[Osa - secret royal adviser - auditor.]
The rich man Tokh, the ruler of the district, had a son, Toren. He turned sixteen. You won’t find a more obedient and respectful person in the entire area. Chun Hyang lived nearby. And beauty, and honesty, and modesty - she took it all, but would an important ruler allow his son to marry a simple dancer? But the young people loved each other so much that they decided to get married secretly.
[Chun Hyang - spring scent.]
“When I pass the exam for the position,” Toren told the girl, “I’ll confess everything to my father, and you and I will begin to live without hiding.”
No sooner said than done, Toren and Chun Hyang got married.
And this must happen for the king to call Toren’s father to the capital and make him the royal treasurer. Toren hurried to his beloved with sad news.
— My dear, Blooming spring! I will go with my father to the capital, take the exam and immediately return.
Young people grieve - separation is worse than death.
Toren's father left, took his wife and son away, and another ruler arrived in his place. Angry, unfair. All he knows is idleness and revelry. And the people groan from the extortions. He heard about Chun Hyang’s beauty and wanted to take her as his wife, and Chun Hyang said:
“I won’t marry you, I love my husband, Toren.”
The ruler ordered her to be thrown into prison and put in chains.
The poor thing is languishing in prison, she doesn’t know how many days, how many months.
The chains injured her arms and legs, squeezed her throat - they didn’t allow her to breathe. I have no strength left - my legs can’t hold up.
The jailer feels sorry for her and will help her in any way he can. Her mother comes to her, asks and begs the ruler to submit, to be saved from certain death. Chun Hyang doesn't want to hear it.
And at that time Toren was learning science and preparing for the exam. I waited impatiently for the king to finally call the young people for a test. And now the long-awaited day has come. Young men flocked to the capital from all over the country. It was difficult to find accommodation in the inns. Those who had friends in the capital stayed with friends.
Exams usually take place on a low hill behind the royal garden. A richly decorated gazebo is built for the king, a fence is placed around the gazebo, and carpets and mats are placed on the fence so that the young men cannot see the king. The examinee will write an essay, roll up the scroll and throw it over the fence. The soldiers will collect the scrolls and take them to the king. The royal assistants read them right here.
A few hours will pass, and the young Korean officials are ready.
It still is today.
Toren was the first to write an essay and threw it over the fence. The king liked the essay. He called the young man, praised him, and ordered him to bring him three cups of wine.
- For the health of the king! - Toren exclaimed. The king smiled and handed him a bouquet of flowers.
The winner of the exams was given a mandarin cap in the shape of wings.
This meant that any order of the king should be carried out with the speed of a bird. Officials still wear these hats to this day. Then they put a silk robe on Toren, so bright that it hurt his eyes, and led him around the city with music. Three days later Toren went to the king to thank him for his mercy.
The king asks:
- What position do you want?
“Anyone, just to serve you,” Toren replies. “And best of all, grant me the position of wasp.” Today is a rich harvest, no matter how the people are subjected to unbearable taxes, because there is no benefit for the treasury.
The king liked such speeches. He ordered Toren to be given the position of os and the order to be sealed with the royal seal. Toren dressed as a beggar, hid the paper with the royal seal further in his bosom and set off - now he will find out how the people live, hear complaints about dishonest, unjust officials, and report everything to the king. Toren sent his servants ahead to the region where his Chhun Hyang lived.
Spring has come. The trees have turned green. Plowing has begun. Toren approached the old plowman and started a conversation with him about how life was, and whether the ruler was good.
“Our ruler doesn’t care about the people, all he knows is to rob and drink the money away. How cruel and merciless! He imprisoned the beautiful Chun Hyang for being faithful to her husband, and her husband, a scoundrel, abandoned her.
He's about to die, poor thing!
It was as if these words stabbed Toren in the heart with a knife.
He quickly reached the village. Here is Chun Hyang's house. There is nothing in the house. The old woman sold everything to help her daughter. A young man came in and said:
- I'm Toren.
The old woman cried and answered:
- Oh woe, woe! You are a beggar! But a beggar cannot save my daughter! Oh woe, woe...
Toren didn’t say anything to the old woman, and what can you say until the job is done.
I just asked where that prison was and went there. They didn’t let him see his beloved, so he climbed up the wall and got to the window.
Chhun Hyang saw her husband, cried, “My poor thing,” she said and her mother called:
- Mom, mom! There is still one piece of my jewelry left, sell it, buy Toren some clothes... It’s not destined, apparently, we are lucky, so let him at least wear the clothes until he wears them out, he remembers me. Shelter him, mother, feed him, warm him!
Toren listens and almost cries himself, but he cannot tell the truth, he needs to settle accounts with the dishonest ruler, and sort out his bad deeds.
Toren heard that the ruler was throwing a feast and decided to go straight to his house. And there, from the very morning, people gathered, apparently and invisibly. The ruler was already drunk, and so were the guests.
- Let the beggar in to the feast! - Toren shouted. - This is the custom.
Here the ruler yells:
- Get out!
And the guests ask:
- Let it stay! Let's have a lot of fun!
Then the ruler says:
- Okay, sit in the corner and eat.
- Why on earth would I go to the corner? You sit me down with the guests!
How the guests laughed here! How they began to mock the beggar! I endured it for a long time
Toren, and then said:
-Have you rich people ever listened to a beggar?
— It hasn’t happened yet. Well, speak up!
“I’ll tell you what: the tears of the poor are for a covetous ruler the same oil with which he seasones his food.”
- Seize the villain! - the ruler shouted. - Beat him with a whip... throw him into prison!
The guards rushed to Toren, and he unfolded the highest decree, with the royal seal. Everyone gasped and was scared to death. They whisper:
- Everyone has a sin!
And Toren put on clothes befitting his rank, ordered the ruler to be escorted to the capital, to the royal court, appointed another official in his place, and sent a palanquin for poor Chun Hyang.
Chun Hyang saw her husband, she couldn’t believe her eyes, she fell unconscious. Toren managed his affairs, returned to the capital with his beautiful wife, and the wedding was celebrated.
The king granted Toren an even higher position, and did not spare his wife with his mercy. Toren's subordinates love him for his honesty and justice. Now Toren’s parents won’t boast about their daughter-in-law. Toren and Chhun Hyang lived until a very old age. And how many children they gave birth to! And you can't count them.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru