The Magic Gourd

Journey to the West 40 The Magic Gourd

Bajie was in the cave when the door opened. Two small demons entered, dragging Wujing and the Tang Monk. “ What happened?” cried Bajie after the demons left. “ A demon attacked us, ” said Wujing. “ I tried to fight him, but he was too powerful. ” “ I’m worried, ” said the Tang Monk. “ We don’t know what happened to Wukong. ”

In another room inside the cave, Golden Horn talked to some smaller demons. They all laughed when Golden Horn told them Wukong was trapped under three mountains. “ Let’s celebrate! ” said one demon. “ Not yet, ” said Golden Horn. “ I’m afraid Sun Wukong might escape. ” He handed a gourd to one of the demons. “ Take this magic gourd to the monkey. Say his name, and he will be sucked into the gourd. After an hour he will turn into liquid. ”

“ Yes, Master, ” said the small demon. “ Grr! ” Wukong pushed as hard as he could. But the mountains were too heavy. “ How will I ever get out of this?” thought the monkey.

He was about to push again when the mountains rose into the air. Wukong jumped to his feet and looked around. A spirit stood nearby. “ Wukong, I am the spirit of these mountains. Please forgive me. I tried to stop that demon from taking my mountains, but he was too powerful. ”

The spirit bowed and then vanished with the mountains. “ I’m lucky that spirit arrived, ” said Wukong. “ Now I must find my companions. I wonder where that demon lives. ” He spotted a small demon coming down the road. The demon was carrying a gourd. Wukong ducked behind a rock before the demon saw him.