This old lady was Kuan Yin, with Shen Tsai (Steward), who had come to give them warning.  Sun thereupon changed himself into a candle-moth and flew into the city to examine for himself.  He entered an inn, and heard the innkeeper warning his guests to look after their own clothes and belongings when they went to sleep.  In order to travel safely through the city, Sun decided that they should all put on turbans and clothing resembling that of the citizens.  Perceiving from the innkeeper’s warning that thieving was common, Sun stole some clothing and turbans for his Master and comrades.  Then they all came to the inn at dusk, Sun representing himself as a horse-dealer.

Fearing that in their sleep their turbans would fall off, and their shaven heads be revealed, Sun arranged that they should sleep in a cupboard, which he asked the landlady to lock.

During the night robbers came and carried the cupboard away, thinking to find in it silver to buy horses.  A watchman saw many men carrying this cupboard, and became suspicious, and called out the soldiers.  The robbers ran away, leaving the cupboard in the open.  The Master was very angry with Sun for getting him into this danger.  He feared that at daylight they would be discovered and all be executed.  But Sun said:  “Do not be alarmed; I will save you yet!” He changed himself into an ant, and escaped from the cupboard.  Then he plucked out some hairs and changed them into a thousand monkeys like himself.  To each he gave a razor and a charm for inducing sleep.  When the King and all the officials and their wives had succumbed to this charm, the monkeys were to shave their heads.

On the morrow there was a terrible commotion throughout the city, as all the leaders and their families found themselves shaved like Buddhists.

Thus the Master was saved again.

The Return to China

The pilgrims having overcome the predicted eighty difficulties of their outward journey, there remained only one to be overcome on the homeward way.

They were now returning upon a cloud which had been placed at their disposal, and which had been charged to bear them safely home.  But alas! the cloud broke and precipitated them to the earth by the side of a wide river which they must cross.  There were no ferry-boats or rafts to be seen, so they were glad to avail themselves of the kind offices of a turtle, who offered to take them across on his back.  But in midstream the turtle reminded Hsuean Chuang of a promise he had made him when on his outward journey, namely, that he would intercede for him before the Ruler of the West, and ask his Majesty to forgive all past offences and allow him to resume his humanity again.  The turtle asked him if he had remembered to keep his word.  Hsuean Chuang replied:  “I remember our conversation, but I am sorry to say that under great pressure I quite forgot to keep my promise.”  “Then,” said the turtle, “you are at liberty to dispense with my services.”  He then disappeared beneath the water, leaving the pilgrims floundering in the stream with their precious books.  They swam the river, and with great difficulty managed to save a number of volumes, which they dried in the sun.