, amid all this success, the Handsome Monkey King suddenly said to

the other monkeys, "You are now expert in the bow and crossbow, and
highly skilled in other weapons; but this sword of mine is too clumsy
for my liking. What shall I do about it?" The four veteran monkeys
came forward and submitted a suggestion: "Your Majesty is an
Immortal, so mortals' weapons are not good enough for you. We wonder
if Your Majesty is able to travel underwater." "Since hearing the
Way," Sun Wukong replied, "I have mastered the seventy−two earthly
transformations. My somersault cloud has outstanding magical powers.
I know how to conceal myself and vanish. I can make spells and end
them. I can reach the sky and find my way into the earth. I can
travel under the sun or moon without leaving a shadow or go through
metal or stone freely. I can't be drowned by water or burned by fire.
There's nowhere I cannot go." "If Your Majesty has these magical
powers, the stream under our iron bridge leads to the Dragon palace
of the Eastern Sea. If you are willing to go down there, go and find
the Dragon King and ask him for whatever weapon it is you want.
Wouldn't that suit you?" "Wait till I get back," was Sun Wukong's
delighted reply. Journey to the West Chapter 3 37 Splendid Monkey
King. He leapt to the end of the bridge and made a spell with his
fist to ward off the water. Then he dived into the waves and split
the waters to make way for himself till he reached the bed of the
Eastern Sea. On his journey he saw a yaksha demon who was patrolling
the sea. The yaksha barred his way and asked, "What sage or divinity
are you, pushing the waters aside like that? Please tell me so that I
can make a report and have you properly received." "I am the
Heaven−born Sage Sun Wukong from the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit,
and your old Dragon King's close neighbour. How is it you don't know
me?" When the yaksha heard this he hurried back to the crystal palace
and reported, "Your Majesty, Sun Wukong, the Heaven−born Sage from
the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit who says he is your neighbour, is
coming to your palace." Ao Guang, the Old Dragon King of the Eastern
Sea, leapt to his feet and went out to meet Sun Wukong with his
dragon sons and grandsons, his prawn soldiers, and his crab generals.
"Come in, exalted Immortal," he said, taking Sun Wukong into the
palace where they introduced themselves, seated him in the place of
honour, and offered him tea. Then the Dragon King asked him, "Exalted
Immortal, when did you find the Way, and what magic arts did you
acquire?" "After my birth," said Sun Wukong, "I renounced the world
and cultivated my conduct, and thus obtained an immortal and
indestructible body. Recently I have trained my sons and grandsons to
guard our cave, but unfortunately I have not yet found my self a
weapon. I have long heard that my illustrious neighbour enjoys the
delights of a jade palace with gate−towers of cowry, and I was sure
that you must have some magic weapons to spare, so I have come
especially to beg one of you." Not wishing to refuse this request,
the Dragon King sent Commander Perch to fetch a large sword and offer
it to Sun Wukong. "I don't know how to use a sword," said Sun Wukong,
"so could I ask you to give me something else?" The Old Dragon King
then sent Colonel Mackerel and Guard Commander Eel to fetch a
nine−pronged spear. Sun Wukong leapt down from his seat, took it,
tried it out, then flung it down, saying, "It's too light, far too
light; and it doesn't suit me. I beg you to give me another." The
Dragon King smiled as he said, "Exalted Immortal, don't you see that
this weighs three thousand six hundred pounds?" "It doesn't suit me,
it doesn't suit me at all," protested Sun Wukong. The Dragon King,
feeling frightened now, ordered Provincial Commander Bream and
Garrison Commander Carp to bring out a patterned heavenly halberd for
warding off spells that weighed seven thousand two hundred pounds. As
soon as he saw it Sun Wukong bounded forward to take it. He tried a
few postures and thrusts with it then stuck it in the ground between
them. "Still too light, far too light." The Dragon King, now really
terrified, said, "Exalted Immortal, that halberd is the heaviest
weapon in my palace." "As the old saying goes," said Sun Wukong with
a grin, "'Never think the dragon king has no treasures.' Have another
look, and if you find anything satisfying I'll give you a good price
for it." Journey to the West Chapter 3 38 "I really have nothing
else," the Dragon King replied. As he was speaking, his dragon wife
and dragon daughters came in from the back of the palace and said,
"Your Majesty, by the look of him this sage must be really somebody.
The piece of miraculous iron that anchors the Milkey Way in place has
been shining with a lovely rosy glow for the last few days, and
creating a most auspicious atmosphere. Perhaps it has started to
shine to greet this sage." "That piece of miraculous iron is one of
the nails that Yu the Great used to fix the depths of rivers and seas
when he brought the waters under control," said the Dragon King.
"What use could it be?" "Never mind whether it's useful or not," his
wife replied. "Just give it to him and let him do with it as he
pleases. At least you'll get him out of the palace." The Dragon King
did as she suggested and described the piece of iron to Sun Wukong,
who said, "Bring it out and let me see." "It can't be moved. You will
have to go and look at it yourself, exalted Immortal." "Where is it?
Take me there," said Sun Wukong. The Dragon King took him into the
middle of the sea treasury, where all of a sudden they could see ten
thousand rays of golden light. Pointing at it, the Dragon King said,
"That's it, where all the light is coming from." Sun Wukong hitched
up his clothes and went to give it a feel. He found that it was an
iron pillar about as thick as a measure for a peck of grain and some
twenty feet long. Seizing it with both hands he said, "It's too thick
and too long. If it were a bit shorter and thinner it would do." As
soon as these words were out of his mouth this precious piece of iron
became several feet shorter and a few inches thinner. Sun Wukong
tossed it in his hands, remarking that it would be even better if it
were thinner still. The precious iron thereupon became even thinner.
Sun Wukong was taking it out of the sea treasury to have a look at it
when he saw that it had two gold bands round it, while the middle
part was made of black iron. There was a line of inlaid writing near
the bands which said that it was the AS−YOU−WILL COLD−BANDED CUDGEL:
WEIGHT 13,500 POUNDS. Sun Wukong was delighted, though he did not
show it. "I think that this little darling will do whatever I want."
As he walked along he weighed it in his hand and said reflectively,
"If it were even smaller still it would be perfect." By the time he
had taken it outside it was twenty feet long and as thick as a rice
bowl. Watch him as he uses his magical powers to try a few routines
with it, whirling all round the crystal palace. The Old Dragon King
was trembling with fright, and the little dragons were scared out of
their wits. Terrapins, freshwater turtles, seawater turtles and
alligators drew in their heads, while fish, shrimps, lobsters and
giant turtles hid their faces. Holding his treasure in his hands, Sun
Wukong sat down in t