Whe PRO i 7 | ‘ I é ea nal OR KOREAN VILLAGE By AMY KELLOGG Missionary Education Movement of the United States and Canada 156 Fifth Avenue New York COPYRIGHT, 1912, BY MISSIONARY EDUCATION MOVEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA of ee ae IMPORTANT. a ae ae poses of religious education. In consideration of this se ha ia . leaders are asked to pledge themselves to follow as far aaa 7 those methods which will conserve its educational an values. Orders for copies, requests for further inf orma : written permits may be secured from the denominational _. - Boards or the Missionary Education Movement, ‘156 Rie ac aNieny GY Orie. ZG G \a me K EDITOR’S: NOTE The Missionary Education Movement recognizes the value of the dramatic ele- ment in religious education, and undertakes to cooperate with those desiring to secure full benefits from its use. Those interested in this form of religious education should seek to acquaint themselves with those principles which scientifically relate the use of the dramatic instinct to other educational processes. Unless the work of preparation and pres- entation be regulated in this way, the method will not only fail to yield satisfactory results, but much harm may be done. Only those missionary plays will be published by hate Missionary Education Movement which are especially calculated to serve the purposes of religious education. Further information may be secured from the denominational Mission Boards or the Missionary Education Movement, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. tthe oh aia 5 —_ CHARACTERS Kim, a newcomer. YEE, a neighbor. Kosik1 (Thing), Kim’s wife. Two women, newcomer and E, neighbors of Kosiki and Kim. Missionary. Some twenty villagers. COSTUMES MEN Long, very full trousers, of white cotton cloth, gathered into white leggings, tied at the ankles. Moccasin-shaped shoes or leather sandals. Short jacket of white, cut with a long, wide strip at bottom, which is tied around the body, and serves as a girdle to hold jacket and trousers together. This is the costume worn indoors, or while working. Outdoors, a long coat reaching to the ankles, with tight sleeves, reaching to the wrists, double-breasted, and tied in front with two tapes of the same material. Hat, large, umbrella-shaped, usually black, and tied under the chin. The hair is long and done up in a top- knot. A black band or ribbon is tied around the head to keep the short hair from the face. A skullcap is sometimes worn. WOMEN Very full, baggy trousers, of white cloth, coming down to the ankles; over this goes the outer high-waisted skirt; it is not seamed up in the back, and is more like a full apron; it has long tie strings of the same material which lap over at the back and tie in front. A short, low-necked jacket (like a bolero) with elbow sleeves, tied in front with two sets of tape-strings made of the same material. Hair is parted in the middle, brushed smoothly back, and - arranged in a large coil at the neck. A silver rod or other ornament is thrust through the coil. The prevailing Korean costume is white, but light colors, pink, blue, yellow, etc., are often used. Sometimes the long coat of the man’s costume is made of bright figured silk or cotton. The woman’s jacket and skirt should be of the same material, though they may be colored, while the trousers are white. al _ KOSIKI PART I The sarang or main room of a Korean house. Kim and Yee are seated, smoking Korean pipes. YEE You say you come from the village Pan-ta-li? That is far away! How do you expect to better yourself here? KIM I did not come for that. (Hesitates.) The foreigners have come near Pan- ta-li, and What-you-may-call-her was learning to do their Jesus doctrine. So I have taken her out of reach. YEE What has happened in our Land of the Morning Calm, if a wife disturbs a man’s course of conduct? You are too soft-hearted, friend Kim. Why did you not beat her? : KIM You have evidently not heard of the devil the foreigners put into our women! Punish her? Daily I beat her, both when she went to the Jesus meeting and to keep her from going. When she prayed, I kicked her. Every scrap of their book which she brought in I found and tore in small pieces before her eyes.— She tried to hide them (stupid thing!) under the pickle-jars and behind the stove bricks. Yes, they taught the thing to read. YEE Why did you not forbid her to go out? | KIM That I did; and she obeyed me, I must say. But there is the devil they put in her! She did everything willingly which I told her, but was possessed by the Jesus doctrine as much as ever. So I have come away from the influence of the foreigners’ nearness which makes lashing painless to her. YEE Painless? 6 KOSIKI KIM No, not exactly. The thing’s body is sure in pain, but her soul——if she has a soul——seems at ease. It zs uncanny. You look as if you don’t believe it. YEE I should like to know what there is in the teaching which so changes the people down South. I have heard it borrows from Confucius. KIM ( Rising.) Come, friend, to the market. I will tell you on the way,—though I have always refused to listen. (Beginning to move toward the door.) It is the love of a dead man—a silly and harmful thing. (Enter, Kosiki, with firewood, singing Christian hymn— mixture of familiar tunes like “ Rathbun” and “ Duke Street.” ) KIM Stop that! Thing! (She obeys. Kim and Vee go out. Kosiki builds fire in Korean stove. Enter, newcomer, first woman, running, with baby wrapped in her arms.) NEWCOMER (Wildly.) Neighbor! You have no child. Lend me a sieve! KOSIKI Gladly. What is the matter? NEWCOMER Have you forgotten? This is the night the New Year god passes. My beau- tiful boy has the smallpox now. If Angwangi gives one of his diseases, he will finish him. KOSIKI What will the sieve do? NEWCOMER Why, of course we place sieves outside so that he may become absorbed in counting the meshes till dawn drive him away. od S PART I 7 KOSIKI Here is a sieve, Sister, but may I tell you what glad news I learned down in Pan-ta-li? Listen—there’s a Spirit far stronger than Angwangi, who dearly loves little children. He gives the life to every baby that is born, so of course he cares. Sometimes he comes and takes away their little souls so as to have them safe with him, but he never lets Angwangi come near his babies. When he took my precious one, he comforted me. Let us ask him to keep your baby from Angwangi. NEWCOMER In what tree or hill does he live? Where do I go to pray? There is not much time. KOSIKI That is the best of it all, Sister. He is the greatest Spirit. He made every- thing and everybody; he is everywhere. I talk to him here just as at Pan-ta-li. NEWCOMER I must go now, but I will come back if you'll tell me how to ask him to-night. I will take the Sieve too. Next time we go to the washing please tell me more; it sounds so wonderful. Can it be true? (She runs out. Kosiki falls forward a moment in prayer; then sits down to the ironing sticks. Enter E, second woman. ) E I heard you ironing. Bring it across the way, and then help me with mine. KOSIKI Gladly. (They pick up the pieces of ripped garments. E sings a doleful Korean song.) KOSIKI That is a good tune. We sing happier words, though, in our Province. (She sings Christian words.) pe (As they go out.) What does that mean? INTERMISSION Scenery and Costumes Scenery and Custumes suitable for many of the missionary plays published by the Missionary Education Movement may be rented from the Movement’s Ex- position Department. The scenery available for several of the plays was painted especially for them, and has been used for the presentation of the plays in missionary expositions and at church entertainments. For some of the plays, complete sets of costumes are available for rental. Correspondence concerning scenery and cos- tumes should be addressed to your Mission Board or to the Exposition Department Missionary Education Movement 156 Fifth Avenue New York City PART iE The same sarang in eleven months. Twenty villagers are crowded into it. Mis- sionary, talking with Yee, sits in front. All sit on the floor. Kim and Kosiki, together, are near the front. Kim is foremost in answering the Missionary’s questions. MISSIONARY How often do you meet for prayer? ALL (Surprised, matter-of-fact tone.) Every night. MISSIONARY How long? AEE Ever since we began to do the Jesus doctrine. YEE At first there were only a few. MISSIONARY ‘When was that? ALL Ten months ago. A- VILLAGER Ever since the wife of Kim came among us. MISSIONARY Do any of you wish to be baptized? ALL at MISSIONARY Who is your teacher? 10 KOSIKI DIFFERENT. VILLAGERS Missionary, you will surely come All the village would learn The one who taught us knows no more. until we know how to do the doctrine better. When will you come? MISSIONARY (Head in hands.) Brothers and sisters, | cannot come. The country given me is large. I can- not come this way again for months, or maybe years. ALL What shall we do?——Can you send some one?——My father will be dead. MISSIONARY One thing you might do. The holiday season is coming. A hundred miles away there will be a large meeting of people who come to learn more about Jesus so that they may teach their own villages. It is far, I know, but some of you might come. eV LOEEAG Ge It is four days distant. MISSIONARY Yee, can the one who first did the doctrine here go? (All look at Kim’s wife.) YEE Missionary, the one who told us is a woman. KIM ( Rising.) > I will go. Missionary, I am her husband. In anger I brought her here, and yet God has turned it to good. Not only these of this village, but my black heart he has changed. YER And I will go. MISSIONARY Yee, will you come with me to the pony, and get the books for the people to buy? ' | * KIM We were coming together this evening to plan for building a larger place +5 “te, San) BAI EET. ja on of meeting. Before we go, let us see how much we can give, (To people.) . Come, and bring your gifts. ® : (Each one comes with bag of corn or rice, one witha chicken, etc. A switch of hair flies over from one near the entrance.) A VILLAGER I have no money. Take the price of the land around my house. ANOTHER The tree I own on the hill. (A woman takes off a piece of jewelry. Kosiki, after she and Kim have placed one offering, looks at him ques- tioningly, touching her wedding ring with the other hand. KIM (In startled whisper.) What, your betrothal ring? (Pause.) Yes! what is better? We did not know love without Him. YEE This will not build a large house. , : KIM (Waving his hand.) I have it! The devil house! & it down and use the stones. 4 Men, who goés there any more? Let us take (All cry out, springing to their feet. The men go out, the women following.) ii ND) 3 _——— ——— — -——— = | . ———— === N ————_—_——- ow ———— = =S=o SS ih | i