Korean Folktales: Classic Stories from Korea's Enchanted Past

by Kim So-un, Frances Carpenter, Setsu Higashi

Fifty-five delightful tales offering fascinating windows into the Korean psyche.Told with wit and pathos, this lively collection of Korean fables features the ever-iconic tiger, the humble woodcutter, clueless brides, clever talking rabbits, mischievous mice and other engaging characters in situations where folly, wisdom, greed, love, reward and retribution are all found in equal measure. Fantasy and reality merge in a world where supernatural occurrences are commonplace. A blind man can suddenly see evil spirits. A spoiled child is taught a lesson by a sassy mouse. A menagerie of creatures — too clever for their own good — possess the same foibles as humans. Amongst the many stories and characters you will The Tiger and the Rabbit — In which a baby rabbit outsmarts a greedy, foolish tigerA Korean Cinderella Tale — Where a magical a creature or two help an oppressed but virtuous girl to win in the endThe Magic Hood — About how magic, if used for ill purposes, can lead to big troubleRice from a Cat's Fur — In which a devoted cat keeps a family from going hungry and brings them prosperityAnd forty other enchanting tales! This collection is unparalleled in its scope and is the perfect introduction to Korea's rich storytelling tradition — containing classic legends and fables that will delight young and old alike!

256 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2024

Reviews

[EuroHackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection of folktales, reminiscent of Aesop's Fables. It is especially interesting to see what themes/motifs are universal across cultures and which are more locally centered. The Koreans apparently do not have a high opinion of tigers (or cats of any sort, really).

[Mallee Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection contains many similar themes like folk tales from other nations. For example, being rewarded with riches for good deeds done to stories that explain how a situation has come about to this day.

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of the stories repeated, just with a couple different details, so that was a lil disappointing...

[selina]

there were some stories that were so similar i think they just changed the names 😭

[Katalin Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of this book is obviously incorrect. "Cute Stuffed Toys..."?
How do you even rate a collection of folktales? I don't think it is possible.
I (even though not finished yet) find them very witty.
There are some repetition in the stories and some typos so I took off 2 stars for that