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Subduing evil spirits on the journey West.
When it stirs up clouds it bolts out sun and moon,
Making the colours of sunset brightly shine.
It could knock down Mount Tai, to the terror of the tigers,
Turn the oceans upside down, alarming all the dragons.
I could spare you for the sake of your mighty powers,
But if I struck you with the rake it would make nine holes.”
Refusing to believe this the monster raised his copper mace and struck at Pig's head. Pig parried the blow with his rake and said, “Damn you, you're just an evil creature turned spirit in middle life.”
“How can you tell that?” the monster asked.
“As you fight with a mace I think you must have worked as a furnace-man for a silversmith, got your hands on that hammer, and stolen it,” Pig replied.
“It's no silversmith's hammer,” the monster said. “Look at it:
Its nine knobs all are like the buds of flowers
Growing on a sprig of an evergreen plant.
This never was a product of the earthly world,
For it came from the gardens of immortal beings.
Its green and purple fruit matured by the Jade Pool;
Its pure fragrance was formed beside the Nephrite Pond.
Because I worked and tempered it with diligence and skill
It now is hard as steel and miraculously sharp.
Spears, swords and halberds are not its worthy rivals;
Battleaxe and partisan do not dare approach.
No matter how sharp are the prongs of your rake,
If they touch my hammer they'll bend and they'll break.”
This conversation between the two of them was too much for Friar Sand, who came forward and said, “Monster, stop all that empty talk. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. Wait there and see how you like my staff.”
The monster parried it with his mace and replied, “You're another one who became a monk in middle life.”
“How can you tell?” Friar Sand asked.
“From the look of you you must have been a miller before,” the monster replied.
“What makes you think that?” Friar Sand asked.
“Why would you fight with a noodle-making pole if you weren't a miller?” the monster asked.
“You evil thing,” said Friar Sand, “What you can't see is that
Few are the weapons like this one in the world
Which is why you do not know what this staff of mine is called.
It grew in a shadeless part of the moon,
Was shaped from the trunk of a Sala-tree.
The jewels set around it shine with many colours,
And solid is the blessing that is packed inside.
Once it was present at the Jade Emperor's banquets
Now it protects the priest from the Tang.
On this road to the West it is utterly unknown,
But great is its fame in the palaces of Heaven.
It is known as the precious demon-quelling staff,
And with a single blow it could pulverize your brow.”
The evil spirit allowed no more arguments and the three of them now became deadly foes. They fought a fine battle under the water:
Mace, staff and rake,
Wuneng and Wujing against the monster.
One was Marshal Tian Peng come to earth,
One a great general down from Heaven.
Both showed their prowess in attacking the water monster,
Who put up a good fight against the heavenly monks.
They had the good fortune to complete the great Way,
Overcoming each other in an endless sequence.
Earth defeated water;
When water was dried out the river-bed showed.
Water gave birth to wood,
Which blossomed when it was growing well.
Dhyana and meditation were all the same;
Refining ci
Earth was the mother,
Yielding sprouts of metal,
And metal yielded the liquid that gave birth to the babe.
Water was the root
That nurtured wood's flourishing,
Which rivaled in its glory the glow of sunset.
Because the elements were crowded together
They all turned hostile and started to fight.:
See how bright are the nine knobs on the mace
While the staff is decorated with many-coloured silks.
The rake crushed positive and negative,
Divided the Nine Bright Shiners,
And swung in a tangle without any order.
They were ready to die to save the Tang Priest,
Prepared to give their lives for Sakyamuni Buddha.
They kept the mace of copper busy without respite
Parrying the blows of the staff and the rake.
When the three of them had been fighting under the water for four full hours without either side emerging as victor Pig realized that they were not going to beat the monster and gave Friar Sand a nod. Pretending that they were beaten, the two of them turned and fled, trailing their weapons behind them.
“Hold your ground here, little ones,” said the monster to his underlings, “while I go after those wretches. When I catch those damned monks I'll bring them back for you all to eat.” Watch him as he emerges above the water in pursuit of the two of them like the wind driving fallen leaves or a rainstorm beating down withered blossoms.
Monkey meanwhile had been standing on the bank watching the water with unwavering eyes. Suddenly he saw the waves thrown into turmoil as with a great roar Pig leapt ashore.
“He's coming,” he said, “he's coming.”
Next Friar Sand reached the bank saying, “He's coming, he's coming.”
Then came the monster after them shouting, “Where've you gone?”
No sooner had his head come into view than Monkey struck with his cudgel, shouting, “Take that!” The evil spirit swerved to avoid it then parried with his copped mace. While the one stirred up the waves in the river the other showed his prowess on the shore. Before three rounds of the fight had been fought the monster, unable to keep up his resistance, did a feint and plunged back into the water, whereupon the wind fell and the waves subsided.
“Thank you, brothers,” said Monkey, going back up the high bank.
“Brother,” said Friar Sand, “you may not think that monster is up to much on the shore, but he's a real terror underwater. Pig and I attacking together were only as good as him alone. How are we going to deal with him and rescue the master?”
“We've no time to lose,” said Monkey. “He may kill the master.”
“I'll trick him into coming out,” said Pig. “You wait up in the air and say nothing at all. When you reckon his head is above the water, hit him a good hard one on the forehead from upside-down. Even if that doesn't kill him his head will ache and he'll feel faint. When I catch him one with my rake that'll settle his score.”
“Good idea,” said Monkey, “good idea. That's what they call a coordinated attack, and it will do the trick.” The two of them went back into the water.
The evil monster fled to his palace in defeat, where the other demons greeted him and the mandarin fish asked, “Where did Your Majesty chase those two monks to?”
“They have an accomplice,” the monster replied. “When they jumped ashore he swung an iron cudgel at me. I dodged it and fought back. Goodness only know how heavy that cudgel is: I couldn't keep it off me with my mace. He sent me back here beaten in less than three rounds.”
“Can you remember what their accomplice looks like, Your Majesty?” the mandarin fish asked.
“He's a monk with a hairy face that looks like a thunder god's,” the monster replied, “pointed ears, a broken nose, and fiery eyes with golden pupils.” At this the mandarin fish shuddered.
“Thank goodness Your Majesty could see how good a fighter he was and ran away,” she said. “You would never have survived another three rounds. I know who that monk is.”