Free The Story of Hong Gildong by Translated with an Introduction and Notes by Minsoo Kang Page A

it was Yi Heup, Supreme General of the Police Bureau.
    The king was pleased and quickly granted him hundreds of soldiers to command before addressing him. “I already know you to be a clever man, so I feel sufficiently unburdened of my worry. Take care of yourself as you go forth to apprehend the outlaw.”
    Yi Heup went out and instructed his soldiers to scatter and travel individually to the city of Mungyeong in Gyeongsang Province where they would rendezvous on an appointed day. He then set off on the journey himself. He traveled fifty
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before it began to grow dark, so he went into a tavern to rest. Suddenly, a youth dressed in a blue robe appeared, riding a donkey and accompanied by a boy servant. When the newcomer came in, the general of the police stood up and exchanged polite greetings with him before they both found places to sit. After a while, the general heard the youth let out a sigh, so he questioned him. “What troubles such a distinguished youth as yourself?”
    The youth answered, “They say that all things under heaven belong to the king, and that all people are the subjects of their sovereign. I may only be a rural scholar, but I too am a loyal subject of the country.”
    The general spoke. “So what concerns you about our country?”
    The youth replied, “An outlaw by the name of Hong Gildong is causing so much trouble across the eight provinces that high officials in every town can hardly sleep. The king has become so worried that he has sent word everywhere that he will grant an important post to anyone who captures the outlaw. I am too weak to do so by myself, and it saddens me that I cannot find someone to aid me on this quest.”
    The general addressed him. “You have a valiant spirit and appearance, and you speak in an upright manner. I am a person of little talent, but I want to give you whatever help I can. The two of us should collaborate to achieve the goal of apprehending the criminal and so relieve the country of its worry.”
    The youth replied, “They say that the bandit possessessuperhuman courage as well as the strength of many men, so we should combine our forces to catch him. Or else much harm could come to us.”
    The general spoke. “As true men, once we swear loyalty to each other we can never go back on it, even in the face of death.”
    The youth addressed him. “I have been trying to catch that criminal by myself, unable to find a courageous man to work with, so I have been feeling dejected. But now that I have met you, I am no longer concerned. I wish to test your strength, so please follow me.”
    The youth led the general to a place where there was a lofty rock and they climbed up to its top.
    He sat down and spoke to the general. “Kick me with full force, so that I may know your strength.”
    As the general stared at the youth sitting on the edge of the rock, he thought to himself, “Even if this youth possesses the power to move a mountain, he will surely tumble down if I kick him.” And so he hit him with both legs, using all his strength.
    But the youth merely moved his body to one side and spoke. “You are truly a mighty man. I have tested many people already, but none could move me from my position. But after you kicked me I could feel my organs vibrate and my body shiver, so I know that you are a man of tremendous power. There is no question that the two of us will catch Gildong. If you follow me again we are bound to succeed at the task. So come.”
    The youth led him up to a place of many mountains. The general followed until he found himself in a rough terrain full of thickly growing trees, where he lost all sense of direction.
    The youth spoke to him. “Over there is Gildong’s lair. I will go in first and find out the enemy’s strength, so wait here for me.”
    The startled general objected. “We agreed to face life and death together before we came here, so why