Korean Folk & Fairy Tales

$29.50

Korean Folk & Fairy Tales (revised edition) is a representative sampling of Korean stories which have been passed down from generation to generation through spoken and written traditions. Dragons, ghosts, ogres, tigers, demonic foxes, supernatural spouses and, of course, people with all their human frailties are among the characters that populate Korean folk tales.

Through them are revealed perceptions of life and notions about power, money, justice, love and interpersonal relations that, through the ages, have become ingrained in the Korean pysche. Passed on from generation to generation, the tales reflect the deep-rooted beliefs and customs of ancient Koreans and the creeds and codes by which they lived.

Thus, this book is a window through which to gain some understanding of present-day Korean culture. It includes fables, anecdotes, fairy tales, pourquoi tales, and tales of the bizarre. Some of the tales are known in many versions and some can be traced back to classical examples set down centuries ago. Of course, some of these stories are unique to Koreans and some are international in currency.  When it occurs, it is interesting to see the similarities among different cultures. As always, you will find some of the stories are charming, some gruesome, and some humorous. Together they provide much insight into the Korean ethos.

Illustrations and bibliography.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1. Honorable Father
Chapter 2. A Wet, Slippery Rock
Chapter 3. Unexpected Changes
Chapter 4. Toward Tong-Hae, The Eastern Sea
Chapter 5. A Brief Historical Backdrop
Chapter 6.Rocks In Tong-Hae
Chapter 7. Is This Really Paradise?
Chapter 8. Shipwreck
Chapter 9. Another Slippery Rock
Chapter 10. Crossing Tae-Pyung-Yang, The Pacific Ocean
Chapter 11. Encounter With Fraud
Chapter 12.Personal Selection
Chapter 13. The Early Years Together
Chapter 14. On With Life
Chapter 15. Korean Community Life and Solidarity
Chapter 16. Children’s Portraits Before WW II
Chapter 17. December 7, 1941
Chapter 18. Postwar Changes
Chapter 19. Korean War And Events After The Truce
Chapter 20.The End of The Beginning