卻說那兩個小妖將假葫蘆拿在手中，爭看一會，忽擡頭不見了行者。伶俐蟲道：「哥啊，神仙也會打誑語。他說換了寶貝，度我等成仙，怎麼不辭就去了？」精細鬼道：「我們相應便宜的多哩，他敢去得成？拿過葫蘆來，等我裝裝天，也試演試演看。」真個把葫蘆往上一拋，撲的就落將下來。慌得個伶俐蟲道：「怎麼不裝？不裝？莫是孫行者假變神仙，將假葫蘆換了我們的真的去耶？」精細鬼道：「不要胡說，孫行者是那三座山壓住了，怎生得出？拿過來，等我念他那幾句咒兒裝了看。」這怪也把葫蘆兒望空丟起，口中念道：「若有半聲不肯，就上靈霄殿上，動起刀兵。」念不了，撲的又落將下來。兩妖道：「不裝，不裝，一定是個假的。」
却说那两个小妖将假葫芦拿在手中，争看一会，忽抬头不见了行者。伶俐虫道：「哥啊，神仙也会打诳语。他说换了宝贝，度我等成仙，怎么不辞就去了？」精细鬼道：「我们相应便宜的多哩，他敢去得成？拿过葫芦来，等我装装天，也试演试演看。」真个把葫芦往上一抛，扑的就落将下来。慌得个伶俐虫道：「怎么不装？不装？莫是孙行者假变神仙，将假葫芦换了我们的真的去耶？」精细鬼道：「不要胡说，孙行者是那三座山压住了，怎生得出？拿过来，等我念他那几句咒儿装了看。」这怪也把葫芦儿望空丢起，口中念道：「若有半声不肯，就上灵霄殿上，动起刀兵。」念不了，扑的又落将下来。两妖道：「不装，不装，一定是个假的。」
Now, the two little demons held the false gourd in their hands and jostled to examine it for a while. Then they looked up and found Pilgrim gone. Nimble Worm said, “Brother, even immortals tell lies! He said that once we’d traded treasures, he’d guide us to immortality. Why has he gone without even saying goodbye?” Shrewd Ghost said, “We got much the better of that bargain. How can he be allowed to leave? Give me the gourd. Let me bottle the sky and try it out for myself.” He really did toss the gourd up, but down it came with a thump. Nimble Worm cried in alarm, “Why won’t it hold it? Why won’t it? Could Pilgrim Sun have disguised himself as an immortal and traded us a false gourd for our real one?” Shrewd Ghost said, “Don’t talk nonsense. Pilgrim Sun is pinned beneath those three mountains. How could he get out? Give it here. Let me recite those few words of his spell and see if it bottles the sky.” This monster too threw the gourd into the air and chanted, “If you utter so much as half a word of refusal, I’ll go up to the Hall of Divine Mists and start a battle!” Before he finished, down it came again with a thump. The two demons said, “It won’t hold it, it won’t! It must be a fake.”
正嚷處，孫大聖在半空裡聽得明白，看得真實，恐怕他弄得時辰多了，緊要處走了風汛，將身一抖，把那變葫蘆的毫毛收上身來，弄得那兩個妖四手皆空。精細鬼道：「兄弟，拿葫蘆來。」伶俐蟲道：「你拿著的。」「天呀！怎麼不見了？」都去地下亂摸，草裡胡尋，吞袖子，揣腰間，那裡得有？二妖嚇得呆呆掙掙道：「怎的好？怎的好？當時大王將寶貝付與我們，教拿孫行者。今行者既不曾拿得，連寶貝都不見了，我們怎敢去回話？這一頓直直的打死了也。怎的好！怎的好！」伶俐蟲道：「我們走了罷。」精細鬼道：「往那裡走麼？」伶俐蟲道：「不管那裡走罷。若回去說沒寶貝，斷然是送命了。」精細鬼道：「不要走，還回去。二大王平日看你甚好，我推一句兒在你身上。他若肯將就，留得性命；說不過，就打死，還在此間。莫弄得兩頭不著。去來，去來。」那怪商議了，轉步回山。
正嚷处，孙大圣在半空里听得明白，看得真实，恐怕他弄得时辰多了，紧要处走了风汛，将身一抖，把那变葫芦的毫毛收上身来，弄得那两个妖四手皆空。精细鬼道：「兄弟，拿葫芦来。」伶俐虫道：「你拿着的。」「天呀！怎么不见了？」都去地下乱摸，草里胡寻，吞袖子，揣腰间，那里得有？二妖吓得呆呆挣挣道：「怎的好？怎的好？当时大王将宝贝付与我们，教拿孙行者。今行者既不曾拿得，连宝贝都不见了，我们怎敢去回话？这一顿直直的打死了也。怎的好！怎的好！」伶俐虫道：「我们走了罢。」精细鬼道：「往那里走么？」伶俐虫道：「不管那里走罢。若回去说没宝贝，断然是送命了。」精细鬼道：「不要走，还回去。二大王平日看你甚好，我推一句儿在你身上。他若肯将就，留得性命；说不过，就打死，还在此间。莫弄得两头不着。去来，去来。」那怪商议了，转步回山。
While they were shouting, the Great Sage Sun heard every word from midair and saw everything clearly. Afraid that if they spent too long fiddling with it, word might leak out at a crucial moment, he shook himself and recalled the hair he had changed into a gourd. All four of the demons’ hands were left empty. Shrewd Ghost said, “Brother, give me the gourd.” Nimble Worm said, “You’re holding it.” “Heaven! How has it disappeared?” They felt about on the ground, hunted wildly through the grass, rummaged in their sleeves and searched at their waists. But where could they find it? The two demons stood dumbstruck with fear. “What are we to do? What are we to do? Our Great King entrusted us with the treasures and told us to catch Pilgrim Sun. Now we haven’t caught Pilgrim, and even the treasures are gone. How can we dare go back and report? He’ll beat us straight to death! What are we to do? What are we to do?” Nimble Worm said, “Let’s run away.” Shrewd Ghost said, “Where would we go?” Nimble Worm said, “Anywhere at all. If we go back and say the treasures are gone, we’re certainly going to our deaths.” Shrewd Ghost said, “Don’t run. Let’s go back. The Second Great King has always been fond of you. I’ll put the blame on you with a word or two. If he’s willing to overlook it, we’ll keep our lives. If our story won’t wash and he beats us to death, at least we’ll still be here. Let’s not fall between two stools. Come along, come along.” Having agreed on this, the monsters turned back toward the mountain.
行者在半空中見他回去，又搖身一變，變作蒼蠅兒，飛下去，跟著小妖。你道他既變了蒼蠅，那寶貝卻放在何處？如丟在路上，藏在草裡，被人看見拿去，卻不是勞而無功？他還帶在身上。帶在身上啊，蒼蠅不過豆粒大小，如何容得？原來他那寶貝，與他金箍棒相同，叫做如意佛寶，隨身變化，可以大，可以小，故身上亦可容得。
行者在半空中见他回去，又摇身一变，变作苍蝇儿，飞下去，跟着小妖。你道他既变了苍蝇，那宝贝却放在何处？如丢在路上，藏在草里，被人看见拿去，却不是劳而无功？他还带在身上。带在身上啊，苍蝇不过豆粒大小，如何容得？原来他那宝贝，与他金箍棒相同，叫做如意佛宝，随身变化，可以大，可以小，故身上亦可容得。
Seeing them turn back, Pilgrim shook himself again in midair, changed into a fly and flew down to follow the little demons. But, you may ask, once he had become a fly, where did he put the treasures? If he left them on the road or hid them in the grass and someone found them and carried them off, wouldn’t all his labour have been for nothing? He still carried them on his person. On his person? A fly is no bigger than a bean. How could there be room? These treasures, you see, were like his gold-banded cudgel: they were called as-you-will Buddhist treasures, and could change with the body, growing large or small. That was why he could carry them even then.