NO. 2168. UTFIT OF KOREAN SORCERESS—CAS ANO WICZ. 597 



the disease, when danger is supposed to be passed, the Mutang is 

 again summoned, and a farewell banquet is given to the spirit. A 

 miniature wooden horse, loaded with food and some coins, and be- 

 decked with a red umbrella and small flags, is placed upon the roof 

 of the house. This outfit is provided for the spirit in taking liis 

 departure. (See plate 112.) The Mutang bids him farewell, asldng 

 him to deal kindly with the patient and the family, to let the sick 

 fully recover without being badly marked.^ 



The death of a Korean does not terminate his dependence on the 

 ministrations of the Mutang. The spirit of the departed is beheved 

 to hover about the house for some time after leaving the body, having 

 some last words to speak. The Mutang is required to serve as his 

 mouthpiece for his valedictory. Food is set out, the baskets are 

 scraped to summon the spirit who then enters the Mutang and com- 

 municates through her to the family his last wishes, counsels, and 

 exhortations. The members of the family have their cry and say 

 their farewells, after which they fall to consuming the food. A more 

 elaborate ceremony, with the never-wantmg banquet, in connection 

 with death, is performed by the Mutang at a shrine in honor of the 

 judges or rulers of the nether world to secure their goodwill for the 

 departed. 



The surviving members of the family need no less the services of 

 the Mutang. The unclean spirits of death (as also of birth) have for 

 the time being driven out the guardian spirits of the household, and 

 the Mutang has to bring them back. Their whereabouts is found by 

 means of a wand cut from a pine tree to the east of the house wliich 

 is set working by the spells of the Mutang, and by prayers and offer- 

 ings they are induced to return to their place. 



As public functionary, the Mutang comes into consideration in the 

 triennial festa lasting three to four days, which is observed to propi- 

 tiate the tutelary spirit of the locality and to obtain his favor during 

 the coming three years. 



Divination is practiced by the Mutang by means of chimes and rice. 

 The latter consists of throwing down some grains of rice on a table 

 and notmg the resulting combination. The divinmg chime is a hazel 

 wand with a circle of tiny bells at one end, which the Mutang shakes 

 violently, and in the din thus created she hears the answer of the 

 spirit. 



1 It may be that the original idea underlying the sending away of the spirit on a horse was that he carry 

 off the malady. A parallel to it would be Leviticus xiv, 4, where, for the purification of a leper, one bird 

 is to be killed as an offering; the other, charged with the disease, is to be let loose into the open field. The 

 horse seems in general to play something of the part of scapegoat in Korean magic. Thus in case the spirit 

 of a disease is obstinate, and refuses to depart the Mutang orders the making of a picture of three or seven 

 horses on paper, and with three or seven small coins wrapped up in it throw into the street ( Korea Review, 

 p. 148). For the transference of evils to animals in general, see J. G. Frazer, The Golden Bough, vol. 3, 

 London, 1900, p. 1. 



