ke it grow and had not found out the spell for shrinking it. So he had to shoulder it as he went back by the way he had come.

When the Bull Demon King’s feast with all the spirits at the bottom of the Green Wave Pool ended he went outside to find that the water-averting golden-eyed beast was missing. The ancient dragon king called the spirits together to ask them, “Which of you untied and stole the Bull Demon King’s golden-eyed beast?” The spirits all knelt down and replied, “We wouldn’t dare steal it. We were all waiting, singing or playing at the banquet. None of us was out here.”

“I am sure that none of you palace musicians would have dared to take it,” the ancient dragon said. “Have any strangers been here?”

“A crab spirit was here not long ago during the banquet, and he was a stranger.”

At this the Bull King suddenly realized what had happened. “Say no more,” he exclaimed. “When you sent your messenger with the invitation this morning there was a Sun Wukong there who’d come to ask to borrow my plantain fan as he couldn’t get the Tang Priest he’s escorting to fetch the scriptures across the Fiery Mountains. I refused. I was in the middle of a fight with him that neither of us was winning when I shook him off and came straight here to the banquet. That monkey’s extremely quick and adaptable. I’m sure that the crab spirit was him here in disguise to do a bit of spying. He’s stolen my beast to go and trick the plantain fan out of my wife.” This news made all the spirits shake with fright.

“Do you mean the Sun Wukong who made havoc in Heaven?” they asked.

“Yes,” the Bull Demon King replied. “If any of you gentlemen have any trouble on the road West keep your distance from him whatever you do.”

“But if all that’s true, what about Your Majesty’s steed?” the ancient dragon asked.

“No problem,” the Bull Demon King replied with a smile. “You gentlemen may all go home now while I go after him.”

With that he parted his way through the waters, sprang up from the bottom of the pool and rode a yellow cloud straight to the Plantain Cave on Mount Turquoise Cloud, where he heard Raksasi stamping her feet, beating her breast, howling and moaning. He pushed the doors open to see the water-averting golden-eyed beast tethered by them.

“Where did Sun Wukong go, wife?” the Bull Demon King said.

Seeing that the Bull Demon King was back, the serving girls all knelt down and said, “Are you home, Your Majesty?”

Raksasi grabbed hold of him, banged her head against his, and said abusively, “Damn and blast you, you careless fool. Why ever did you let that macaque steal the golden-eyed beast and turn himself into your double to come here and trick me?”

“Which way did the macaque go?” the Bull Demon King asked, grinding his teeth in fury. Beating her breast Raksasi continued to pour out abuse: “The damn monkey tricked me out of my treasure, turned back into himself, and went. I’m so angry I could die.”

“Do look after yourself, wife,” the Bull Demon King said, “and don’t be so upset. When I’ve caught the macaque and taken the treasure off him I’ll skin him, grind his bones to powder, and bring you his heart and liver. That’ll make you feel better.” He then called for weapons.

“Your Majesty’s weapons aren’t here,” the serving girls replied.

“Then bring your mistress’ weapons,” the Bull Demon King replied. The servants brought her pair of blue-tipped swords, and the Bull Demon King took off the duck-green velvet jacket he had worn to the banquet and tied the little waistcoat he wore next to his skin more tightly. He then strode out of the Plantain Cave, a sword in each hand, and headed straight for the Fiery Mountains in pursuit of Monkey. It was a case of

The man who forgot a kindness

Tricking a doting wife;

The fiery-tempered old demon

Meeting a mendicant monk.

If you don’t know whether this journey was ill-fated or not, listen to the explanation in the next installment.