Wu Cheng-en - Journey to the West (vol. 3)

“From the way she's making herself so seductive,” Monkey thought with a wry grin to himself, “I'm worried that she might get the master interested.” Indeed:

The monk in demon trouble met a pretty girl;

The she-devil's beauty was truly superb.

Her slender jade eyebrows were like two willow leaves;

Her round face was set off with peach blossom.

Embroidered shoes gave a sight of a pair of phoenixes;

Her crow-black hair was piled high at the temples.

As smiling she led the master by his hand

His cassock was tinged with orchid and musk.

Her arms around him, the she-devil took the master to a thatched pavilion and said, “Reverend sir, I've had a drink brought here to have with you.”

“Lady,” said the Tang Priest, “as a monk I can take no impure food.”

“I know,” the evil spirit replied. “As the water in the cave isn't clean I've sent for some of the pure water from the mating of the Yin and the Yang up on the mountain, and had a banquet of fruit and vegetables prepared. After that you and I are going to have some fun.” When the Tang Priest went into the pavilion with her this is what could be seen:

All within the gates

Was decked in silks and embroideries;

Throughout the hall

Incense rose from golden lion censers.

Black-painted inlaid tables were set in rows,

On which stood dark-lacquered bamboo dishes.

On the inlaid tables

Were all kinds of delicacies;

In the bamboo dishes

Were vegetarian delights:

Crab apples, olives, lotus seeds, grapes, torreya-nuts,

hazelnuts, pine-nuts, lichees, longans, chestnuts, water caltrops, jujubes, persimmons, walnuts, gingko nuts, kumquats and oranges.

There was the fruit that grows on every hill,

The fresh vegetables of each season;

Beancurd, wheat gluten, tree-ear fungus, fresh bamboo shoots, button mushrooms, gill fungus, yams, sealwort, agar, day lily fried in vegetable oil,

Hyacinth beans, cowpeas prepared with mature sauces.

Cucumbers, gourds, gingko, turnip greens.

Peeled aubergines were cooked like quails;

Seeded wax gourds

Taro stewed tender and sprinkled with sugar,

Turnips boiled in vinegar.

Pungent chili and ginger made it all delicious;

All the dishes were a balance of bland and salty.

Revealing the tips of her jade fingers she raised a dazzling golden goblet that she filled with fine wine. “Dearest reverend gentleman,” she said, handing it to him, “my darling, have a drink to celebrate our happy union.” Sanzang was covered with embarrassment as he took the wine.

He poured a libation into the air as he prayed silently, “Devas who guard the Dharma, Guardians of the Four Quarters and the Centre, Four Duty Gods: your disciple Chen Xuanzang has benefited from the secret protection of all you deities sent by the Bodhisattva Guanyin on my journey to pay my respects at the Thunder Monastery, see the Buddha and seek the scriptures. I have now been captured by an evil spirit on my way. She is forcing me to marry her and has now handed me this cup of wine to drink. If this really is pure wine I can force myself to drink it and still be able to succeed and see the Buddha. But if it is impure wine I will be breaking my vows and fall for ever into the bitterness of the wheel of rebirth.”

The Great Sage Sun made himself tiny and was like a secret informant behind his master's ear. When he spoke Sanzang was the only one who could hear him. Knowing that his master was normally fond of the pure wine of grapes he told him to drain the goblet. Sanzang had no choice but to do so, quickly refill the goblet and hand it back to the evil spirit. As he filled it bubbles of happiness formed on the surface of the wine. Brother Monkey turned himself into the tiniest of insects and flew lightly under the bubbles. But when the spirit took the goblet she put it down instead of drinking from it, bowed twice to the Tang Priest and spoke loving words to him with charming bashfulness. By the time she lifted the cup the bubbles had burst and the insect was revealed. Not realizing that it was Monkey transformed the evil spirit took it for a real insect, lifted it out with her little finger and flicked it away.

Seeing that as things were not going as he intended he would be unable to get into her belly Monkey turned himself into a hungry eagle.

Indeed:

Jade claws, gold eyes and iron wings;

In terrible might he rose above the clouds.

Cunning hares and foxes felt faint at just the sight,

And hid among mountains and rivers for hundred of miles around.

When hungry it chased small birds into the wind,

And rose to the gate of heaven when replete.

Murderous were its talons of steel;

In times of triumph it stayed aloof in the clouds.

Monkey flew up, swung his jade claws, and noisily overturned the tables, smashing all the fruit, vegetables and crockery, and leaving the Tang Priest alone there as he flew off. This was so terrifying that the she-devil's heart and gall were split open, and the Tang Priest's flesh and bones were turned crisp. Shivering and shaking, the evil spirit threw her arms round the Tang Priest and said, “Dearest reverend gentleman, wherever did that come from?”

“I don't know,” Sanzang replied.

“I went to a great deal of trouble to arrange this vegetarian feast for you,” the she-devil said. “Goodness only knows where that feathered brute flew in from and smashed our crockery.”

“Smashing the crockery doesn't really matter,” the junior demons said, “but all the food has been spilt on the floor. It's too dirty to eat now.” Sanzang by now realized that this was all the result of Monkey's magic, but he dared not say so.

“Little ones,” said the she-devil, “I realize now. It must be heaven and earth that sent that thing down here because they can't tolerate my holding the Tang Priest prisoner. Clear all the broken dishes up and lay on another banquet. Never mind whether it's vegetarian or not. Heaven can be our matchmaker and the earth our guarantor. After that the Tang Priest and I will become man and wife.” We will say no more of her as she took the Tang Priest to sit in the East corridor.

Instead the story tells of how Monkey flew out, turned back into himself, reached the entrance to the cave and shouted, “Open up!”

“Friar Sand,” Pig shouted, “our big brother's here.” As the two of them drew their weapons away Monkey sprang out.

“Is there an evil spirit in there?” Pig asked, grabbing hold of him. “Is the master in there?”

“Yes, yes,” said Monkey.

“The master must be having a hard time in there,” said Pig. “Are his arms tied behind his back? Or is he all roped up? Is she going to steam him or boil him?”

“None of them,” Monkey replied. “She'd just had a vegetarian feast served and was going to do it with him.”

“So you've been lucky then,” said Pig. “You must have drunk a wedding toast.”

“Idiot!” retorted Monkey, “Never mind about having a wedding drink. I can hardly keep him alive.”

“Then why are you here?” Pig asked.

Monkey told how he had seen the master and done his transformations, ending, “Don't let your fears run away with you, brothers. The master's here, and when I go back in this time I'll definitely rescue him.”

Going back inside, Monkey turned into a fly and landed on the gate-tower to listen. He could hear the she-devil snorting with fury as she gave instructions within the pavilion.

“Little ones, bring whatever there is, vegetarian or not, and burn paper as offerings to the deities. I'll ask heaven and earth to be the matchmakers. I'm definitely going to marry him.”

When Monkey heard this he smiled to himself and thought, “That she-devil's completely shameless. She's locked a monk up in her home and now she's going to mess around with him in broad daylight. But don't be in too much of a hurry. Give me time to go in and have a look round.” With a buzz he flew along the corridor to see the master sitting inside, tears streaming down his face.