“How do the monster's fighting powers compare with mine?” Monkey asked.
“He's no match for you,” said Pig.
“What's he like with his spear?”
“No good either,” replied Pig. “When I saw that he was barely holding out I took a swipe at him to help you. He wouldn't play and ran away. Then he cheated and set that fire going.”
“You shouldn't have come,” said Monkey. “It would be best if I had a few more rounds with him and caught him a crafty one with my cudgel!” The two of them then fell to discussing the demon's skill and his terrible fire while Friar Sand leaned against a pine trunk, grinning broadly.
“What are you grinning at, brother,” asked Monkey when he noticed. “Don't tell me you've got some power with which to capture the demon and defeat his magic fire. If you had, you'd be helping all of us. As the saying goes, 'many hands make light work.' If you can capture the demon and rescue the master you'll have something very fine to your credit.”
“I've got no magic powers,” said Friar Sand, “and I can't subdue demons. I was just smiling at the way you two were getting so desperate.”
“What do you mean?” Monkey asked.
“The demon's no match for either you in magic or at fighting,” said Friar Sand. “The only reason you can't beat him is because of his fire. If you took my advice you could catch him easily by using the principle of the elements overcoming each other.”
At this Monkey chuckled aloud and said, “You're right. We were so desperate we forgot about that. On the principle of the elements overcoming each other we'll have to beat fire with water. The question is, where do we get the water to put that fire out and rescue the master?”
“Yes,” said Friar Sand, “and we mustn't waste any time.”
“You two stay here,” said Monkey, “but don't get into a fight with him. I'll go and borrow some dragon soldiers from the Eastern Ocean to bring water to douse the devil fire.”
“Off you go, brother,” said Pig, “and don't worry. We know what to do.”
The splendid Great Sage took his cloud far away. In a moment he was at the Eastern Ocean, but he had no interest in admiring the seascape as he parted the waves with water-repelling magic. As he was going through the water he met a patrolling yaksha, who hurried back into the water-crystal palace to report to the Senior Dragon King Ao Guang. Ao Guang came out to welcome Monkey at the head of his dragon sons and grandsons and his shrimp and crab soldiers. The dragon king invited Monkey to come in and sit down. When the courtesies were over the king offered Monkey some tea.
“Please don't bother,” said Monkey. “But there is something else I've come to trouble you with. My master the Tang Priest has been captured on his way to the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and fetch the scriptures. He's been caught by an evil spirit called the Red Boy, the Boy Sage King, from the Fire-cloud Cave by Withered Pine Ravine on Mount Hao. I went into the cave to look for my master and fight the demon, but the demon started a great fire. It was too much for me. I thought that as water overcomes fire I'd come here to ask you for some water. Could you make a torrential downpour for me that would put the fire out and save the Tang Priest?”
“You've come to the wrong place,” said the dragon king. “I'm not the person to ask for rain.”
“But you're the dragon king of the four oceans,” said Monkey, “the lord of rain. If I don't ask you who else should I ask?”
“I am in charge of rain,” replied the dragon king, “but I can't do anything without authorization. I must have permission from the Jade Emperor as to where and when and how many inches of rain I should pour down, and I've to get a lot of official signatures before I can ask the help of Grandpa Thunder, Mother Lightning, Uncle Wind and the Cloud Boys. As the saying goes, dragons can't travel without cloud.”
“But I don't need wind, clouds, thunder or lightning,” said Monkey. “All I want is some rain to put the fire out.”
“You may not need wind, clouds, thunder or lightning, Great Sage,” said the dragon king, “but I can't help you alone. What would you say if I asked my younger brothers too?”
“Where are they?” Monkey asked. “Ao Qin is Dragon King of the Southern Sea, Ao Run is Dragon King of the Northern Sea, and Ao Shun is Dragon King of the Western Sea.”
“It'd be easier to go up to Heaven and ask the Jade Emperor for an edict than to trek round all three seas,” replied Monkey with a laugh. “No need for you to go, Great Sage,” said the dragon king. “If I beat my iron drum and bronze bell they'll be here this instant.”
“Please sound them at once, Senior Dragon King,” said Monkey.
A moment later the three other dragon kings came crowding in. “Elder brother,” they asked, “what orders do you have for us?”
“The Great Sage Monkey is here to borrow some rain to help him subdue a demon,” said the Senior Dragon King. After the greetings were over Monkey explained why he needed water. The dragons were all delighted to comply. They mustered the following:
The brave Shark as the vanguard,
With big-mouthed Hemibagrus to the fore;
Marshal Carp who plunges through the waves,
Commander Bream who spews out mists.
Colonel Mackerel to patrol the East,
Major Culler to advance to the West.
The Cavalryman Red Eye gallops to the South,
While General Black-shell breaks through in the North.
Brigadier Croaker commands the central force;
Every unit is a crack force of heroes.
A master of strategy is Chief of Staff Turtle;
Lord Tortoise excels in subtle predictions.
Prime Minister Alligator is full of wisdom,
Garrison Commander Terrapin has great ability.
Advancing sideways, crab soldiers wield their swords,
While leaping shrimp amazons draw their bows.
Secretary Catfish looks after the paperwork,
And calls the rolls of the dragon army.
There is a poem about this that goes:
The four ocean dragons were glad to give their help
When Monkey the Sage to seek assistance came.
As the priest Sanzang was in trouble on his journey
They all carried water to put out the flame.
Monkey was soon back at the Withered Pine Ravine on Mount Hao with his dragon army. “Worthy brothers of the Ao clan,” he said, “I have brought you a long way. This is where the demon lives. Will you please stay up here in mid-air and not show your faces while I have it out with him. If I can beat him, I won't need to trouble you gentlemen to capture him for me. If he beats me, there'll be no need for you gentlemen to join in the fray. The only thing I'd like you to do is all to spurt out rain together when I call if he starts his fire.” The dragon kings did as they had been told.
Monkey then brought his cloud down to land in the pine wood, saw Pig and Friar Sand, and called to them. “You were quick,” said Pig. “Did you get the dragon king to come?”
“They're all here,” Brother Monkey replied. “You'd both better be very careful not to let the baggage get wet if it rains hard. I'm off to fight the demon.”
“Off you go, and don't worry,” said Friar Sand. “We can cope.”
Monkey leapt across the ravine to the cave entrance and shouted, “Open up!” The little devils ran back in to report, “Sun the Novice is here again.”
The Red Boy looked up with a smile and said, “The monkey thinks no fire can burn him, because none ever has. That's why he's here again. But this time we won't let him off: we'll burn him to cinders.” He sprang up, grasped his spear, and ordered the little demons to wheel the fire carts out. Then he went out in front of the gates and asked Monkey, “Why are you here again?”
“Give me back my master,” Monkey replied.