hat's how it is," Sun Wukong replied, "then don't worry.
Just keep
yourselves amused while I go and find him." The splendid Monkey King
jumped up into the air, and as he somersaulted towards the North he
saw a high and precipitous mountain. It was a fine sight:
Perpendicular peaks jutting straight up, Deep−sunk winding streams.
The perpendicular peaks jutting straight up pierced the sky; The
deep−sunk winding streams led to the underworld. On pairs of cliffs
the plants compete in strangeness; Elsewhere pine vies in greenness
with bamboo. To the left are docile dragons, To the right are tame
tigers. Iron oxen ploughing are a common sight, Journey to the West
Chapter 2 31 Golden coins are always sown as seeds. Hidden birds sing
beautifully, Red phoenixes stand in the sun. Racing over stones, the
clear waves Twist and bend in a vicious torrent. Many are the famous
mountains in the world, And many the flowers that bloom and wither on
them. But this scenery is eternal, Unchanging through the four
seasons. It is truly the mountain from which the Three Worlds spring,
The Cave in the Belly of the Water that nourishes the Five Elements.
As the Handsome Monkey King stood gazing in silence at this view, he
heard voices. When he went down the mountainside to look he found the
Cave in the Belly of the Water facing the cliff. Several minor demons
were dancing around in front of the cave doors, and they ran away as
soon as they saw Sun Wukong. "Wait a moment," Sun Wukong said. "I
want you to take a message for me. I am the King of the Water Curtain
Cave in the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit that lies due South of
here. I've come to find that Demon of Confusion of yours, or whatever
he's called, the one who's been mistreating my children and
grandchildren, and have it out with him." The minor demons scuttled
into the cave and reported, "A disaster, Your Majesty." "What do you
mean, disaster?" the demon king asked. "There's a monkey outside the
cave," the minor demons reported, "who says that he's the King of the
Water Curtain Cave on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. He says that
you have been bullying his children and grandchildren, and that he's
come specially to find you to have it out with you." The demon king
laughed. "Those monkey devils are always going on about a king of
theirs who renounced the world to cultivate his conduct; I suppose it
must be him who's here now. Did you see how he was dressed or what
weapons he was carrying?" "He hasn't got any weapons. He's
bareheaded, and he's wearing a red gown belted with a yellow silk
sash, and a pair of black boots. He isn't dressed like a monk, or a
layman, or an Immortal. He's bare−handed and empty−fisted, and he's
standing outside the doors yelling." "Bring me my armour and
weapons," said the demon king when he heard this. The minor demons
produced them at once, and when he had donned his armour he went out
of the door with all the demons, his sword in Journey to the West
Chapter 2 32 his hand. "Who is the King of the Water Curtain Cave?"
he roared. Sun Wukong took a quick look at him and saw that On his
head he wore a dark golden helmet, Glistening in the sun. On his body
he wore a black silk gown, Flapping in the breeze. Below that he wore
black metal armour, Girt with a leather belt. On his feet he wore
patterned boots, As splendid as a field−marshal's. His waist was ten
feet round, And his height was thirty cubits. In his hand he held a
sword, With gleaming point and e
