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Blazinghand
United States25558 Posts
My mother is not the kind of person who tells a lot of stories. She had to fight for everything she got in this life, and most fairy tales are far too sedentary for her. After almost being left behind due to her motion sickness, she traveled with her family from Yeongnam to Seoul, where they boarded a passenger boat for America. When at last they arrived in Maryland, they were reunited with my grandfather, who had been there for some time working as a minister. Pastors don't make real money. I'm not even sure my grandfather had a wage. My grandmother worked part-time bagging groceries at the grocery store, and somehow they managed to raise four children and send all of them to college. Those were different times.
Still, for whatever challenges she may have overcome, my mother did have one fairy tale she told me-- I don't know the name of it, or whether it's korean or she made it up or what. Sometimes when I couldn't sleep (Elementary School is a scary time my friends) she'd tell me the story and tuck me in for the night. It was a story of hope, and of hard work, and of respect. Exactly the kind of story my mother would tell.
I thought I'd reproduce the story here for you guys. I couldn't find it on google-- I don't even know if it's a Korean fairy tale or what the title is. As best as I remember it, here is...
Gifts
An old man lay dying. He was very poor, and his three faithful children were at his side in his final moments. As he passed away, he divided what was left of his earthly treasures between them-- to his youngest son went his millstone, worn with years of use. To his oldest son went what was left of his worldly goods, a sack of rice and some sparse coins. To his only daughter he could only offer a pot and a stave-- a meagre inheritance indeed. The three children solemnly held a funeral for their father, then decided they should part ways and live they best they could in this harsh world.
The daughter walked along a footpath through the hills until she was very tired. As night fell, she saw a cave where she could rest. She entered the cave and fell asleep. After sleeping for some time, she was awaked by a noise. It was midnight, and there was an imp approaching her from the mouth of the cave.
"Hey, hurry up Skeleton!" said the Imp.
"Where are we going?" asked the daughter, afraid.
"We are going to steal the soul of the rich man's son tonight, remember?" asked the Imp
"Oh, why yes, I do remember now." said the daughter. She stands up. "Shall we get going?"
"Hold on a moment, "says the imp suspiciously. "You sound awfully lively for a Skeleton. Let me feel your head so I know you're a Skeleton."
Thinking quickly, the daughter presented the Imp the pot her father left her. He felt it and said "why, there's certainly no hair there... but let me feel your arm just to be sure." She held out her stave. The Imp grabbed it and said "you are very skinny! you are definitely a Skeleton. Let us go, then, and steal that man's soul."
The Imp and the daughter walked to a nearby town. There they came upon a luxurious mansion.
"Stay here, Skeleton, and kill anyone who sees us. I will fetch the soul."
The daughter waited but a moment before the Imp returned. "Here, I have his soul."
The two began walking back towards the cave, when light began to appear over the horizon-- sunlight is very dangerous to Imps. "Look," said the Imp, "the sun is rising! I must hurry or else I will be burned. I'll meet you back at the cave tomorrow night-- hold onto his soul for now."
The daughter took the soul and put it in her pocket. She had no intention of going back to that cave, however. She walked away from it, hoping to never see the imp again.
Soon she came upon the town she was at the night before. The townspeople were all upset because the son of the wealthy man was unconscious and dying.
"Let me try to heal your son, because I am a great healer" she said, and the wealthy man agreed.
She went into the room with the son and gave him him soul back. He awoke and fell in love with her. They married, and together were happy and prosperous, and for several years stayed that way.
The daughter in time sent messengers looking for her brothers. She found her elder brother working on a destitute farm in the mountains, and brought him and his family to the village. He became a prosperous merchant with her help.
Try as she might, though, she was never able to find her younger brother. A great sadness fell upon her, and despite his best attempts her husband could not cheer her up.
One day, a slaver came through town selling slaves. He was a cruel man and his slaves were particularly wretched and mistreated, even for slaves. As he displayed his wares, the daughter saw, to her dismay, that the most feeble and haggard one of the lot was her younger brother! She immediately bought him from the slaver. Over the course of months she nursed him back to health, and in time he became a prosperous farmer with a happy family.
Together the three siblings lived in the town happily ever after.
EDIT: Man who just rated me 1 star and bailed? Way to be LAME. If you're gonna rate me 1 star come out and tell me why like a MAN
 
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Why did the children split up?
I think the story is about hope though. You're right. Hope of a better future.
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Blazinghand
United States25558 Posts
Dude the fact that the children split up for no reason is just one of many plotholes in the story. Why didn't the imp know the daughter wasn't a skeleton? Why did the daughter even go with the imp? Given that the imp was running off, why bother giving the soul to a skeleton when you can just carry it with you? is it heavy? Why didn't the daughter immediately look for her brothers? They'd be like a day or two's walk away at most after she became rich. In fact, they must have heard the news at the next town, realized it was their sister, and turned around right away, right?
The list goes on.
Still a sweet story though.
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On January 05 2012 03:31 Blazinghand wrote:
EDIT: Man who just rated me 1 star and bailed? Way to be LAME. If you're gonna rate me 1 star come out and tell me why like a MAN
Lol! Rating 5/5 just for this 
This is a wierd story though, what's the moral here? If you are poor steal things from rich people and sell it back to them?
Are imps and the undead part of Korean tradition, I would have thought those things to more associate with western legends. Either way, it's entertaining.
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Blazinghand
United States25558 Posts
On January 05 2012 05:28 TheToast wrote:Show nested quote +On January 05 2012 03:31 Blazinghand wrote:
EDIT: Man who just rated me 1 star and bailed? Way to be LAME. If you're gonna rate me 1 star come out and tell me why like a MAN Lol! Rating 5/5 just for this This is a wierd story though, what's the moral here? If you are poor steal things from rich people and sell it back to them? Are imps and the undead part of Korean tradition, I would have thought those things to more associate with western legends. Either way, it's entertaining.
Yeah I dunno what the deal is with imps and skeletons. It's possible that it's a rough translation from something in korean, especially imps. I think Skeleton is accurate though because what else are you gonna pretend to be with a bowl and a stave.
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very creative story telling indeed, i felt it was too short though. Like all 3 children should have had a wild story like the daughter did. i give it a 5/5 because it was a really good read ^^
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Is the moral to be lucky and marry rich?
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lol that was the strangest story I've ever heard. And yeah, how exactly does this encourage morality and hard work? lolol
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Blazinghand
United States25558 Posts
18 ratings, 3.00 stars. It seems people are torn between this story being hilarious and bad.
...perrrrrrrfect.
Also man I have no idea how the moral works ok the story is SUPPOSED to be about being a good person.
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Well there's the inheritances, in the beginning everybody gets an inheritance. The younger brother gets a worn millstone, used for grinding corn, which is a symbol of the father having worked hard as a farmer for many years, he is passing this on to the younger brother who is then encouraged to do the same. The older brother gets worldly goods in food and money, these are objects that perish easily and needs to be somehow spent or exchanged if the brother is to last long on his inheritance so the older brother is encouraged to be a trader I think. The daughter gets a pot and a stave which is arguably the worst inheritance, this is going to sound sexist but they are also objects used in a kitchen, the father is encouraging her to be a good wife.
Then they decide to split up which is to show us how these different encouragements should work in the real world without influencing each other. We follow the daughter who walks into a cave, which might just be because the cave is some place to sleep and because it is dimly lit so it makes more sense that the imp can't just see her and instead has to feel her. I don't know about the imp but he's like a lesser devil with some magical powers right? Anyway, what comes next is how the daughter chooses to make use of her inheritance. She has inherited these two objects, but she has of course also inherited something genetic. She shows a lot of courage and also a lot of fast thinking in dealing with the imp and impersonating the skeleton, using her inheritance in a way that no one would have ever imagined.
I also think that what she does is morally good, she is not trying to steal the soul because she hates the rich man or his son or because she wants to extort them for money, she is trying to trick the imp. In the end she gives back the soul to the rich man's son without asking for anything. People might say that he only likes her because she saved his life, but I don't think that makes sense and also, what the hell is the problem with that? She ends up marrying him and he is rich, but this is really just to get a point across; if you are smart, brave and good then you will prosper. She would have ended up rich anyway.
Next we get to see how she is searching for her family, even though they split up earlier. This is to show that even though you are rich and have found a good husband/wife, family is still one of the most important things in life. The daughter searches for her brothers and finds them. The older brother worked on a farm instead of becoming a trader like his father encouraged him to do and he was not doing well for himself. She helps him become a prosperous trader like her father had intended for him. She also finds her younger brother who did even worse for himself, since he is a slave it makes sense that he got to owe people money he couldn't pay so I'm guessing he tried to become a trader against his father's encouragement. Instead the daughter helps him become a wealthy farmer like their father had wanted for him all along.
I think this story is about inheritance and about how you need to realize what you have and make the best use of it. The imp and that stuff are just plot devices to push this point through, "flavor" if you will. As for the daughter being a good person, I think she shows in this story that she is both morally good and that she is also "good" as in "skillful".
My take on it 
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The moral of the story eludes me. I do not believe it's about inheritance, why kind of lesson or moral is that? It ended pretty abruptly and seems to lack proper conclusion. Let me finish it appropriately:
Many years had passed. While the daughter was happily sleeping one night there was a sound at her bedroom window. It was the imp! He was back and wanted the soul that he rightfully stole. He broke in with a 12 inch hunting knife. The daughter called 911 and the dispatcher told her to protect her family at all costs. Learning a lesson for himself that night the daughter took off from, the imp decided to do things himself this time. He planned to steal everyone's soul who belonged to that wealthy family.
Unfortunately for him, the daughter was very protective. Not knowing his intentions, she shot the imp, and he died. She ran outside only to notice that her mailbox was stolen. Some of the townsfolk thought this was unjust and insensitive, as the imp was a living being. They were later banned from the town. But that's not important. I don't know where I'm going with this any further. I also think I probably combined a couple recent blogs in this story. The end.
This gives the lesson that screwing people over even if they're doing wrong will still yield consequences for you one day in the future, and come back to bite you.
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EPT
