Yun Se-pyong, the Wizard

[Yun Se-pyong was a man of Seoul who lived to the age of over ninety. When he was young he loved archery, and went as military attaché to the capital of the Mings (Nanking). There he met a prophet who taught him the Whang-jong Kyong, or Sacred Book of the Taoists, and thus he learned their laws and practised their teachings. His life was written by Yi So-kwang.]

〔ユン・セピョンはソウルの人で、九十を越すまで生きた。若いころは弓術を好み、武官の随員として明の都(南京)へ行った。そこで一人の預言者に会い、その人から道士の聖典である『黄庭経』を教わって、その法を学び、その教えを行った。その伝はイ・ソグァンが書いた。〕

[Chon U-chi was a magician of Songdo who lived about 1550, and was associated in his life with Shin Kwang-hu. At the latter's residence one day when a friend called, Kwang-hu asked Chon to show them one of his special feats. A little later they brought in a table of rice for each of the party, and Chon took a mouthful of his, and then blew it out toward the courtyard, when the rice changed into beautiful butterflies that flew gaily away.

〔田禹治(チョン・ウチ)は一五五〇年ごろの松都(ソンド)の術者で、生涯シン・グァンフと付き合いがあった。ある日、シンの屋敷に友が訪ねてきたとき、グァンフはチョンに、得意の技をひとつ見せてくれと頼んだ。しばらくすると、めいめいに飯の膳が運ばれてきて、チョンは自分の飯をひと口ほおばり、それを中庭のほうへ吹き出した。すると飯は美しい蝶に変わって、楽しげに飛んでいった。

Chang O-sa used to tell a story of his father, who said that one day Chon came to call upon him at his house and asked for a book entitled The Tu-si, which he gave to him. "I had no idea," said the father, "that he was dead and that it was his ghost. I gave him the book, though I did not learn till afterwards that he had been dead for a long time."

チャン・オサは父の話をよく語った。父の言うには、ある日チョンが家へ訪ねてきて、『杜詩』という本を貸してほしいと言ったので、渡してやったという。「あの人がもう死んでいて、それがその幽霊だとはまったく思いもしなかった」と父は言った。「本を渡してやったが、あの人がずっと前に死んでいたと知ったのは、あとになってからだった。」

The History of Famous Men says, "He was a man who understood heretical magic, and other dangerous teachings by which he deceived the people. He was arrested for this and locked up in prison in Sin-chon, Whang-hai Province, and there he died. His burial was ordered by the prison authorities, and later, when his relatives came to exhume his remains, they found that the coffin was empty."

『名臣録』はこう言う。「この人は異端の術と、そのほかの危うい教えに通じていて、それで民をたぶらかした。そのために捕らえられ、黄海道信川(シンチョン)の獄に閉じ込められて、そこで死んだ。その埋葬は獄の役人の命でなされたが、のちに身内が遺骸を掘り出しに来ると、棺は空っぽだった。」

This and the story of Im Bang do not agree as to his death, and I am not able to judge between them.--J. S. G.]

この話と任埅の話とは、その死について食い違っていて、わたしにはどちらが正しいか判断できない。——ゲイル〕

[The transformation of men into beasts, bugs and creeping things comes from Buddhism; one seldom finds it in Taoism.]

〔人が獣や虫や這うものに変わるという考えは仏教から来たもので、道教にはめったに見られない。〕

The Story

話

Yun Se-Pyong was a military man who rose to the rank of minister in the days of King Choong-jong. It seems that Yun learned the doctrine of magic from a passing stranger, whom he met on his way to Peking in company with the envoy. When at home he lived in a separate house, quite apart from the other members of his family. He was a man so greatly feared that even his wife and children dared not approach him. What he did in secret no one seemed to know. In winter he was seen to put iron cleats under each arm and to change them frequently, and when they were put off they seemed to be red-hot.

ユン・セピョンは武人で、中宗(チュンジョン)の時代に大臣の位まで昇った。ユンは使節に同行して北京へ行く途中で出会った、行きずりのよそ者から術の教えを学んだらしい。家にいるときは、家族のほかの者たちからすっかり離れた別棟に住んでいた。たいそう恐れられていたので、妻も子も近寄ろうとしなかった。人目につかないところで何をしていたのか、誰も知らないようだった。冬には両わきの下に鉄の板をはさみ、しきりに取り替えるのが見られ、外した板は真っ赤に焼けているようだった。

At the same time there was a magician in Korea called Chon U-chi, who used to go about Seoul plying his craft. So skilful was he that he could even simulate the form of the master of a house and go freely into the women's quarters. On this account he was greatly feared and detested. Yun heard of him on more than one occasion, and determined to rid the earth of him. Chon heard also of Yun and gave him a wide berth, never appearing in his presence. He used frequently to say, "I am a magician only; Yun is a God."

同じころ、朝鮮に田禹治という術者がいて、ソウルじゅうをめぐってその術を使っていた。あまりに巧みだったので、家の主人の姿に化けて、女たちの部屋に好き勝手に入り込むことさえできた。そのためにたいそう恐れられ、憎まれていた。ユンはこの男のことを一度ならず耳にして、この世から除いてやろうと決めた。チョンもユンのことを耳にして、近寄らないようにし、けっしてユンの前に姿を現さなかった。チョンはよくこう言っていた。「わしはただの術者だが、ユンは神だ。」

On a certain day Chon informed his wife that Yun would come that afternoon and try to kill him, "and so," said he, "I shall change my shape in order to escape his clutches. If any one comes asking for me just say that I am not at home." He then metamorphosed himself into a beetle, and crawled under a crock that stood overturned in the courtyard.

ある日、チョンは妻に、ユンが今日の午後やって来て自分を殺そうとするだろうと告げた。「だから」とチョンは言った。「その手から逃れるために姿を変える。誰かわしを訪ねてきたら、留守だと言っておいてくれ。」それからチョンは甲虫に姿を変えて、中庭に伏せてあった甕の下にもぐり込んだ。

When evening began to fall a young woman came to Chon's house, a very beautiful woman too, and asked, "Is the master Chon at home?"

日が暮れかかるころ、一人の若い女がチョンの家にやって来た。それもたいそう美しい女で、こう尋ねた。「チョンの旦那さまはご在宅ですか。」

The wife replied, "He has just gone out."

妻は答えた。「ちょうど出かけたところです。」

The woman laughingly said, "Master Chon and I have been special friend's for a long time, and I have an appointment with him to-day. Please say to him that I have come."

女は笑いながら言った。「チョンの旦那さまとわたしはずっと前から特別な仲で、今日会う約束をしているのです。わたしが来たとお伝えください。」

Chon's wife, seeing a pretty woman come thus, and ask in such a familiar way for her husband, flew into a rage and said, "The rascal has evidently a second wife that he has never told me of. What he said just now is all false," so she went out in a fury, and with a club smashed the crock. When the crock was broken there was the beetle underneath it. Then the woman who had called suddenly changed into a bee, and flew at and stung the beetle. Chon, metamorphosed into his accustomed form, fell over and died, and the bee flew away.

チョンの妻は、きれいな女がこうしてやって来て、こんなになれなれしく夫のことを尋ねるのを見て、かっとなって言った。「あのろくでなしは、わたしに一度も言わなかった二人目の女がいるにちがいない。さっき言ったことはみな嘘だったのだ。」そこで妻はかんかんになって出ていき、棍棒で甕を叩き割った。甕が割れると、その下に甲虫がいた。すると訪ねてきた女が突然蜂に変わって、甲虫に飛びかかって刺した。チョンはもとの姿に戻って倒れて死に、蜂は飛び去った。

Yun lived at his own house as usual, when suddenly he broke down one day in a fit of tears. The members of his family in alarm asked the reason.

ユンはいつものように自分の家にいたが、ある日突然泣きくずれた。家の者たちは驚いてわけを尋ねた。

He replied, "My sister living in Chulla Province has just at this moment died." He then called his servants, and had them prepare funeral supplies, saying, "They are poor where she lives, and so I must help them."

ユンは答えた。「全羅道に住んでいるわたしの姉が、ちょうど今死んだ。」それからユンは召し使いを呼んで、葬式の品々を支度させて言った。「あちらは貧しいから、助けてやらなければならない。」

He wrote a letter, and after sealing it, said to one of his attendants, "If you go just outside the gate you will meet a man wearing a horsehair cap and a soldier's uniform. Call him in. He is standing there ready to be summoned."

ユンは手紙を書いて封をすると、付き人の一人に言った。「門のすぐ外に出ると、馬の毛の笠をかぶって兵の服を着た男に会うだろう。その男を呼び入れよ。呼ばれるのを待ってそこに立っている。」

He was called in, and sure enough he was a Kon-yun-no (servant of the gods). He came in and at once prostrated himself before Yun. Yun said, "My sister has just now died in such a place in Chulla Province. Take this letter and go at once. I shall expect you back to-night with the answer. The matter is of such great importance that if you do not bring it as I order, and within the time appointed, I shall have you punished."

呼び入れてみると、はたしてそれはコンユンノ(神々の召し使い)だった。男は入ってくると、すぐにユンの前にひれ伏した。ユンは言った。「わたしの姉が、たった今、全羅道のしかじかの所で死んだ。この手紙を持ってすぐに行け。今夜のうちに返事を持って戻るのを待っている。これはたいそう大事なことだから、わたしの命じたとおりに、決めた時のうちに返事を持ってこなければ、罰を与えるぞ。」

He replied, "I shall be in time, be not anxious."

男は答えた。「間に合わせます。ご心配なく。」

Yun then gave him the letter and the bundle, and he went outside the main gateway and disappeared.

そこでユンは男に手紙と包みを渡し、男は表門の外へ出て姿を消した。

Before dark he returned with the answer. The letter read: "She died at such an hour to-day and we were in straits as to what to do, when your letter came with the supplies, just as though we had seen each other. Wonderful it is!" The man who brought the answer immediately went out and disappeared. The house of mourning is situated over ten days' journey from Seoul, but he returned ere sunset, in the space of two or three hours.

暗くなる前に、男は返事を持って戻ってきた。手紙にはこう書いてあった。「今日しかじかの時刻に亡くなり、どうしたものかと途方に暮れていたところへ、あなたの手紙が品々と一緒に届きました。まるで顔を合わせていたかのようです。不思議なことです。」返事を持ってきた男は、すぐに外へ出て姿を消した。喪中の家はソウルから十日以上の道のりのところにあったが、男は日の沈む前に、二、三時間のうちに戻ってきたのである。

Im Bang.

任埅(イム・バン)