korean folk tale

8/17/2019 Korean Folk Tale

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Korean Folk Tale: The Vanity Of The Rat한국민속이야기:쥐의화장대

A long time ago, there lived a rat couple who had 1 daughter !ince they had no other children, they gave her everything "hen it #ecame time for their daughter to marry, they wanted only the #e$t hu$#and for her They thought a#out all of therat$ that they knew, #ut none of them were good enough for their daughter

One day, %r Rat $aid to hi$ wife &' know who will make the perfect hu$#and for our daughter, the !un& &The !un(& a$ked%r$ Rat &"hy do you think the !un would make a good hu$#and& &)ecau$e there i$ none more powerful in the world

than the !un& $aid the hu$#and &*e$, *e$ *e$ The !un i$ the mo$t powerful +e$ #right a$ well -et$ a$k him at once&$aid %r$ Rat

The two rat$ went out into their garden where the !un wa$ $hining &Oh, %r !un.& they called, trying to keep their eye$open a$ they looked up into the $ky &*e$, what can ' do for you(& replied the !un &!hould you accept, my wife and ' wouldlike to offer you our daughter$ hand in marriage,& $aid %r Rat proudly &'m honored& $aid %r !un, &)ut why do you

want me to marry your daughter(& &)ecau$e you are $o powerful and magnificent.& $aid %r Rat, while %r$ Rat noddedher head in agreement

&"ell, 'm plea$ed that you think $o highly of me& $aid %r !un &)ut there i$ one that i$ more powerful than me& &"homight that #e( a$ked %r Rat &"hy %r /loud, of cour$e. ' am powerle$$ when he cover$ me& &*e$, $o true& $aid %r Rat,nodding over and over&/ome on dear, he $aid, taking hi$ wife #y the hand &-et$ go $ee %r /loud&

They clim#ed up a near#y mountain, over which a #ig cloud hung in the $ky They called to %r /loud and telling him what%r !un had $aid, offered their daughter$ hand in marriage Again, the couple received a much different an$wer that whatthey were e0pecting %r /loud $aid &"hat the !un $ay$ i$ true +owever, ' am powerle$$ when ' meet %r "ind

"herever he #low$, ' mu$t go& &*e$ *e$ Of cour$e, of cour$e& $aid %r and %r$ Rat They then $et out to find %r "ind

/oming down the mountain, they found %r "ind in a grove of tree$ &' am $trong& he told them on hearing their $tory &'can make a #ig tree fall over or #low down a hou$e ' can $hake up an ocean )ut try a$ ' may, ' cant move a $tone

#uddha& &Then, well u$t have to a$k a $tone #uddha& $aid %r Rat !o, %r and %r$ Rat hurried down the mountain tothe $tone #uddha $tanding near their village

&"ell, 'm flattered that you want me to marry your daughter& $aid %r !tone )uddha &)ut ' dont think 'm right for hereither ' am indeed $trong and %r "ind cant move me, #ut ' am no mean$ the $tronge$t of them all There i$ one that canmake me fall over ea$ily The very thought of it i$ making me $hake already& &2lea$e %r !tone )uddha& $aid %r Rat&2lea$e tell u$ who& &3one other than you and your cou$in$ the mole$& $aid %r !tone )uddha &*ou and your cou$in$ are

very $trong "hy if you #urrow under my feet, 'll fall over and land on my head 'm no match for you& $aid %r !tone)uddha &Thank you& $aid %r Rat, &*ouve #een very helpful

After the long $earch for a $uita#le $uitor, the rat$ daughter married a rat


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In Korea, it was formerly the custom for parents to arrange their children’s marriages.Mr. and Mrs. Rat were anxious for their darling daughter Rena to marry into arespectable family.From the rst,they had thought that Mr. un wasthe most high!stationed and well!descended person they "new, and they decided that he was #ust the person to

marry their daughter.$%ello, Mr. un, $said Mr. Rat importantly. $I would li"e for you to "now that my daughter Rena is old enough to marry now,and that we would be &ery pleased to welcome you into our family as Rena’shusband.'e chose you from all the men we "now becauseof your high position and your great power(.$)ou o*er is indeed "ind, Mr. Rat, $replied the smiling Mr. un, who had no desire to marry a member of the Rat family.$I feel that it is only fair to tell you, howe&er,that I am not the most powerful person of your ac+uaintance.I would li"e to recommend to you Mr. loud, whocan co&er up my face and "eep mefrom shining.($)es, of course, of course- Mr. loud is certainlymore powerful,$said Mr. Rat as he and his wife went to see the gentleman.'hen Mr. loud heard of Mr. Rat’s o*er, he too was not eager to choose his wife

from the %ouse of Rats.%e wa&ed his hands, saying,$)ou seem not to "now that there is one who is more worthy of your honor than I.though I sometimes get the better of Mr. un, I am still a mere ser&ant of Mr. 'ind’s.%is blast and growl ma"e me go anywhere he pleases, whether I want to or not.(ea&ing Mr. loud, Mr. Rat mumbles to his wife, $Mr. 'ind is indeed much morepowerful/ much more powerful.%e is certainly the proper husband for our daught

er.0nce again Mr. Rat o*ered the hand of his daughter in marriage,but Mr. 'ind was no more anxious than the others to become Mr. Rat’s son!in!law. aughing hoarsely, he said, $I am indeed powerful enough, for forests tremble and ships toss in fear for me.1ut there is one more powerful than I. It is Mr. 'all. %e sets his strong legs rm upon the earth and stand immo&able in my way, armsfolded, eyes blin"ing.

1ut for him, how I could meddle in the li&es of families-(o saying, Mr. 'ind ga&e another laugh and whi2

which commands the cloud, which o&erpowers the sun.1ut what am I to you, 0 Mr. Rat.

)our prosperous race can undermine me and ma"e me fall in the twin"ling of an eye, if need be. 0h,Mr. Rat, I am at your mercy.($%ow true, how &ery true-( Mr. Rat said proudly. $0f course the race of rat is the

most powerful of all.3nd my glorious race is next to none 4 yes, next to none in respectability.($)es,( said Mrs. Rat. 3nd I "now #ust the person5 that nice Roger Rat who seems to li"e Rena so much.3nd his parents are such good friends of ours, too.($0ld Roland Rat’s boy6 3n excellent idea,( agreed Mr. Rat. $et’s see if he is in now.'hen Roger Rat appeared, Mr. and Mrs. Rat toldhim of their o*er, which heaccepted immediately.

7hey led him to their hole, where they found Rena who giggled coyly, hanging on toher mother’s hand.3lthough she tried not to let Roger "now how shefelt,she was &ery much delighted that her parents were arranging for her to marry him.i"e the most Korean girls, she was shy when shewas with boys.Mr. and Mrs. Rat was e&ery bit as pleased as Rena and Roger were about the arrangement.

3nd Mr. Rat was con&inced that he had made best possible match for his darlingdaughter.

In Korea, it was formerly the custom for parents to arrange their children’s marriages.Mr. and Mrs. Rat were anxious for their darling daughter Rena to marry into arespectable family.From the rst,they had thought that Mr. un was the most high!stationed and well!descended person they "new,

and they decided that he was #ust the person tomarry their daughter.$%ello, Mr. un, $said Mr. Rat importantly. $I would li"e for you to "now that my daughter Rena is old enough to marry now,and that we would be &ery pleased to welcome you into our family as Rena’shusband.'e chose you from all the men we "now becauseof your high position and your great power(.$)ou o*er is indeed "ind, Mr. Rat, $replied the smiling Mr. un, who had no desire to marry a memb

er of the Rat family.$I feel that it is only fair to tell you, howe&er,that I am not the most powerful person of your a


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'hen Mr. loud heard of Mr. Rat’s o*er, he too was not eager to choose his wifefrom the %ouse of Rats.%e wa&ed his hands, saying,$)ou seem not to "now that there is one who is more worthy of your honor than I.though I sometimes get the better of Mr. un, I am still a mere ser&ant of Mr. 'ind’s.%is blast and growl ma"e me go anywhere he ple

ases, whether I want to or not.(ea&ing Mr. loud, Mr. Rat mumbles to his wife, $Mr. 'ind is indeed much morepowerful/ much more powerful.%e is certainly the proper husband for our daughter.0nce again Mr. Rat o*ered the hand of his daughter in marriage,but Mr. 'ind was no more anxious than the others to become Mr. Rat’s son!in!law. aughing hoarsely, he said, $I am indeed powerful enough, for forests tremble and ships toss in fear for me.1ut there is one more powerful than I. It is Mr. 'all. %e sets his strong legs rm upon the earth and stand immo&able in my way, armsfolded, eyes blin"ing.1ut for him, how I could meddle in the li&es of families-(o saying, Mr. 'ind ga&e another laugh and whi22ed on.'ondering how his wise brain could e&er ha&e o&erloo"ed so powerful and close aneighbor,

Mr. Rat &isited Mr. 'all, who li"ewise apologi2ed. $It is +uite true that I, without any sign of outward exertion, can chec" the progress of the wind,

which commands the cloud, which o&erpowers the sun.1ut what am I to you, 0 Mr. Rat.

)our prosperous race can undermine me and ma"e me fall in the twin"ling of an eye, if need be. 0h,Mr. Rat, I am at your mercy.($%ow true, how &ery true-( Mr. Rat said proudly. $0f course the race of rat is the

most powerful of all.3nd my glorious race is next to none 4 yes, next to none in respectability.($)es,( said Mrs. Rat. 3nd I "now #ust the person5 that nice Roger Rat who seems to li"e Rena so much.3nd his parents are such good friends of ours, too.($0ld Roland Rat’s boy6 3n excellent idea,( agreed Mr. Rat. $et’s see if he is in now.'hen Roger Rat appeared, Mr. and Mrs. Rat toldhim of their o*er, which heaccepted immediately.

7hey led him to their hole, where they found Rena who giggled coyly, hanging on toher mother’s hand.3lthough she tried not to let Roger "now how shefelt,she was &ery much delighted that her parents were arranging for her to marry him.i"e the most Korean girls, she was shy when shewas with boys.Mr. and Mrs. Rat was e&ery bit as pleased as Rena and Roger were about the arrangement.

3nd Mr. Rat was con&inced that he had made best possible match for his darlingdaughter.


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'n Korea, it wa$ formerly the cu$tom for parent$ to arrange their children4$ marriage$%r and %r$ Rat were an0iou$ for their

darling daughter Rena to marry into a re$pecta#le familyFrom the fir$t, They had thought that %r !un wa$ the mo$t high5

$tationed and well5de$cended per$on they knew )ut when they are a$k a marriage to %r !un, he refu$ed the offer and

recommended %r /loud "hen %r /loud heard a#out their offer, he too wa$ not eager to choo$e a$ hi$ a wife from the +ou$e

of Rat$ And a$ %r and %r$ Rat heard a#out %r "ind, they offered again the marriage, #ut %r "ind wa$ not an0iou$ to #e

%r Rat$ $on5in5law $o he then $ugge$ted %r "all %r Rat offered the marriage again for hi$ daughter #ut, a$ likewi$e, herefu$ed and apologi6ed 7ntil they reali6ed that the only man who can marry Rena i$ another rat8 Roger Rat And $o Roger Rat

agreed a#out having the marriage offer #y %r Rat

%r and %r$ Rat were very #it a$ plea$ed a$ Rena and Roger were a#out the arrangement And %r Rat wa$ convinced that he

had made the #e$t po$$i#le match for hi$ darling daughter

9' don4t like the attitude of the father +e i$ a gold5digger +e u$t want money and #ecome morepowerful +e mu$t li$ten to hi$ daughter +e mu$t #e open5minded +e mu$t li$ten to hi$ daughter "hat more important i$ the happine$$ of Rena

' don4t like the way %r And %r$ Rat decide for their daughter e$pecially when it come$ to marryingthe man of your life For me, ' don4t want my parent$ to decide if who $hould #e the #e$t man ' mu$marry, ' don4t want an arranged marriage )ut in thi$ $tory $omehow ' reali6ed what i$ their purpo$edto $et a marriage for their daughter


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