A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
Prince Han’s apparently unimpressive relative explains that he must inspect the spirits under his control at New Year. A crowd arrives at the house and answers to names read from a book, while demon guards repeat the calls. The procedure resembles an official registry and lasts through the night.
Two late arrivals admit spreading illnesses described in Gale’s translation as smallpox and typhus. Their keeper punishes them and repeatedly forbids the others to spread disease. He acquired this authority from an elderly priest whom he alone treated kindly. Im Bang states that he received the story from Prince Han’s children, who had heard it from their father; this is an explicit transmission claim rather than the editor’s firsthand observation.
Origins & earliest records
Korea; tale-specific historical narrative
Records & interpretation
Complete story and attribution read in the 1913 English witness; no independent confirmation of supernatural events.
In the literature
“a catalogue list of devils”
Tale23, Ten Thousand Devils, printed p.108 (Gutenberg marker120) · James S. Gale
The poor relation describes the book received from an elderly priest.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Korean Folk Tales: Imps, Ghosts and Fairies
Tale 23, “Ten Thousand Devils”, printed pp. 104–110 (Gutenberg page labels 116–122). English translation date, not the date of the narrated event.
- 02
Korean Folk Tales: Imps, Ghosts and Fairies — Ten Thousand Devils
London:J.M.Dent/NewYork:E.P.Dutton1913, actual title page. Gale preface distinguishes Im Bang old manuscript, thirteen Yi Ryuk stories from1911 reprint, and three anonymous selections. Complete selected chapter/signature read; no Korean manuscript collation. Printed pagination checked in retained1913 PDF OCR; Gutenberg body markers are printed+12, physical PDFpages printed+16. No new page-pixel claim. Gale death1937 confirmed by UniversityToronto archival finding aid.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
Korean Folk Tales: Imps, Ghosts and Fairies
Im Bang; James S. Gale translation, London Dent/New York Dutton, 1913. Tale 23, “Ten Thousand Devils”, pp. 116–122
Complete story and author signature read from cached Gutenberg51002 HTML. Translator’s bracketed introductions and author notes distinguished from narrative. No illustration claimed.
Located primary passages
Specific passages supporting details in this entry, grouped by their published witness.
Korean Folk Tales: Imps, Ghosts and Fairies
London:J.M.Dent/NewYork:E.P.Dutton1913, actual title page. Gale preface distinguishes Im Bang old manuscript, thirteen Yi Ryuk stories from1911 reprint, and three anonymous selections. Complete selected chapter/signature read; no Korean manuscript collation. Printed pagination checked in retained1913 PDF OCR; Gutenberg body markers are printed+12, physical PDFpages printed+16. No new page-pixel claim. Gale death1937 confirmed by UniversityToronto archival finding aid.
- Prince Han’s poor relation is detained over New Year, so performs his annual spirit inspection in Han’s guest hall. A multitude of demons answers names in a book while threshold guards repeat the calls. Two latecomers admit causing illnesses rendered as smallpox and typhus to obtain food; their keeper punishes and imprisons them and repeatedly forbids disease.
Tale23, Ten Thousand Devils, printed pp.104–107, New Year assembly and punishment
- The relative explains that when young he alone befriended an abused elderly monastery priest. The priest entrusted him with a spirit catalogue and taught an assembly procedure before disappearing. He says the craft requires someone poor and despised, refuses Han’s request to acquire it, and eventually vanishes from his isolated hut. Im Bang explicitly says he received the story from Prince Han’s children, who had heard it from their father.
Disease-causing demons and count of ten thousand are narrative claims, not epidemiology or verified population figures. No ritual wording copied. Embedded account, reported family transmission and anonymous relative retained at distinct levels; no firsthand observation by Im Bang or modern verified ritual authority claimed.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical primary narrative translationTale 23, “Ten Thousand Devils”, printed pp. 104–110 (Gutenberg page labels 116–122) — Im Bang, Gale translationResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.