Chapter 49

Sanzang's Great Misfortune Is to Fall into the River

Guanyin's Fish Basket Saves the Tang Priest

The story tells how the Great Sage Monkey took his leave of the old Chen brothers, went with Pig and Friar Sand to the bank of the river, and told the two of them to decide which of them would go into the water first.

"Brother," said Pig, "you should go first; neither of us two has very special powers."

"To be frank with you, brother," replied Monkey. "I wouldn't...