Book 2: The Story of Lady Suro

In the time of King Sŏngdŏk, Lord Sunjŏng was making his way as T’aesu—now Myŏngju—to take office in Kangnŭng. He stopped for a meal by the seashore. The tops of the cliffs extended there like a folding screen facing the sea. The heights seemed to reach the heavens, where royal azaleas blossomed in magnificent glory.

His lordship’s wife, Suro, as she looked at the sight, said to her attendants, “Would someone go and pick those flowers for me?” They answered, “That is a place where no human feet can go.” They all said it could not be done.

Just then an old fellow passing by with a cow heard the lady’s words. He picked the flowers and brought them, offering them with a song. No one knew what kind of person the old fellow was.

They went on, reaching Imhae, or Facing the Sea, Pavilion. As they paused for a meal, suddenly a dragon came up from the sea, seized Lady Suro, and disappeared into the waters. Lord Sunjŏng flung himself down to the ground, with no idea what to do. Another old fellow was there and said, “The people of old used to say that the voices of many together will melt something even as hard as iron. Just so, will that sea creature not dread the voices of these many people? Assuredly, all the people of the district must be gathered together. Then if a song is composed and sung and the hilltops are pounded with great staves, the lady can be found again.”

Lord Sunjŏng followed these directions, and the dragon lifted up Lady Suro, came out of the sea, and returned her.

When Lord Sunjŏng asked her about things beneath the sea, Lady Suro replied, “The food in the palace decorated with seven different kinds of treasures, it was so sweet and fragrant. It is unlike any human food.”

From her clothes there came a strange, unearthly fragrance.

Lady Suro was an incomparable beauty. Even deep in the mountains, whenever she passed near a body of water, the water spirits would always come and carry her away.

The words that the many people chanted in their sea song were as follows:

Sea spirit, sea spirit, let Lady Suro go.

How great the crime, to take another’s wife.

If you refuse to give her back,

we will go into the water to catch you, and cook you, and

eat you.

The old fellow’s song of offering the flowers was as follows:

By the deep-red rocks
letting the cow go,
If you will not be shy of me
may I pluck the flowers and have you take them?