Strangely Stricken Dead

There was once a man called Kim Tok-saing, a soldier of fortune, who had been specially honoured at the Court of Tai-jong. He had several times been generalissimo of the army, and on his various campaigns had had an intimate friend accompany him, a friend whom he greatly loved. But Kim had been dead now for some ten years and more, when one night this friend of his was awakened with a start and gave a great outcry. He slept again, but a little later was disturbed once more by a fright, at which he called out. His wife, not liking this, inquired as to what he meant. The friend said, "I have just seen General Kim riding on a white horse, with bow and arrows at his belt. He called to me and said, 'A thief has just entered my home, and I have come to shoot him dead.' He went and again returned, and as he drew an arrow from his quiver, I saw that there were blood marks on it. He said, 'I have just shot him, he is dead.'" The husband and wife in fear and wonder talked over it together.

むかし、金徳生(キム・トクセン)という名の武人がいて、太宗の朝廷で特に重んじられていた。何度も全軍の総大将となり、さまざまな戦役にはいつも親しい友を伴っていた。金はその友をたいそう愛していた。ところが金が死んでもう十年あまりたったある夜、その友がはっと目を覚まして大声をあげた。友はまた眠ったが、しばらくするとまた怖さに目を覚まして叫んだ。妻はそれが気にかかって、どういうことかと尋ねた。友は言った。「今しがた金将軍が、腰に弓矢を帯びて白い馬に乗っているのを見たのだ。将軍はわたしを呼んで言った。『今、盗人がわたしの家に入った。射殺しに来たのだ』と。将軍は行ってまた戻ってきて、矢筒から矢を抜くと、その矢に血の跡がついているのが見えた。将軍は言った。『今、射てやった。やつは死んだ』と。」夫と妻は恐れ驚いて、そのことを語り合った。

When morning came the friend went to General Kim's former home to make inquiry. He learned that that very night Kim's young widow had decided to remarry, but as soon as the chosen fiancé had entered her home, a terrible pain shot him through, and before morning came he died in great agony.

朝になると、友は金将軍のかつての家へ尋ねに行った。すると、まさにその夜、金の若い未亡人が再婚しようと決め、選ばれた婚約者がその家に入ったとたん、激しい痛みがその体を貫き、朝にならないうちにひどく苦しみながら死んだことがわかった。

Yi Ryuk.

李陸(イ・リュク)