The following is a story from the text “Eo-u Yadam” (어우야담 於于野談), which can translate as “Eo-u’s Unofficial Histories.” Eo-u Dang (어우당 於于堂) was the pen name of Yu Mong-in (유몽인 柳夢寅), who lived from 1559 to 1623 and was a scholar and an official of the Joseon Kingdom.
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A long time ago (古者 고자) there was (有 유) a general (將軍 장군) who commanded (領 령) one hundred thousand (十萬 십만) soldiers (兵 병). [He] divided (分 분) [a field] into east and west (東西 동서) [and] planted (樹 수) big (大 대) flags (旗 기). One (一 일) flag (旗 기) was blue (靑 청) [and] one (一 일) flag (旗 기) was red (紅 홍).
[He] said (曰 왈) [to his soldiers], “Those of you who fear your wives (畏妻者 외처자) stand (立 입) under the red flag (紅旗下 홍기하), [and] those of you who do not fear your wives (不畏妻者 불외처자) stand (立 입) under the blue flag (靑旗下 청기하)."
One hundred thousand of the soldiers (十萬之軍 십만지군) all (皆 개) marched forward (就 취) to stand under the red flag (紅旗下而立 홍기하이립), [but] there was (有 유) one (一 일) manly man (丈夫) who alone (獨 독) stood (立 립) under the blue flag (靑旗下 청기하).
The general (將軍 장군) sent a messenger (傳令 전령) to ask (問 문) him (之 지) [why he stood there]. [The man] replied (答曰 답왈), “My wife (吾妻 오처) has always (常 상) warned (戒 계) me (我 아), quote (曰 왈), ‘[If] three men (男子三人 남자삼인) get together (會 회), [they] inevitably (必 필) discuss (論 론) women (女 여) [and] sex (色 색). [So when] three men (三男 삼남) are gathered (會 회) somewhere (處 처), you (汝 여) then (則 즉) do not ever (一切勿 일절물) enter (立 입) [among them].’ [Then he] added (云 운), isn’t it worse (況 황) at this (今 금) place where one hundred thousand men are gathered (十萬男子所會處乎 십만남자소회처호)? Therefore (是以 시이), [I] do not (不 불) dare (敢 감) disobey (違 위) [her] command (命 명) [and] stand alone (獨立 독립) under the blue flag (靑旗下 청기하).”
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It is nice to know that Koreans 400 years ago also had a good sense of humor.
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