<h2 class="label">XIX</h2>
<h2 class="main">THE PLUCKY MAIDEN</h2></div>
<div class="divBody">
<p class="par first">[Han Myong-hoi.—We are told in the
<i>Yol-ryok Keui-sul</i> that when Han was a boy he had for protector
and friend a tiger, who used to accompany him as a dog does his master.
One evening, when he started off into the hills, he heard the distant
tramp of the great beast, who had got scent of his going, and had come
rushing after him. When Han saw him he turned, and said, “Good
old chap, you come all this distance to be my friend; I love you for
it.” The tiger prostrated himself and nodded with his head
several times. He used to accompany Han all through the nights, but
when the day dawned he would leave him.</p>
<p class="par">Han later fell into bad company, grew fond of drink, and
was one of the boisterous companions of King Se-jo.]</p>
<div class="div2 story">
<div class="divHead">
<h3 class="main"><i>The Story</i></h3></div>
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<p class="par first">Han Myong-hoi was a renowned Minister of the Reign
of Se-jo (<span class="sc">A.D.</span> 1455–1468). The King
appreciated and enjoyed him greatly, and there was no <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e1644" href="#xd21e1644" name=
"xd21e1644">96</SPAN>]</span>one of the Court who could surpass him for
influence and royal favour. Confident in his position, Han did as he
pleased, wielding absolute power. At that time, like grass before the
wind, the world bowed at his coming; no one dared utter a word of
remonstrance.</p>
<p class="par">When Han went as governor to Pyong-an Province he did
all manner of lawless things. Any one daring to cross his wishes in the
least was dealt with by torture and death. The whole Province feared
him as they would a tiger.</p>
<p class="par">On a certain day Governor Han, hearing that the Deputy
Prefect of Son-chon had a very beautiful daughter, called the Deputy,
and said, “I hear that you have a very beautiful daughter, whom I
would like to make my concubine. When I am on my official rounds
shortly, I shall expect to stop at your town and take her. So be ready
for me.”</p>
<p class="par">The Deputy, alarmed, said, “How can your
Excellency say that your servant’s contemptible daughter is
beautiful? Some one has reported her wrongly. But since you so command,
how can I do but accede gladly?” So he bowed, said his farewell,
and went home.</p>
<p class="par">On his return his family noticed that his face was
clouded with anxiety, and the daughter asked why it was. “Did the
Governor call you, father?” asked she; “and why are you so
anxious? Tell <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e1654" href="#xd21e1654" name="xd21e1654">97</SPAN>]</span>me, please.” At
first, fearing that she would be disturbed, he did not reply, but her
repeated questions forced him, so that he said, “I am in trouble
on your account,” and then told of how the Governor wanted her
for his concubine. “If I had refused I would have been killed, so
I yielded; but a gentleman’s daughter being made a concubine is a
disgrace unheard of.”</p>
<p class="par">The daughter made light of it and laughed. “Why
did you not think it out better than that, father? Why should a grown
man lose his life for the sake of a girl? Let the daughter go. By
losing one daughter and saving your life, you surely do better than
saving your daughter and losing your life. One can easily see where the
greater advantage lies. A daughter does not count; give her over,
that’s all. Don’t for a moment think otherwise, just put
away your distress and anxiety. We women, every one of us, are under
the ban, and such things are decreed by Fate. I shall accept without
any opposition, so please have no anxiety. It is settled now, and you,
father, must yield and follow. If you do so all will be
well.”</p>
<p class="par">The father sighed, and said in reply, “Since you
seem so willing, my mind is somewhat relieved.” But from this
time on the whole house was in distress. The girl alone seemed
perfectly unmoved, not showing the slightest sign of fear. She
<span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e1660" href="#xd21e1660" name=
"xd21e1660">98</SPAN>]</span>laughed as usual, her light and happy laugh,
and her actions seemed wonderfully free.</p>
<p class="par">In a little the Governor reached Son-chon on his rounds.
He then called the Deputy, and said, “Make ready your daughter
for to-morrow and all the things needed.” The Deputy came home
and made preparation for the so-called wedding. The daughter said,
“This is not a real wedding; it is only the taking of a
concubine, but still, make everything ready in the way of refreshments
and ceremony as for a real marriage.” So the father did as she
requested.</p>
<p class="par">On the day following the Governor came to the house of
the Deputy. He was not dressed in his official robes, but came simply
in the dress and hat of a commoner. When he went into the inner
quarters he met the daughter; she stood straight before him. Her two
hands were lifted in ceremonial form, but instead of holding a fan to
hide her face she held a sword before her. She was very pretty. He gave
a great start of surprise, and asked the meaning of the knife that she
held. She ordered her nurse to reply, who said, “Even though I am
an obscure countrywoman, I do not forget that I am born of the gentry;
and though your Excellency is a high Minister of State, still to take
me by force is an unheard-of dishonour. If you take me as your real and
true wife I’ll serve you <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e1666"
href="#xd21e1666" name="xd21e1666">99</SPAN>]</span>with all my heart, but
if you are determined to take me as a concubine I shall die now by this
sword. For that reason I hold it. My life rests on one word from your
Excellency. Speak it, please, before I decide.”</p>
<p class="par">The Governor, though a man who observed no ceremony and
never brooked a question, when he saw how beautiful and how determined
this maiden was, fell a victim to her at once, and said, “If you
so decide, then, of course, I’ll make you my real
wife.”</p>
<p class="par">Her answer was, “If you truly mean it, then please
withdraw and write out the certificate; send the gifts; provide the
goose; dress in the proper way; come, and let us go through the
required ceremony; drink the pledge-glass, and wed.”</p>
<p class="par">The Governor did as she suggested, carried out the forms
to the letter, and they were married.</p>
<p class="par">She was not only a very pretty woman, but upright and
true of soul—a rare person indeed. The Governor took her home,
loved her and held her dear. He had, however, a real wife before and
concubines, but he set them all aside and fixed his affections on this
one only. She remonstrated with him over his wrongs and unrighteous
acts, and he listened and made improvement. The world took note of it,
and praised her as a true and wonderful woman. She counted herself the
real wife, but the <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e1677" href="#xd21e1677" name="xd21e1677">100</SPAN>]</span>first wife treated her as
a concubine, and all the relatives said likewise that she could never
be considered a real wife. At that time King Se-jo frequently, in the
dress of a commoner, used to visit Han’s house. Han entertained
him royally with refreshments, which his wife used to bring and offer
before him. He called her his “little sister.” On a certain
day King Se-jo, as he was accustomed, came to the house, and while he
was drinking he suddenly saw the woman fall on her face before him. The
King in surprise inquired as to what she could possibly mean by such an
act. She then told all the story of her being taken by force and
brought to Seoul. She wept while she said, “Though I am from a
far-distant part of the country I am of the gentry by ancestry, and my
husband took me with all the required ceremonies of a wife, so that I
ought not to be counted a concubine. But there is no law in this land
by which a second real wife may be taken after a first real wife
exists, so they call me a concubine, a matter of deepest disgrace.
Please, your Majesty, take pity on me and decide my case.”</p>
<p class="par">The King laughed, and said, “This is a simple
matter to settle; why should my little sister make so great an affair
of it, and bow before me? I will decide your case at once. Come.”
He then wrote out with his own hand a document making her a
<span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e1681" href="#xd21e1681" name=
"xd21e1681">101</SPAN>]</span>real wife, and her children eligible for the
highest office. He wrote it, signed it, stamped it and gave it to
her.</p>
<p class="par">From that time on she was known as a real wife, in rank
and standing equal to the first one. No further word was ever
slightingly spoken, and her children shared in the affairs of
State.</p>
<p class="par signed"><span class="sc">Im Bang.</span> <span class="pagenum">[<SPAN name="xd21e1689" href="#xd21e1689" name=
"xd21e1689">102</SPAN>]</span></p>
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<div id="ch20" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<SPAN href="#xd21e391">Contents</SPAN>]</span>
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