Korean Folk Tales by Yuk Yi & Pang Im

Author:Yuk Yi & Pang Im [Yi, Yuk]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9788028361358
Publisher: Copycat
Published: 2024-03-28T00:00:00+00:00

XXV

THE HONEST WITCH

Table of Contents

[Song Sang-in matriculated in 1601. He was a just man, and feared by the dishonest element of the Court. In 1605 he graduated and became a provincial governor. He nearly lost his life in the disturbances of the reign of King Kwang-hai, and was exiled to Quelpart for a period of ten years, but in the spring of 1623 he was recalled.]

The Story

Table of Contents

There was a Korean once, called Song Sang-in, whose mind was upright and whose spirit was true. He hated witches with all his might, and regarded them as deceivers of the people. “By their so-called prayers,” said he, “they devour the people’s goods. There is no limit to the foolishness and extravagance that accompanies them. This doctrine of theirs is all nonsense. Would that I could rid the earth of them and wipe out their names for ever.”

Some time later Song was appointed magistrate of Nam Won County in Chulla Province. On his arrival he issued the following order: “If any witch is found in this county, let her be beaten to death.” The whole place was so thoroughly spied upon that all the witches made their escape to other prefectures. The magistrate thought, “Now we are rid of them, and that ends the matter for this county at any rate.”

On a certain day he went out for a walk, and rested for a time at Kwang-han Pavilion. As he looked out from his coign of vantage, he saw a woman approaching on horseback with a witch’s drum on her head. He looked intently to make sure, and to his astonishment he saw that she was indeed a mutang (witch). He sent a yamen-runner to have her arrested, and when she was brought before him he asked, “Are you a mutang?”

She replied, “Yes, I am.”

“Then,” said he, “you did not know of the official order issued?”

“Oh yes, I heard of it,” was her reply.

He then asked, “Are you not afraid to die, that you stay here in this county?”

The mutang bowed, and made answer, “I have a matter of complaint to lay before your Excellency to be put right; please take note of it and grant my request. It is this: There are true mutangs and false mutangs. False mutangs ought to be killed, but you would not kill an honest mutang, would you? Your orders pertain to false mutangs; I do not understand them as pertaining to those who are true. I am an honest mutang; I knew you would not kill me, so I remained here in peace.”

The magistrate asked, “How do you know that there are honest mutangs?”

The woman replied, “Let’s put the matter to the test and see. If I am not proven honest, let me die.”

“Very well,” said the magistrate; “but can you really make good, and do you truly know how to call back departed spirits?”

The mutang answered, “I can.”

The magistrate suddenly thought of an intimate friend who had been dead for some time, and he

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