The local mountain-gods now appeared, bringing refreshments, and urging the pilgrims to get the Fan so as to enable them to proceed on their journey.  Sun pointed to his fan and said:  “Is not this the Fan?” They smiled and said:  “No, this is a false one which the Princess has given you.”  They added:  “Originally there was no Flaming Mountain, but when you upset the furnace in Heaven five hundred years ago the fire fell here, and has been burning ever since.  For not having taken more care in Heaven, we have been set to guard it.  The Demon-king Ox-head, though he married the locha Princess, deserted her some two years ago for the only daughter of a fox-king.  They live at Chi-lei Shan, some three thousand li from here.  If you can get the true Iron Fan through his help you will be able to extinguish the flames, take your Master to the West, save the lives of many people round here, and enable us to return to Heaven once more.”

Sun at once mounted a cloud and was soon at Chi-lei Shan.  There he met the Fox-princess, whom he upbraided and pursued back to her cave.  The Ox-demon came out and became very angry with Sun for having frightened her.  Sun asked him to return with him to the locha Princess and persuade her to give him the Magic Fan, This he refused to do.  They then fought three battles, in all of which Sun was successful.  He changed into the Ox-demon’s shape and visited the locha Princess.  She, thinking he was the Ox-demon, gladly received him, and finally gave him the Magic Fan; he then set out to return to his Master.

The Power of the Magic Fan

The Ox-demon, following after Sun, saw him walking along, joyfully carrying the Magic Fan on his shoulder.  Now Sun had forgotten to ask how to make it small, like an apricot leaf, as it was at first.  The Ox-demon changed himself into the form of Pa-chieh, and going up to Sun he said:  “Brother Sun, I am glad to see you back; I hope you have succeeded.”  “Yes,” replied Sun, and described his fights, and how he had tricked the Ox-demon’s wife into giving him the Fan.  The seeming Pa-chieh said:  “You must be very tired after all your efforts; let me carry the Magic Fan for you.”  As soon as he had got possession of it he appeared in his true form, and tried to use it to blow Sun away 84,000 li, for he did not know that the Great Holy One had swallowed a wind-resisting pill, and was therefore immovable.  He then put the Magic Fan in his mouth and fought with his two swords.  He was a match for Sun in all the magic arts, but through the aid of Pa-chieh and the help of the local gods sent by the Master the Monkey was able to prevail against him.  The Ox-demon changed himself many times into a number of birds, but for each of these Sun changed himself into a swifter and stronger one.  The Ox-demon then changed himself into many beasts, such as tigers, leopards, bears, elephants, and an ox 10,000 feet long.  He then said to Sun, with a laugh:  “What can you do to me now?” Sun seized his rod of iron, and cried:  “Grow!” He immediately became 100,000 feet high, with eyes like the sun and moon.  They fought till the heavens and the earth shook with their onslaughts.