Then Sun Hou called some of the Heavenly Soldiers to his aid, and they went with him and found his companions in a cave, but alas! the men could not swim. While Sun Hou was pondering, a big turtle came along and said, “I knock my head to you. You are my preserver. Many years ago this cave was mine, but the river-demons took it, and now, to [[116]]show my thanks, if you will all get on my back I will carry you over the river.” This they did, and on the way the turtle said, “You are going to India to find out how one can live forever? Will you ask the merciful Buddha what my after-life is to be like?” Sun Hou promised, and as they would need help in crossing on their return he was to look out for them.
As they travelled on they came to the country of Pú Táo. The king asked them where they were going and also demanded a proof of their Imperial mission. Now, this king had three famous ministers called Fox, Deer, and Sheep. They said these persons must first prove their strength before they could go on their way. To the question as to whether their contest was to be of military skill or a contest of mind, the monkey chose the latter. A platform thirty feet high was built. Then Minister Fox said to T’ang Sung, “We two will go up there and see which can sit without moving an eyelash for the longest time; the one who moves first is to be killed.” While thus sitting the sheep changed himself into a worm and crawled up on the bald head of the priest, and bit his head in many places. T’ang Sung was most uncomfortable and his face showed it.
Now, Sun Hou saw the look and so [[117]]changed himself into a bird, flew up over the monk, and seeing the worm, flew down and in picking it up saw that it was the “Minister Sheep,” to whom he said, “If this is the trick I will show you what I can do,” and changed himself into a centipede, and crawled upon Minister Fox. He entered his nose, got into his ear, and up into his head, and so distracted did the minister become that he could not endure the pain, and threw himself from the platform and thus died. When the “Minister Deer” saw the calamity he said, “Our great elder brother is dead, I will see what I can do,” so he said, “Let us see who can cut his head off, throw it away, get it again and grow it on.” Sun Hou said, “That is good. It is not the monk’s turn; this is my turn.”
Minister Deer asked, “Who will try first, you or I?”
Sun Hou replied, “I can cut my head off and grow it on again ten times.” The Deer replied, “I can only once.” So Sun Hou said, “I will try first,” and immediately cut off his head, upon which Minister Deer said, “I can only cut mine off once and I won’t do it now.”
“If you don’t, we will fight,” said Sun Hou.
Thus driven, he cut his head off, and the monkey, changing to a dog, ran away with it [[118]]and was gone two hours,—so long that the man died also.
Then said Minister Sheep, “You must conquer me or I shall kill you.”
“Well,” said Sun Hou, “what shall we do? You decide.”
“Well,” said the Sheep, “we will build a fire, put on a big kettle of oil, and when it boils we will take turns in getting in and staying two hours. The one who can do it will be the victor.”