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Every culture has its own fairy tales and legends, often told to children as bedtime stories or taught in school for the valuable lessons they carry. South Korea has its share of culturally rich fairy tales that reflect Korean life and precious values. Today we'll look at 6 popular Korean fairy tales and learn more about them.
Heungbu and Nolbu
This is a story of two brothers showing how greed can be one's undoing. Nolbu, the older, greedy brother, tricks his kind brother out of their father's inheritance, leaving Nolbu rich and Heungbu poor. Content with his simple life, Heungbu saves a sparrow from a snake and is rewarded with riches a year later. When Nolbu tries to recreate the situation, he loses all his wealth. The lesson: being kind and generous leads to wealth and luck.
The Tale of Shim Chong
This tale is about the love a blind man's daughter has for her father. Her love is so strong that she offers herself as a sacrifice to regain his eyesight. Shim Chong is summoned by the Dragon King and resurrected for the love she showed; she becomes an empress, her father regains his sight, and they live happily together. The lesson: putting others before yourself is the right thing to do.
The Rabbit's Liver
The Dragon King has an ailment that can only be cured by a rabbit's liver. A terrapin volunteers to find a rabbit and brings one back to the palace. Realizing the danger, the rabbit lies that his liver is hidden in the forest and must be retrieved, escaping through quick thinking and never returning. The lesson: study well and think quickly, and things will turn out well.
Gyeonu and Jiknyeo
Jiknyeo, the heavenly king's daughter, was a masterful, hardworking weaver who fell in love with a cow herder named Gyeonu across the Milky Way. Her father allowed them to marry, but once married they neglected their work, so he forbade them to meet except once a year. This tale is the lore behind Chilseok, a traditional Korean festival celebrating the end of the heat and the start of the wet season.
The Fairy and the Woodcutter
A woodcutter saves a deer, who gratefully tells him the secret to marry a fairy: steal the clothes that let her fly. The woodcutter succeeds, but after they have children he reveals that he stole her clothing, and the fairy returns to the heavens with their children, leaving him alone. This popular tragic love story emphasizes honesty and respect for others and their belongings.
The Gold Axe and the Silver Axe
Also known as "The Honest Woodcutter," this is the Korean version of Aesop's fable. A woodcutter drops his axe into a river and cries. The Mountain God dives in and pulls out a gold axe, then a silver axe, but the woodcutter honestly says neither is his. Rewarding his honesty, the God gives him both axes plus his original. The lesson: honesty earns the generosity of others.
These 6 are some of the most popular Korean fairy tales, but there are many more to explore! What's your favorite fairy tale from your childhood? Let us know in the comments.
Written by Ashton Carson