Chapter I

In the far away days of the olden time when the earth was still in its childhood and when the city of Hpyeng-Yang was the capital of Korea, there was numbered among its inhabitants a high dignitary of the Court, Sun-Yen by name, who owed his exalted position solely to his intelligence and capability.

Although very rich, Sun-Yen looked down upon no one. On the contrary, he sought diligently to help all those who came within his sphere of influence. His greatest happiness lay in alleviating the sorrows of others. He was, therefore, beloved by the people who saw in Sun-Yen a most disinterested protector in whom they had absolute confidence.

Now one day, all things changed as all things sometimes do. Fortune, so long favorable to Sun-Yen, forsook him. Formerly happy and influential, our friend (for call him such we will) was to become the most unfortunate and the most miserable of men. It was due to the following circumstances.

The King of Korea was giving a grand and sumptuous banquet to the Governors of the various provinces and the ladies of the Court. The occasion was a very merry one. Shouts of joy and the chords of harmonious music were heard on all sides. When Sun-Yen was informed of this, instead of rejoicing with the others, he became a prey to great sadness. To get away from his own thoughts, he resolved to go visit his friend, San-Houni, one of the greatest scholars of Korea. So Sun-Yen, the benevolent, set out accompanied by his servant--a faithful and trusted fellow.

While on his way thither, his attention was suddenly drawn to a great crowd of people by the roadside. “Go, see what is the matter,” he said to his servant. The latter hastened--as all good servants do--to obey his master’s orders. He made a way through the crowd which had gathered and soon learned the reason for the gathering.

They were about to carry away several people who had died by the highway. As soon as the servant saw this ghastly spectacle he returned to his master and told him what had taken place. Sun-Yen was profoundly moved when he heard it but, losing no time in passive sympathy, he summoned a police agent, of whom he demanded, “Do you know what caused the death of those unfortunates?”

“Yes, sir, they died of hunger.”

“Why not carry them away then instead of leaving them there on the road?” continued Sun, in a tone of reproach.

“I was about to do exactly as you suggest, sir,” said the agent, who, with a quickened step, went toward the group which by this time had increased materially.

Sun did not continue on his way to see his friend, San-Houni. He went direct to the Palace and was immediately ushered into the presence of the King.

The monarch accorded Sun a hearty welcome, saying, “It has been a very long time since I have had the pleasure of having you come to see me.”

“Sire,” replied Sun-Yen, “I rarely leave the comfort of my humble home.”

“And what is it that keeps you so close at home?”

“Sire, either my duties or sickness. The reason I have come to see you to-day is because I have a very important revelation to make to you. Several of your subjects have just died of starvation by the roadside. The thing at first appeared incredible to me. I could not believe that, if my King knew the sad conditions in which so many of his people are living, he would give himself up to pleasure as you are doing. However, I have secured the evidence. Just a few moments ago, I saw with my own eyes three wretches who had died from want of food.”

These words seemed deeply to impress the King who, with a trace of emotion in his voice, inquired of Sun, “Tell me, what should be done? I can scarcely believe that this misfortune took place while I was leading this life of idleness and pleasure.”

“Sire,” continued Sun-Yen respectfully, “here lies the source of the whole trouble. Who pays the expenses of your amusements? Your people and no one else, and the Governors instead of doing their duty are also leading a frivolous and even vicious life. You can believe the words of your old servant whose devotion to your interests you are well aware of.”

“I thank you for this frankness,” rejoined the King, “but candidly I can hardly credit what you have just told me. I shall look more fully into this affair.”

At these words, Sun left his sovereign and went home and told his wife what he had done--the mark of a dutiful husband.

“You acted nobly,” she said, “but my intuition tells me that your devotion to the King will cost you dearly.”

“Why?” asked Sun.

“The King will not follow your advice. This is the course things are going to take, mark my words. The Governors, forewarned by your complaint, will not allow themselves to be injured and their pleasures curtailed, and upon you their anger will surely fall. Yes, I fear the consequences of to-day’s work.”

“Reassure yourself, my dear, the King took my words in a very good spirit and he has never yet made light of my advice.”

“I hope with all my heart that you are right. Let us see what time will bring forth.”

The King in reality did change his way of living. His conduct made him a bit remorseful. He promptly followed up Sun’s complaint and summoned his Prime Minister.

This official, who was named Ja-Jo-Mi, came immediately. He was a man whose severity of character and conduct had earned for him a terrible reputation. Although no one knew of it, he had conceived the scheme of usurping the throne but up to the present time had revealed his intentions to nobody.

The King demanded of his Minister, “Have you nothing new to tell me?”

“Absolutely nothing, sire.”

At these words, the King cried in an excited voice, “What, you, the Prime Minister, and you do not know that several of my people have just died by the roadside and that their death was caused from lack of food? If there is any one who should be well informed about what is going on in my Kingdom, it should certainly be you.”

“Sire, from whom did you get this news?”

“From Sun-Yen.”

“Ah, I can scarcely understand how this can be. I have just received the reports from the police and I did not see a single word on the subject of this affair, therefore, I am quite astounded.”

“However that may be,” said the King, “I command that this evening’s fete shall not continue an instant longer.”

“Your orders shall be executed. Sire, as soon as I have carried them out I shall return to my office and secure what testimony I can about this matter. The guilty parties shall have their just deserts.”

Bowing humbly before the monarch, Ja-Jo-Mi withdrew. A few minutes later and the Palace, which formerly echoed to the shouts of merrymaking, was in complete silence.

The Prime Minister, upon retiring to his office gave himself up to reflection upon the situation. He was greatly troubled because he feared that he might be removed from his office by the revelations of Sun-Yen. “That fellow is an infernal nuisance and might bring down the King’s wrath upon my head. To prevent a recurrence of such things there is but one thing to be done--to get rid of him by sending him into exile. With this dangerous fool out of the way, nothing, nor nobody, can oppose me in the execution of my ambitious designs and I can easily secure the throne.”

Such in substance were the reflections of the Prime Minister, but it would be necessary to find a pretext for the exile of Sun and Ja-Jo-Mi, the clever, was not long in devising a scheme.

He resolved to write a letter to San-Houni full of bitter criticisms and threats against the King. This letter he would sign with the name of Sun-Yen. Then he would place it in the King’s hands with the story that it had been found on the road by a police agent.

No sooner said than done. The letter was written. Ja-Jo-Mi, adopting a disguise, left his home and, dropping the missive in the path of an agent of police, passed on in the darkness of the Korean night. When the agent walked by he picked up the letter and naturally glanced around but there was no one in sight. He carried the note directly to his chief so that the latter could look over the contents and restore it to its owner.

The Chief of Police read the letter through with great astonishment. Desiring to give a proof of his zeal, he ran to the palace and in a mysterious manner demanded an immediate audience with the King. The monarch had the Chief of Police brought to him at once and was given the forged letter. One can well imagine the surprise of the King. Anxious for light upon the amazing situation he again called his Prime Minister.

Ja-Jo-Mi, the clever, came with dispatch. The King passed over to him the malicious letter, asking if he believed that Sun-Yen was really the author. The Prime Minister pretended to read the communication. He saw that the King was in a state of uncertainty and he determined to take advantage of it in order to ruin Sun-Yen, once and for all time.

“Sire,” he said, “it often happens that we are deceived by those whom we deem most faithful. As far as Sun is concerned, I consider him perfectly capable of this infamous business. I have known for a long while that he has been thinking and dreaming of taking your place on the throne. As for the annoyance which he caused you a short time ago, he was the principal instigator of that himself.”

“That’s enough, my faithful Ja-Jo-Mi. Have Sun thrown into prison. He will be tried immediately.”

The Prime Minister, rejoicing over his triumph, had Sun-Yen taken into custody. When the King was informed of his arrest he went personally to interview the prisoner.

“Do you recognize this?” he shouted in rage, holding out the letter.

Words fail to give an idea of Sun’s astonishment. He realized that he was the victim of a devilish plot but such was his stupefaction that he could utter nothing in his own defense. He burst into tears.

The King continued: “I would never have believed this of you.”

“Sire, I know nothing of this,” wailed the wretched Sun.

These words irritated the King.

“Ah, you understand nothing,” he cried. “Tell me, then, who is the writer of this letter?”

“In any case, it was not I, sire.”

“Of course. Now just listen to me. You have heard the proverb about the smoke?”

“Yes, sire.”

“Well, you know where there is smoke there is fire. I mean by this that if you had not been moved by evil intentions, you would not have addressed this letter to your friend.”

“Sire, I see whence comes this evil. The revelations which I recently made to you have stirred up hatred in the hearts of certain personages who desire to bring about my ruin. There’s a black heart at work. I swear to you that I am innocent.”

“So that’s all you have to say for yourself? That’s enough.”

The King withdrew, leaving Sun in despair. He ordered the Prime Minister to banish Sun at once and designated his place of exile as Kang-Sin. San-Houni, who was also compromised in the plot, was exiled to Ko-Kum-To.

Escorted to his home by an agent of police, Sun told his wife what had happened. The unfortunate woman was prostrated with grief.

“What did I tell you the other day,” she said to her husband, but she soon gained control of herself and regarded the misfortune which had fallen on both of them in a calm light.

“Let us be resigned, my dear. Doubtless it will be painful to live so far from our King and our friends but at least we shall have peace in the future.”

Without delay, they busied themselves with preparations for the departure. Sun summoned a few poor families to whom he distributed the little money he possessed.

’Twas but a short while and the moment to leave was at hand. Sun-Yen and his wife found it hard to break away from the embraces of their relatives and weeping friends.

* * * * *

_Here endeth the first step of our legend._

II