LI
STRANGELY STRICKEN DEAD
There was once a man called Kim Tok-saing, a soldier of fortune, who had been specially honoured at the Court of Tai-jong. He had several times been generalissimo of the army, and on his various campaigns had had an intimate friend accompany him, a friend whom he greatly loved. But Kim had been dead now for some ten years and more, when one night this friend of his was awakened with a start and gave a great outcry. He slept again, but a little later was disturbed once more by a fright, at which he called out. His wife, not liking this, inquired as to what he meant. The friend said, “I have just seen General Kim riding on a white horse, with bow and arrows at his belt. He called to me and said, ‘A thief has just entered my home, and I have come to shoot him dead.’ He went and again returned, and as he drew an arrow from his quiver, I saw that there were blood marks on it. He said, ‘I have just shot him, he is dead.’” The husband and wife in fear and wonder talked over it together.
When morning came the friend went to General Kim’s former home to make inquiry. He learned that that very night Kim’s young widow had decided to remarry, but as soon as the chosen fiancé had entered her home, a terrible pain shot him through, and before morning came he died in great agony.
LII
THE MYSTERIOUS HOI TREE
Prince Pa-song’s house was situated just inside of the great East Gate, and before it was a large Hoi tree. On a certain night the Prince’s son-in-law was passing by the roadway that led in front of the archers’ pavilion. There he saw a great company of bowmen, more than he could number, all shooting together at the target. A moment later he saw them practising riding, some throwing spears, some hurling bowls, some shooting from horseback, so that the road in front of the pavilion was blocked against all comers. Some shouted as he came by, “Look at that impudent rascal! He attempts to ride by without dismounting.” They caught him and beat him, paying no attention to his cries for mercy, and having no pity for the pain he suffered, till one tall fellow came out of their serried ranks and said in an angry voice to the crowd, “He is my master; why do you treat him so?” He undid his bonds, took him by the arm and led him home. When the son-in-law reached the gate he looked back and saw the man walk under the Hoi tree and disappear. He then learned, too, that all the crowd of archers were spirits and not men, and that the tall one who had befriended him was a spirit too, and that he had come forth from their particular Hoi tree.