d to become
his bride. The old man consulted his records, as he answered: 'Your
wife is the daughter of an old woman named Ch'en who sells vegetables
in yonder shop.'

"Having heard this, Wei Ku went the next day to look about him and if
possible to get a glimpse of the one to whom the old man referred, but
he discovered that the only child the old woman had was an ill-favored
one of two years which she carried in her arms. He hired an assassin to
murder the infant, but the blow was badly aimed and left only a scar on
the child's eyebrow.

"Fourteen years afterwards, Wei Ku married a beautiful maiden of
sixteen whose only defect was a scar above the eye, and on inquiries he
discovered that she was the one foretold by the Old Man of the Moon,
and he recalled the proverb that 'Matches are made in heaven, and the
bond of fate is sealed in the moon.'"

"Nurse, tell me about the land of the big people," whereupon the nurse
told him of

THE LAND OF GIANTS.

"There was in ancient times a country east of Korea which was called
the land of the giants. It was celebrated for its length rather than
for its width, being bounded on all sides by great mountain ranges, the
like of which cannot be found in other countries. It extends for
thousands of miles along the deep passes between the mountains, at the
entrance to which there are great iron gates, easily closed, but very
difficult to open.

"Many armies have made war upon the giants, among which none have been
more celebrated than those of Korea, which embraces in its standing
army alone many thousands of men, but thus far they have never been
conquered.

"Nor is this to be wondered at, for besides their great iron gates, and
numerous fortifications, the men are thirty feet tall according to our
measurement, have teeth like a saw, hooked claws, and bodies covered
with long black hair.

"They live upon the flesh of fowls and wild beasts which are found in
abundance in the mountain fastnesses, but they do not cook their food.
They are very fond of human flesh, but they confine themselves to the
flesh of enemies slain in battle, and do not eat the flesh of their own
people, even though they be hostile, as this is contrary to the law of
the land.

"Their women are as large and fierce as the men, but their duties are
confined to the preparation of extra clothing for winter wear, for
although they are covered with hair it is insufficient to protect them
from the w