By Honorary Reporter Marishel Lochan from Trinidad and Tobago

Illustrations= Marishel Lochan

As something to do during the lockdown and social distancing caused by COVID-19, reading Korean folk tales is highly recommended. Korean folk tales have been passed down for centuries and provide beliefs, life lessons and entertainment. Among the many Korean myths, folklore and folk tales I've researched, the following are four of my favorites as well as my illustrations inspired scenes from the stories.

 

"The Shape-shifting Skull" has two short tales.

The first tale is about a man who finds a fox that can transform itself into a beautiful woman when it wears a skull on its head. The man steals the skull from the fox and wears the skull on his head, turning into a beautiful woman. So he places the skull on a dog's head to get a beautiful woman. The man walks home with the woman, but this angers his wife as she thinks her husband is having an affair. He makes his wife understand by explaining what happened.

The second tale is about a salt peddler who sees a fox transform into an old woman when a human skull is placed on its head. The peddler follows the woman to a banquet and receives hospitality. He takes his stick and fatally strikes the woman, and she turns back into a fox. Everyone at the banquet is amazed by the transformation, and the peddler exploits this opportunity to give the impression that his stick is magical. He sells the stick at a steep price to a man. The man wants to catch a fox so he kills an old woman thinking she will turn into a fox, but he gets into deep trouble.

The Hare's Judgment 

This tale is about a man who encounters a tiger caught in a trap. The tiger pleads for its release and the man does so after the feline promises to return the favor. One the tiger is released, however, it threatens to eat the man. Feeling betrayed, the man proposes to the tiger that they take their issue to trial. The tiger agrees and they search for someone to help them resolve their dispute. They first talk to a rock, but it has bad feelings toward humans and favors the tiger. So they seek out a hare who suggests to see the trap. At the trap, the hare asks the tiger how it ended up in the trap. Foolishly, the tiger goes back into the trap to show the hare, and the latter tells the man to lock the tiger in again.

chaey0726@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.