조선 중기, 임방과 이륙 선생에 의해 기록된 한국의 옛날 이야기들을 한국을 사랑했던 선교사 James S. Gale에 의해 영어로 다시 옮겨졌습니다. 전우치가 두려워했던 '창 도령,' '물고기가 된 노인' 등의 이야기를 비롯하여 우리에게도 생소하지만 재미있는 우리의 이야기들이 담겨 있습니다.

To any one who would like to look somewhat into the inner soul of the Oriental, and see the peculiar spiritual existences among which he lives, the following stories will serve as true interpreters, born as they are of the three great religions of the Far East, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

An old manuscript copy of Im Bang's stories came into the hands of the translator, and he gives them now to the Western world that they may serve as introductory essays to the mysteries, and, what many call, absurdities of Asia. Very gruesome indeed, and unlovely, some of them are, but they picture faithfully the conditions under which Im Bang himself, and many past generations of Koreans, have lived.

The thirteen short stories by Yi Ryuk are taken from a reprint of old Korean writings issued in 1911. Three anonymous stories are also added, "The Geomancer," to show how Mother Earth has given anxiety to her chicks of children; "Im, the Hunter," to tell of the actualities that exist in the upper air; and "The Man who lost his Legs," as a sample of Korea's Sinbad.

The biographical notes that accompany the stories are taken very largely from the Kuk-cho In-mul-chi, "Korea's Record of Famous Men."

J. S. GALE.

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CONTENTS
PREFACE
WHOM THE KING HONORS
THE FORTUNES OF YOO
AN ENCOUNTER WITH A HOBGOBLIN
THE SNAKE'S REVENGE
THE BRAVE MAGISTRATE
THE TEMPLE TO THE GOD OF WAR
A VISIT FROM THE SHADES
THE FEARLESS CAPTAIN
THE KING OF YOM-NA (HELL)
HONG'S EXPERIENCES IN HADES
HAUNTED HOUSES
IM, THE HUNTER
THE MAGIC INVASION OF SEOUL
THE AWFUL LITTLE GOBLIN
GOD'S WAY
THE OLD MAN IN THE DREAM
THE PERFECT PRIEST
THE PROPITIOUS MAGPIE
THE "OLD BUDDHA"
A WONDERFUL MEDICINE
FAITHFUL MO
THE RENOWNED MAING
THE SENSES
WHO DECIDES, GOD OR THE KING?
THREE THINGS MASTERED
STRANGELY STRICKEN DEAD
THE MYSTERIOUS HOI TREE
TA-HONG
BIOGRAPHICAL