Translation:Studies on Korean Shamanism, Volume I/The Twelve Rituals/The Twelve Rituals of Osan/Siru-mal

&emsp; ''' II. SIRU-MAL '''

The lordly gods who have been entertained just now

Are the villages' bujyeong gamang and the city's yeongjyeong gamang;

The high yeong-bujyeong gamang have been pleasantly entertained.

The lordly gods who are arriving now [are from] when the holy steamer gods came

With the East Dipper's seven stars, the South Dipper's seven stars, the West Dipper's seven stars, the North Dipper's seven stars

With the taiyi star and the taibai star and the Cowherd's star and the Weaver's star,

When the father king Dang-chilseong came.

What time was this time?

It was a time when cake grew on oak trees and rice grew on bush clovers

When flying birds and running beasts could speak

And humans could not speak.

Dang-chilseong of the Palace-under-Heaven descended to the Palace-under-Earth

And went probing the houses and inspecting the folk.

The moon that rose from the eastern heights was sinking in the river of the west

The beasts on the road and the insects in the air were each and all entering their homes

There was nowhere at all to go.

He stared at one place and saw a light out of nowhere.

"My listening servants, listen and report. My looking servants, look and report.

"What light is that light?"

"It is Lady Plum Flower's house, in the Plum Flower Field."

Dang-chilseong's words: "Turn the horse around."

When he reached the Plum Flower Field, look how Lady Plum Flower acts!

"Lockkeeper, open the lock! Gatekeeper, open the gate!"

The frost was full in the east, the night was cold in the south

One bed with no bed, one pillow with no pillow.

When he stayed there the night and they shared their bed

She dreamed in the first watch—a sun rose from her right shoulder

She dreamed in the second watch—a moon rose from her left shoulder

She dreamed in the third watch—blue and yellow dragons were entangled

And seemed to ascend to the Palace-under-Heaven.

The night was past, the eastern heights were bright

Dang-chilseong was about to go when Lady Plum Flower asked

"Please interpret this dream for me before you go."

Dang-chilseong's words:

"That the sun seemed to rise is my destiny-star,

"That the moon seemed to rise is your destiny-star,

"You seeing blue and yellow dragons is you bearing precious sons."

Once Dang-chilseong was gone, she felt pregnant from that day

She did not sit on the wrong seats, did not listen to what is vulgar

Did not look at what is unpleasant, did not eat what is not neatly sliced

Did not stand on one foot, did not lie on one side, and after ten months she gave birth

The elder was named Seonmun, the younger was named Humun

With the surname Syeongsin.

At one or two they learned to walk, at four or five they learned to speak

In their teens they went to school.

As their classmates called them fatherless

Which they hated to hear,

"Mother, even the insects in the air and the beasts on the road have their father's surname and bon'gwan.

"Do people like us not have our father's surname and bon'gwan?"

Lady Plum Flower's words:

"In the year you boys were born

"Dang-chilseong of the Palace-under-Heaven descended to the Palace-under-Earth

And went probing the houses and inspecting the folk.

The sun set in the western heights, and he rested in our house

And you boys were born."

When the boys heard those words, with nothing that was impossible

They ascended to the Palace-under-Heaven, rowing the black clouds

Using rainbows as their bridges and the Morning Star as their bridle-bit

Catching the white clouds to ride, they reached the Palace-under-Heaven

They looked for their father, and Dang-chilseong's words:

"When your mother gave birth to you brothers,

"What did she say your surname was, and what did she say your given names were?"

"She said that the elder is named Seonmun, the younger is named Humun.

"With the surname Syeongsin."

When Seonmun the elder held the Great Han country

And Humun the younger held the Little Han country

In the old days and ages there were two moons

And also two suns

They nocked their arrows on bows of iron

And shot down one sun and hung it in the Palace of Dyeseok

And shot down one moon and hung in in the Palace of Myeongmo

When they went before the Buddha in the midst of the house.

In the country of Korea east of the north and south seas, in whichever town, whichever neighborhood, whichever village,

In the household of whichever descent group,

We pray for long life, trusting that you are intimate.