Our Little Korean Cousin | Page 7

sometime he would, like
his father, serve the king in some office.
Wang Ken was equally well pleased with the looks of the bright boy
who was to be his pupil, and told Yung Pak's father that he believed
there need be no fear but what they would get on well together, and that
the boy would prove a bright scholar.
To Wang Ken and his pupil were assigned a room near Ki Pak's library,
where Yung Pak would spend several hours each day trying his best to
learn the Korean A B C's.

The first book he had to study was called "The Thousand Character
Classic." This was the first book that all Korean boys had to study, and
was said to have been written by a very wise man hundreds of years
ago. A strange thing about it was that it was composed during one night,
and so great was the wise man's struggle that his hair and beard turned
white during that night. When Yung Pak was told this fact he was not a
bit surprised. He thought it was hard enough to have to learn what was
in the book, to say nothing of writing it in the beginning.
At the same time that Yung Pak was learning to read, he was also
learning to write. But you would have been amused if you could have
seen his efforts. The strangest thing about it was that he did not use a
pen, but had a coarse brush on a long handle. Into the ink he would dip
this brush and then make broad marks on sheets of coarse paper. You
would not be able to understand those marks at all. They looked like
the daubs of a sign-painter gone crazy.
Later on, Yung Pak had to study the history and geography of his
country. Some of the names he had to learn would amuse you very
much. The name of the province of Haan-kiung, for instance, meant
Perfect Mirror, or Complete View Province. Kiung-sang was the
Korean name for Respectful Congratulation Province, and
Chung-chong meant Serene Loyalty Province. One part of Korea,
where the inhabitants were always peaceable and unwarlike, was called
Peace and Quiet Province, or, in the Korean language, Ping-an.
Under Wang Ken's instruction Yung Pak made rapid progress in his
studies, and when the boy's father questioned him from time to time as
to what he had learned, he was very much pleased, and commended his
son for his close attention to his studies.
"Sometime," Ki Pak said to the boy, "if you continue to make such
good progress in your studies, you will be able to hold a high position
in the service of the king."
In explanation of this remark, you should understand that no young
man was able to enter into the government service of Korea until he
could pass a very hard examination in many studies.

Many things besides book-learning did Wang Ken teach his pupil. In
all the rules of Korean etiquette he was carefully and persistently
drilled.
As you have already been told, Yung Pak had from his earliest days
been taught the deepest reverence and honour for his father. This kind
of instruction was continued from day to day. He was told that a son
must not play in his father's presence, nor assume free or easy posture
before him. He must often wait upon his father at meal-times, and
prepare his bed for him. If the father is old or sickly, the son sleeps near
him by night, and does not leave his presence by day. If for any reason
the father is cast into prison, the son makes his home near by in order
that he may provide such comforts for his unfortunate parent as the
prison officials will allow.
If, by chance, the father should be banished from the country for his
misdeeds, the son must accompany him at least to the borders of his
native land, and in some instances must go with him into exile.
When the son meets his father in the street, he must drop to his knees
and make a profound salute, no matter what the state of the roadway. In
all letters which the son writes to his father he uses the most exalted
titles and honourable phrases he can imagine.
[Illustration: HE MUST DROP TO HIS KNEES AND MAKE A
PROFOUND SALUTE]
CHAPTER V.
A LESSON IN HISTORY
As you already know, Yung Pak's father intended that his son, when he
grew up, should fill a position in the service of the king. To fit him for
this work, it was important that the boy should learn all that he could of
his country's history.
On this account Yung Pak's tutor had orders to give to the lad