Eerie Tales from Old Korea
Page 11
“‘I am an old man, and I have read much history and heard of many famous women. There are many examples of devotion that move the heart, but I never saw so faithful a life or one so devoted to another. God, taking note of this, has brought all her purposes to pass. And now, not to let this moment of joy go by, you must stay with me tonight.’
“When I met Ta-hong I was most happy, especially as I heard of her years of faithfulness. As to the invitation, I declined it, saying I could not think, even though we had so agreed, of taking away one who waited in attendance upon His Excellency. But the old man laughed, saying, ‘She is not mine. I simply let her be called my concubine in name lest my nephews or some younger members of the clan should steal her away. She is first of all a faithful woman. I have not known her like before.’
“The old man then had the horse sent back and the servants, also a letter to my parents saying that I would stay the night. He ordered the servants to prepare a room, put in beautiful screens and embroidered matting, hang up lights, and decorate as for a bridegroom. Thus he celebrated our meeting.
“Next morning I bade good-bye, and I went and told my parents all about my meeting with Ta-hong and what had happened. They gave consent that I should have her, and she was brought and made a member of our family, really my only wife.
“Her life and behavior being beyond that of the ordinary, in serving those above her and in helping those below, she fulfilled all the requirements of the ancient code. Her work, too, was faithfully done, and her gifts in the way of music and chess* were most exceptional. I loved her as I never can tell.
“A little later I went as magistrate to Geumsan County in Jeolla-do and Ta-hong went with me. We were there for two years. She declined our too frequent happy times together, saying that it interfered with efficiency and duty. One day, all unexpectedly, she came to me and requested that we should have a little quiet time, with no others present, as she had something special to tell me. I asked her what it was, and she said to me, ‘I am going to die, for my span of life is finished; so let us be glad once more and forget all the sorrows of the world.’ I wondered when I heard this. I could not think it true and asked her how she could tell beforehand that she was going to die. She said, ‘I know, there is no mistake about it.’
“In four or five days she fell ill, but not seriously, and yet a day or two later she died. She said to me when dying, ‘Our life is ordered, God decides it all. While I lived I gave myself to you, and you most kindly responded in return. I have no regrets. As I die, I ask only that my body be buried where it may rest by the side of my master when he passes away, so that when we meet in the regions beyond I shall be with you once again.’ When she had so said, she died.
“Her face was beautiful, not like the face of the dead, but like the face of the living. I was plunged into deepest grief and prepared her body with my own hands for burial. Our custom is that when a second wife dies, she is not buried with the family, but I made some excuse and had her interred in our family site in the county of Goyang. I did so to carry out her wishes. When I came as far as Geumgang River on my sad journey, I wrote a verse:
O beautiful Bud, of the beautiful Flower,
We bear thy form on the willow bier;
Whither has gone thy sweet perfumed soul?
The rains fall on us to tell us of thy tears and of thy faithful way.
“I wrote this as a love tribute to my faithful Ta-hong. After her death, whenever anything serious was to happen in my home, she always came to tell me beforehand, and never was there a mistake in her announcements. For several years it has continued thus, till a few days ago she appeared in a dream saying, ‘Master, the time of your departure has come, and we are to meet again. I am now making ready for your glad reception.’
“For this reason I have bidden all my associates farewell. Last night she came once more and said to me, ‘Tomorrow is your day.’ We wept together in the dream as we met and talked. In the morning, when I awoke, marks of tears were still upon my cheeks. This is not because I fear to die, but because I have seen my Ta-hong. Now that you have asked me, I have told you all. Tell it to no one.”
So Sim died, as was foretold, on the day following. Strange, indeed!
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* I.e., janggi, a Korean game similar to chess.
Credits
Publisher Kim Hyung-geun
Editor Kim Eugene
Copy Editor Daisy Larios
Designer Min So-young