e noise and came out of the
gate, dragging his cane behind him.

"Why are you making such a noise?" he called out to them harshly.

Said they: "Sun Wu Kung has turned himself into a pine-tree, and this
made us laugh."

"Sun Wu Kung, come here!" said the Master. "Now just tell me what
tricks you are up to? Why do you have to turn yourself into a
pine-tree? All the work you have done means nothing more to you than a
chance to make magic for your companions to wonder at. That shows
that your heart is not yet under control."

Humbly Sun Wu Kung begged his forgiveness.

But the Master said: "I bear you no ill will, but you must go away."

With tears in his eyes Sun Wu Kung asked him: "But where shall I go?"

"You must go back again whence you came," said the Master. And when
Sun Wu Kung sadly bade him farewell, he threatened him: "Your savage
nature is sure to bring down evil upon you some time. You must tell no
one that you are my pupil. If you so much as breathe a word about it,
I will fetch your soul and lock it up in the nethermost hell, so that
you cannot escape for a thousand eternities."

Sun Wu Kung replied: "I will not say a word! I will not say a word!"

Then he once more thanked him for all the kindness shown him, turned a
somersault and climbed up to the clouds.

Within the hour he had passed the seas, and saw the Mountain of
Flowers and Fruits lying before him. Then he felt happy and at home
again, let his cloud sink down to earth and cried: "Here I am back
again, children!" And at once, from the valley, from behind the rocks,
out of the grass and from amid the trees came his apes. They came
running up by thousands, surrounded and greeted him, and inquired as
to his adventures. Sun Wu Kung said: "I have now found the way to
eternal life, and need fear Death the Ancient no longer." Then all the
apes were overjoyed, and competed with each other in bringing flowers
and fruits, peaches and wine, to welcome him. And again they honored
Sun Wu Kung as the Handsome Ape King.

Sun Wu Kung now gathered the apes about him and questioned them as to
how they had fared during his absence.

Said they: "It is well that you have come back again, great king! Not
long ago a devil came here who wanted to take possession of our cave
by force. We fought with him, but he dragged away many of your
children and will probably soon return."

Sun Wu Kung grew very angry and said: "What sort of a devil is this
who dares be s