The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-11-20
TONG OUTN|IS THE DEVIL
INTERESTING BIT OF COREAN
MYTHOLOGY.
How the Methuseah of the Peninsula
Got the Better of Satanat His Own
Game.

The Coredns have an intete ting leg
END concerning the manner in winch
! 'Iout-iak-Suk. the Mcthuselah of
! their mythology, got the better OF Sa-
! tan. long lived 1000 years and ac-
quired great wisdom. The later years
of his me were spent in fishing, but
not wishing to diminish the stock of
fish in the river he used a straight
piece of wire instead Of hook. Thus
he was able to enjoy the excitement
and pleasure of fishing for several
centuries without catching single
fish.
Realizing that sooner or later the
devil who did deaths errands would
be looking him up. he changed his
name and abode with each generation
and thus eluded him. In the mean
time the evil one disguised himself in
flowing Corean robe which covered
up his tail. concealed his horns under
Il mourner's hat three feet in dame
ter, and wrapped his legs in curious
| padded stockings. so that he easily
passed for a native He heard that
Tong was fishing in the Hdu river. SO
he collected a quantity of charcoal
and washed it in that stream. This.
Of course, blackened the water. and
Tony. being surprised and annoyed
went Up to discover the cause. Find
ing the devil washing the charcoal ne
asked him what he was doing. The
devil replied that he was trying to
make it white.
Old Tong in his establishment was
thrown of his guard and said; II
have lived in Corea hundreds Of years
and Of course have met mary fools,
but never saw a big enough fool 10
try to wash charcoal white"
Tie devil at oToe 'N"w his wan.
and unfolded his tail by way Of cT-
hibitiov his warract Of arrest seized
Tone ard hurried him alcor in the
direction Of that dar; Mortal through
which all mortals must pass.
On the way the devil being in good
hmnor over his success. chatted very
pleasantly with Tong. who yentured
10 ask him what lie abaoiTcd and was
, most afraid OF. The devil maze ia
TAI Dluuurt-one ~uIcl lug-t nave
Deen e&cusdo.c tOr mortal, out was
most stupid Tor a deNll-he tOld the
truth. Ae sad that he hated and al
so feared but four terrestrial tnInss
, IA branch of thorn tree, an empty
salt bag, Il worn out stray sandal or
an OK, and Il peculiar kind OF grass
, that grows in Corea-the foN-tail-and
that when these were put together ne
could not go within thirty feet OF
I them.
In return the devil asked Tong what
: he most feared. Tong, being wise anG
: experienced. lied and said he was in
mortal terror of a roasted OK mead
and mackalee-a kind Of beer.
Shortly after this exchange of con
fidences Tong noticed that they We're
passing a thorn tree, around the roots
Of which foNtail grass was growing.
and curious,y under it were an old salt
bag ard a cast off on sandal: so. max
ing a sudden spring from the side of
the devil, he gathered up the bag, the
grass and the sandal, and hanging
them on a branch of the tree his new
charm was perfect The devil could
not come within thirty feet.
OF course the devil used every in
ducement to get Tong to come forth,
but the old fellow stuck to his posi-.
At last the devil went off ard got a
roasted OK head and cask of macK1-
alec and rolled them in to Tong, con
, fident from what he had told him that
Tong would be driven outside the
magic circle. But when he saw Tong
eating heartily of the beef and drink
: ing the maclialee with gusto he real
lied that the game was up and de
spairingly withdrew.
longs long life was due to the ac-
cident by which his page in the Book
Of Fate stuck to the next one. so that
his name was overlooked. When u1ti-
!. mately the complaint was made that
J.. Tong had been living too long. it took
the registrar of the lower regions ilG