His wife was confused. "What do you mean? You told me that you never really liked him."
"Oh, really?" said the demon.
"He was very rude," said the woman. "He demanded I let him borrow my fan."
"You didn't give it to him, did you?" asked the demon.
"Of course not," said his wife. "I gave him a fake fan that looks just like the real one."
The demon began pacing. "Wukong is very smart and very powerful," he said. "He'll realize you tricked him, and then he'll come back here."
"What should we do?" asked the Iron Immortal.
"Give me the fan," said the demon. "I'll keep it safe."
The Iron Immortal opened a chest and took out the fan. She handed it to her husband.
Suddenly light sparkled and Wukong stood in front of her.
"I tricked you!" The monkey laughed and ran out of the cave.
The Iron Immortal stamped her foot. "Ugh!"
She was still angry when her husband came home.
"Hello, dear," said the Bull Demon King with a big smile. But then his smile faded. "What's wrong?"
"Your friend Sun Wukong was here!" she snapped.
"He's not my friend!" said the demon. "Even before he defeated Red Boy, I never really liked him."
"Well, you'll like him even less now," said the Iron Immortal. "He stole my fan!"
The demon looked surprised. "That fan's wind magic is powerful. How did the monkey steal it?"
"He tricked me into giving it to him," said his wife. "He made himself look like you."
The demon's face turned red. "How dare he do that!" He took a deep breath. "Don't worry. I will find that rotten monkey. I'll get your fan back!"
The Bull Demon King stomped out of the cave.
* * *
Wukong walked along the road, carrying the plantain-leaf fan. He was still laughing about how he'd tricked the Iron Immortal. Then he saw Bajie approaching.
"Bajie!" cried Wukong. "What are you doing here?"
"I was coming to help you," said the pig.
"Thanks, but I don't need help." Wukong held up the fan. "I tricked the Iron Immortal and got the real fan this time."
"Good!" said Bajie. "I can carry it for you."
"Thanks," said Wukong as he handed the fan to Bajie.
The monkey patted his friend on the shoulder. "Now let's get back to Master. We need to—"
Suddenly there was a flash of light. A second later the Bull Demon King stood next to Wukong.
The demon laughed. "I tricked you, Wukong!"
There was another flash and the demon was gone.


Journey to the West 79: The Mountain of Flames
Wukong was furious. "The Bull Demon King tricked me!"
The monkey rushed back to the cave and smashed the door. 
Crash!
The Bull Demon King ran outside. "You villain!" he shouted. "You destroyed my door!"
"Give me that fan right now!" yelled Wukong. "Or I'll destroy the rest of your mountain!"
"Never!" said the demon.
Wukong charged toward the demon. 
Poof! 
The demon turned into a crane and flew away.
"He's not the only one who can turn into other animals," thought the monkey.
Wukong turned into a phoenix and shot after the crane. With his claws out, he swooped down at the crane. The crane dipped lower and Wukong missed. When Wukong looked back, the crane was gone.
"Where did he go?" thought Wukong. He looked down and saw an antelope grazing in a field. "That's him!"
Wukong landed and turned into a tiger. He crept through the tall grass. When he got close to the antelope, he leaped.
Light flashed, and the antelope turned into a huge white bull.
The bull flew up into the sky, and Wukong followed. He had almost caught up to the bull, when he heard a shout.
"Stand back, Wukong!" It was a soldier from Heaven. "The Jade Emperor sent us to help you."
More soldiers rushed toward the bull. With a snort, the bull spun around and flew the other way. But other soldiers appeared and blocked the bull's path. Wukong watched as soldiers surrounded the bull. They moved in closer, their swords and spears all pointed at the bull.
The Bull Demon King returned to his demon form. "Please, don't hurt me!"
The Iron Immortal was rushing toward the soldiers. "Don't harm my husband!" she cried. "He didn't mean to be evil!"
One soldier lowered his sword. "We won't harm you if you're truly sorry for being evil. But right now you're stopping the Tang Monk from continuing his journey. Sun Wukong needs your fan."
The Iron Immortal handed the fan to the soldier.
"Here's the fan," she said. "We are truly sorry. My husband and I will be good Buddhists from now on. Just please, don't hurt us."
The soldier looked at the Bull Demon King.
The demon nodded. "We promise."
"Very well," said the soldier. "You two may return to your cave. But you must stay out of trouble from now on."
The demon and his wife bowed and left.
The soldier handed the fan to Wukong. "It's good that you'll be the one to put out the Mountain of Flames, Wukong."
Wukong was confused. "Why?"
"You're the one who caused the fire," said the soldier. "It was when Laozi tried to burn you up in his pot. You leaped out of the pot, disturbing the fire in his workroom. A burning ember fell to Earth that day and started the fire on the mountain."
Wukong looked at the fan. "I'll be happy to put out the fire."
* * *
Wukong returned to the village. The Tang Monk and his companions were at the old man's house again. Once again they thanked the man and followed the road up the hill. At the top they looked at the Mountain of Flames.
Wukong lifted the fan and waved it. 
Whoosh!
Instantly the fire went out. The air cooled down, and Wukong saw the valley start to turn green. Leaves grew on trees, and small flowers popped up here and there. Birds sang in the branches as other animals ran through the grass.
Wukong smiled. He had done evil things a long time ago. Now he was fixing them.


Journey to the West 80: The Small Thunderclap Monastery
One afternoon Wukong and his companions were resting by a stream. They were eating peaches and berries.
"We must be getting close to the Western Paradise," said the Tang Monk. "We've been traveling for years."
"I feel like we've been traveling for 
thousands 
of years," said Bajie.
"We still have a long way to go," said Wukong. "But don't worry. Eventually we'll arrive in the Western Paradise and climb up the Spirit Mountain. Buddha's home, the Thunderclap Monastery, sits halfway up the mountain."
The Tang Monk took a bite of his peach. "The Thunderclap Monastery must be wonderful to see."
"The monastery is spectacular," said the monkey. "Golden light shines from it."
Bajie moaned. "So we're going to have to climb a mountain at the end of this journey? Just thinking about that makes me tired."
Wujing stroked his chin. "I really hope the journey ends soon."
The pig nodded. "You're tired of traveling too?"
"No," said Wujing with a serious look. "I'm just tired of hearing you complain."
Everyone was quiet for a moment. Then Wujing's face broke into a smile, and everybody laughed, even Bajie.
"Very funny, Wujing," said Bajie.
The Tang Monk stood up. "We should go. I'd like to find a village or a monastery before dark."
A couple of hours later, they were traveling up a mountain road. The road curved around a bend. Ahead they could see a small monastery. The Tang Monk gasped. "Is that the Thunderclap Monastery?"
"It might be," said Bajie. "Golden light is shining from it."
"It's on a mountain," Wujing added.
Wukong laughed. "It's not the Thunderclap Monastery. We're not even in the Western Paradise yet."
The monkey peered at the monastery for a moment and then frowned. "We must be careful—I see dark clouds over the monastery."
The travelers continued walking along the road. Soon they were standing in front of the monastery. A sign over the door read: "Small Thunderclap Monastery."
"Wukong!" cried the Tang Monk. "This monastery must belong to Buddha!"
Wukong shook his head. "It doesn't belong to Buddha. Let's keep walking."
"Hold on," said Bajie. "Golden light is shining from this monastery. It must be an important place."
"It's not," said Wukong. "We should really—"
"We're going in," the Tang Monk said. "This is a Buddhist monastery. We should visit it."
The monk opened the monastery's door and entered. Bajie and Wujing followed. Wukong sighed and went in after them. This place was definitely not what it seemed. The monkey pulled out his iron bar.
The group entered the building's main hall. A large golden statue of Buddha sat before them.
"Do you see that statue, Wukong?" said the Tang Monk. "This is a real Buddhist monastery."
Suddenly a voice boomed. "Who dares to enter without bowing to Buddha?"
The Tang Monk trembled with fear. Right away, he fell to his knees and bowed. Bajie and Wujing bowed.
Wukong continued to stand, peering at the statue. It looked very suspicious.
"Why don't you bow?" the voice asked.
"Wukong!" whispered the Tang Monk. "Show some respect!"
"I won't bow to you!" shouted Wukong. "I can see that you're really a—"

Clang! 
Before the monkey could finish yelling, a large pair of cymbals fell from above. They slammed together, sealing Wukong inside.
"Wukong!" cried the Tang Monk.
Light flashed, and the statue turned into a demon with yellow eyebrows. The demon stood up and smiled. "The Tang Monk!"


Journey to the West 81: Help from a Dragon
Bajie and Wujing swung their weapons at the demon.
"Ha!" The demon laughed. "I'm much too powerful for you!"
From inside the cymbals, Wukong heard the fight. He heard grunts and the sounds of weapons clashing.
The Tang Monk cried, "No!"
Then there was silence.
"What happened out there?" shouted Wukong. There was no answer.
The monkey punched and kicked the inside of the cymbals for hours. But the two cymbals would not come apart.
"This is terrible," he said to himself. "How will I get out of here?"
The monkey was about to strike the cymbals again when he heard a voice.
"Wukong, are you in there?"
"Who is that?" Wukong asked.
"I'm the Gold Dragon," said the voice. "The Jade Emperor sent me to help you. I'll wedge my horn between the cymbals and pry them apart."
"Please hurry!" said Wukong.
Slowly the dragon's horn poked through. But the cymbals were still tightly clasped together.
Wukong groaned. "I can't escape."
"Maybe we can find another way to pry the cymbals apart," said the dragon.
"Actually, I have a different idea," said the monkey.
Wukong turned his iron bar into a drill. He made a hole in the dragon's horn. Then he made himself tiny and climbed into the hole.
"Pull your horn out now!" said Wukong.
The dragon pulled and pulled and finally got his horn out. The monkey jumped out of the hole and returned to his normal size.
"Thank you," said Wukong. "Now we must free my friends."
"We have to be quiet," said the dragon. "The demon is sleeping."
Wukong nodded. Then he turned toward the cymbals and raised his iron bar. 
Smash! 
The cymbals shattered.
"Why did you do that?" cried the dragon.
Wukong shrugged. "I was angry."
The demon stormed into the room. "Sun Wukong! How did you escape?"
"Who are you?" demanded Wukong. "How do you know my name?"
"My name is Yellow Brows," said the demon. "I've been waiting for you and the Tang Monk to pass by my mountain."
Wukong narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
"I'm a Buddhist," said the demon. "I plan to go to the Western Paradise and get the True Scriptures myself."
"You can't do that!" shouted Wukong.
The monkey and the dragon charged toward the demon. The demon pulled a cloth from his robe and threw it. The cloth wrapped around Wukong and the dragon, and then became very small.
Soon they were tied up in a room. The Tang Monk, Bajie, and Wujing were also in the room. Their bags were lying in a corner.
"I'm sorry for not believing you, Wukong," said the Tang Monk. "You suspected this place was dangerous."
"Don't worry about that, Master," said the monkey. "We must escape as soon as the demon goes back to sleep. He plans to get the True Scriptures himself."
The group waited for a while. Finally Wukong made himself tiny and slipped out from his ropes. He untied his companions and the dragon.
"Let's go," the monkey whispered. "Bajie, get the bags."
"Everyone, be quiet," the dragon warned.
They tiptoed through the monastery and were soon outside.
Wukong looked at Bajie and frowned. "Where are the bags?"
The pig moaned. "I forgot them."
"Master's special robe is in one of those bags!" Wukong sighed. "Wait here. I'll go back in and get them."
The monkey quietly hurried back to the room and grabbed the bags. But as he was leaving, he tripped and knocked over a statue. 
Bang!
From another room Yellow Brows shouted, "What was that?"
Wukong gulped. "Uh-oh."


Journey to the West 82: The Magic Cloth
"Oh no," thought Wukong. "Yellow Brows is coming!"
The monkey jumped back to his feet and ran fast out of the monastery. When he got outside, everyone was waiting for him.
"Where are the bags?" asked Wujing.
The monkey looked at his empty hands. He slapped his forehead. "I must have dropped them."
He heard footsteps approaching from inside the monastery. "We can't worry about the bags now," whispered Wukong. "Yellow Brows is coming. We have to go—quickly!"
He helped the Tang Monk up onto the horse. The group hurried down the road.
"Run faster, Bajie!" hissed Wujing.
Zhu Bajie breathed heavily. "I . . . don't . . . like . . . running!"
They hadn't gotten far before Yellow Brows flew over them.
"You can't escape from me!" shouted the demon. "And you will not be going to the West. I am a true Buddhist, and I will be the one to get the True Scriptures!"
Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing pulled out their weapons. The Gold Dragon bared its claws.
Yellow Brows scoffed. "Do you really think you can fight me?" He reached into his robe and pulled out the cloth.
Bajie lowered his rake and laughed. "We have powerful weapons. And all you have is a piece of cloth!"
"That's not an ordinary cloth," warned the dragon.
Yellow Brows threw the cloth toward the group.
"Look out!" cried Wukong.
The monkey leaped up to the sky just before the cloth wrapped around his companions. Quickly the demon grabbed the cloth, with the group in it. He ran back into his monastery and slammed the door shut.
Wukong sat down on a cloud to think. How could he rescue his companions? "I can't ask the Jade Emperor for help," thought Wukong. "He already sent the Gold Dragon, who was just captured again. Maybe I can ask Guanyin for help."
As Wukong was wondering what to do, two spirits approached him. One was a turtle, and the other was a serpent. The two spirits each carried a sword and a shield.
"We're from Wudang Mountain," said the turtle. "We've come to help you."
The serpent nodded. "We heard the Tang Monk was captured by a demon called Yellow Brows."
"Thank you for coming," said Wukong. He quickly told them what had happened.
"Let's go to the monastery now," said the turtle. "Yellow Brows won't be able to fight all three of us."
"We are much too powerful for him," added the serpent.
Wukong led the two spirits down to the monastery. "Just be careful of his cloth," warned the monkey. "He'll try to capture us with it."
Wukong banged on the monastery door. "Release my friends right now, Yellow Brows! If you don't, I'll knock down your monastery! Then I'll smash your entire mountain!"
The door flew open. Yellow Brows stepped out and threw the cloth.
"Look out!" cried Wukong. The monkey jumped out of the way, but the turtle and serpent weren't fast enough. The cloth wrapped around them.
Laughing, the demon grabbed the bundle and went back into the monastery.
Wukong flew back up into the sky. He sat on a cloud and moaned. "Now what will I do?"
He was still thinking when he heard a voice. "Hello, Wukong!"
Wukong looked toward the voice and saw a man with a big belly. The man was smiling.
"Do you know who I am?" asked the man.
Wukong smiled. "You're the buddha Maitreya."
"Yes," said Maitreya. "And I've come to help you."


Journey to the West 83: The Melon Field
"Are you sure you can help?" Wukong asked the Buddha Maitreya. "Yellow Brows is powerful. He captured everyone with a magic cloth. He trapped me in a pair of cymbals."
"I can defeat Yellow Brows," said Maitreya. "He used to be my student. The cloth and cymbals are precious Buddhist treasures that he stole from me."
Wukong gulped. "Sorry, but I, um . . . destroyed the cymbals."
Maitreya smiled. "Don't worry about that. We must capture Yellow Brows. I'll tell you my plan."
* * *
Wukong stormed up to the monastery door again. "Yellow Brows!" he shouted. "Return my friends or I'll smash your entire mountain!"
The door flew open, and Yellow Brows stepped out. "How dare you threaten me? Do you know how powerful I am?"
"You're not powerful," said the monkey. "You just think you are because you have that cloth. I bet you're too scared to fight me without it."
"I'm not scared of you," said the demon. He went back inside and came back a moment later. He was holding a heavy wooden club.
Wukong pulled out his iron bar as the demon rushed toward him. 
Wham! 
Their weapons smashed together again and again. As he fought the demon, Wukong took small steps backward. Slowly he moved the fight away from the monastery.
Soon they were fighting in the valley at the bottom of the mountain. Wukong took another swing at Yellow Brows and then pretended to be scared.
"You are too powerful!" cried the monkey. "I can't fight you anymore!" He turned and ran away.
"Hey!" yelled Yellow Brows. "Get back here, coward!" The demon ran after Wukong.
The monkey ran through some woods and into a melon field.
Yellow Brows chased him. "Where are you, Wukong?" he shouted.
Then the demon noticed all the melons. He licked his lips. "These melons look delicious," he said to himself.
A farmer was working nearby. He had a big belly.
"Hey, farmer!" called Yellow Brows. "Give me one of your melons!"
The farmer put down his rake and smiled. He walked over to the demon. "I'll find a nice, ripe melon for you."
The farmer searched the ground. Finally he held up a ripe melon. "Here you go!"
Yellow Brows lifted the melon to take a bite. Suddenly the melon shrank to the size of a berry. It leaped out of his hand and went right down his throat.

Gulp!
The demon fell to his knees. "Ugh! What was wrong with that melon?"
Inside the demon, Wukong punched and kicked. 
Boomph! Pow! Boomph! Pow!
"Aargh!" cried Yellow Brows. Then he noticed the farmer was gone. Instead, Maitreya stood over him.
Maitreya glared at the demon. "Give me my magic cloth."
"Y-yes, Master." Yellow Brows pulled the cloth from his robe and handed it to Maitreya.
"You may come out now, Wukong," said Maitreya.
A tiny Wukong leaped from the demon's nose. Maitreya threw the cloth at Yellow Brows. It wrapped around the demon and became small. Maitreya put the bundle into a pocket.
Wukong returned to his normal size. He and Maitreya went to the monastery. Maitreya recited a spell, and the cymbals repaired themselves.
He smiled at Wukong. "Good luck!" Then he vanished.
Wukong untied his companions and the other spirits. The dragon, the turtle, and the serpent thanked the monkey and flew away.
"Thank you, Wukong," said the Tang Monk. "I'm sorry for not believing you when you warned us about this place."
Wukong laughed. "Maybe you'll believe me one of these days, Master!"
The travelers went outside and continued west.


Journey to the West 84: The Sad King
"I wish I had money," Bajie moaned. "All this food looks so good."
The travelers were walking through a city in the Scarlet Kingdom. The streets were lined with people selling food and other goods.
"Stop thinking about food, Bajie," said Wujing.
"What's going on over there?" asked the Tang Monk. He pointed to a crowd of people reading a sign on a wall.
The travelers walked over to the crowd.
The sign read: "The King of the Scarlet Kingdom is seeking help. Anyone who can defeat demons must report to the royal palace."
The Tang Monk sighed. "I don't want to delay our journey. But you three can defeat demons. We must report to the palace."
"Don't worry, Master," said Wukong. "I'm great at defeating demons. This won't take long."
"I hope they have food at the palace," said Bajie. "I'm starving."
The travelers arrived at the palace gate. They spoke with a guard, who then led them into the court. The king sat on his throne, looking very sad.
"Your Majesty," said the guard. "The Tang Monk is here to see you. He says his companions can defeat demons."
The king looked up but didn't say anything.
The guard whispered to the travelers. "His Majesty is very upset. If you can help him, please do."
Wukong walked up to the king. "Greetings, Your Majesty. I am Sun Wukong, king of the Fruit and Flower Mountain. You need someone who can defeat demons. Well, here I am!"
Suddenly the king covered his face with his hands and burst out crying.
"Oh, it's terrible!" cried the king. "I have no hope anymore!"
Wukong scratched his head. "What's wrong?"
"The queen—my wife!" cried the king. "I'll never . . . Oh! It's terrible!"
Wukong frowned. "Your Majesty, stop crying!"
"Wukong!" hissed the Tang Monk. "Show some respect."
Wukong ignored the monk and looked at the king. "I realize you're upset. But if you want my help, you must stay calm and explain everything to me."
The king sniffed and sat up straight. "You're right." He pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose. "I will tell you what happened. Three years ago the Demon of Power attacked our kingdom. The demon kidnapped the queen. I sent soldiers to fight the demon and bring back my wife. But the demon was too powerful."
"Where is the demon?" asked Wukong.
The king got up and walked to a window. He pointed to a mountain in the distance. "The demon lives on that mountain."
Wukong clapped the king on the back. "You can stop being sad now, Your Majesty. I will rescue the queen. In the meantime, please take care of my companions. I think Bajie is hungry."

Wukong landed on the demon's mountain. Several small demons were standing outside a cave entrance.
"Return the queen or I'll destroy all of you!" shouted the monkey.
"Ahh!" cried the small demons as they ran into the cave.
Wukong heard another voice inside the cave. "What's going on?" it said.
"Master!" cried one demon. "There's a monkey outside. We must return the queen, or he'll destroy all of us!"
A large demon with broad shoulders came out of the cave. He wore three bells.
"I am the Demon of Power!" shouted the demon. "Get off of my mountain!"
Wukong was furious. "Do you know who I am? I'm the—"

Whoosh! 
Flames shot all over, smoke filled the air, and sand whipped past Wukong.
The monkey coughed as sand flew up his nose.
"This is awful!" cried Wukong.
He covered his face and leaped off the mountain.


Journey to the West 85: Fire, Smoke, and Sand
Wukong landed on another mountain peak.
"Ah-choo!" The monkey groaned. "That fire and smoke were awful! And the sand went right in—ah-ah-choo!—my nose."
He looked at the Demon of Power's mountain. The fire and smoke were now gone.
Wukong was about to return to that mountain. But then he hesitated.
"The demon will just use the same trick again," thought the monkey. "I'll sneak into his cave and look around. Maybe I can find out how he created the fire, smoke, and sand."
Wukong turned into a bug and flew back to the demon's mountain. He went into the cave and flew down a long, dark tunnel. He soon found a brightly lit bedroom filled with nice furniture and fancy decorations.
In a corner a woman sat in a chair. She was crying.

Poof! 
Wukong turned back into himself.
"Oh!" cried the woman. "Wh-who are you?"
"My name is Sun Wukong," said the monkey. "Are you the queen?"
The woman nodded.
"Your husband sent me to rescue you," said Wukong.
The queen's face broke into a smile. "Oh, please do! The demon who kidnapped me is horrible—nasty, ugly, smelly!" The queen shivered. "He said he loves me and wants to . . . m-marry me!" The queen started to cry again.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty," said Wukong. "I'll defeat the demon. But first I must figure out how he creates the fire, smoke, and sand."
"That's simple." The queen sniffed. "He has three bells. The first bell makes fire. The second bell makes smoke. And the third bell makes sand."
"I saw the bells," said Wukong. "He wears them around his neck."
The monkey smiled. "You wait here, Your Majesty. Tonight I'll steal those bells from the demon. Once I defeat him, I'll come back and rescue you."
The monkey turned back into a bug and flew down another tunnel. Soon he found a second bedroom. This one was dark and gloomy.
"This must be the demon's bedroom," thought Wukong. "I'll wait here until the demon goes to sleep." He landed on the ceiling and waited.
A little while later, the Demon of Power came into the room. Wukong could see the bells tied around the demon's neck.
"What a busy day," said the demon. "I'm tired." The demon climbed into bed and closed his eyes. Soon he was snoring loudly.
Wukong turned back into himself. He plucked a few of his hairs and turned them into fleas. The fleas landed on the demon's neck and began biting.
The demon scratched at his neck and rolled over. Then he scratched some more—and more. Finally the demon sat up.
"Why is my neck so itchy?" he said. "Maybe it's these bells. I'll take them off while I sleep."
The demon laid the three bells on a table. A few minutes later he was snoring again. The fleas turned back into hairs and returned to Wukong.
Next the monkey turned the hairs into three fake bells. He put them on the table and stuck the real bells in his robe. He looked at the sleeping demon.
"It's too dangerous to use these bells inside," thought the monkey. "I'll get the demon to come outside, and then I'll fight him."
Wukong became invisible and ran back through the tunnel.
A guard was sleeping next to the cave entrance. Wukong sneaked past him.
Once he was outside, the monkey shouted. "Return the queen right now! If you don't, I'll smash your entire mountain!"


Journey to the West 86: Magic Bells
Wukong shouted outside the cave. He shouted all kinds of insults about the Demon of Power.
Inside the cave the guard woke up.
He ran to the demon's bedroom. "Master!" cried the guard. "The monkey is back!"
"It's the middle of the night," said the demon. "What does he want?"
"He said we must return the queen," said the guard. "If we don't, he'll smash our entire mountain. He also yelled some terrible things about you."
The Demon of Power climbed out of bed and grabbed the fake bells. "I'll chase the monkey away with my fire, smoke, and sand again." He tied the bells around his neck and went outside.
The demon glared at Wukong. "Go away! I'm sleeping!"
"Return the queen!" shouted the monkey.
"Never!" said the demon. He reached for the bells around his neck.
Wukong pretended to be surprised. "Oh," he said. "I have bells just like those."
The demon squinted at the monkey. "I doubt your bells are like mine. Let me see them."
Wukong held up the bells. The demon peered at them for a moment. "Those bells do look like mine. But my bells are magic."
"So are mine," said Wukong.
"My bells can make fire, smoke, and sand," said the demon.
"That's interesting." Wukong smiled. "My bells can do that too."
"Really?" The Demon of Power looked surprised. "Let's compare bells to see whose work better."
"Okay," said Wukong. "You go first."
"I was planning to," said the demon. He shook his bells. Nothing happened.
He shook the bells again. Again nothing happened.
"That's strange," the demon mumbled. He looked closely at the bells. "These bells worked fine yesterday."
Wukong tried not to laugh. "Let's see if my bells work," he said.
The monkey shook the bells. 
Whoosh! 
Fire, smoke, and sand rushed toward the demon.
"Aargh!" cried the demon. He covered his face and fell to the ground.
Wukong pulled out his iron bar and got ready to strike.
"Wukong, stop!" shouted a voice.
The monkey looked up and saw Guanyin coming down from the sky.
Wukong bowed. "Greetings, Bodhisattva. I was just going to destroy this demon."
"You must not harm him," said Guanyin. "He's my pet wolf. He escaped from Heaven." The bodhisattva looked at the demon. "Return to your true form!"
Light sparkled, and the demon turned into a huge wolf. Guanyin climbed onto the wolf's back.
She looked at the wolf's neck and then at Wukong. "Give me the bells, Wukong."
"What bells?" Wukong held the bells behind his back.
"My wolf wears a set of three bells," said Guanyin. "I know you have them. You could not have defeated the wolf without them."
Wukong shrugged. "I have no idea what you're—"
"Hand them over," said Guanyin. "Or I'll recite the Tight Headband spell."
"There's no need for that!" cried the monkey. "I was just joking!" Grinning sheepishly, he handed over the bells.
Guanyin tied the bells around the wolf's neck and then rode up into the sky.
* * *
Back at the palace, the king and queen were reunited.
"Thank you for rescuing the queen, Sun Wukong," said the king.
"Tonight we will hold a feast to thank you and your companions," said the queen.
That night the royal banquet hall was filled with people. Servants carried trays filled with rice, vegetables, mushrooms, noodles, tofu, dumplings, and other food.
Bajie ate everything in front of him.
"Would you like more steamed buns?" asked a servant.
"You don't need to ask," said the pig. "Just put food in front of me, and I'll eat it!"


Journey to the West 87: The Three Young Women
Wukong and his companions were walking through a forest.
"I'm glad the road goes through this shady forest," said the Tang Monk. "The sun is very hot this morning."
Wujing nodded. "It's nice to walk in the shade."
Wukong looked around suspiciously. He knew that forests were often filled with dangers.
Suddenly Bajie fell flat on his face. "Oof!" He climbed back to his feet and rubbed his nose. "I'm okay," he said. "I tripped on a rock."
The travelers soon came to a wall running along the road. Behind the wall they could see the roof of a house. Up ahead was a gate.
"I wonder who lives here," said Wujing.
"Shh," said Wukong. "I hear laughter."
The monkey peeked over the wall. Three young women were laughing and kicking a ball around.
"I see three young women," said Wukong.
"Let's ask them for some food," said Wujing.
"That's a good idea," said Bajie. "I'll go talk to them." The pig headed toward the gate.
"Bajie, wait here," said the Tang Monk. He looked at his companions. "I will speak to the women. You three might frighten them."
"Frighten them?" Bajie echoed.
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "After all, Bajie, you're a large, talking pig. Wujing, you're big and purple. And, Wukong, you're scary sometimes."
The monkey shrugged.
Wujing nodded.
"Fine," snapped Bajie.
The Tang Monk opened the gate and went through. He approached the women.
"Look!" said one woman. "We have a visitor."
"He's a monk," said another woman.
"What can we do for you?" asked the third.
"Hello," said the Tang Monk. "I'm wondering if you could spare some food for my companions and me."
The three women smiled.
"Of course we can spare some food!" said the first woman.
"We have plenty," said the second woman.
"Come inside our house," said the third.
The three young women led the Tang Monk into their house.
As soon as the monk entered, he became scared. The interior of the house was dark and dreary. Dust covered everything, and cobwebs hung from the walls.
"Tell us, monk," said one woman. "Why are you walking through our forest today?"
The Tang Monk looked around nervously. "I, um . . . I'm going to the Western Paradise to—"
"You're the Tang Monk!" shrieked all three women.
The Tang Monk took a step back. "You've . . . heard of me?"
"Of course," said one woman.
All three women reached behind their heads. They began to pull out long strands of spider silk. Swiftly they moved toward the Tang Monk.

"What's taking Master so long?" asked Wukong. The monk's companions were waiting outside in the road.
"He's probably inside that house, enjoying a nice meal," said Bajie.
"Meanwhile, we're out here, starving."
"The Tang Monk wouldn't do that, Bajie," said Wujing.
Wukong looked worried. "We'd better check on Master."
"If there's food, I want to be there," said Bajie. "I'll go with you."
The two of them went to the gate. When they saw the house, they both gasped.
"The house is covered in spiderwebs!" cried the pig.
Wukong kicked in the gate, and they rushed toward the house.
The monkey banged on the door. "Open up!"
The door flew open. The three women leaped out, shooting sticky webs at Wukong and Bajie. The pig waved his rake. Webs wrapped around it, and soon the weapon was stuck to his head.
Bajie turned to run, but more webs flew toward him. They wrapped around his legs, and he fell to the ground.


Journey to the West 88: The Priest's Plan
"Help!" cried Bajie. Spiderwebs now covered the pig so he couldn’t move at all.
Wukong quickly grew tall. He swung his iron bar furiously at the young women.
"Oh no!" cried one woman.
"The monkey is a powerful spirit!" cried another.
"We must leave!" cried the third.

Poof! 
The women vanished. Wukong ran into the house. He saw a large form wrapped in spiderwebs in a corner.
"Master!" cried the monkey. He quickly pulled off the webs.
"Thank you, Wukong," said the monk breathlessly. "Those women were planning to eat me!"
"Those women are gone now," said Wukong. Then he smirked. "Bajie scared them away. The pig was a real hero!"
"Wonderful," said the Tang Monk as they went outside. "Where is Bajie now?"
"He's right there." Wukong pointed and laughed. "Bajie, the brave hero!"
Bajie was on the ground, still struggling to get out of the webs. He pretended to laugh. "Ha-ha, Wukong. Very funny."
* * *
The road left the forest and headed up a mountain. The travelers arrived at a Daoist abbey.
"Maybe we can rest here," said Wujing.
The group entered the abbey. An old priest was inside, mixing a potion.
"Visitors!" said the priest. "Come in, and make yourselves at home."
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk.
The priest led them to a sitting area.
"You're Buddhists," the priest observed as everyone sat down. "Where are you going?"
The Tang Monk opened his mouth to answer, but Wukong spoke first.
"We're on our way to visit friends," said the monkey.
"That's nice," said the priest. "Would you like some tea? I have plenty of food too. I will prepare a meal for us."
"That would be wonderful," said Bajie.
The priest stood up and left the room.
"Wukong, why did you lie to the priest?" asked the Tang Monk.
"I'm just being careful," said the monkey. "We shouldn't tell everyone we meet that you're the Tang Monk."
Wujing nodded. "Wukong is right, Master. You almost got eaten just this morning."
* * *
The priest was in the kitchen, boiling water for tea. He was looking for rice when he realized he wasn't alone.
The three young women stood nearby, and they looked angry.
"Hello, my dear friends," said the priest. "What's wrong? You look upset."
"We caught the Tang Monk this morning," said one woman.
"But we had to flee our house," said another woman.
"A monkey and a pig attacked us," said the third.
"I have visitors right now," the priest whispered. "There's a monk with three companions. One is a monkey and another is a pig!"
"Are you serious?" whispered the first woman.
"It must be them," whispered the second woman.
"They must not leave!" whispered the third.
An evil smile flashed across the priest's face. "We'll eat the Tang Monk, and we'll all live forever!"
The first woman now looked worried. "But how will we defeat the monk's companions? That monkey is powerful."
The priest went to a cabinet and pulled out a small bottle. "I'll add this poison to their tea."
* * *
The priest returned to the travelers. "Sorry I took so long," he said, smiling. "The meal will be ready soon. Here's your tea."
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk.
Wukong looked at the priest and suddenly felt suspicious. There was something evil behind the man's smile. The monkey glanced at his tea. It didn't look quite right.
"Master!" cried the monkey. "Don't drink the—"
But it was too late. The monk, Wujing, and Bajie were already sipping their tea.


Journey to the West 89: Many Eyes
Wukong gasped as his companions began to look ill.
The Tang Monk’s head bobbed forward, and his teacup dropped from his hand. And then— 
thump! 
The monk toppled to the floor. A moment later Wujing and Bajie passed out too.
"Evil villain!" Wukong jumped to his feet and pulled out his iron bar. The priest backed away.
Just then a door burst open, and the three women ran into the room.
"You again?" cried the monkey.
He leaped out of the way as the women shot webs at him. He jumped up, did a flip in the air, and landed directly behind the women. Furiously, he slammed his iron bar down. 
Wham! 
There was a puff of smoke. When it cleared, a dead spider lay where one of the women had been.
The other two women stared in horror.
"He destroyed our sister!" cried one.
"He’s a monster!" cried the other.
Wukong charged toward them. He knocked flying webs out of his way and then . . . 
Crack! Bam! 
Both women were gone. In their places lay dead spiders.
"Those spider spirits were my dear friends!" cried the priest. His eyes burned with fury. "You will regret destroying them."
The priest opened his robe, revealing a body covered in eyes. Suddenly, blinding light shot from the many eyes.
"Aargh! The light is too bright!" cried the monkey. He covered his own eyes and ran all over the room. But he couldn't escape the blinding light.
Finally he slammed his iron bar into the abbey's stone floor. A huge hole opened up. The monkey jumped in and turned into a mole. Using his claws, he tunneled until he was sure he was far from the abbey.
When Wukong popped up out of the ground, he turned back into himself. Bright light was shining from the abbey. Even from far away, the light burned the monkey’s eyes.
Wukong turned away. "What will I do? I have no way to save my friends. That priest’s light is too powerful."
He sobbed and sobbed until he heard a voice say, "Don’t cry, Wukong."
The monkey looked up. A tall woman was standing over him.
"I am the bodhisattva Pralambra," said the woman. "That priest is a centipede spirit, called the Demon Lord of Many Eyes. I am the only one who can defeat him."
Pralambra pulled a small needle from her sleeve. Turning, she threw the needle into the beams of light. 
Crack! 
The sound thundered in the sky, and the beams of light vanished.
Wukong and Pralambra returned to the abbey. The priest lay shaking on the floor. All of his eyes were squeezed shut. Pralambra pointed her finger at the priest, and he turned into a giant centipede.
Pralambra took a bottle out of her sleeve. "Here, Wukong," said the bodhisattva. "These pills will cure your companions. I will take the centipede with me to be punished."
Wukong bowed. "Thank you, Bodhisattva."
*   *   *
The journey continued, and many weeks went by.
"The journey has been easy lately," said the Tang Monk one day.
Bajie snorted.
"That’s true," said Wujing. "It’s been weeks since any demons tried to eat Master."
"The Western Paradise is still far away," Wukong warned the others. "We’ll face many more dangers before we get there."
The Tang Monk smiled. "Relax, Wukong, and enjoy the beautiful day. There is no danger here."
Just then a man appeared up ahead. He was waving his arms frantically.
"Don’t come this way!" shouted the man. "There’s danger ahead—great danger!"


Journey to the West 90: The Demons' Plan
The man on the road continued to wave a warning. Trembling with fear, the Tang Monk fell from his horse. Wujing rushed over to help him stand up.
"I'll be right back," said Wukong. "I'll ask that man what sort of danger is up ahead."
The monkey walked toward the man. Looking closely, Wukong could tell that he was not an ordinary man.
"Hello, Venus," said Wukong with a smile.
The man smiled back. "Yes, it's me, the spirit of the planet Venus. I came in disguise to warn you, Wukong. There are three powerful demons on the mountain up ahead. The first is a lion demon. The second is an elephant demon. And the third is a raptor demon."
The monkey shrugged. "Thanks for the warning, Venus. But I'm not worried about three silly demons."
Venus shook his head. "You should be worried. The three demons command a demon army."
Wukong rubbed his chin. "Once again, thank you for the warning. But even an entire army of demons doesn't worry me."
Venus nodded. "Very well, Wukong. Good luck!" The spirit vanished.
The monkey walked back to his companions.
"Well?" said Bajie. "What did the man say? Is there danger up ahead?"
"Are there demons?" asked the Tang Monk, still scared.
"Actually, yes," said Wukong. "There's an army of demons. But I'm not worried."
The Tang Monk's jaw dropped. "How can you not be worried?"
Wukong laughed. "Master, have you forgotten? I once defeated Heaven's entire army."
Wujing frowned. "Yes, we all know about that, Wukong. But this is different. The Tang Monk is with us—we must keep him safe."
Bajie nodded. "Yes, and I'd like to be safe too."
Wukong sighed. "You're right. We can't let the demons harm Master." He gave a sideways glance at Bajie and smirked. "Or the pig."
Bajie snorted.
"You all wait here," said Wukong. "I'll check out the mountain to see how big the demon army is."
The monkey flew to the mountain. Several demons were talking in front of a cave. They were dressed like military officers. Wukong spied on them from behind a rock.
"The Tang Monk will be coming over our mountain soon," said a demon general. "Our leaders want all the troops to watch for him."
"I hope we catch the Tang Monk," said a captain. "I've heard that anyone who eats him will live forever."
Wukong was furious. "How dare they plan to eat Master!"
The demons were still talking.
"But who will get to eat the monk?" asked another captain. "There are thousands of troops in our army."
"We'll all get to eat him," said the general. "Our leaders promised to share him with the entire army."
The other officers nodded and smiled.
"That was very kind of our leaders," said a captain.
"We must be careful though," warned the general.
"Why?" asked a colonel. "The monk is just a man. He can't possibly stop us."
"I've heard that the Tang Monk isn't alone," said the general. "Sun Wukong is with him."
Everyone grew quiet.
"He's the spirit who defeated Heaven's entire army," whispered a captain.
Another captain nodded. "He is quite powerful."
Wukong beamed proudly when he heard that.
"Don't worry about Sun Wukong," said the general. "Just tell the troops to watch for the Tang Monk."
"Yes, General," said the colonel.
"I have an idea," thought Wukong.
The monkey made himself look like a demon general. Then he stepped out from behind the rock and hurried over to the officers.
"I have good news!" shouted Wukong. "The Tang Monk is heading toward our mountain!"


Journey to the West 91: The Demon Officers
The demon general looked at Wukong, who was still in disguise.
"The Tang Monk is heading toward our mountain?" the general asked.
"Yes," said Wukong.
"That is great news," said a demon captain.
"Unfortunately there's also some bad news." Wukong pretended to look worried.
"The Tang Monk has three companions. One is a big purple fellow. Another is a pig who appears to be quite lazy."
The general narrowed his eyes at Wukong. "And the third companion?"
"The third companion is a monkey," said Wukong. "I believe he is Sun Wukong."
"I was afraid that monkey was traveling with the monk," the general grumbled.
"What does Sun Wukong look like?"
"He's huge." Wukong pretended to shiver. "He has fiery red eyes and sharp fangs."
"Oh dear," said a captain.
"There's no need to worry about some silly monkey," said the colonel. "I don't care what he did five hundred years ago. We have a powerful army."
"I heard the monkey talking," said Wukong. "He said he 
hopes 
there's an entire demon army on this mountain."
"What?" The general looked confused. "He hopes there's an army?"
Wukong nodded. "He said destroying demons is good exercise. He has a magic iron bar. He can make it big enough to crush our entire army with one strike. But he doesn't plan to do that."
A captain gulped. "What 
does 
he plan to do?"
"He plans to crush one demon at a time," said Wukong. "That way he'll get more exercise."
The demons' faces went pale.
"This is bad news," said the general.
The other demons nodded in agreement.
"You can all stick around if you want to," said Wukong. "But I'm leaving."
A captain looked surprised. "What about eating the Tang Monk? Don't you want to live forever?"
Wukong shook his head. "I heard our three leaders talking privately. They don't plan to share the Tang Monk with us. They're going to eat him themselves."
The officers grew angry.
"That's not fair!" said the colonel.
"It's terrible!" said a captain.
The general bit his lip. "If our leaders won't share the Tang Monk with us, they can catch him themselves. Let's gather the troops and leave this place."
Soon Wukong could see the demon army marching away in the valley below.
The monkey smiled. "I got rid of the army. Now I'll deal with the three demon leaders."
Still in disguise, Wukong entered the cave. He came to a large room. Three huge demons—a lion, an elephant, and a raptor—sat on thrones.
"The Tang Monk is heading toward the mountain," Wukong announced.
"Excellent," said the lion. "Tell the troops to capture him."
"The troops left," said Wukong.
"What!" shouted the raptor. "Why?"
"The Tang Monk is traveling with Sun Wukong," said the monkey. "The troops were afraid of the monkey."
"So it's true that Sun Wukong is with the monk," said the elephant. "That monkey is powerful. We should leave the Tang Monk alone."
"Nonsense!" said the lion. "We don't need an army to fight a monkey. We'll capture the Tang Monk ourselves."
"You're crazy!" said the elephant. "Sun Wukong defeated Heaven's entire army!"
"Don't call me crazy!" shouted the lion.
"Don't shout at me!" shouted the elephant.
"I'll shout at anyone I want to!" shouted the lion.
As the two demons argued, Wukong began to laugh. Soon he was laughing hard. The demons stopped arguing and stared at him.
The monkey looked down and saw that his disguise was gone. He gulped. "Uh-oh!"


Journey to the West 92: The Lion Demon
The elephant pointed at Wukong. "He's not a demon. He's a monkey!"
"He's not just a monkey," said the raptor. "He's Sun Wukong. Get him!"
The lion pounced.
Wukong shot out of the cave as fast as he could. He didn't stop running until he was far from the cave.
"Whew," the monkey said to himself. "That was close. I guess when I laughed I broke my concentration. That must have made my disguise vanish."
Wukong returned to his companions.
"Well?" said Wujing. "Is there an army up ahead?"
"I scared away the entire army," Wukong boasted. "But there are still three powerful demons on the mountain. They plan to capture Master and, well . . . eat him."
"Oh!" cried the Tang Monk, nearly falling over. Wujing caught him.
"Don't worry, Master," said Wukong. "We won't let those demons harm you. But we do have to destroy them before we cross the mountain. It's good that we discovered their plan before we went up the mountain."
The Tang Monk nodded, wringing his hands nervously.
Wukong turned to Bajie and Wujing. "Someone needs to help me get rid of the demons."
"I'll go with you," said Bajie.
"I'll stay here and look after the Tang Monk," said Wujing.
Wukong and Bajie went to the cave entrance. The monkey pulled out his iron bar. Bajie raised his rake.
"I'll do all the talking," said Wukong.
"What are you going to say?" asked Bajie.
"I'll just ask them nicely to leave," said Wukong. He turned to the cave entrance. "Demons!" he shouted. "Leave this mountain now, or we'll knock it down and crush all three of you!"
For a moment everything was quiet. Then the lion stepped out of the cave. He towered over the monkey and the pig.
"Why are you out here yelling?" asked the lion calmly.
"You, the elephant, and the raptor must leave this mountain at once," said Wukong.
"Why must we leave?" asked the lion. "We're not bothering you."
"Villain!" shouted the monkey. "I know you're planning to capture and eat the Tang Monk!"
"We haven't touched the Tang Monk," said the lion. "But you, Sun Wukong—you scared away our entire army. You're the villain here."
"I'm not a villain!" shouted Wukong. He raised his iron bar and charged toward the lion.
The lion opened his mouth wide, revealing huge, sharp fangs. Wukong swung his iron bar. The lion pounced and— 
gulp!
Bajie's face went white with horror. "Yikes!" he cried. "That lion just swallowed Wukong!"
The pig ran as fast as he could. He didn't stop running until he reached Wujing and the Tang Monk.
"What happened?" asked Wujing. "Where's Wukong?"
"The journey . . . is . . . over," said the pig between breaths. "Wukong got . . . eaten!"
"What!" cried the Tang Monk.
Bajie shook his head. "We should all just go home."

Meanwhile the lion went back into the cave. His chest was puffed out, and he wore a big smile.
"What happened out there?" asked the elephant. "Did you scare away Sun Wukong?"
"Not exactly," said the lion.
"Well, where is he?" asked the raptor.
The lion patted his belly. "He's in here."
"You ate him?" asked the elephant.
"I did," said the lion.
The raptor shook his head. "That was a bad idea."
"Why?" asked the lion.
"Sun Wukong is immortal," said the raptor. "He's probably still alive inside you."
"Yes, I am still alive!" Wukong suddenly shouted. "It's nice and warm in here!"


Journey to the West 93: A Problem for the Lion Demon
The elephant and the raptor stared at the lion.
"Sun Wukong is alive inside you," said the raptor. "Aren't you worried?"
The lion sat down on his throne. "Worried about what?"
"Well," said the raptor. "The monkey is talking inside you. Doesn't that bother you?"
"Let him talk," said the lion defiantly. "It doesn't bother me at all."
"What shall I talk about?" Wukong called. "Who wants to hear a story?"
The elephant shook his head slowly. "What if the monkey never stops talking? You'll never get any sleep."
"Hmm," said the lion. "That would be bad." He thought for a moment. "I know what to do. I'll stop eating."
"What will that do?" asked the elephant.
"Yes," said Wukong. "What will that do?"
"If I don't eat, Wukong doesn't eat," said the lion. "I'll make him starve."
Wukong laughed. "Nice try, lion! But I'll just turn one of my hairs into a stove. I'll cook a nice meal in here!"
"Oh dear." The raptor shook his head. "If that monkey fires up a stove, it will make you very hot. Plus it will create lots of smoke. The smoke will fill your head, and you'll never stop sneezing!"
At last the lion was starting to look nervous. "That would be terrible," he said. "I'd better cough out Wukong."
The lion went to the middle of the room. He bent over and coughed. "Ahugh! Ahugh!"
Wukong laughed. "I'm still in here!"
"Ahugh! Ahugh!" The lion coughed again.
But still Wukong stayed inside him.
"I'm going to practice my fighting skills," announced the monkey.

Boomph! Pow! Boomph! Pow! 
Wukong punched and kicked inside the lion.
The lion fell to his knees. "Ohh!" he moaned. "It hurts! It hurts! Wukong, please stop!"
"Let's make a deal," said Wukong. "I'll come out if you promise to let us cross the mountain safely."
The lion looked up at the raptor and the elephant. They both nodded.
"We promise." The lion moaned again.
"Okay then," said Wukong. "I'm coming out."
Wukong started the climb up the lion's throat. Just as he reached the lion's mouth, Wukong heard whispering.
"Lion, I have a plan," whispered the elephant. "When Wukong tries to come out of your mouth, bite him."
"I don't know . . . ," whispered the lion. "Wukong is very strong. My belly still hurts."
"Chomp him quickly, before he can fight back," whispered the elephant.
"Okay," said the lion.
"Those dumb demons," thought Wukong. "Don't they realize I can hear them?" He pulled out his iron bar.
"Shall I come out now?" asked the monkey.
"Um, yes," said the lion. Wukong heard the three demons snickering.
"Okay," said Wukong. "I'm coming out." He held out the iron bar.
The lion bit down hard on the bar. 
Crack! 
A tooth shattered into tiny pieces.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" the lion howled in pain. Tears streamed down his face. He rolled around on the floor, holding his paws over his mouth.
"You villains!" Wukong shouted. "I heard you whispering!"
"I'm sorry." The lion was still crying. "I won't try to bite you again. Please don't hurt me anymore."
Wukong hesitated. "I'm coming out now. You'd better not try any more tricks!"
"We won't," said the elephant.
"We promise," said the raptor.
Wukong popped out of the lion's nose. He glared at the demons for a moment and then walked out of the cave.
As soon as the monkey was gone, the elephant turned to the other two demons. "I have a new plan for capturing the Tang Monk."


Journey to the West 94: The Elephant Demon
The lion demon rubbed his aching mouth. "Let's leave the Tang Monk alone. Wukong is dangerous."
The raptor nodded.
"Bah!" The elephant demon waved his hand. "I'm not afraid of that silly monkey. I have a perfect plan to defeat him and capture the Tang Monk."
The lion shook his head. "The last time you had a plan, I wound up with a broken tooth."
The elephant snorted. "Just leave everything to me."
* * *
Wukong returned to his companions. He heard Bajie and Wujing arguing.
"We can't go home!" shouted Wujing. "We're on an important journey."
"But Wukong got eaten by the lion demon," said Bajie. "Without Wukong, we'll never get to the Western Paradise."
"Here I am!" said the monkey.
Everyone spun around.
"You're alive!" cried the Tang Monk.
"Yes, I am," said Wukong. "I beat up that lion's insides and broke one of his teeth. The demons are scared of me now. They promised to let us cross their mountain safely."
"That's wonderful," said the Tang Monk.
Wujing helped the monk climb onto the horse. The other travelers started walking.
They hadn't gone far when they saw a large figure ahead, blocking the road.
"That's the elephant demon," said Wukong with a frown. "What's he doing here?"
"We want the Tang Monk!" shouted the elephant.
The Tang Monk fainted.
Wukong turned to Bajie. "I've been dealing with these demons all day. It's your turn to fight them."
Bajie sighed. "Okay." Waving his rake, the pig charged toward the elephant. "You'll never harm my master!"
The elephant blocked the rake, spun around, and struck back.
Bajie jumped out of the way.
The elephant jerked his head, and his trunk shot out. Before Bajie could duck, the trunk wrapped tightly around his body.
As the elephant ran off with Bajie, Wukong groaned. The monkey turned to his companions. "You two wait here. I'll go save the pig."
Wukong returned to the demons' cave and turned into a fly. He found Bajie deep inside the cave. The pig was tied up, floating in a tub of salt water.
Wukong changed back into himself and untied his companion.
"Thank you," said Bajie. "Those demons were planning to pickle me!"
"You're welcome, Bajie," said Wukong. "Now let's—whaa!"
The elephant's trunk wrapped tightly around Wukong's chest. Then the elephant stepped out of a dark corner.
"I knew you'd come to save your friend," said the elephant. "Now you can't protect the Tang Monk. My trunk is very strong!"
Wukong's arms were still free. He pulled out his iron bar, which instantly grew. With all his strength, he slammed it down on the elephant's trunk.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" the elephant cried. He released Wukong and fell backward. His trunk had a horrible purple bruise.
Wukong moved toward the elephant, his iron bar raised high.
The elephant's eyes went wide. "Please don't hurt me anymore! We'll let the Tang Monk cross the mountain!"
The monkey glared at the elephant for a moment. Then he put the iron bar away. "You'd better not trick us again."
Wukong and Bajie left the cave and returned to their companions. The group continued over the mountain.
As the travelers came around a bend, they saw the lion and the elephant. The two demons were blocking the road.
Wukong stomped toward them. "What are you doing? You promised to—"
"Wukong, help us!" cried the Tang Monk.
Wukong spun around. The raptor had grabbed the monkey's companions with its talons.
With a powerful flap of its wings, the giant bird flew away.


Journey to the West 95: The Raptor Demon
The Tang Monk and Wujing were tied up inside the demons' cave. Bajie was also tied up, floating in the tub of salt water again.
The three demons talked in another room.
"That pig will taste wonderful once he's pickled," said the elephant.
"I agree," said the lion. "But the main course is the Tang Monk. It will be nice to live forever."
The elephant nodded. "Let's fry the monk with garlic and spices. I'll go see what we have in the kitchen."
"Wait a minute," said the raptor. "We need a plan. Wukong will certainly try to rescue his friends."
"You're right," said the lion. He felt his broken tooth. "I don't want that to happen."
The elephant looked at his bruised trunk. "Me neither."
"Well, this time I have a plan," said the raptor. "We'll start a rumor. We'll tell every demon nearby that we've already eaten the Tang Monk. When Wukong hears that, he'll give up hope and leave the area."
"Brilliant!" said the lion.
The elephant smiled. "It's the perfect plan."
* * *
Wukong sat next to the road, thinking about what to do.
"Those demons keep tricking me," the monkey said to himself. "Well, no more! I'll go into that cave and rescue my friends. When the demons attack, I'll clobber them with my iron bar. Even if they cry and promise not to hurt us, I won't believe them."
The monkey stood up. He saw two fiends coming down the road.
"I wonder who they are," thought the monkey. He hid behind a rock and waited for the fiends to pass by.
"Those demons are lucky," said one fiend.
"Yep," said the other.
"They ate the Tang Monk, and now they'll live forever," said the first fiend. He sighed. "It would be nice to live forever."
"Yep," said the other fiend.
The two fiends continued along the road.
Wukong was heartbroken. Tears poured from his eyes. "I failed you, Master! I couldn't protect you, and now you'll never reach the Western Paradise!" Wukong buried his head in his hands and cried for a long time.
Finally he stood up and wiped away the tears. "I know what I must do."
The monkey leaped into the air and headed west. He arrived at the Thunderclap Monastery, and a guard let him enter.
Wukong went before Buddha and bowed. "Forgive me, Buddha, but I have failed. Earlier today, the Tang Monk, he was . . . he was . . ." The monkey burst into tears again.
Buddha smiled. "Please don't cry, Wukong. The Tang Monk is fine. The demons haven't eaten him."
Wukong looked up. "Are you sure?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes," said Buddha. "I can see everything in the universe. I know exactly who those demons are and what they did. They tricked you into thinking they'd eaten the Tang Monk. They wanted you to give up hope."
"What?" Wukong shouted in anger. "Those rotten demons! They tricked me again!"
* * *
Wukong swung his iron bar at the cave entrance. 
Smash! 
The entrance exploded, and the three demons ran outside.
The lion demon shouted, "How dare you—" Suddenly he looked up and saw an enormous figure. "Buddha!"
The lion and the elephant trembled with fear. Light flashed as Buddha turned the two demons into ordinary animals.
Only the raptor demon wasn't scared. His eyes burning with fury, the bird shot toward Buddha. But Buddha raised a finger, and the bird was paralyzed in midair.
Buddha looked at Wukong. "You may free your companions now. I will see you when you reach the Western Paradise."
Wukong bowed. "Thank you, Buddha."


Journey to the West 96: Wind and Fog
"I hope we reach the Western Paradise soon," said the Tang Monk. "This journey has been very dangerous."
Bajie nodded. "Those three demons tried to pickle me!"
Everybody laughed, even Bajie.
"Wukong, what happened to those demons?" asked Wujing.
"Buddha took them away," said Wukong. "I'm sure they were punished."
"Thank you again for saving us," said the Tang Monk.
Wukong waved his hand. "It was nothing, Master. Buddha did most of the work."
The group felt a strong wind blow down from the mountains up ahead. A dark fog filled the sky and then disappeared.
The Tang Monk was nervous. "Wh-what caused that wind and fog?"
"Relax, Master," said Wukong. "I'm sure it was something harmless—maybe some small demons. I'll go check."
The monkey walked up the road and around a bend. He heard laughter and looked up. High above the road, a fat monster was sitting on the edge of a cliff. Several little demons sat next to the monster. Wukong flew up to get a closer look.
The fat monster appeared to be concentrating. Suddenly . . . "Braap!" A burp as loud as thunder blew down the mountain.
The demons giggled and laughed.
"That was your best burp yet!" cried one demon.
The monster patted his belly. "Yes, I'm proud of that one."
"Show us the fog again!" said another demon.
"Coming right up!" said the monster. He covered one nostril with a finger, closed his eyes, and blew hard. Dark fog poured out of his other nostril.
The demons clapped and cheered.
The monster smiled and then . . . "Braap!" More wind blew down the mountain.
There was a roar of laughter. One demon nearly fell off the cliff.
Wukong shook his head. "I'm not worried about these demons," he said to himself. "They're disgusting but not dangerous." The monkey smiled. "It does give me an idea though . . ."
Wukong returned to his companions, who were waiting alongside the road.
"Did you see any demons?" asked Wujing.
Wukong shook his head. "The road is safe."
Then the monkey pulled Bajie aside. "Bajie," he whispered. "There's a village up ahead. The people there are preparing a huge feast. I saw vegetables, noodles, tofu, steamed buns, and all sorts of delicious food. I thought maybe you'd like to go before us and start eating."
Bajie licked his lips. "Thank you for thinking of me, Wukong. I am rather hungry right now." The pig turned to the Tang Monk. "Master, I think I should go ahead and check the mountain too. I trust Wukong, of course. But we must protect you, and I'd like to be extra safe."
The Tang Monk smiled. "I'm impressed, Bajie. Thank you for doing extra work."
Bajie winked at Wukong and then headed up the road.
*  *  *
"Braap!" The monster burped again, and another wind blew. Then he blew more fog from one nostril.
The demons laughed hysterically. Suddenly there was a loud rumbling sound, and everyone was silent.
The monster patted his big belly. "I'm hungry."
The demons looked at one another.
"I'm hungry too," said one.
"It's probably time for lunch," said another.
The monster stood up. "Let's go down to the road and find some people to eat!"
The demons cheered and followed the monster down the mountain. When they got to the road, they made themselves look like people.
The monster chuckled. "The next time someone comes along this road, it's lunchtime!"
For a few moments, they waited. Then a large pig came around the bend.
"Hello!" said Bajie, smiling. "I'm here for the feast!"


Journey to the West 97: Bajie and the Monster
Bajie took a step back as a dark mist surrounded the people on the road. When the mist cleared, he saw they were really a monster and several little demons.
The monster grinned at him. "Yes, you 
are 
here for the feast, Pig. We're going to eat you for lunch!"
"What?" Bajie raised his rake and swung as the monster approached. The demons rushed toward the pig from all sides.
"That rotten monkey lied to me!" cried Bajie. He spun around and knocked over two demons with his rake.
The monster threw a punch. Bajie blocked the punch with his rake.
"Ow!" cried the monster, rubbing his hand.
Bajie kicked a demon sneaking up behind him. "That monkey is always causing problems!" the pig muttered. He slammed the rake down on another demon. "So what if I like to eat? Did he really have to trick me?"
The monster attacked again. Bajie thrust his rake toward him, still complaining about Wukong. "Wukong is small—he doesn't need to eat as much as I do!"
The monster suddenly stopped fighting and looked at Bajie curiously. "You just said 'Wukong.' Are you talking about Sun Wukong, the monkey who defeated Heaven's entire army five hundred years ago?"
"Um, yes," said Bajie. "Do you know him?"
"I've heard he's traveling with the Tang Monk," said the monster. "You must be traveling with the Tang Monk too."
"Why are you interested in the monk?" asked Bajie suspiciously.
The monster licked his lips. "I've heard that anyone who eats the Tang Monk will live forever."
Panicked, Bajie ran from the demons and back to his companions.
He pointed at Wukong. "You tricked me!"
The monkey was laughing. "How was the feast, Bajie?"
"Grr!" Bajie's eyes burned with fury. He turned to the Tang Monk. "Wukong told me there was a feast up ahead. But instead it was a group of demons and a monster. They tried to eat me!"
The Tang Monk was angry. "Bajie, I thought you were going to check the mountain! Instead you went to look for a feast? You lied to me. You should be ashamed of yourself!"
Bajie hung his head. By now Wukong was rolling on the ground, laughing.
"And you, Wukong," snapped the Tang Monk. "I should recite the Tight Headband spell to punish you!"
Instantly the monkey stopped laughing. He jumped to his feet. "Please don't do that!"
"You knew there were demons and a monster ahead," said the monk. "And you didn't say anything?"
Wujing shook his head. "You should have said something, Wukong."
"I admit I knew about the demons and the monster," said Wukong. "But they're not dangerous."
"Not dangerous?" Bajie scoffed. "They wanted to eat me! And now they're planning to eat Master!"
"Oh no!" cried the Tang Monk.
Wukong held up his hands. "Relax, Master. You have nothing to worry about."

"We must capture the Tang Monk," the monster said to the demons. "But we need a plan. Sun Wukong is strong. Did you know that he once defeated Heaven's entire army?"
"Yes, we've heard," said one of the demons.
Another demon hurried over. "I just spied on the travelers. The Tang Monk has three spirit companions—Sun Wukong, that pig, and a purple fellow."
"Hmm," said the monster. "That's bad."
"Not really," said the demon. "I have a plan to lure the spirits away from the monk."
The demon told the monster his plan. When he was done speaking, the demon folded his arms. "What do you think?"
A big smile spread across the monster's face. "I love it!"


Journey to the West 98: Three Fights
Wukong and his companions walked on the mountain road. The monkey watched carefully for the monster and demons.
Suddenly a demon charged toward the group.
"Stay here, everyone!" shouted Bajie. "I'll fight this demon!"
The pig swung his rake. The demon stepped off the road and headed down the slope of the mountain. Bajie raced after the demon and was soon out of sight.
Wukong heard grunts and clashing weapons. But he couldn't see the fight.
A moment later the demon climbed back onto the road.
"Stay here, Wujing!" shouted Wukong. "Protect the Tang Monk!"
The monkey charged toward the demon. 
Clang! 
Their weapons clashed. Wukong fought with all his strength. Again the demon left the road and headed down the mountain. Wukong chased him. The monkey and the demon disappeared down the slope of the mountain.
"Do you think Wukong can defeat that demon?" asked the Tang Monk nervously.
"Definitely," said Wujing. "I wonder what happened to Bajie though. I hope he's okay."
Suddenly the demon was back.
Wujing was shocked. "How did you get past Wukong?"
Without waiting for an answer, Wujing raised his spear and attacked the demon. The two fought, kicking up dust and rocks.
Wujing struck the demon across the legs. The demon tumbled down the mountainside. Wujing ran after him.
The Tang Monk stood in the road. For a moment everything was quiet. Then he heard footsteps behind him.
The monk turned around and gasped.
A huge, fat monster was smiling wickedly at him.
* * *
When Wukong returned to the road, he found Bajie alone. The pig looked upset.
"Where are Master and Wujing?" asked the monkey.
Bajie scratched his head. "I don't know. I defeated that demon and then came back here. Everyone was gone."
"You didn't defeat the demon," said Wukong. "He got past you. He came back here, and I had to fight him."
"What!" shouted Bajie. "You're crazy! I was fighting with the demon until just a few moments ago!"
Wukong scoffed. "Do you really expect me to believe that? 
I 
was just fighting with the demon!"
Wujing returned to the road, annoyed. "How did that demon get past you two? He wasn't that powerful."
Wukong was confused. "The demon didn't get past me. I was fighting with him until just a moment ago."
"That's impossible," said Wujing. "After you chased him down the slope, he returned and— Where's Master?"
Wukong made a fist. "How could we be so stupid? There wasn't just one demon. There were three! They lured us away, one by one. Then another demon—probably that fat monster—grabbed Master while we were gone."
Bajie fumed. "You're right!"
"That monster must have a cave nearby," said Wujing. "Let's find it."
The three companions searched the mountain. They soon found a cave. Its door was shut.
"Do you think this is the monster's cave?" asked Wujing.
"We'll find out," said Bajie. He raised his rake and knocked a hole in the door. Then he shouted into the hole, "Release the Tang Monk!"
A demon inside the cave shrieked and ran into a kitchen. The monster was grinding spices with a mortar and pestle.
"That pig is here!" cried the demon.
The monster kept grinding. "Who cares? I'm only afraid of Wukong."
"I'm here too!" shouted Wukong through the hole.
The monster dropped the mortar and pestle. "Uh-oh."
He thought for a moment. Then he cleared his throat and shouted, "You're too late! We already ate the Tang Monk!"


Journey to the West 99: Squire Kou's Vow
The monster yelled from inside the cave. "We ate the Tang Monk! So you might as well leave!"
"Oh no!" Bajie fell to his knees and cried.
Wujing wiped tears from his eyes. "Poor Master."
Wukong frowned at his companions. "I can't believe you two believe that monster." He sighed. "Wait here."
The monkey turned into a moth and flew into the cave. He soon found the Tang Monk tied up in a dark room. Wukong turned back into himself.
"Wukong!" cried the Tang Monk.
"Shh." The monkey untied the monk. "We must be quiet."
Wukong recited a spell. A moment later the sound of snoring drifted into the room.
"My spell put the monster and demons to sleep," said the monkey. "Let's go."
Wukong and the monk came out of the cave. Bajie and Wujing were thrilled.
"Master, we thought you'd been eaten," said Bajie.
"I knew he was fine," said Wukong. "Now I'm going to make sure these villains never bother anyone again."
He pulled out his iron bar. It grew until it was the size of a very tall tree.
"Stand back," said the monkey.
With one swing Wukong smashed the entire cave. Rocks exploded and fell on top of one another.
Wukong looked at the rubble and smiled.
*  *  *
Weeks went by, and the travelers arrived in a small town.
Bajie's stomach growled loudly.
Wukong laughed. "I guess we should look for food."
They saw an old monk walking down a street.
"Kind monk," said the Tang Monk. "Do you know where we can beg for some food? We are quite hungry."
The old monk nodded. "Go to Squire Kou's house. The squire made a vow to feed ten thousand Buddhist monks. He will surely give you some food." He gave the Tang Monk directions to the house.
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk.
The travelers arrived at the squire's gate, and a servant let them in. The squire's house was very large and fancy.
Squire Kou came outside. "Greetings," he said with a smile. "Please come inside."
The travelers sat with the squire in a large room. A servant brought tea and snacks.
"Thank you for inviting us in, Squire," said the Tang Monk. "We heard that you made a vow to feed ten thousand monks."
"Yes," said the squire. "I've made plenty of money during my life. But I want to do good deeds as well. I hope to be reborn one day as a bodhisattva or even a buddha."
"Well, Squire," said Bajie, "today's your lucky day! I can easily eat as much food as ten thousand monks. So if you feed me, you'll definitely become a buddha!"
Everybody laughed.
"It 
is 
my lucky day," said the squire. "Last night I checked to see how many monks I've fed. So far I've fed 9,996 monks. I need to feed only four more in order to fulfill my vow." A smile spread across his face. "And there are four of you!"
That evening Squire Kou held a feast. Everybody in the town was invited.
The travelers sat with the squire and his wife, Lady Kou.
Bajie drooled as he gazed at all of the wonderful food on the table. "Noodles, buns, mushrooms . . . I don't know what to eat first!"
As they ate, Squire Kou leaned toward the Tang Monk. "So where are you and your companions going?"
"We're traveling to the Western Paradise," said the monk. "We're going to fetch the True Scriptures from Buddha."
The squire's eyes lit up. "You are special guests! I can't let you leave!"


Journey to the West 100: A Terrible Robbery
For over a month, the travelers stayed at Squire Kou's house. Every time they tried to leave, the squire begged them to stay longer.
Finally, one morning during breakfast, the Tang Monk insisted on leaving. "We'll never fetch the True Scriptures if we stay here."
"Please don't leave," said Squire Kou. "You are very important monks. Having you as guests is a good deed."
"I'd like to stay here," said Bajie. He took a bite of a peach.
"No. Master's right," said Wukong. "We must continue our journey."
Lady Kou grew angry. "You monks are ungrateful! We have fed you and taken care of you. Yet you can't wait to leave!"
"We are very grateful," said the Tang Monk. "But we cannot stay any longer."
After breakfast Wujing got the horse from Squire Kou's stable. Bajie gathered the bags. The Tang Monk thanked Squire and Lady Kou, and the travelers headed west.
"They are ungrateful," muttered Lady Kou.
*  *  *            
The next morning Lady Kou ran into the town's courthouse. Tears filled her eyes. "I must speak with the judge!" she cried.
The judge rushed to her. "Lady Kou! What's wrong?"
"Robbers broke into our house last night," said Lady Kou breathlessly. "They stole many valuable items and two of our horses. Squire Kou tried to stop them, but the robbers . . . They . . . killed my husband!" Lady Kou burst into tears.
The judge gasped. "Oh no! Did you see the robbers?"
Lady Kou sniffed. "Yes, and I know who they are."
"Who are they?" asked the judge.
Lady Kou gritted her teeth. "The Tang Monk and his companions!"
The judge turned to a soldier. "Gather some soldiers and arrest the Tang Monk and his companions!"
*  *  *                                  
"I'm glad we're headed west again," said the Tang Monk as the travelers walked. "I'm eager to reach the Western Paradise."
Wujing nodded. "We were delayed at Squire Kou's house for too long."
Bajie snorted. "We should have stayed longer."
Suddenly a group of men stepped onto the road. They carried swords and axes. Their horses carried several large bundles.
"Give us your money!" shouted one man.
Wukong pulled out his iron bar.
"Wukong," said the Tang Monk. "Remember, you must not harm people."
Wukong smiled. "I'm just going to talk to them, Master." He turned to the man who had shouted. "We have no money."
"No money, huh?" said the man. "Well then, we're going to beat up all of you."
Wukong laughed. "You don't realize who I am. I'm Sun Wukong, the Monkey King!"
"I don't care who you are," said the man. "We're dangerous robbers! Last night we robbed a very wealthy squire."
The Tang Monk raised his eyebrows. "A squire?"
Wukong quickly recited a spell, which froze the robbers. Wujing rushed to the horses and opened one of the bundles. Inside were dishes, jewels, and other valuable items.
Wujing gasped. "These items belong to Squire Kou! So do the horses!"
The Tang Monk bit his lip. "Squire Kou is a good man. We must return his belongings."
Everyone agreed.
Wukong recited another spell, and the robbers became unfrozen. The monkey grew large, and fire burned in his eyes. "Get out of here!" he thundered. "And never steal again!"
The robbers screamed and ran away.
The travelers headed back toward town with the squire's horses. Soon they saw a group of soldiers on horseback.
"Those soldiers are riding toward us," said Wujing.
"I wonder what they want," said the Tang Monk.
One of the soldiers pointed a sword at the travelers. "Stop, thieves! You're all under arrest!"


Journey to the West 101: Arrested!
"This is ridiculous," said the Tang Monk. "Why are we under arrest?"
Soldiers were bringing the travelers back to the town.
"You robbed Squire Kou's house last night," said one of the soldiers.
"What!" cried Bajie. "We would never rob somebody. Especially not the squire—he was kind to us!"
"You had all the stolen items," replied the soldier. "You also had the two horses that were stolen from his stable."
"We got everything from the real robbers," said the Tang Monk. "We were going to return it all to Squire Kou!"
The soldier laughed. "Oh? You got everything from the 
real 
robbers? Tell me, where are the 
real 
robbers now? Hmm?"
Wukong sighed. "I let them go."
The soldier laughed again. "Oh, that was very kind of you!"
Wukong could tell that the soldier didn't believe him.
By now they had reached the town. A crowd of people had gathered to watch. The soldiers brought the travelers into the courthouse.
The judge frowned at the monk and the others. "Lock them up!"
"This is a mistake," the Tang Monk pleaded. "We can't go to jail. We're making an important journey to visit Buddha."
The judge shook his head. "Buddha doesn't allow killers in the Western Paradise."
"Killers?" said Wujing. "What are you talking about?"
"You killed Squire Kou," said the judge.
The Tang Monk's face went pale. "The squire is dead?"
The judge narrowed his eyes at the monk. "Yes. And Lady Kou saw you do it."
The travelers were shoved into a jail cell, and the door was slammed shut.
The Tang Monk started to cry. "This is terrible!"
Bajie made a fist. "Lady Kou framed us!"
"Yes," said Wujing, nodding. "But why?"
"I'll find out tonight," promised Wukong.
"Thank you, Wukong." The Tang Monk looked grateful. "We must prove our innocence!"
That night Wukong turned into a bee and flew out of the jail and to Squire Kou's house. He found Lady Kou mourning over a coffin. The monkey changed back into himself and hid behind a curtain.
Imitating the squire's voice, he said, "My lady! It's me, your husband."
Lady Kou's eyes went wide. "Husband? Is it really you?"
"Yes," said Wukong. "Why did you tell the judge that the Tang Monk and his companions killed me?"
Lady Kou hesitated. "I . . . I was angry with them. You wanted them to stay here, but they insisted on leaving. That was an insult to us."
"You have done a terrible thing!" thundered Wukong.
The walls of the house shook, and Lady Kou trembled.
The monkey continued. "Tomorrow you must tell the judge that the Tang Monk and his companions are innocent. If you don't, I will haunt you for the rest of your life!"
Tears poured from the woman's eyes. "I will talk to the judge tomorrow, I promise. Please don't haunt me!"
Wukong flew back to the courthouse. He saw the judge sitting at a desk, reading some papers.
Wukong flew over the roof. Then he turned into an enormous spirit body and lowered one foot.
When the judge saw the giant foot, he gasped. The papers fell from his hands.
Wukong's voice boomed. "I am the Wandering Spirit, and I was sent here by Buddha. Lady Kou lied to you—the Tang Monk didn't kill Squire Kou. The monk is on an important journey. If you don't free him and his companions, I will lower my other foot. Then I will stomp all over this town until there is nothing left!"


Journey to the West 102: The Prisoners Are Released
Lady Kou ran into the courthouse early the next morning. With tears in her eyes, she told the judge that she had lied the day before.
"The Tang Monk and his companions are innocent." Lady Kou sniffed. "Please release them."
The judge nodded. "I was going to release the prisoners this morning." He explained how the Wandering Spirit had visited him the night before.
Lady Kou gasped. "My husband visited me last night! We must release the prisoners at once."
They hurried to the Tang Monk's cell. A guard swung open the cell door.
"I'm glad to be out of there," said Wujing.
"Me too," said Bajie with a yawn. "The beds were very uncomfortable."
Lady Kou bowed to the Tang Monk. "I framed you for killing my husband," she said. "Please forgive me. It was a terrible thing to do."
"That's right!" shouted Wukong. "It was a really terrible thing to do!"
The Tang Monk put his hand on the monkey's shoulder. "Don't yell, Wukong." He looked at Lady Kou. "We forgive you. The squire was a kind man. His death is a terrible tragedy."
Wukong rubbed his chin. "I can probably bring him back to life."
Lady Kou and the judge were shocked.
"Can you really do that?" asked Lady Kou.
The Tang Monk smiled. "Yes, he can. Wukong brought the king of the Black Rooster Kingdom back to life." He turned to the monkey. "The sage Laozi helped you that time. Will you ask him for help again?"
"No," said Wukong. "Laozi doesn't really like me. I'll go to the Land of Darkness and talk to the Judge of the Dead instead."
* * *
When Wukong entered the Palace of Darkness, the Judge of the Dead frowned. "Why are you here, Wukong? You already made yourself immortal by crossing out your name in the Directory."
Wukong laughed. "I wondered if you would remember that. I'm looking for Squire Kou's name."
"Squire Kou?" The judge opened the Directory and flipped through some pages. "Ah, yes. He died two days ago. He now works for the bodhisattva Dayuan in the Jade Palace. It's here in the Land of Darkness."
Wukong went to the Jade Palace.
"Greetings, Sun Wukong," said the bodhisattva.
"Greetings, Bodhisattva." The monkey bowed. "Two nights ago a friend of mine, Squire Kou, was killed and brought here. I would like to bring him back to Earth."
The bodhisattva raised an eyebrow. "You want him to return to life?"
"Yes," said Wukong. "I'm helping the Tang Monk reach the Western Paradise to fetch the True Scriptures. The squire was very kind to us."
The bodhisattva smiled. "Very well. The squire may return to Earth until it's time for him to come back here."
The bodhisattva brought Wukong to an office. Squire Kou was sitting behind a large desk, smiling, as he studied some documents. His eyes sparkled when he saw Wukong.
"It's good to see you, Wukong!" said the squire. "What are you doing here?"
"I have good news," said the monkey. "Your life isn't over yet. I'm taking you back to Earth."
The squire looked confused. He glanced at the bodhisattva.
The bodhisattva nodded. "You may return to Earth. When your life is over, you will return to your job here. The squire came out from behind his desk and bowed. "Thank you, Bodhisattva. "I am happy here, but I would love to see my wife and friends again."
Wukong moved closer to the squire. "You'll be home soon, Squire."
The monkey recited a spell, and the squire vanished.


Journey to the West 103: The Land of the West
Wukong returned from the Land of Darkness. Lady Kou brought the travelers back to her house. Inside the coffin the squire's body was gray and lifeless.
Wukong leaned over the coffin and recited a spell. Lady Kou gasped as color returned to her husband's face.
"It's working!" said Wujing.
"The squire is coming back to life!" said the Tang Monk.
Bajie licked his lips. "Maybe the squire will thank us with a big feast."
Squire Kou sat up and smiled. "Thank you, Wukong." He climbed out of the coffin and turned to his wife. Tears filled her eyes. The two embraced.
That night Squire and Lady Kou held a feast to thank Wukong. And the next morning they let the travelers leave without any argument.
"Good luck!" called Lady Kou as they departed.
* * *
The Tang Monk and his companions traveled for many more months. Through rain and snow, heat and cold, they slowly continued west.
One day the road went into a beautiful land. There were flowers and magnificent trees. People smiled at the travelers and offered food.
The Tang Monk stared in amazement. "What is this place?"
"We are in the West," said Wukong. "We are very close to the Western Paradise."
A woman held out a basket of plums.
Bajie scooped up a handful. "I love this place."
"Look up ahead," said Wujing, pointing to a row of tall buildings. "It's an abbey."
The road led through a large gate in the abbey.
At the gate the monk got down from his horse. A young man greeted them.
"Are you the Tang Monk?" asked the man.
"Yes," said the monk. He waved toward the rest of the group. "And these are my companions."
"You've finally arrived!" The man laughed. "I was starting to think that the bodhisattva Guanyin had tricked me. She told me you would arrive in a year or so. But that was over ten years ago!"
The Tang Monk bowed. "Forgive me. I wanted to arrive much sooner. But we faced many dangers and delays along the way."
Bajie snorted. "And this place wasn't very easy to find either."
The man smiled. "There is no need to apologize. I'm the Great Immortal of the Golden Head, and this abbey is my home. Beyond it lies the Western Paradise. Come inside and rest before you continue."
Servants filled tubs with warm perfumed water, and the travelers took baths.
"It feels good to get clean," said Bajie. "I haven't had a bath in months."
Wukong laughed. "Now we won't have to cover our noses when you're near!"
Bajie snorted and splashed water at Wukong. The monkey splashed back. Everyone laughed.
After their baths the Tang Monk put on the Buddhist robe Guanyuin had given him. Then the travelers enjoyed a large meal with the immortal. Servants brought trays loaded with noodles, vegetables, tofu, and steamed buns.
In the morning the immortal led the group out the back door of the abbey. The road continued west, through a land even more beautiful and magical. Birds sang as animals leaped playfully through the flowers. Brilliant light sparkled on everything. In the distance stood a huge mountain. Its peak was hidden by clouds.
The Tang Monk stared silently at the mountain.
Wukong put his hand on the monk's shoulder. "That's the Spirit Mountain, Master. We're almost at the end of our journey."
A smile spread across the monk's face.
The travelers thanked the immortal. Filled with energy now, they hurried down the road. The steep slopes of the Spirit Mountain towered over them.


Journey to the West 104: The Tang Monk and the River
Wukong and his companions walked through the Western Paradise. The road weaved through a field of flowers and toward the Spirit Mountain.
Bajie looked up at the huge mountain and shook his head. "It won't be easy to climb that."
Wukong laughed. "Don't ask me to carry you!"
The travelers soon arrived at a river with a strong current. Waves crashed into jagged rocks, spraying water everywhere.
"This river looks dangerous," said Wujing. "But we must cross it to get to the Spirit Mountain."
Bajie sighed. "We will never be able to cross this river safely. Let's just go home."
"Nonsense," said Wukong. "Look over there."
The monkey pointed upstream. A thin log lay across the river. It wobbled and shook as the water rushed under it.
The Tang Monk looked at the log. "Don't be silly, Wukong. We can't walk across that log—it's too thin. And it looks quite slippery."
"But that log is the only way to reach the Spirit Mountain," said Wukong. "You must believe that it's safe. Watch me!"
The monkey hopped onto the log and ran across the river and back. "See?" he said. "It's safe."
Bajie snorted. "You don't weigh much, Wukong. But if I step on that log, it will break."
"I believe Wukong," said Wujing. "We must walk across the log."
"Follow me, Master," said Wukong. He pulled the Tang Monk toward the log.
The monk trembled with fear. "Don't make me walk across that! I'll fall into the river and drown!"
"Let's just fly over the river," suggested Bajie. "We can carry Master and the horse."
"No," insisted Wukong. "The Tang Monk must make the entire journey by himself. We're here to protect him, not to carry him. Buddha won't allow Master to have the True Scriptures if he doesn't take every step himself."
Just then an old man appeared in a boat. "I can take you across the river," said the man.
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk. He walked to the riverbank. "My companion wanted me to walk across that log, but—" The monk gasped.
"There's something wrong with your boat," he said to the man. "It has no bottom! Water is flowing right through it!"
"The boat is safe," said the man. "Please climb in. Buddha is waiting."
With a bit more hesitation, the Tang Monk stepped into the boat. He was shocked to find that he didn't sink. He sat on the edge of the boat as Wujing led the horse aboard. Bajie and Wukong followed.
The boat glided swiftly across the river. Suddenly there was a splash.
The Tang Monk looked at the water and saw a body floating downstream. He screamed. "A man has drowned!"
Wukong put his hand on the monk's shoulder and smiled. "It's you, Master."
"What?" said the monk. "Me?"
"Wukong is right!" cried Bajie. "It 
is 
you!"
"Look again, Master," said Wujing, smiling.
The Tang Monk looked at the body more carefully. It was wearing the same Buddhist robe that he was wearing. "It 
is 
me," said the monk quietly. "But how . . . ?"
"You got rid of your mortal body, Master," said Wukong. "You're a spirit now."
"You're one of us!" Bajie beamed.
The boat soon reached the other riverbank, and the travelers stepped out. As they walked up the slope of the Spirit Mountain, the Tang Monk laughed in amazement.
"I feel so light!" he said. "I feel like I could run right up this mountain!"
"Good," said Bajie. "Perhaps you could carry me?"
Everybody laughed as they continued up the mountain.


Journey to the West 105: The Thunderclap Monastery
The travelers walked up the Spirit Mountain. The mountain's slopes were covered in pine trees, bamboo, and flowers. Birds sang, and small animals ran by.
The Tang Monk stopped walking and turned to his companions.
"I want to thank you all," said the monk. "You have helped me to reach the Western Paradise. You saved me from demons countless times. I couldn't have gotten here without you."
Wukong laughed. "You don't need to thank us, Master. We all helped each other. You helped me to be good. Now I will earn forgiveness for the evil things I did long ago."
Wujing nodded. "And I will earn forgiveness for breaking that glass in Heaven."
"I will earn forgiveness for causing trouble in Heaven too," added Bajie. He waved a hand toward the horse. "And remember—that horse is really a dragon. He accidentally set fire to his father's palace. He too will earn forgiveness."
Wukong smiled. "See, Master? We are all thankful."
They continued up the mountain and were soon surrounded by clouds. Bright light shone from the Thunderclap Monastery above.
The travelers arrived at an enormous gate, where two guards stood. Beyond the gate the Thunderclap Monastery's towers and arches sparkled with bright light.
"Greetings," said the monk to the guards. "I am the Tang Monk, and I'm here to receive the True Scriptures from Buddha."
"You may enter," said one of the guards.
The Tang Monk and his companions reached a large hall. Buddha sat at the opposite end of the hall. Other buddhas and bodhisattvas stood behind him. Guanyin was standing next to Buddha and smiling.
The travelers bowed.
"Congratulations," said Buddha. "You have all traveled far and faced many challenges. You have done well."
Wukong's heart swelled. He wiped a tear from his eye.
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk. "It was an honor to make the journey."
* * *
Servants brought a meal to the travelers. When the travelers were done eating, a guard led them to a large room filled with magical light and mist. Wooden chests lined the walls. Inside the chests were countless scrolls.
"Marvelous," the Tang Monk murmured.
"The True Scriptures are written on these scrolls," said the guard. He picked out three scrolls and handed them to the Tang Monk.
Speechless, the monk gazed at the scrolls. Then he handed them to Wujing and Bajie. The two spirits carefully wrapped the scrolls and placed them in a bag.
* * *
Again the travelers bowed before Buddha.
"Take the True Scriptures back to the Tang Empire," said Buddha.
"Ugh, another long journey," Bajie murmured.
"Stop complaining, Bajie," whispered Wukong.
Bajie whispered back. "Don't tell me what to do."
"Both of you, stop arguing!" whispered Wujing.
Buddha was still talking. "The scriptures will teach the people there to be good and to treat each other kindly. But take good care of the scriptures. They are extremely valuable. Once you have delivered them, you shall come back here to receive your rewards."
"Don't worry, Buddha," said Wukong. "We will protect the scriptures with our lives."
A guard offered to carry the travelers to the Tang Empire.
"Thank you," said the Tang Monk.
"What a relief!" said Bajie.
The guard recited a spell and then flew out of the monastery with the travelers.
Buddha turned to Guanyin. "The Tang Monk and his companions have done well."
Guanyin nodded. "Wukong especially has learned a lot during the journey. He isn't violent anymore. I believe he is now a good Buddhist."
Just then a messenger ran into the hall. "Bodhisattva!" he cried. "We have a problem!"


Journey to the West 106: The Question
Guanyin looked at the messenger in surprise. "What is the problem?" she asked.
"It's about the Tang Monk," said the messenger. "To become a buddha, he needs to face one hundred challenges. I was just looking at the list of challenges he's faced. There are only 99 challenges on the list. He must face one more challenge to become a buddha!"
* * *
"We're moving so fast!" said the Tang Monk, smiling.
The travelers were flying back east. The guard from the Thunderclap Monastery was using a spell to carry them.
"I wish the whole journey had been this easy," said Bajie.
Wukong laughed. "Master was still mortal before we reached the Western Paradise. He couldn't be carried then."
Wujing looked ahead. "We'll reach the Tang Empire soon."
Just then a messenger caught up with them. The messenger whispered something in the guard's ear. The guard glanced quickly at the travelers. Then he looked back at the messenger and nodded.
Instantly the spell broke, and the travelers fell from the sky. 
Bam! 
They slammed into the ground next to a wide river.
Wukong stood up and saw the guard and messenger flying back west. The monkey shook his head.
"What happened?" The Tang Monk stood up and brushed dirt from his robe. "Why did the guard drop us?"
"I'll tell you why," said Bajie. "He's a villain! He thinks it's funny to drop people!" The pig waved his fist at the guard, who was now far away. "Villain!"
Wukong turned slowly to the Tang Monk. "I think I know why he dropped us, Master. You must face one hundred challenges in order to become a buddha. You probably got to the Western Paradise before you'd faced all of them."
"Oh no." The monk trembled. "So other bad things must happen now?"
Wukong nodded. "I hope there won't be too many more problems."
"The first problem is crossing this river," said Wujing.
"It looks familiar," said the monk. "We must have crossed it during the journey west."
Suddenly a large form rose from the river. It was an enormous turtle.
"Greetings," said the turtle. "Do you remember me?"
The travelers all smiled.
"Yes, we do," said the Tang Monk. "You carried us over this river many years ago."
"Yes," said the turtle. "And I will gladly carry you across again. Hop onto my back."
The travelers climbed on, and the turtle started across the river. Wujing and Bajie soon fell asleep while Wukong meditated. The Tang Monk stayed awake too, sitting near the turtle's head.
"Did you reach the Western Paradise?" asked the turtle.
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "It is a wonderful place. We are now returning to the east so I can deliver the True Scriptures."
"Good," said the turtle. "Did you ask Buddha when I would be reborn as a human?"
The monk bit his lip. He had forgotten to ask the turtle's question!
"You're not answering," said the turtle.
"I'm sorry," said the monk. "I, uh—"

Splash! 
The turtle suddenly dived under the water, dumping everyone off his back.
Wukong's eyes flew open as he hit the cold water. He leaped into the air. Bajie, Wujing, and the horse quickly flew across the river. But the Tang Monk was thrashing furiously in the rushing water.
"Help!" yelled the monk.
Wukong cast a spell and lifted the monk and the bag from the river. When everyone was on dry land, the monkey turned the bag upside down. Water poured out, followed by the scrolls. They were soaked.
"The True Scriptures!" cried the Tang Monk. "They're ruined!"


Journey to the West Chapter 107: Nothing Is Perfect
The travelers laid the soaked scrolls on some rocks.
"The sun will dry them out," said Wukong.
The Tang Monk moaned. "What if they're ruined?" He sat down and put his head in his hands. "I wish I'd remembered to ask Buddha the turtle's question!"
Bajie snorted. "Who cares if you forgot the turtle’s question? That turtle had no right to dump us in the water!"
"Dumping us in the water was rude," Wujing agreed.
Bajie sighed. "The journey back east is becoming just as difficult as the journey west."
"Hello!" cried a voice.
The travelers turned and saw a man hurrying toward them.
"Chen," said the Tang Monk. He grasped the man's hands. "It's good to see you again."
"It's good to see all of you." Chen smiled. "Did you reach the Western Paradise?"
"Yes," said the Tang Monk. "It was magnificent! The land is filled with beauty."
Chen noticed the scrolls lying on the rocks, and his eyes went wide. "Are those the True Scriptures?" he whispered.
"Yes," said the monk. "But as you can see, they got wet."
"A giant turtle dumped us in the river," added Bajie with a sigh.
"Please come with me," said Chen. "You can dry the True Scriptures by my fire. Everyone in the village will be excited to see the travelers who met Buddha."
Wujing started gathering the wet scriptures.
"I'll help you," said Bajie.
The pig grabbed a scroll and pulled. But it was stuck to a rock. 
Rip! 
The corner of the scroll tore off.
The Tang Monk gasped. "Oh no!"
Bajie stared in horror at the torn scroll.
Wukong smiled. "Don't worry, Master." The monkey gently picked the rest of the scroll off the rock. "The scroll is fine."
"But it's ripped!" cried the monk.
Bajie hung his head.
"Tell me something, Master," said Wukong. "Are you perfect?"
The monk gave Wukong a confused look. "Of course not."
"Am I perfect?" asked the monkey.
The Tang Monk shook his head.
"How about Bajie?" Wukong smirked. "We all know he's not perfect."
The pig snorted.
"Nothing on Earth or in Heaven is perfect," said Wukong. "So why should the True Scriptures be any different? They'll teach the people of the east how to be good and avoid suffering. They will also teach the people that nothing needs to be perfect."
The travelers finished gathering the scrolls and followed Chen back to the village. People came out of their homes to see the travelers.
"Welcome back!" called a woman.
"It's wonderful to see you all again!" shouted an old man.
Soon a crowd was following the Tang Monk and his companions to Chen's house.
That evening the villagers held a big feast. Later that night Wukong and the Tang Monk sat, talking.
"We must leave soon," said the monk. "The villagers will want to see the True Scriptures. They'll become jealous that we have them."
"I agree," said Wukong. He remembered the priest who'd tried to kill the Tang Monk and steal the robe.
"Let's sneak away now, while the villagers are asleep," said Wukong.
The monk and the monkey woke up Bajie and Wujing. The group sneaked out of Chen's house and headed east. It was dark, but the light from the full moon lit up the road.
Suddenly the guard from the Thunderclap Monastery appeared.
"Congratulations!" said the guard. "You have faced one hundred challenges."
"Whew." The monk sighed with relief. "I will become a buddha at last."
The guard recited a spell. Once again the travelers flew toward the east.


Journey to the West Chapter 108: Rewards
The travelers flew through the sky over the Tang Empire.
Tears of happiness rolled down the Tang Monk's cheeks. "I see the emperor's palace!"
"I will wait here while you all deliver the True Scriptures," said the guard.
The Tang Monk and his companions went down to Earth and entered the palace.
The emperor's eyes lit up. "My brother!" He embraced the monk. "For many years I wondered if I'd ever see you again. Did you get the True Scriptures?"
"Yes," said the monk. "But please forgive me. The journey took much longer than I expected."
"There's no need to apologize," said the emperor. Then he noticed the monk's companions. "Who are they?"
Wukong stepped forward. "I am Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. I once defeated Heaven's entire army."
"And I am Zhu Bajie," said the pig.
"My name is Sha Wujing," said the purple spirit.
"They protected me during the journey," the monk explained. "I couldn't have reached the Western Paradise without them."
The emperor bowed to Wukong and the others.
The monkey laughed. "You don't need to bow. We were happy to help. Well, Wujing and I were. Bajie complained the entire time."
The pig snorted.
There was a huge feast that night. The emperor asked the monk many questions about the journey. He listened in amazement to the monk's stories.
"I will build a magnificent pagoda," the emperor declared. "The True Scriptures will be kept safe inside it."
He put his hand on the monk's shoulder. "You will always be remembered as the brave monk who traveled to the West. Because of you, our people won't have to suffer anymore."
After the food was eaten, the emperor asked the monk to read from the scriptures.
The Tang Monk smiled. "I would be happy to read from them."
The monk sat on a platform, where the scriptures had been placed in baskets. He unrolled a scroll.
Suddenly light filled the room. The Tang Monk and his companions rose into the sky.
"We should return to the Thunderclap Monastery," said the guard. "Buddha is waiting for you."
"Yes, let's go," said the monk.
***
The travelers were soon bowing before Buddha again. Other buddhas and bodhisattvas stood behind him.
Buddha addressed the horse first. "You carried the Tang Monk on the journey and earned forgiveness for your crimes. You will now be a golden dragon in Heaven."
Light flashed as a large golden dragon soared into the sky.
"Wujing," said Buddha. "You too have earned forgiveness for your past crimes. You will now be a golden deity."
Wujing's body turned gold. The spirit bowed. "Thank you, Buddha."
"You have earned forgiveness, Bajie," said Buddha. "You will be Janitor of the Altars—an important deity who looks after Buddhist altars."
Bajie bowed. "Thank you, Buddha."
Buddha next turned to the Tang Monk. "Because of you, the people in the East will never have to suffer again. "You made a journey that no other person could make. You are now a buddha."
Light glowed around the monk, who bowed before Buddha.
"Thank you, Buddha," said the monk.
Finally Buddha turned to the monkey. "And you, Wukong," he began. "Your crimes long ago were terrible. But since then you have used your tremendous powers to do good deeds. You too are now a buddha."
Wukong bowed. "Thank you, Buddha."
"Hey . . ." The monkey suddenly noticed that his head felt different. "The headband is gone!"
Buddha smiled. "You don't need it anymore."
Filled with joy, Wukong and the Tang Monk joined the other buddhas and bodhisattvas. They have been in the Western Paradise ever since.