The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-14
AN ANCIENT KING OF JAPAN.
A COre0n FOli<-LOre Tale of "a Fish
crman and His Wife.

erman and His wife.
Homer B. Hubert principal of the Cow
eminent Normal School at Seoul, Korea,
in the Springfield Republican.
on the Eastern coast of Korea in the an
clent kingdom of Sia lived a humble
fisherman named Yango, with his wife,
sayo. Every day Yango went down to
the shore to runt for edible seaweed which
he usually found clinging to the rocks
when the tide went down. They led a
quiet, industrious life with no greater am
bition than to perform faithfully the ord
mary duties of life and to transmit to their
descendants an untarnished name. Per-
haps 1t was for this very reason that Prov
idence deemed them worthy Of a higher
place.
One day Yango took his basket and rake
and trudged off along the shore until he
came to a favorite spot of his huge
bowlder that overhung the water. He al
ways slipped off his shoes before ascend
ing the rock. for who knew but that there
might be some spirit connected with this
rock that had the power TO do him harm
or good. SO now he took them off and
climbed to the top where he was soon
deep in a fragrant pipe of tobacco aud
dreaming of what he would DO If the good
genius of the stone should deign to help
him. Suddenly the great bowider began
to tremble and rock and then breaking
away from its foundations rose straight in
the air The terrified Yango chung to it's
rough surface and tried to think what sin
he had committed of which this might be
the punishment. But his conscience was
clear and so his terror gradually turned
to wonder. BY this time he was high in
air and his novel ship was bearing him
away toward the East, as he could see by
the water beneath and the receding noun
tains OF his native Silla. Ere long he found
himself nearing the islands of Japan and
before he realized 1t he was landed gent
" in the midst Of a Japanese village,
whose inhabitants fed, of course, in all
directions. 1t was a long time before any
Of them would venture back, but when
they did he gave account of himself as
best he could by signs. In spite OF his
rough clothes, they would believe nothing,
less than that he had been sent by the
gods to be their king, so they crowned
him on the spot ard sent into all the Sur
rounding country calling upon the people
to come in and swear allegiance to him.
Meanwhile. what had become of Sayo2
When she found that her Yango did not
return for the night she concluded like
a sensible woman that he had wandered
along the shore so far that he had found
II impossible TO return and had found
lodging at the house of friend, but when
the next day came and no Yango APP
reared she became anxious, and set out
in search of him. She took the accustom-
ed path down to the old rock and there to
her dismay she saw the shoes of her tru-
ant lord. Dreading to climb the rock for
fear of finding him dead upon it's summit,
she yet forced herself to do So She was
greatly relieved, as well as greatly per-
picked, to find no one there. Where could
he have gone without his shoes. As she
stood wondering at this. the rock once
more rose and carried her away east
ward. Her terror was as great as her
husbands until the thought came that
this might be the explanation of his
strange disappearance. And so II turned
out for within the hour she was in his
arms.
But her strange departure had been wit
messed by some farmers, and in an incred-
IDLY short time the story had spread
through the length and breadth of Silla.
1t happened on the very next day that
after the story had been told the King
that the astrologers and seers of Silla
came in a body to the palace and begged
for an immediate audience with the King.
When admitted they made the astound-
ing statement: "The sun and moon have
refused TO shine longer upon Silla, but
have reserved all their light for Japan"
Indeed 1t seemed to be true, for an omin-
Gus gloom had already begun to settle
over the land, and was deepening every
moment. Nothing can describe the con-
sternation that reigned in the palace. II
was only by the strong personal efforts
of the King that sufficient order was re-
stored to consult concerning means for
propitiating those important luminaries.
The two strange events, the miraculous
departure of Yango and Sayo, and the oc-
cultation of the sun and moon, connect
ed themselves very strongly in the mind
OF the King, and knowing not what else
to do, he dispatched an envoy to Japan
TO hunt up the involuntary exiles and
bring them back If possible.
No sooner had this envoy set foot on
Japanese soil than he heard on every
side the praises of the new king and
queen, the very personns he had come 10
find. He FASTENED straight 70 court and
besought them to return with him or else
their native land would be doomed to per-
petual night. Yango who seems to have
adapted himself to his changed fortunes
with remarkable facility, made answer:
81 would willingly go with you, but 1t is
plainly the hand Of Providence that has
placed me here 20 rule this people. How,
then, can / betray the trust reposed In me
and thus openly oppose the will of heav-
en?" Before the envoy could find words
to petition further the Queen, Sayro, said:
81 have here some rolls of silk: take them
to your king and tell him to make OF Il
broad sheet and spread it upon the ground
and perform upon It the sacrifices 10 the
sun and moon If he does this they will
again give light" The envoy needed no
second bidding but posted back at hight
Of speed to Sla, which he found sunk
in profounder gloom than ever. The land
was on the verge of anarchy. Breathless.
he hurried into the presence of the King
and unfolded his tale Soon the nimble
fingers of the palace ladies were busy
cutting the silk into lengths and sewing
them together. The royal eortege passed
out of the gate with almost unseemly
haste, by the light Of flaming torches.
The mystic sheet was spread and the
King, his voice trembling with suppressed
emotion, pronounced the words Of invoca-
ton.
As the last word fell from his lips there
came a burst Of glorious light. The sun
blazed forth. binding for an instant their
unaccustomed eyes, and then there rose
from the assembled multitude a shout that
made the very heavens throb and palpi-
tate. Not a vestige Of the dreadful curse
but the smoking torches
The whole nation gave itself up to uni
versal holiday. The sax was placed IN a
box, which was named "The King Box"
and was preserved as a precious heirloom
OF the realm. The grateful King confer
rcd upOn thQ village from which YanEO