Translation:Studies on Korean Shamanism, Volume I/Hymns of Jeju Island/Chyeonji-wang bon-puri

&emsp; ''' VIII. CHYEONJI-WANG BON-PURI '''

In the human world lived Sumyeong-jangja, of utter wickedness

Who had nine horses and nine bulls and nine dogs, most ferocious

So that though humanity was disgraced, there was nothing they could do.

One day Sumyeong-jangja faced Cheon-wang and said to him

With swagger, "Could anyone in this world possibly apprehend me?"

Cheonju-wang thought him impudent and descended into the human world.

He sat on a green willow branch outside Sumyeong-jangja's gate

And commanding ten thousand troops, he sent forth ill omens.

The bulls went up the rooftops to do mischief there

The pots and the baskets took walks outside the gate

But Sumyeong-jangja was not in the least afraid.

Cheonju-wang wrapped around Sumyeong-jangja's head

The band that had been wrapped around his own head.

[Sumyeong-jangja's] head hurt terribly, and he called a servant forth

Shouting with bravado, "My head hurts too much,

"So split it open with an ax!"

Astounded, Cheonju-wang said, "The wretch is truly unrelenting."

Taking off the headband [from Sumyeong-jangja] and wearing it again, [Cheonju-wang] took to the road

And entered the house of the old woman Baek Ju.

"I shall lodge here tonight."

The crone's words: "A house like this cannot possibly

"Host Cheonju-wang." "That is of no consequence." He entered

And the crone worried, as there was no rice to cook.

"If you go to Sumyeong-jangja's house and ask for rice

"He will give you some, so go and do so."

She received the rice and cooked and offered it to Cheonju-wang

And served the ten thousand troops. In the night when Cheonju-wang slumbered

He heard hair being brushed with a wide tooth comb of jade.

"How strange!" And he asked the old woman Baek Ju.

"That is my little daughter."

He called for her; she was a maiden like the fairy of the moon.

From that night they became man and wife and lived together.

Three days later, [Cheonju-wang] was about to ascend to Jade Heaven.

"If my Cheonju-wang is ascending now, how am I supposed to live?

"If I have children, what am I supposed to do?"

"You, my wife, shall rule the human world as Bagi-wang

"When you have children, name them Daebyeol-wang and Sobyeol-wang

"If they would meet me, I shall give you some tokens.

"Plant these two gourd seeds on the first month's Ox day

"The vines will stretch to Jade Heaven on the fourth month's Ox day

"Send them to Jade Heaven on those vines." The two bid each other farewell.

One year after, she gave birth to sons. When they were seven years old

They went to their queenly mother and asked, "Where is our kingly father?"

"He is Cheonju-wang in Jade Heaven." "Then how can we go and see him?"

"Plant these two gourd seeds, when the vines stretch to Jade Heaven

"Take these tokens and climb up."

They planted the gourd seeds on the first month's Ox day

The vines stretched to Jade Heaven on the fourth month's Ox day

Climbing up to Jade Heaven, they met their kingly father

Who asked them their surnames and given names: "What are your names?

"Who is your queenly mother, and what are your tokens?"

"Our names are Daebyeol-wang and Sobyeol-wang. Our queenly mother is Ba'e-wang

"And here are our tokens."

[The twins] took them out and showed them to him. "You are certainly my sons.

"You brothers must take charge of the fortunes and misfortunes of the human world

"And the long lives and swift deaths of the Underworld.

"Plant a flower each in a silver basin

"The one whose flower flourishes will take charge of the human world

"The one whose flower does not do well will take charge of the Underworld."

When they planted a flower each in a silver basin

Sobyeol-wang's flower did not do well

And Daebyeol-wang's flower did well.

"Go to your allotted realms."

They went into the human world, but Sobyeol-wang was troubled;

If only he could take charge of the human world, and his brother the Underworld

He would bring retribution to Sumyeong-jangja and teach proper conduct [to humanity]

But his brother could not do so, he thought.

"Come, older brother, let's sleep a while." Pretending to lie down and sleep

He placed his brother's flower in front of himself

And placed his own flower in front of his brother. He roused his brother and said,

"For some reason your flower has withered and my flower is in full bloom,

"I wonder how that is." The older brother divined the trickery.

"If you do something like this, you'll die if our kingly father knows."

Sobyeol-wang apologized to his brother [then said,]

"Come, older brother, let us play at riddles."

"Let's do so." "Why do the leaves of the camellia

"Not fall, even when winter comes?"

"They do not fall because they are not hollow inside."

"Then why do [the leaves of] the suri bamboo, which is hollow inside,

"Also not fall?"

[Sobyeol-wang] asked again, "Why does grain not do well in the hills

While it does well in the fields below?"

"The earth and water that are above flow downwards

"So grain does well below." "Then why is it that

"What is above does not do well, while what is below does well?"

Unable to respond, [Daebyeol-wang] said, "I've lost to you."

The younger brother said, "Older brother, even if you do not do well,

"Isn't it fine if your younger brother does well?"

"Then you may take charge of the human world,

"I will take charge of the Underworld.

"If you do wrong, things will not be amusing then."

[Daebyeol-wang] let the flowers be switched. The younger brother took charge of the human world

And the older brother, the Underworld.

Having taken charge of the human world, the younger brother called Sumyeong-jangja forth.

"As you have committed much lawless evil in the human world

"I shall not forgive you." In the front field he put up the executioner's rack

In the back field he sharpened the executioner's ax. After the decapitation

He pulverized [Sumyeong-jangja's] bones and flesh and scattered them to the winds.

They flew away as mosquitoes and flies and bedbugs and gnats.

Once Sumyeong-jangja and his lineage were ruined, [Sobyeol-wang] taught right conduct to men

Arranged luck and fortune, distinguished right from wrong

And took charge of the human world.