Korean Folk Tales

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <div class="titlePage"> <div class="docTitle"> <div class="mainTitle">KOREAN FOLK TALES</div> <br/> <div class="subTitle">IMPS, GHOSTS AND FAIRIES</div> </div> <div class="byline">TRANSLATED FROM THE KOREAN<br/> OF <span class="docAuthor">IM BANG</span> AND <span class="docAuthor">YI RYUK</span><br/> BY <span class="docAuthor">JAMES S. GALE</span></div> </div> <div class="div1 dedication"> <div class="divBody"> <p class="par first xd21e120">TO<br/> MY LITTLE SON<br/> GEORGE JAMES MORLEY<br/> THE DAYS OF WHOSE YEARS<br/> ARE<br/> TWO EASTERN SPRINGS AND AUTUMNS <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e184" href="#xd21e184" name="xd21e184">7</SPAN>]</span></p> </div> </div> <div class="div1 preface"> <div class="divHead"> <h2 class="main">PREFACE</h2></div> <div class="divBody"> <p class="par first">To any one who would like to look somewhat into the inner soul of the Oriental, and see the peculiar spiritual existences among which he lives, the following stories will serve as true interpreters, born as they are of the three great religions of the Far East, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.</p> <p class="par">An old manuscript copy of Im Bang&rsquo;s stories came into the hands of the translator a year ago, and he gives them now to the Western world that they may serve as introductory essays to the mysteries, and, what many call, absurdities of Asia. Very gruesome indeed, and unlovely, some of them are, but they picture faithfully the conditions under which Im Bang himself, and many past generations of Koreans, have lived.</p> <p class="par">The thirteen short stories by Yi Ryuk are taken from a reprint of old Korean writings issued last year (1911), by a Japanese publishing company. Three anonymous stories are also added, &ldquo;The Geomancer,&rdquo; to show how Mother Earth has given anxiety to her chicks of children; &ldquo;Im, the <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name= "xd21e194" href="#xd21e194" name="xd21e194">8</SPAN>]</span>Hunter,&rdquo; to tell of the actualities that exist in the upper air; and &ldquo;The Man who lost his Legs,&rdquo; as a sample of Korea&rsquo;s Sinbad.</p> <p class="par">The biographical notes that accompany the stories are taken very largely from the <i>Kuk-cho In-mul-chi</i>, &ldquo;Korea&rsquo;s Record of Famous Men.&rdquo;</p> <p class="par signed"><span class="sc">J. S. Gale.</span> <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e205" href="#xd21e205" name= "xd21e205">9</SPAN>]</span></p> </div> </div> <div id="toc" class="div1 contents"> <div class="divHead"> <h2 class="main">CONTENTS</h2> <table class="tocList"> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum"></td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"></td> <td class="tocPageNum">PAGE</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">I</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch1" id="xd21e219" name= "xd21e219">CHARAN</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">1</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">II</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch2" id="xd21e228" name= "xd21e228">THE STORY OF CHANG TO-RYONG</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">18</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">III</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch3" id="xd21e237" name= "xd21e237">A STORY OF THE FOX</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">26</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">IV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch4" id="xd21e246" name= "xd21e246">CHEUNG PUK-CHANG, THE SEER</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">29</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">V</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch5" id="xd21e255" name= "xd21e255">YUN SE-PYONG, THE WIZARD</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">36</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">VI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch6" id="xd21e264" name= "xd21e264">THE WILD-CAT WOMAN</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">41</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">VII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch7" id="xd21e273" name= "xd21e273">THE ILL-FATED PRIEST</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">44</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">VIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch8" id="xd21e282" name= "xd21e282">THE VISION OF THE HOLY MAN</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">47</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">IX</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch9" id="xd21e291" name= "xd21e291">THE VISIT OF THE MAN OF GOD</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">52</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">X</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch10" id="xd21e300" name= "xd21e300">THE LITERARY MAN OF IMSIL</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">54</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch11" id="xd21e310" name= "xd21e310">THE SOLDIER OF KANG-WHA</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">58</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch12" id="xd21e319" name= "xd21e319">CURSED BY THE SNAKE</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">60</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch13" id="xd21e328" name= "xd21e328">THE MAN ON THE ROAD</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">63</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XIV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch14" id="xd21e337" name= "xd21e337">THE OLD MAN WHO BECAME A FISH</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">66</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch15" id="xd21e346" name= "xd21e346">THE GEOMANCER</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">69</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XVI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch16" id="xd21e355" name= "xd21e355">THE MAN WHO BECAME A PIG</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">73</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XVII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch17" id="xd21e364" name= "xd21e364">THE OLD WOMAN WHO BECAME A GOBLIN</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">78</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XVIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch18" id="xd21e373" name= "xd21e373">THE GRATEFUL GHOST</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">80</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XIX</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch19" id="xd21e382" name= "xd21e382">THE PLUCKY MAIDEN</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">83</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XX</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch20" id="xd21e391" name= "xd21e391">THE RESOURCEFUL WIFE</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">90</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch21" id="xd21e400" name= "xd21e400">THE BOXED-UP GOVERNOR</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">92</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch22" id="xd21e410" name= "xd21e410">THE MAN WHO LOST HIS LEGS</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">100</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch23" id="xd21e419" name= "xd21e419">TEN THOUSAND DEVILS</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">104</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXIV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch24" id="xd21e428" name= "xd21e428">THE HOME OF THE FAIRIES</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">111</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch25" id="xd21e437" name= "xd21e437">THE HONEST WITCH</SPAN> <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e442" href="#xd21e442" name="xd21e442">10</SPAN>]</span></td> <td class="tocPageNum">125</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXVI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch26" id="xd21e447" name= "xd21e447">WHOM THE KING HONORS</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">130</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXVII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch27" id="xd21e456" name= "xd21e456">THE FORTUNES OF YOO</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">133</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXVIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch28" id="xd21e465" name= "xd21e465">AN ENCOUNTER WITH A HOBGOBLIN</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">141</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXIX</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch29" id="xd21e474" name= "xd21e474">THE SNAKE&rsquo;S REVENGE</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">146</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXX</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch30" id="xd21e483" name= "xd21e483">THE BRAVE MAGISTRATE</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">150</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch31" id="xd21e492" name= "xd21e492">THE TEMPLE TO THE GOD OF WAR</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">153</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch32" id="xd21e501" name= "xd21e501">A VISIT FROM THE SHADES</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">157</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch33" id="xd21e511" name= "xd21e511">THE FEARLESS CAPTAIN</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">162</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXIV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch34" id="xd21e520" name= "xd21e520">THE KING OF YOM-NA (HELL)</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">165</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch35" id="xd21e529" name= "xd21e529">HONG&rsquo;S EXPERIENCES IN HADES</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">171</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXVI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch36" id="xd21e538" name= "xd21e538">HAUNTED HOUSES</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">177</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXVII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch37" id="xd21e547" name= "xd21e547">IM, THE HUNTER</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">182</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXVIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch38" id="xd21e556" name= "xd21e556">THE MAGIC INVASION OF SEOUL</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">188</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XXXIX</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch39" id="xd21e565" name= "xd21e565">THE AWFUL LITTLE GOBLIN</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">191</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XL</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch40" id="xd21e574" name= "xd21e574">GOD&rsquo;S WAY</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">194</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch41" id="xd21e583" name= "xd21e583">THE OLD MAN IN THE DREAM</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">196</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch42" id="xd21e592" name= "xd21e592">THE PERFECT PRIEST</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">198</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch43" id="xd21e601" name= "xd21e601">THE PROPITIOUS MAGPIE</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">200</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLIV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch44" id="xd21e611" name= "xd21e611">THE &lsquo;OLD BUDDHA&rsquo;</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">202</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLV</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch45" id="xd21e620" name= "xd21e620">A WONDERFUL MEDICINE</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">204</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLVI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch46" id="xd21e629" name= "xd21e629">FAITHFUL MO</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">205</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLVII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch47" id="xd21e638" name= "xd21e638">THE RENOWNED MAING</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">208</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLVIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch48" id="xd21e647" name= "xd21e647">THE SENSES</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">210</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">XLIX</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch49" id="xd21e656" name= "xd21e656">WHO DECIDES, GOD OR THE KING?</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">211</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">L</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch50" id="xd21e665" name= "xd21e665">THREE THINGS MASTERED</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">213</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">LI</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch51" id="xd21e674" name= "xd21e674">STRANGELY STRICKEN DEAD</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">215</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">LII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch52" id="xd21e683" name= "xd21e683">THE MYSTERIOUS HOI TREE</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">217</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="tocDivNum">LIII</td> <td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><SPAN href="#ch53" id="xd21e692" name= "xd21e692">TA-HONG</SPAN></td> <td class="tocPageNum">219</td> </tr> </table> <p><span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e697" href="#xd21e697" name= "xd21e697">11</SPAN>]</span></p> </div> </div> <div class="div1 section"> <div class="divHead"> <h2 class="main">BIOGRAPHICAL</h2></div> <div class="divBody"> <p class="par first">Im Bang was born in 1640, the son of a provincial governor. He was very bright as a boy and from earliest years fond of study, becoming a great scholar. He matriculated first in his class in 1660, and graduated in 1663. He was a disciple of Song Si-yol, one of Korea&rsquo;s first writers. In 1719, when he was in his eightieth year, he became governor of Seoul, and held as well the office of secretary of the Cabinet. In the year 1721 he got into difficulties over the choice of the Heir Apparent, and in 1722, on account of a part he played in a disturbance in the government, he was exiled to North Korea, where he died.</p> <p class="par">(From <i>Kuk-cho In-mul-chi</i>, &ldquo;Korea&rsquo;s Record of Famous Men.&rdquo;)</p> <hr class="tb"> <p class="par"></p> <p class="par"><span class="sc">Yi Ryuk</span> lived in the reign of King Se-jo, matriculated in 1459, and graduated first in his class in 1564. He was a man of many offices and many distinctions in the way of literary excellence.</p> <p class="par signed">&ldquo;Korea&rsquo;s Record of Famous Men.&rdquo; <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e716" href="#xd21e716" name= "xd21e716">13</SPAN>]</span></p> </div> </div></div> <div class="body"> <div id="ch1" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<SPAN href="#xd21e219">Contents</SPAN>]</span> <div class="divHead"> <h2 class="super">KOREAN IMPS, GHOSTS AND FAIRIES</h2> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />