forward and said, bowing profoundly, ‘Father, do not be angry. Spare the spirit for a while, and let me go to do battle, so that we may know how things really stand.’ Vaisravana accepted this offer, and ordered the spirit to go back to his camp and await trial.
The prince, having buckled on his armour, sprang from the camp and rushed to the Cave of the Water Curtain. Monkey was just disarming himself, but now came to the gate and said, ‘Whose little brother are you and why have you come gatecrashing here?’
‘Nauseous ape,’ cried Natha, ‘why pretend you do not know me? I am Vaisravana’s third son. The Jade Emperor has sent me here to arrest you.’
‘Little prince,’ laughed Monkey, ‘you have not yet lost your milk-teeth, your womb-down is not yet dry. How dare you talk so big ? For the moment I’ll spare your life, provided that you look at what is written on the banner, and tell the Jade Emperor that if he will give me
that
rank he need send no more armies; I will submit of my own accord. But if he will not agree, I shall come and batter down his Jewel Palace of the Magic Mists.’
Natha looked up and saw the inscription: ‘Great Sage, Equal of Heaven’. ‘You must think yourself a wonder-worker indeed, that you dare lay claim to such a title! Don’t worry! One stroke of my sword will settle you,’ said Natha.
‘I’ll stand my ground,’ said Monkey, ‘and you can break as many swords upon me as you like.’
‘Change!’ roared Natha, and he at once changed into a deity with three heads and six arms.
‘So this little brother,’ said Monkey, ‘knows some tricks! I’ll trouble you to look at my magic’
So saying, he too assumed three heads and six arms, and at the same time changed his cudgel into three cudgels, each of which he grasped with two hands. The battle that followedwas one that shook the earth and rattled the hills. Truly a good fight 1 Each displayed his terrifying powers, and they battled as many as thirty times. The prince turned his six weapons into a thousand thousand weapons. Monkey followed suit. The sparks fell like falling stars as they fought half-way up in the sky and still neither gained advantage.
But Monkey was very swift of hand and eye. Just at the height of the fray, he changed back into his proper shape and, cudgel in hand, closed with Natha. In his own shape he moved with greater freedom; getting behind the prince’s head, he brought down a mighty blow on his shoulder. Just as Natha was preparing a new magic, he heard the swish of Monkey’s cudgel as it dove the air. He had no time to dodge, and so great was his pain that he at once took to his heels, changed into his true form, and returned ignominiously to his father’s camp. Vaisravana had been watching the battle, and was just thinking of going to his son’s assistance, when Natha suddenly appeared before him and, trembling from head to foot, said:
‘My father and king! The groom has indeed stupendous powers. Even such magic as mine could not withstand him, and in the end he wounded my shoulder.’
‘If a fellow has such powers as this,’ said Vaisravana dismayed, ‘how are we to bring him to heel ?’
‘Outside his cave,’ said the prince, ‘he has put up a banner, upon which is written “Great Sage, Equal of Heaven”. He had the insolence to say that if you would acknowledge his right to this title he would give no more trouble. Otherwise, he will batter down the Jewel Palace of Magic Mists.’
‘If that is so,’ said Vaisravana, ‘we had better leave him alone for the present. I will report this to the Jade Emperor and ask for heavenly reinforcements, that we may hem him in while there is still time.’
‘Am I to believe,’ said the Jade Emperor, when the situation was explained to him, ‘that one monkey is so powerful that reinforcements are needed to deal with him ?’
Natha then stepped forward. ‘Great One,’ he said, ‘though I know that I deserve death at your
The prince, having buckled on his armour, sprang from the camp and rushed to the Cave of the Water Curtain. Monkey was just disarming himself, but now came to the gate and said, ‘Whose little brother are you and why have you come gatecrashing here?’
‘Nauseous ape,’ cried Natha, ‘why pretend you do not know me? I am Vaisravana’s third son. The Jade Emperor has sent me here to arrest you.’
‘Little prince,’ laughed Monkey, ‘you have not yet lost your milk-teeth, your womb-down is not yet dry. How dare you talk so big ? For the moment I’ll spare your life, provided that you look at what is written on the banner, and tell the Jade Emperor that if he will give me
that
rank he need send no more armies; I will submit of my own accord. But if he will not agree, I shall come and batter down his Jewel Palace of the Magic Mists.’
Natha looked up and saw the inscription: ‘Great Sage, Equal of Heaven’. ‘You must think yourself a wonder-worker indeed, that you dare lay claim to such a title! Don’t worry! One stroke of my sword will settle you,’ said Natha.
‘I’ll stand my ground,’ said Monkey, ‘and you can break as many swords upon me as you like.’
‘Change!’ roared Natha, and he at once changed into a deity with three heads and six arms.
‘So this little brother,’ said Monkey, ‘knows some tricks! I’ll trouble you to look at my magic’
So saying, he too assumed three heads and six arms, and at the same time changed his cudgel into three cudgels, each of which he grasped with two hands. The battle that followedwas one that shook the earth and rattled the hills. Truly a good fight 1 Each displayed his terrifying powers, and they battled as many as thirty times. The prince turned his six weapons into a thousand thousand weapons. Monkey followed suit. The sparks fell like falling stars as they fought half-way up in the sky and still neither gained advantage.
But Monkey was very swift of hand and eye. Just at the height of the fray, he changed back into his proper shape and, cudgel in hand, closed with Natha. In his own shape he moved with greater freedom; getting behind the prince’s head, he brought down a mighty blow on his shoulder. Just as Natha was preparing a new magic, he heard the swish of Monkey’s cudgel as it dove the air. He had no time to dodge, and so great was his pain that he at once took to his heels, changed into his true form, and returned ignominiously to his father’s camp. Vaisravana had been watching the battle, and was just thinking of going to his son’s assistance, when Natha suddenly appeared before him and, trembling from head to foot, said:
‘My father and king! The groom has indeed stupendous powers. Even such magic as mine could not withstand him, and in the end he wounded my shoulder.’
‘If a fellow has such powers as this,’ said Vaisravana dismayed, ‘how are we to bring him to heel ?’
‘Outside his cave,’ said the prince, ‘he has put up a banner, upon which is written “Great Sage, Equal of Heaven”. He had the insolence to say that if you would acknowledge his right to this title he would give no more trouble. Otherwise, he will batter down the Jewel Palace of Magic Mists.’
‘If that is so,’ said Vaisravana, ‘we had better leave him alone for the present. I will report this to the Jade Emperor and ask for heavenly reinforcements, that we may hem him in while there is still time.’
‘Am I to believe,’ said the Jade Emperor, when the situation was explained to him, ‘that one monkey is so powerful that reinforcements are needed to deal with him ?’
Natha then stepped forward. ‘Great One,’ he said, ‘though I know that I deserve death at your
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