Wukong was angry at the guard at the southern gate of heaven.
Why can't you close the gate and dim the stars?
The guard looked nervous.
I can do that only if I have permission from the Jade Emperor.
I'm trying to save the Tang Monk, cried Wukong.
A demon is planning to eat him.
I'm sorry, said the guard, but I can't help you.
Wukong's eyes became dark and angry.
He pulled the iron bar out of his ear.
A messenger ran into the Cloud Palace and bowed.
Sun Wukong is at the southern gate of heaven, your majesty.
He's going to destroy heaven if we don't do what he says.
The jade emperor slammed his fist down.
That rotten monkey.
What does he want?
He wants us to close the gate and dim the stars, said the messenger.
Why? asked the emperor.
He wants to pretend heaven got sucked into a gourd, said the messenger.
The Jade Emperor looked confused.
Why does he want to do that?
He didn't say, said the messenger.
He just said he's trying to save the Tang monk.
The Jade Emperor sighed.
You have my permission to close the gate and dim the stars.
I don't want any more trouble from that monkey.
The messenger returned to the gate.
We will close the gate and dim the stars. he said.
Good, said Wukong.
He put the iron bar back in his ear.
Wait until I say heaven.
Wukong returned to his body, which was still in disguise as a demon.
Now I will call to heaven, said the monkey to the demon.
The whole place will get sucked into this gourd.
He held up the gourd.
Heaven!
Right away, the sky went dark.
Amazing! cried the demon.
All of heaven is now in that gourd?
Yes, said Wukong.
All the stars, planets, spirits, and gods are in here.
Even the Cloud Palace is in here, with the Jade Emperor, too.
Now I will let heaven back out.
He held up the gourd.
Heaven return!
The sky lit up again.
Fascinating, said the demon.
Let's trade gourds.
He handed his gourd to Wukong.
Wukong gave the fake gourd to the demon.
Then he made the real gourd tiny and hid it in his robe.
I'll try to capture heaven now, said the demon.
He held up the gourd.
Heaven!
Nothing happened.
Heaven, said the demon again.
Heaven, heaven!
He looked at the gourd.
This gourd isn't working.
What's wrong with it?
Wukong laughed and made the fake gourd disappear.
Then he made himself invisible.
I was tricked, cried the demon.
I must tell a golden horn.
The demon ran off and Wukong followed.
Soon the road went up a mountain.
The demon ran into a cave.
Wukong made himself visible and stormed into the cave.
Looking around at the group of demons, he pulled out his iron bar.
Return my friends at once, he shouted, or I'll clobber all of you, cried the small demons.
They ran in every direction, tripping over one another.
Wukong swung his iron bar at Goldenhorn.
The demon stepped out of the way and pulled a golden rope from his sleeve.
He swung the rope and it shot toward Wukong.
The monkey tried to get out of the way, but the rope snagged him.
It looped around his waist.
The more Wukong tried to wiggle free, the tighter the rope got.
Goldenhorn laughed.
You'll never escape the Golden Rope.
Tonight I will dine on the Tang Bun.
