Our Little Korean Cousin
By
H. Lee M. Pike
_Illustrated by_
L.J. Bridgman
Preface
Until very recently little has been known of the strange land in which
the subject of this tale lives. Recent events have done much to
introduce Korea and its people to the world at large. For this reason
the story of Yung Pak's youthful days may be the more interesting to his
Western cousins.
These are stirring times in Korea, and it may safely be prophesied that
the little Koreans of the present day will occupy a larger place in the
world's history than have their fathers and grandfathers. Their bright
eyes are now turned toward the light, and, under the uplifting
influences of education and civilization, the old superstitions and
antique customs are bound to give way.
Some famous Americans and Englishmen have had no small part in letting
in the light upon this dark nation, and in years to come, when Korea
shall have attained to the full stature of national strength, the names
of Rodgers, Blake, Kimberly, and many others will be held in high esteem
by the people of that country.
This little volume gives just a glimpse into the mode of life, the
habits and customs, the traditions and superstitions, of the Koreans. If
it awakens an interest in the minds of its young readers, and inspires
them with a desire for further knowledge of their cousins in this far
Eastern land, its purpose will be well served.
Contents
CHAPTER
I. SOME QUEER THINGS
II. YUNG PAK'S HOME
III. A GLIMPSE OF THE KING
IV. YUNG PAK AT SCHOOL
V. A LESSON IN HISTORY
VI. THE MONK'S STORY
VII. A JOURNEY
VIII. THE MONASTERY AT CHANG-AN-SA
IX. A FULL-FLEDGED TOP-KNOT
List of Illustrations
YUNG PAK A STREET IN SEOUL
"ALL THE BOYS SIT UPON THE FLOOR"
"HE MUST DROP TO HIS KNEES AND MAKE A PROFOUND SALUTE"
"ON THE UPPER PART OF EACH OF THESE POSTS WAS A RUDE CARVING"
"THE DAY WAS PASSED IN MUCH THE SAME MANNER AS THE PRECEDING ONE"
OUR LITTLE KOREAN COUSIN
CHAPTER I.
SOME QUEER THINGS
Yung Pak was the very queer name of a queer little boy who lived in a
queer house in a queer city. This boy was peculiar in his looks, his
talk was in a strange tongue, his clothes were odd in colour and fit,
his shoes were unlike ours, and everything about him would seem to you
very unusual in appearance. But the most wonderful thing of all was that
he did not think he was a bit queer, and if he should see one of you in
your home, or at school, or at play, he would open wide his slant eyes
with wonder at your peculiar ways and dress. The name of the country in
which this little boy lived is Korea.
One thing about Yung Pak, though, was just like little boys everywhere.
When he first came to his home in the Korean city, a little bit of a
baby, his father and mother were very, very glad to see him. Your father
and mother gave you no warmer welcome than the parents of this little
Korean baby gave to him.
Perhaps Yung Pak's father did not say much, but any one could have seen
by his face that he was tremendously pleased. He was a very dignified
man, and his manner was nearly always calm, no matter how stirred up he
might have felt in his mind. This was one of the rare occasions when his
face expanded into a smile, and he immediately made a generous offering
of rice to the household tablets.
All Koreans pay great honour to their dead parents, and tablets to
their memory are placed in some room set apart for the purpose. Before
these tablets sacrifices are offered. Yung Pak's father would have been
almost overwhelmed with terror at thought of having no one to worship
his memory and present offerings before his tablet.
It is to be feared that if, instead of Yung Pak, a little daughter had
come to this Korean house, the father and the mother would not have been
so pleased. For, strange as it may seem to you who live in homes where
little daughters and little sisters are petted and loved above all the
rest of the family, in Korea little girls do not receive a warm welcome,
though the mothers will cherish and fondle them--as much from pity as
from love. The mothers know better than any one else how hard a way the
little girl will have to travel through life.
But it is Yung Pak we want to tell you about.
As his father was a wealthy man, all the comforts and luxuries which
could be given to a Korean baby were showered on this tiny boy.
One of the queer things, though, was that he had no little cradle in
which he might be rocked to sleep. And you know that all babies,
especially little babies, sleep a great deal. So how do you suppose Yung
Pak's mother used to put him to sleep in this land where cradles were
unknown? She put him on the bed and patted him lightly on the stomach.
This she called _to-tak, to-tak_.
As Yung Pak grew older he was given many toys, among them rattles,
drums, flags, and dolls, just as you had them. Some of the toys, though,
were very peculiar ones--different from anything you ever saw. He had
little tasselled umbrellas, just like the big one his father used when
he walked out in the sun. He also had little fringed hats and toy
chariots with fancy wheels. One of Yung Pak's favourite toys was a
wooden jumping-jack with a pasteboard tongue. By pulling a string the
tongue was drawn in and a trumpet carried up to the mouth.
Another favourite toy was a tiger on wheels. Tiger-hunting, by the way,
was considered great sport by Yung Pak's father. It was a very dangerous
one, too, and sometimes lives were sacrificed in his efforts to capture
or to kill this fierce wild beast. Sometimes the animal was caught in a
trap which was nothing less than a hut of logs with a single entrance.
In the roof of the hut heavy beams would be placed on a forked stick.
The bait--a young lamb or kid--would be tied beneath the beams. The
moment the bait was touched, down would come the heavy timber--smash--on
the tiger's head.
But Yung Pak's tiger was ferocious only in looks. It was made of paper
pulp and painted with bright stripes. This harmless image of a fierce
beast Yung Pak would pull about the floor with a string by the hour.
All his pets were not of wood and paper. Real live animals he had.
Puppies and kittens, of course. His greatest pet, though, was a monkey.
What little boy ever saw a monkey that he didn't want for his own? So
when Yung Pak's father made him a present of a monkey--a real
monkey--alive--he just danced with glee.
This monkey was not a very large one,--not over a foot high,--but he
could cut capers and play tricks equal to any monkey you ever saw
travelling with an organ-grinder. He was dressed in a scarlet jacket,
and he was always with Yung Pak, except sometimes when he would try to
plague him by breaking away and running--perhaps to the house-top or to
the neighbour's garden.
After a little while Yung Pak got used to these "monkey shines," and he
knew that his pet would not stay away long after mealtime.
As Yung Pak grew older he was allowed to play with other boys of his own
age. A favourite sport was Hunting the Ring. In this game the boys would
get together quite a large heap of sand. In this sand one of them would
hide a ring, and then the urchins would all get slender sticks and poke
around in the pile trying to find the ring. Whoever succeeded in getting
the ring on his stick won the game, and carried the prize home as a sign
of victory.
Sometimes Yung Pak would be the winner, and then he would march home
with great glee and show the trophy to his father.
One of the first things Yung Pak was taught was to be respectful to his
father. Never was he allowed to fail in this duty in the least. This
does not seem strange when we know what a sober, serious, dignified man
Yung Pak's father was. It would not do to allow his son to do anything
that would upset his dignity, though he loved him very much indeed.
It was far different with the boy's mother. Her little boy soon learned
that her wishes counted for very little in the family, and she never
ventured to rebuke him, no matter how seriously he might offend her or
what naughty thing he might do.
One queer thing about Yung Pak was the way he used to wear his hair.
While still very young his head was shaved, except a little round spot
on the very crown. Here it was allowed to grow, and as years went by it
grew quite long, and was braided in two plaits down his back.
When Yung Pak grew to be a man the long hair was knotted up on top of
his head, and for this reason many people call Koreans "Top-knots." But
of this arrangement of the hair we shall tell more farther on.