Korean Fairy Tales — William Elliot Griffis
Korean fairy tales You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title : Korean Fairy Tales Author : William Elliot Griffis Release date : January 16, 2022 [eBook #67180] Most recently updated: October 18, 2024 Language : English Original publication : United States: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1911 Other information and formats : www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67180 Credits : Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Library of Congress) *** START OF ELLIOT GRIFFIS BELGIAN FAIRY TALES DUTCH FAIRY TALES JAPANESE FAIRY TALES KOREAN FAIRY TALES SWISS FAIRY TALES WELSH FAIRY TALES THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY [ Contents ] The tiger climbed up and out. [ Contents ] KOREAN FAIRY TALES BY WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFFIS Author of “Korea: Within and Without”; “Korea: The Hermit Nation” and of Japanese, Dutch, Belgian, Swiss and Welsh Fairy Tales ILLUSTRATED IN COLOR NEW YORK THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY PUBLISHERS [ Contents ] Copyright, 1911 and 1922 By THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY Printed in the United States of America [ v ] [ Contents ] A NOTE TO THE FRIENDS OF KOREA Everywhere on earth the fairy world of each country is older and perhaps more enduring than the one we see and feel and tread upon. So I tell in this book the folk lore of the Korean people, and of the behavior of the particular kind of fairies that inhabit the Land of Morning Splendor. Yet, if I live long enough, I shall write the wonderful history of the Korean nation and civilization, which once so enriched Asia, and made possible the modern Japan such as we know today, of which fact the literature and art of both countries bear ample witness. W. E. G. [ vii ] [ Contents ] CONTENTS PAGE The Unmannerly Tiger 1 Tokgabi and His Pranks 6 East Light and the Bridge of Fishes 11 Prince Sandalwood, the Father of Korea 17 The Rabbit’s Eyes 24 Topknots and Crockery Hats 30 Fancha and the Magpie 38 The Sneezing Colossus 49 A Bridegroom for Miss Mole 53 Old White Whiskers and Mr. Bunny 59 The King of the Flowers 65 Tokgabi’s Menagerie 71 Cat-kin and the Queen Mother 78 The Magic Peach 89 The Great Stone Fire Eater 102 Pigling and Her Proud Sisters 110 The Mirror that Made Trouble 117 Old Timber Top 130 Sir One Long Body and Madame Thousand Feet 147 The Sky Bridge of Birds 155 Longka, the Dancing Girl 161 A Frog for a Husband 167 Shoes for Hats 179 The Voice of the Bell 187 The King of the Sparrows 195 The Woodman and the Mountain Fairies 204 [ 1 ] List of Illustrations The tiger climbed up and out. Shouted East Light, “Let us flee!” 14 They cracked their crockery. 34 With patience Miryek listened to the proud father. 56 A party of children caught sight of the odd pair. 76 She heard a whir and a rush of wings. 110 The lovely lady that stands by the starry river to meet her lord. 160 All the children clapped their hands. 192 Korean fairy tales [ Contents ] KOREAN FAIRY TALES THE UNMANNERLY TIGER “Mountain Uncle” was the name given by the villagers to a splendid striped tiger that lived among the highlands of Kang Wen, the long province which from its cliffs overlooks the Sea of Japan. Hunters rarely saw him, and among his fellow-tigers the Mountain Uncle boasted that, though often fired at, he had never been wounded; while as for traps—he knew all about them and laughed at the devices used by man to catch him and to strip him of his coveted skin. In summer he kept among the high hills and lived on fat deer. In winter, when heavy snow, biting winds, and terrible cold kept human beings within doors, old Mountain Uncle would sally forth to the villages. There he would prowl around the stables, the cattle enclosures, or the pig pens, in hopes of clawing and dragging out a young donkey, a fat calf, or a suckling pig. Too often he succeeded, so that he was the terror of the country for leagues around. One day in autumn, Mountain Uncle was rambling among the lower hills. Though far from any [ 2 ] village, he kept a sharp lookout for traps and hunters, but none seemed to be near. He was very hungry and hoped for game. But on coming round a great rock, Mountain Uncle suddenly saw in his path some feet ahead, as he thought, a big tiger like himself. He stopped, twitched his tail most ferociously as a challenge, showed fight by growling, and got ready to spring. What was his surprise to see the other tiger doing exactly the same things. Mountain Uncle was sure there would be a terrible struggle, but this was just what he wanted, for he expected to win. But after a tremendous leap in the air he landed in a pit and all of a heap, bruised and disappointed. There was no tiger to be seen, but instead a heavy lid of logs had closed over his head with a crash and he lay in darkness. Old Mountain Uncle was caught at last. Yes, the hunter had concealed the pit with sticks and leaves, and on the upright timbers, covered with vines and brushwood, had hung a looking-glass. Mountain Uncle had often beheld his own face and body in the water, when he stooped to drink, but this time not seeing any water he was deceived into thinking a real tiger wanted to fight him. By and by, a Buddhist priest came along, who believed in being kind to all living creatures. Hearing an animal moaning, he opened the trap [ 3 ] and lifting the lid saw old Mountain Uncle at the bottom licking his bruised paw. “Oh, please, Mr. Man, let me get out. I’m hurt badly,” said the tiger. Thereupon the priest lifted up one of the logs and slid it down, until it rested on the bottom of the pit. Then the tiger climbed up and out. Old Mountain Uncle expressed his thanks volubly, saying to the shaven head: “I am deeply grateful to you, sir, for helpin