Kim So-Un - The Deer and the Woodcutter: A Korean Folktale

Long, long ago, at the foot of the Kumgang Mountains, there lived a poor woodcutter. He lived alone with his mother, as he had not yet married. Every day he would go into the mountains to cut wood, as that was his job.

One fine autumn day, when the red maple trees flamed everywhere, the woodcutter went as usual to chop wood in the forest. Soon he was hard at his work. Suddenly a stately deer came running out of the forest. He was panting and seemed on the point of falling with exhaustion.

Save me, please! the deer cried. A hunter is chasing me! And he looked back in fear, expecting the hunter to come out of the woods at any moment.

The woodcutter felt sorry for the deer. Here, Ill help you, he said. Quick, hide under these branches.

The woodcutter covered the deer with a small tree he had just felled.

No sooner had he done this than a hunter appeared, carrying a gun.

Say! the hunter said. Didnt a deer come running this way?

Yes, the woodcutter answered, but he kept on going that way. The hunter quickly ran in the direction the woodcutter had pointed.

After the hunter was gone, the deer, who had kept completely still, came out.

Thank you very much, he said. You saved me from great danger. I shall never forget your kindness. The deer thanked the woodcutter many, many times and then disappeared into the forest.

Some days later the deer came again to where the woodcutter was working and said, I have come today to repay you for saving my life. Do you wish to have a beautiful wife?

The woodcutter blushed. Of course I want a wife. But who would want to marry such a poor man as I?

Dont say that. Just listen to me. If you do as I say, you will be able to get a good wife this very day. All you have to do is... The deer put his mouth to the woodcutters ear and began whispering. Cross that mountain and go straight on, and you will come to a large pond. Often beautiful fairies come down from Heaven to bathe in that pool. They are sure to be there today. If you start now, you will be able to see them. When you get there, take just one of the robes which the fairies have hung on the trees while they bathe, and hide it carefully. Remember, take only one. Their robes are made of fine feathers, and without them the fairies cannot fly back to Heaven. There will be one fairy who will be left without her robe. Take that fairy home, and she will become your wife. Do you understand? Remember, take only one robe. You will surely succeed, so leave right away.

The woodcutter listened carefully, but it seemed like a dream, and he looked as if he did not believe the deer.

But the deer said, Dont worry. Do just as you are told.

At this, the woodcutter decided to give it a try. As he started out, the deer called him back, Oh, there is one more thing. After the fairy has become your wife, you must be very careful until she has borne you four children. No matter how many times she may ask, you must never show her the robe of feathers. If you do, there will be great trouble.

The woodcutter climbed straight up the path the deer had shown him. He crossed the mountain, and sure enough, eventually he came to a large pond. And in the pond he saw a number of fairies bathing, as beautiful as those painted in pictures. Hanging on the trees were many, many shining robes of feathers, as light and thin as the finest silk.

So these are the robes of feathers the deer spoke about, thought the woodcutter. Quietly, he took one from a tree and folded it over and over. So fine was the robe that it folded into the thickness of a single sheet of paper. The woodcutter carefully hid the robe in his breast pocket. Then he sat down in the shade of a nearby tree and watched the fairies from a distance.

Soon the fairies finished bathing and came to put on their robes. Everyone had a robe to wear, all except one fairy. Her robe was missing. She looked everywhere, but it was not to be found. The other fairies were worried and they too joined in the search. They looked high and low, but the robe was nowhere.