“Monkey,” Sanzang said, “here comes someone else you can ask. Why keep such a tight grip on him? Let him go.”

“You don't understand, master,” replied Monkey with a smile. “It would be no fun to ask anyone else. I have to ask him if there's to be anything to be got out of this.” Seeing that Monkey would not let him go, the fellow started to talk.

“This is Old Gao Village in the country of Stubet, and it's called that because practically everyone here has the surname Gao. Now let me go.”

“From your get-up, you're going on a long journey,” Monkey went on. “Tell me where you're going and what you're up to, then I'll let you go.”

The poor fellow had no option but to tell Monkey the truth. “I'm Gao Cai from the family of Squire Gao. His youngest daughter is twenty and not yet married, but three years ago an evil spirit came and took her. He's been staying with us for three years, and the old man isn't at all pleased. There's no future in having a girl marry an evil spirit, he says. It's ruining our family, and we don't get a family of in-laws to visit. He's always wanted to get rid of the evil spirit, but he refuses to go. Now he's shut the girl up in the back building for the best part of a year, and he won't let any of the family see her. My old man gave me two ounces of silver and sent me to find a priest to capture the monster. I've been on the go for ages now, and asked three or four of them, but they were all hopeless monks or pimples of Taoists-none of them could control him. The old man's just been swearing at me as an utter idiot, given me five more ounces of silver as travelling expenses, and told me to find a good priest who'll deal with the monster. Then I was grabbed by you, you evil star, and that's made me later than ever. No wonder I shouted at you: I'm pushed around at home and pushed around when I go out. I never thought you'd be such a good wrestler that I wouldn't be able to break out of your clinch. Let me go now-I've told you everything.”

“You're in luck-we're in the business,” Monkey replied. “This is quite convenient; you needn't go any further or spend any of your money. We're not hopeless monks or pimples of Taoists. We've got some real magic powers, and we know how to deal with evil spirits. This'll do both of us a bit of good. Go back and tell the head of your household that my master is a saintly monk, and the younger brother of the Emperor of the East, who has sent him to visit the Buddha in the Western Heaven and seek the scriptures. We are very good at controlling devils and capturing monsters.”

“Don't lie to me,” the young man replied. “I've had enough of being pushed around. If you're tricking me, you haven't really got any special powers, and you can't capture that fiend, you'll only be getting me into more trouble than ever.”

“I swear I'm not fooling you,” answered Monkey. “Show us the way to your front door.”

The young man saw that there was nothing for it but to pick up his bundle and umbrella, turn round, and take the two of them to his gate, where he said to them, “Reverend gentlemen, would you mind sitting here on the verandah for a moment while I go in and tell the master?” Only then did Monkey let go of him, put down the carrying-pole, take the horse's reins, and stand beside his master, who sat down by the gate.

The young man went in through the gate and straight to the main hall, where he happened to meet Squire Gao. “Well, you savage, who have you come back instead of going to find someone?” Squire Gao demanded. Putting down his bundle and umbrella, the young man replied, “I must report to you, sir, that I had just got to the end of the street when I met a couple of monks. One was on horseback, and the other had a carrying-pole on his shoulder. He grabbed me and wouldn't let me go, and asked me where I was going. I refused to tell him several times, but he had me locked in a grip I couldn't get out of, so I had to tell him all about the mission you gave me, sir. He was absolutely delighted when he heard about it, and wanted to catch that monster for us.”

“Where are they from?” Squire Gao asked. “He says that his master is a saintly monk, the younger brother of the Emperor of the East, who has sent him to visit the Buddha in the Western Heaven and seek the scriptures,” the young man replied.

“But even if they're monks from far away, they may not really be capable of anything. Where are they now?”

“Waiting outside the gate.”

The old man quickly put on his best clothes and went out with the youngster to greet them, addressing them as “Venerable Elders.” Sanzang turned hurriedly round when he heard this, and found them standing before him. The older man was wearing a black silk turban, an onion-white robe of Sichuan brocade, a pair of calf-skin boots the color of unpolished rice, and a belt of black silk.

He came forward and said with a smile, “Greetings, Venerable Elders,” as he bowed, holding his hands together. Sanzang returned his bow, but Monkey stood there immobile. At the sight of Brother Monkey's ugly face the old man decided not to bow to him.

“Why won't you pay your respects to me?” Monkey asked, at which the old man, somewhat frightened, said to the young man, “You'll be the death of me, you little wretch. We've already got one hideous monster at home as a son-in-law we can't get rid of, so why ever did you have to bring this thunder god here to ruin us?”

“Gao, old chap, you've been living all these years for nothing-you've still got no sense. It's completely wrong to judge people by their faces. I may be no beauty, but I'm quite clever. I'll grab that evil spirit for you, catch that demon, seize your son-in-law, and give you back your daughter. I'll be doing you a good turn, so there's no need to fuss about my looks.” The old man, now shaking with fear, pulled himself together and asked them in. Monkey took the horse's bridle, told the young man to carry the luggage, and went in with Sanzang. In his usual devil-may-care way he tethered the horse to one of the pillars of an open-air pavilion, pulled up a gleaming lacquered armchair, and told his master to sit down. Then he brought over a chair for himself and sat beside him.

“The younger venerable elder has already made himself at home,” Squire Gao remarked.

“I'd feel at home here if you entertained us for six months,” Brother Monkey replied.

When they were all seated the old man said, “The boy told me a moment ago that you were from the East.”

“That's right,” Sanzang replied. “The court has sent me to worship the Buddha in the Western Heaven and ask for the scriptures. As we are passing this way on our journey, we would like to spend the night here before continuing on our way tomorrow morning.”

“If you two gentlemen just want to spend the night here, why all the talk about catching monsters?”

“As we'll be spending the night here,” Monkey put in, “we though it would be fun to catch a few monsters while we're about it. May I ask how many there are in your residence?”

“Good heavens,” the old man exclaimed, “however many do you want? We've only got this monster of a son-in-law, and he's ruined our lives.”

“Tell me all about this monster from the beginning,” Monkey said. “I must know about his magic powers if I'm to capture him for you.”

“This village has never had any trouble from ghosts, demons or evil spirits before. It was my misfortune to have no son, and three daughters, of whom the eldest is called Fragrant Orchid, the second Jade Orchid, and the third Blue Orchid. The other two were betrothed to men from the village when they were children and have been married off. I wanted the third to marry a man who would live here to support-me in my old age, look after the household, and do jobs about the place. About three years ago a good-looking young fellow turned up who said that his name was Zhu and he came from the Mountain of Blessing. He told me that he had no parents or brothers, and wanted to marry and live with his in-laws. As he had no family commitments I offered him my daughter's hand, old fool that I am, and from the moment he became a member of our family he worked very hard. He ploughed and hoed without using oxen or tools; and he didn't need a scythe or a stick to harvest the crops. As day followed day, there was nothing wrong with him, except that he started to look different.”