Chun Yang

THE FAITHFUL DANCING-GIRL WIFE.

In the city of Nam Won, in Chull Lah Do (the southern province of
Korea), lived the Prefect Ye Tung Uhi. He was the happy father of a son
of some sixteen years of age. Being an only child the boy was naturally
much petted. He was not an ordinary young man, however, for in addition
to a handsome, manly face and stalwart figure, he possessed a bright,
quick mind, and was naturally clever. A more dutiful son could not be
found. He occupied a house in the rear of his father's quarters, and
devoted himself to his books, going regularly each evening to make his
obeisance to his father, and express his wish that pleasant, refreshing
sleep might come to him; then, in the morning, before breakfasting,
he was wont to go and enquire how the new day had found his father.

The Prefect was but recently appointed to rule over the Nam Won
district when the events about to be recorded occurred. The winter
months had been spent mostly indoors, but as the mild spring weather
approached and the buds began to open to the singing of the joyful
birds, Ye Toh Ryung, or Toh Ryung, the son, felt that he must get out
and enjoy nature. Like an animal that has buried itself in a hole in
the earth, he came forth rejoicing; the bright yellow birds welcomed
him from the willow trees, the soft breezes fanned his cheeks, and the
freshness of the air exhilarated him. He called his pang san (valet)
and asked him concerning the neighboring views. The servant was a
native of the district, and knew the place well; he enumerated the
various places especially prized for their scenery, but concluded with:
"But of all rare views, 'Kang Hal Loo' is the rarest. Officers from the
eight provinces come to enjoy the scenery, and the temple is covered
with verses they have left in praise of the place." "Very well, then,
we will go there," said Toh Ryung "Go you and clean up the place for
my reception."

The servant hurried off to order the temple swept and spread with clean
mats, while his young master sauntered along almost intoxicated by the
freshness and new life of every thing around him. Arrived at the place,
after a long, tedious ascent of the mountain side, he flung himself
upon a huge bolster-like cushion, and with half-closed eyes, drank
in the beauty of the scene along with the balmy, perfume-laden spring
zephyrs. He called his servant, and congratulated him upon his taste,
declaring that were the gods in search of a fine view, they could
not find a place that would surpass this; to which the man answered:

"That is true; so true, in fact, that it is well known that the
spirits do frequent this place for its beauty."

As he said this, Toh Ryung had raised himself, and was leaning on one
arm, gazing out toward one side, when, as though it were one of the
spirits just mentioned, the vision of a beautiful girl shot up into the
air and soon fell back out of sight in the shrubbery of an adjoining
court-yard. He could just get a confused picture of an angelic face,
surrounded by hair like the black thunder-cloud, a neck of ravishing
beauty, and a dazzle of bright silks,--when the whole had vanished. He
was dumb with amazement, for he felt sure he must have seen one of
the spirits said to frequent the place; but before he could speak,
the vision arose again, and he then had time to see that it was but a
beautiful girl swinging in her dooryard. He did not move, he scarcely
breathed, but sat with bulging eyes absorbing the prettiest view he had
ever seen. He noted the handsome, laughing face, the silken black hair,
held back in a coil by a huge coral pin; he saw the jewels sparkling on
the gay robes, the dainty white hands and full round arms, from which
the breezes blew back the sleeves; and as she flew higher in her wild
sport, oh, joy! two little shoeless feet encased in white stockings,
shot up among the peach blossoms, causing them to fall in showers all
about her. In the midst of the sport her hairpin loosened and fell,
allowing her raven locks to float about her shoulders; but, alas! the
costly ornament fell on a rock and broke, for Toh Ryung could hear
the sharp click where he sat. This ended the sport, and the little
maid disappeared, all unconscious of the agitation she had caused in
a young man's breast by her harmless spring exercise.

After some silence, the young man asked his servant if he had seen
any thing, for even yet he feared his mind had been wandering close
to the dreamland. After some joking, the servant confessed to having
seen the girl swinging, whereupon his master demanded her name. "She
is Uhl Mahs' daughter, a gee sang (public dancing girl) of this
city; her name is Chun Yang Ye"--fragrant spring. "I yah! superb;
I can see her then, and have her sing and dance for me," exclaimed
Toh Ryung. "Go and call her at once, you slave."

The man ran, over good road and bad alike, up hill and down, panting as
he went; for while the back of the women's quarters of the adjoining
compound was near at hand, the entrance had to be reached by a long
circuit. Arriving out of breath, he pounded at the gate, calling the
girl by name.

"Who is that calls me?" she enquired when the noise had attracted
her attention.

"Oh, never mind who," answered the exhausted man, "it is great
business; open the door."

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

"I am nobody, and I want nothing; but Ye Toh Ryung is the Governor's
son, and he wants to see the Fragrant Spring."

"Who told Ye Toh Ryung my name?"

"Never mind who told him; if you did not want him to know you, then
why did you swing so publicly? The great man's son came here to rest
and see the beautiful views; he saw you swinging, and can see nothing
since. You must go, but you need not fear. He is a gentleman, and will
treat you nicely; if your dancing pleases him as did your swinging,
he may present you with rich gifts, for he is his father's only son."

Regretting in her proud spirit that fates had placed her in a
profession where she was expected to entertain the nobility whether it
suited her or not, the girl combed and arranged her hair, tightened her
sash, smoothed her disordered clothes, and prepared to look as any vain
woman would wish who was about to be presented to the handsomest and
most gifted young nobleman of the province. She followed the servant
slowly till they reached Toh Ryung's stopping place. She waited while
the servant announced her arrival, for a gee sang must not enter a
nobleman's presence unbidden. Toh Ryung was too excited to invite
her in, however, and his servant had to prompt him, when, laughing
at his own agitation, he pleasantly bade her enter and sit down.

"What is your name?" asked he.

"My name is Chun Yang Ye," she said, with a voice that resembled
silver jingling in a pouch.

"How old are you?"

"My age is just twice eight years."

"Ah ha!" laughed the now composed boy, "how fortunate; you are twice
eight, and I am four fours. We are of the same age. Your name, Fragrant
Spring, is the same as your face--very beautiful. Your cheeks are like
the petals of the mah hah that ushers in the soft spring. Your eyes
are like those of the eagle sitting on the ancient tree, but soft
and gentle as the moonlight," ran on the enraptured youth. "When is
your birthday?"

"My birthday occurs at midnight on the eighth day of the fourth moon,"
modestly replied the flattered girl, who was quickly succumbing to
the charms of the ardent and handsome young fellow, whose heart she
could see was already her own.

"Is it possible?" exclaimed he; "that is the date of the lantern
festival, and it is also my own birthday, only I was born at eleven
instead of twelve. I am sorry I was not born at twelve now. But it
doesn't matter. Surely the gods had some motive in sending us into
the world at the same time, and thus bringing us together at our
sixteenth spring-tide. Heaven must have intended us to be man and
wife"; and he bade her sit still as she started as though to take
her departure. Then he began to plead with her, pacing the room in
his excitement, till his attendant likened the sound to the combat
of ancient warriors. "This chance meeting of ours has a meaning," he
argued. "Often when the buds were bursting, or when the forest trees
were turning to fire and blood, have I played and supped with pretty
gee sang, watched them dance, and wrote them verses, but never before
have I lost my heart; never before have I seen any one so incomparably
beautiful. You are no common mortal. You were destined to be my wife;
you must be mine, you must marry me."

She wrinkled her fair brow and thought, for she was no silly,
foolish thing, and while her heart was almost, if not quite won by
this tempestuous lover, yet she saw where his blind love would not
let him see. "You know," she said, "the son of a nobleman may not
marry a gee sang without the consent of his parents. I know I am
a gee sang by name, the fates have so ordained, but, nevertheless,
I am an honorable woman, always have been, and expect to remain so."

"Certainly," he answered, "we cannot celebrate the 'six customs
ceremony' (parental arrangements, exchange of letters, contracts,
exchange of presents, preliminary visits, ceremony proper), but we
can be privately married just the same."

"No, it cannot be. Your father would not consent, and should we be
privately married, and your father be ordered to duty at some other
place, you would not dare take me with you. Then you would marry the
daughter of some nobleman, and I would be forgotten. It must not,
cannot be," and she arose to depart. "Stay, stay," he begged. "You
do me an injustice. I will never forsake you, or marry another. I
swear it. And a yang ban (noble) has but one mouth, he cannot speak
two ways. Even should we leave this place I will take you with me,
or return soon to you. You must not refuse me."

"But suppose you change your mind or forget your promises; words fly
out of the mouth and are soon lost, ink and paper are more lasting;
give me your promises in writing," she says.

Instantly the young man took up paper and brush; having rubbed the ink
well, he wrote: "A memorandum. Desiring to enjoy the spring scenery,
I came to Kang Hal Loo. There I saw for the first time my heaven-sent
bride. Meeting for the first time, I pledge myself for one hundred
years; to be her faithful husband. Should I change, show this paper to
the magistrate." Folding up the manuscript with care he handed it to
her. While putting it into her pocket she said: "Speech has no legs,
yet it can travel many thousands of miles. Suppose this matter should
reach your father's ears, what would you do?"

"Never fear; my father was once young, who knows but I may be following
the example of his early days. I have contracted with you, and we now
are married, even my father cannot change it. Should he discover our
alliance and disown me, I will still be yours, and together we shall
live and die."

She arose to go, and pointing with her jade-like hand to a clump of
bamboos, said: "There is my house; as I cannot come to you, you must
come to me and make my mother's house your home, as much as your duty
to your parents will allow."

As the sun began to burn red above the mountains' peaks, they bade
each other a fond adieu, and each departed for home accompanied by
their respective attendants.

Ye Toh Ryung went to his room, which now seemed a prison-like place
instead of the pleasant study he had found it. He took up a book,
but reading was no satisfaction, every word seemed to transform itself
into Chun or Yang. Every thought was of the little maid of the spring
fragrance. He changed his books, but it was no use, he could not even
keep them right side up, not to mention using them properly. Instead
of singing off his lessons as usual, he kept singing, Chun Yang Ye
poh go sip so (I want to see the spring fragrance), till his father,
hearing the confused sounds, sent to ascertain what was the matter
with his son. The boy was singing, "As the parched earth cries for
rain after the seven years' drought, so my heart pants for my Chun
Yang Ye, whose face to me is like the rays of the sun upon the earth
after a nine years' rain." He paid no heed to the servants, and soon
his father sent his private secretary, demanding what it was the boy
desired so much that he should keep singing. "I want to see, I want to
see." Toh Ryung answered that he was reading an uninteresting book,
and looking for another. Though he remained more quiet after this,
he still was all impatience to be off to his sweetheart-wife, and
calling his attendant, he sent him out to see how near the sun was
to setting. Enjoying the sport, the man returned, saying the sun was
now high over head.

"Begone," said he, "can any one hold back the sun; it had reached
the mountain tops before I came home."

At last the servant brought his dinner, for which he had no
appetite. He could ill abide the long delay between the dinner hour
and the regular time for his father's retiring. The time did come,
however, and when the lights were extinguished and his father had
gone to sleep, he took his trusty servant, and, scaling the back wall,
they hurried to the house of Chun Yang Ye.

As they approached they heard someone playing the harp, and singing of
the "dull pace of the hours when one's lover is away." Being admitted,
they met the mother, who, with some distrust, received Toh Ryung's
assurances and sent him to her daughter's apartments.

The house pleased him; it was neat and well-appointed. The public room,
facing the court, was lighted by a blue lantern, which in the mellow
light resembled a pleasure barge drifting on the spring flood. Banners
of poetry hung upon the walls. Upon the door leading to Chun Yang's
little parlor hung a banner inscribed with verses to her ancestors
and descendants, praying that "a century be short to span her life
and happiness, and that her children's children be blessed with
prosperity for a thousand years." Through the open windows could
be seen moonlight glimpses of the little garden of the swinging
girl. There was a miniature lake almost filled with lotus plants,
where two sleepy swans floated with heads beneath their wings, while
the occasional gleam of a gold or silver scale showed that the water
was inhabited. A summer-house on the water's edge was almost covered
with fragrant spring blossoms, the whole being enclosed in a little
grove of bamboo and willows, that shut out the view of outsiders.