our own gracious ruler?"

Yung Pak was very jealous of the honour of his king.

"Why, yes," replied the monk. "And to prove my statement let me tell you
a story:

"Many years ago there was in Cho-sen a king named Cheng-chong. He was
celebrated throughout his kingdom for his goodness. It was a habit with
him to disguise himself in ordinary clothing and then to go out and
mingle with the common people. In this way he was often able to
discover opportunities for doing much good to his subjects.

"One night Cheng-chong disguised himself as a countryman, and, taking a
single friend along, started out to make a tour of inspection among his
people, that he might learn the details of their lives.

"Coming to a dilapidated-looking house, he suspected that within there
might be miserable people to whom he could render assistance. Desiring
to see the inside of the house, he punched a peep-hole in the paper
door. Looking through this hole, the king perceived an old man weeping,
a man in mourning garb singing, and a nun or widow dancing.

"Cheng-chong was unable to imagine the cause of these strange
proceedings, so he asked his companion to call the master of the house.

"In answer to the summons, the man in mourning made his appearance. The
king, with low and respectful salutation, said:

"'We have never before met.'