A Trade

Journey to the West 41 A Trade

Wukong was angry at the guard at the southern gate of Heaven. “ Why can’t you close the gate and dim the stars?” The guard looked nervous. “ I can do that only if I have permission from the Jade Emperor. ” “ I’m trying to save the Tang Monk! ” cried Wukong. “ A demon is planning to eat him. ” “ I’m sorry, ” said the guard. “ But I can’t help you. ”

Wukong’s eyes became dark and angry. He pulled the iron bar out of his ear. A messenger ran into the Cloud Palace and bowed. “ Sun Wukong is at the southern gate of Heaven, Your Majesty. He’s going to destroy Heaven if we don’t do what he says. ”

The Jade Emperor slammed his fist down. “ That rotten monkey! What does he want?” “ He wants us to close the gate and dim the stars, ” said the messenger. “ Why?” asked the emperor. “ He wants to pretend Heaven got sucked into a gourd, ” said the messenger. The Jade Emperor looked confused. “ Why does he want to do that?”

“ He didn’t say, ” said the messenger. “ He just said he’s trying to save the Tang Monk. ” The Jade Emperor sighed. “ You have my permission to close the gate and dim the stars. I don’t want any more trouble from that monkey. ” The messenger returned to the gate. “ We will close the gate and dim the stars, ” he said. “ Good, ” said Wukong. He put the iron bar back in his ear. “ Wait until I say ‘Heaven. ’”

Wukong returned to his body, which was still in disguise as a demon. “ Now I will call to Heaven, ” said the monkey to the demon. “ The whole place will get sucked into this gourd. ” He held up the gourd. “ Heaven! ” Right away the sky went dark. “ Amazing! ” cried the demon. “ All of Heaven is now in that gourd?”