One day they travelled till night; all day they had been without food, and as darkness came on and no village was in sight the monkey said, “I will jump and see where a village is.” He gave a great jump and saw they were not far from a village; he heard a great noise which frightened him; he gave another jump and saw the village was on the bank of a great river eight hundred yards wide. The monkey returned and got his companions and led them to the home of the rich man of the village.
He struck the bell the priest carried, and the servants, on opening the gate and seeing the queer procession, were very much frightened. Sun Hou said, “Don’t be afraid. We are from the Emperor, and going to India to get the sacred books of the great Buddha. We want something to eat and a place to sleep, as we are very weary.”
The owner of the place replied, “I am able to give what you ask, but not to-night as I am in great trouble.”
“What is it? Perhaps I can help you,” said the monkey.
Then said the rich man, “For long years a terrible demon has lived in the river and every year we have to prepare a young boy and a [[113]]young girl as an offering for him or he will destroy the village by causing the river to overflow. To-night is the yearly sacrifice and it falls on me. I am a large householder, but I have only one little boy and one little girl, and my heart is breaking with my grief, but I must give them up to save the lives of the many in the village.” Sun Hou said, after a moment’s thought, “Don’t be anxious. I have a plan. Get us something to eat.”
After eating, Sun Hou commanded that the children should be brought into the room. After looking at them Sun Hou said to the pig, “You impersonate the girl and I will the boy;” the pig shook himself three times, and the father said, “Well done.” Soon after the procession, which had been forming in the village, came for them, with drums beating and banners flying. They carried the supposed children to the temple on the river bank. Cooked chicken was placed on the table, the incense lighted, then all went out and the door was locked.
Then when all was quiet Sun Hou said to the pig, “You take one side and I will the other and don’t be afraid.” About midnight there was the sound of a great wind, and then Sun Hou said, “Be careful, the demon, Yao Ching, is coming.” Immediately the door [[114]]opened and a great fishlike being came into the temple. They heard him say, “In the past I have taken the boy first, but to-night I shall eat the girl first.” With that he seized the girl, who immediately struck him, and then, with the help of the boy, fought a terrible battle and injured him so that he fled, leaving two great fins on the floor.
The river-demon sought out the king of the demons and told him the story. He said, “You call up a great cold wind, bring snow and ice and freeze over the river, then when they get half-way over the river, you call your friends to help you and put your strength together and cause the ice to give way and precipitate them all into the river.”
The demon was pleased with the plan and in three days the ice was so thick that farmers could cross in their carts. All this time the four strange companions were living in great comfort with the rich man of the house, who gave them many rich presents and much food. On the fourth day they started on, and when they got to the middle of the river the ice broke and all went into the water except the monkey, who gave a great jump and landed on the top of a high mountain. The others were taken captive, and put in a deep cave by the river-demon to wait until they had caught Sun [[115]]Hou, when all should be eaten together. Day after day, Sun Hou went down on the river bank and reviled them. Many were the fierce battles they fought but neither could get the victory. At last one day Sun Hou took a mighty jump and arrived at the home of the Goddess of Mercy, who was in her palace in the Southern Sea.
“Ah!” said she; “I knew you were coming. I have waited for you.” She was making a fish-basket of bamboo. When she heard his troubles she said, “Wait. I am making this great fish-basket to catch him in. He used to live in my sea, and is my special food fish, but he rebelled and ran away and for many years has lived in the great river. You go back and call him and fight again, and I will come and get him in my basket.” In the terrible battle which followed the Goddess of Mercy let from Heaven a basket and took him in and up to Heaven.