The reply was, “Prepare a sacrifice, offer the coat by fire, and it will reach me.”
He then bade good-bye, and the King sent with him two soldier guards. He asked the soldiers, as they came out, who the one seated on the throne was. “He is the King of Hades,” said they; “his surname is Pak and his given name is Oo.”
They arrived at the bank of a river, and the two soldiers pushed him into the water. He awoke with a start, and found that he had been dead for three days.
When he recovered from his sickness he came up to Seoul, searched out the house indicated, and made careful inquiry as to the name, finding that it was no other than Pak Oo. Pak Oo had two sons, who at that time had graduated and were holding office. The graduate wanted to see the sons of this King of Hades, but the gatekeeper would not let him in. Therefore he stood before the red gate waiting helplessly till the sun went down. Then came out from the inner quarters of the house an old servant, to whom he earnestly made petition that he might see the master. On being thus requested, the servant returned and reported it to the master, who, a little later, ordered him in. On entering, he saw two gentlemen who seemed to be chiefs. They had him sit down, and then questioned him as to who he was and what he had to say.
He replied, “I am a student living in Yon-nan County, Whang-hai Province. On such and such a day I died and went into the other world, where your honorable father gave me such and such a commission.”
The two listened for a little and then, without waiting to hear all that he had to say, grew very angry and began to scold him, saying, “How dare such a scarecrow as you come into our house and say such things as these? This is stuff and nonsense that you talk. Pitch him out,” they shouted to the servants.
He, however, called back saying, “I have a proof; listen. If it fails, why then, pitch me out.”
One of the two said, “What possible proof can you have?” Then the scholar told with great exactness and care the story of the head button.
The two, in astonishment over this, had the book taken down and examined, and sure enough in Vol. III of the Book of History was the button referred to. Not a single particular had failed. It proved to be a button that they had missed after the death of their father, and that they had searched for in vain.
Accepting the message now as true, they all entered upon a period of mourning.