Strangely Stricken Dead

There was once a man called Kim Tok-saing, a soldier of fortune, who

had been specially honoured at the Court of Tai-jong. He had several

times been generalissimo of the army, and on his various campaigns

had had an intimate friend accompany him, a friend whom he greatly

loved. But Kim had been dead now for some ten years and more, when one

night this friend of his was awakened with a start and gave a great

outcry. He slept again, but a little later was disturbed once more by

a fright, at which he called out. His wife, not liking this, inquired

as to what he meant. The friend said, "I have just seen General Kim

riding on a white horse, with bow and arrows at his belt. He called

to me and said, 'A thief has just entered my home, and I have come to

shoot him dead.' He went and again returned, and as he drew an arrow

from his quiver, I saw that there were blood marks on it. He said,

'I have just shot him, he is dead.'" The husband and wife in fear

and wonder talked over it together.

When morning came the friend went to General Kim's former home to

make inquiry. He learned that that very night Kim's young widow had

decided to remarry, but as soon as the chosen fiancé had entered her

home, a terrible pain shot him through, and before morning came he

died in great agony.

Yi Ryuk.