Міжзірковий мандрівник
Chapter 15
Theyweretrulydwarfhorses.OnawagerwithKimIliftedone,despitehissquealsandstruggles,squarelyacrossmyshoulders,sothatKim’smen,whohadalreadyheardmynewname,calledmeYiYong-ik,theMightyOne.KimwasalargemanasKoreansgo,andKoreansareatallmuscularrace,andKimfanciedhimselfabit.But,elbowtoelbowandpalmtopalm,Iputhisarmdownatwill.Andhissoldiersandthegapingvillagerswouldlookonandmurmur“YiYong-ik.”
Inawaywewereatravellingmenagerie.Thewordwentonahead,sothatallthecountryfolkflockedtotheroadsidetoseeuspass.Itwasanunendingcircusprocession.Inthetownsatnightourinnswerebesiegedbymultitudes,sothatwegotnopeaceuntilthesoldiersdrovethemoffwithlance-pricksandblows.ButfirstKimwouldcallforthevillagestrongmenandwrestlersforthefunofseeingmecrumplethemandputtheminthedirt.
Breadtherewasnone,butweatewhiterice(thestrengthofwhichresidesinone’smusclesnotlong),ameatwhichwefoundtobedog(whichanimalisregularlybutcheredforfoodinCho-Sen),andthepicklesungodlyhotbutwhichonelearnstolikeexceedingwell.Andtherewasdrink,realdrink,notmilkyslush,butwhite,bitingstuffdistilledfromrice,apintofwhichwouldkillaweaklingandmakeastrongmanmadandmerry.
