Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 11, 1900.djvu/347

 Miscellanea. 327

chi-kong-inu-sa ha-ta" (Hananim is eminently just and wholly impartial.)

As regards all spirits {shin) he is the One Great One.

His dwelling-place is above {U-e ke-si-ta = IiQ dwells above), wherever that may mean, and in Hanal (Heaven), of which he is in possession. No mention is made of his beginning or end. He never marries, has no son ; but a dual union seems to exist between him and the earth {Ba), by which all life has come into being.

Hananim is creator of all details ; the earth in rough form seems to have been developed by a kind of evolution, or of itself.

No reference is made to Hananim regarding a future life.

When flowers are seen to bloom and the earth to look green and beautiful, they say it is brought about by the {Cho-ivha-ong) Ancient Creator— Hananim.

If Hananim desires to kill, he kills ; if to save, he saves. When sacrifice has been made to all of the spirits and proves of no avail, the last cry is " Hananim sal-yo chu-so-so " (Save us, Hananim !)

" When Hananim gives rain and dew to the trees, he never forgets the little branches at the side." — A Korean saying.

Hana7iim mu-so-pul-kung ha-si-ta. (There is nothing that Hananim cannot do) — omnipotent.

Ha-na-7iini-eui nun-i su-re pak-hoi tol tent hau-ta. (Hananim's eyes roll everywhere like cart wheels.)

Kwi-sin-to Ha-na-nim-eul mu-so-wo hau-ta. (The devils, too, fear Hananim.)

These are a few of the more common sayings regarding Hananim. They are all of ancient origin, and as far as is known have no connection with any ancient Christian source.

Mountains. — Giants and Moimtains. — Korea has since ancient times been noted for its sages {Myongin), its giants {Chafig-su), and its dragon-horses ( Vong-fna). When a giant appears, his dragon- horse is said also to come forth ready for him. The giant remains quiescent in a cave or under a rock until his country is in danger, and then he comes forth clad in armour, his horse also springing from the mountain. Such tales are common in all ancient Korean story-books {Ko-tam-cKaik). The giant has power over wind and rain {Pung-iin cho-wha). So even to-day the ignorant country people rest assured that when the time comes for the giant to arise from the mountain, all Westerners will have to fly or perish.