Sample Translations
Won-seok Kim The story of 12 Earthly Animals E ng l i s h
Book Information
The story of 12 Earthly Animals (궁금해요 12띠) Jaram Publishing corp. / 17 p. For further information, please visit: http://library.klti.or.kr/node/772
This sample translation was produced with support from LTI Korea. Please contact the LTI Korea Library for further information. library@klti.or.kr
The story of 12 Earthly Animals Written by Kim Won-seok, Illustrated by Kim Ju-hui
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(forward) What is Your Korean Zodiac Sign?
Are you new to the Korean zodiac? Do you know what sign you are? All you need to know is your year of birth to find out. The Korean zodiac consists of twelve animals called the 12 Earthly Branches (animals): the rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, lamb, monkey, chicken, dog, and pig. They are animals that were close and dear to Koreans from the olden days, often appearing in folklore and in old proverbs. Each represented a characteristic and meaning that was widely recognized in the Great China Region. Some of you may remember the mascot of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Hodori, was a tiger. The zodiac has a profound influence over the daily life of a Korean. When two people want to get married, the elders of their families will try to predict the outcome by comparing the compatibility of the couple’s zodiac signs. Around New Year, the media airs special segments and programs dedicated to the next year’s zodiac sign Some years are not just ‘the year of the dragon’ – they get special titles such as ‘Black Dragon’ or ‘Golden Pig’. Any year can bring good fortune to certain people depending on their zodiac sign. When two people are 12 years apart, they are considered to be the ‘same zodiac-sign age’ or ttidonggab (띠동갑).
The Korean zodiac signs are thought of as protectors. People predict the coming year’s events based on what each animal in the Earthly Branches represent. Koreans like to think a person’s character is determined by the animal associated to the year they were born. As mentioned above, such practices are widespread in Asia. Korea, China, and Japan use the same sequence - rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, lamb, chicken, dog, and pig. Mongolia adopts a slightly different order. Things could have changed dramatically now that most Koreans live in apartments in the bustling city where there are barely any wild animals, but all twelve Earthly Branches are deeply embedded in Korea’s history and worldview. Old Koreans treasure them as a vital part of their lives. In fact, Koreans have a long tradition of totemism. Old myths show that Koreans thought themselves to be the descendants of a bear. According to The Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, a bear transformed into a woman after weeks of eating nothing but garlic and mugwort in a dark cave. She later married Hwanung, the son of the gods, becoming the mother of the Korean people. The Korean zodiac is more than a compilation of twelve animals. It is a vital piece in the puzzle that is required to understand the Korean mind and history. This book is dedicated to stories related to the 12 Earthly Branches and what they mean to the Korean people. The book will also walk you through a number of proverbs related to these animals in order to broaden the readers’ understanding on the theme as a whole. I hope everyone can take some insight along with them when they are done with the book. I would like to close with a sincere thanks to CEO Woo Seong-heum of CWA who drew the illustrations for the book. April 2012, Kim Won-seok
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p. 6 Table of Content Forward How they decided on the order
1. The Good Fortune Rat The Benefits and Downsides of Year of the Rat Rat Related Proverbs Rat Folklore – The 1,000 Year-Old Rat
2. The Cow: A Family Treasure The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Cow Cow Related Proverbs Cow Folklore – The Loyal Cow
3. The Tiger: Korea’s Most Revered Animal The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Tiger Tiger Related Proverbs Tiger Folklore – The Tiger and the Thief
4. The Liverless Rabbit The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Rabbit Rabbit Related Proverbs Rabbit Folklore – Ball in the Sky
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5. The Majestic Dragon The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Dragon Dragon Related Proverbs Dragon Folklore – Dragon Legend from Gayajin
6. The Snake: The God of Healing’s Servant The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Snake Snake Related Proverbs Snake Folklore – Chiaksan Mountain and the Grateful Pheasant
7. The Horse: Splendid and Vigorous The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Horse Horse Related Proverbs Horse Folklore – Yangcheon Magistrate and the Dead Horse
8. The Lamb:, Goodness, Beauty, and Holiness The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Lamb Lamb Related Proverbs Lamb Folklore – All About the Lamb
9. The Monkey: Smartest Animal of them All The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Monkey Monkey Related Proverbs Monkey Folklore – Why the Monkey Has a Red Butt
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10. The Chicken and the Five Virtues The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Chicken Chicken Related Proverbs Chicken Folklore – The Five Virtues of the Chicken
11. The Loyal Dog The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Dog Dog Related Proverbs Dog Folklore – The Grave in Osu
12. The Holy Pig The Benefits and Downsides of the Year of the Pig Pig Related Proverbs Pig Folklore – A Pig Dream
p. 10 A long, long time ago, there was a great deity king who ruled the lands from up in the sky. He summoned the animals from all over his realm and said, “Listen to what I say, animals.” Indeed they pricked up their ears, eager to hear what their king had to say. “A few days from now will be the New Year. I will bestow a prize upon the first 12 animals that come to me first thing on New Year’s Day. The animal who wins the race will be given the most generous award!” “Be the first 12 and win an award?” “I wonder what the prize is. Gold? Silk?” The animals were excited.
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‘I will win the award!’ All the animals had their eyes on the prize. Many began to train day and night so that they run, fly, or crawl faster. But no other animal was as tenacious and determined as the cow. A few days after the king’s announcement, the cow decided to see what other animals were up to. ‘Wow!’ it thought. Some animals were training with weights tied to their legs. They were so fast it seemed as if they were flying. ‘I stand no chance against these animals!’ The cow got very worried. No matter how much it practiced, it could never run as quick. A cow running at full speed is no match for a tiger or a horse. It could even be outrun by a rabbit or a wild boar. The cow thought for a very long time. What would it have to do to win? Late at night on New Year’s Eve, when every other animal was sound asleep, the cow ate a filling meal and started off towards the king’s palace. It had made up its mind that this was the only way it could win. On the other hand, the cunning rat had also seen how the other animals were training. Thinking that the cow had the best chance to win, he hopped on the cow’s back. The cow ran and ran, slowing down only when it was out of breath. By daybreak the cow had come so close to the palace that the gates were only a few trots away. Now all it had to do was make it past the great gate. Right then the rat jumped off the cow’s back and raced through the gate before the cow could do anything. That is how the rat came in first with the cow coming in a close second. Soon the tiger made it to the finish line. The rabbit came in fourth because it took a nap on its way to the palace. The dragon came in fifth because began the race after sunup, thinking it would win either way. The snake came in sixth. The horse was seventh place because it ran too hard at the beginning. Next were the lamb, monkey, chicken, and dog. The
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pig got there last as 12th place.
p. 14 1st Place - The Rat The Rat is tied with the symbol “子” the first part of jasi (子時, 자시), the time from 11:00 7 pm to 1:00 am when the rats are the busiest looking for food. It is also associated with north and represents the 11th month on the lunar calendar. As you may have already noticed, all the animals on the Korean zodiac have a time and month that they are each associated with. Traditionally, Koreans divided the day by twelve and each of those twelve periods was named after an animal. The associated direction and month is no longer as important as it was before, but it is still used in traditional calendars. Rats are considered diligent and cunning animals that are always on the move. Because of the rat’s tendency to store food, those who are born in the year of the rat are thought to have better luck with food. Rats were also known for their uncanny ability to escape devastating earthquakes, volcano eruptions, and forest fires.
p.15 2nd Place – The Cow The Cow represents chuksi (丑時, 자시) which goes from 1:00 to 3:00 am, when the cow prepares for the day’s work. Korean society was largely based on agriculture which meant starting the day before daybreak. The cow is associated with the north-northeast and represents the 12th month on the lunar calendar. Cows are strong and sturdy animals that were invaluable to any farming household.
They pulled the plough and ground grains at the mill. Perhaps that is why they were treated like family rather than cattle. It was not uncommon to hear stories in modern-day Korea of families selling off their cow to send their son to college. It is said that those born in the year of the cow are diligent and loyal.
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p.16 3rd Place – The Tiger The tiger represents inshi (寅時, 인시), the time from 3:00 to
5:00 am when tigers are
the most active searching for prey. It also symbolizes the east-northeast and the first month on the lunar calendar. Tigers were considered fearless and powerful animals. They appear in numerous folktales, such as The Tiger and the Persimmon. Korean folktales also start with the word ‘A long, long time ago, when tigers smoked pipes.’ They also appear in Korea’s oldest myth.
p. 17 4th Place – The Rabbit Rabbits represent the time from 5:00 to 7:00 am, called myosi (卯時, 묘시) and are associated with the east along with the second month of the lunar calendar. Rabbits or hares are also a common theme in Korean folklore, usually depicted as cunning and crafty. They are also thought to have good judgment, which is why the rabbit always solves conflicts without a fight in these stories. Its quick thinking saved
its life by a
thread in The Story of the Rabbit (Ttokijeon, 토끼전), one of Korea’s most notable tales.
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5th Place – The Dragon The dragon is represented by the symbol “辰” and is associated with jinsi (辰時, 진시) from 7:00 to 9:00 am, when it is said to fly up into the sky to prepare a big rain. The dragon is associated with the direction east-southeast and represents the third month on the lunar calendar. The dragon is the only animal on the Korean zodiac that is entirely imaginary. Tradition says that the dragon has the face of a camel, the antlers of a deer, the eyes of a demon, the body of a snake, the mane of a lion, the scales of a fish, the claws of a hawk, and the ears of a cow. In old times, Koreans thought the weather changed depending on the dragon’s mood. When a drought lasted for a long time, the king carried out a rain ritual to beg the dragon for forgiveness.
p. 19 6th Place – The Snake
Snakes represent sashi (巳時, 사시) the time between 9:00 and 11:00 am, a period most snakes would be hiding in their holes. It is associated with the south-southeast and represents the fourth month on the lunar calendar. Snakes are considered dangerous and conniving animals. A snake lured Adam and Eve to sin according to the Bible. But in Korean folklore they were worshipped as gods. Snakes were the guardians of families and villages. Because snakes are patient and reliable, those who are born in the year of the snake are thought to be tough and successful at what they do.
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p. 20 7th Place – The Horse The horse is represented by the symbol “午” and represents oshi (午時, 오시), from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm when horses run freely out in the fields. It is associated with the south and th
represents the 5 month on the lunar calendar. Horses were praised for their magnificent power and vitality. Their graceful and muscular figures often appear in old paintings. They were also used to help around on the farm like cows and, most importantly, carried urgent messages throughout the country.
p. 21 8th Place – The Lamb The lamb is represented by the symbol “未” and the time mishi (未時, 미시), the hours between 1:00 and 3:00 pm, when lambs are out grazing in the grass. It is also associated with the south-southwest and the sixth month of the lunar calendar. Lambs are peaceful creatures that rarely fight one another. They provide warm clothes for people and their milk is a great source of nutrients. In old Korea, lambs were thought to be considerate creatures that knew how to yield. They were often depicted as kind and patient animals in old folklore.
p. 22 9th Place – The Monkey The monkey is represented by the symbol “辛” and shinsi (辛時, 신시) refers to the time from 3:00 to 5:00 pm, when monkeys make the most noise. It is associated with the west-
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southwest and represents the seventh month on the lunar calendar. Being the most similar animal to man among the twelve animals in the Korean zodiac, monkeys were thought to mimic human behavior. There is a famous Korean proverb that goes, ‘Even a monkey falls from the tree.’ which means even the most skilled people make mistakes. 11 p. 23 10th Place – The Chicken The chicken is associated with yushi (酉時, 유시), from 5:00 to 7:00 pm when chickens go back to their roosts to sleep after a day of pecking and eating. It is also associated with the west and the eighth month of the lunar calendar. “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” The rooster crows first thing in the morning, waking people up for another day out in the fields. The hen lays nutritious eggs that are a great addition to people’s diets. When there was no clock and clouds blocked the sun, people had to rely on roosters to tell the time. Chickens were in old myths, too. The crow of the rooster was said to have heralded the beginning of time and the birth of great historic figures, such as Kim Al-ji of Silla.
p. 24 11th Place – The Dog Dogs are represented by the symbol “戌” and sulshi (戌時, 술시) refers to 7:00 to 9:00 pm. That is when dogs have to start being alert to protect their masters. It is not easy now to find a guard dog on duty in Korea, besides a few farms and orchards in the countryside, but up until recently almost every home kept a dog to guard their property. The dog is associated with the
west-northwest and represents the ninth month on the lunar calendar. Dogs are the most common animals we see every day. They are man’s best friend, beloved for their loyalty and friendliness. Their great smelling and hearing ability is utilized to help the handicapped and detect illegal drugs. We often come across stories of a dog that saved its master. 12 p. 25 12th Place – The Pig The pig is represented by the symbol “亥” as in haesi (亥時, 해시), a time between 9:00 to 11:00 pm. It is associated with the north-northwest and represents the tenth month on the lunar calendar. Pigs represent riches and good health. Old Korean traditions have always used the pig as an offering in important ceremonies. The practice originated from a tradition of sacrificing a pig to the god of reward and punishment. Even today, a pig appearing in a dream is considered a sign of good luck .
p. 26 The Good Fortune Rat
p. 27 “Grandma, why did God make rats? They are good for nothing.” Baram grabbed grandma’s skirt after a long day playing outside. “I’m not sure. Perhaps we just haven’t figured out a good use for rats. Everything God made has a purpose. Let me tell you a story.” Grandma told Baram a story about rats.
You may already know what a rat looks like but what you probably do not know is that rats originated from Southwest Asia. They spread all over the world on ships around the 15th century when marine transportation was at its peak. Rats first appear in a Korean history book, The Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, in a story about the king of Silla. Let’s take a closer look at the story. It was the 10th year of King Bicheo’s reign, the 21st king of the Silla Dynasty. The king was at Cheoncheonjeong Pavilion when a crow and rat came crying to
his feet.
“My dear king, please follow this crow where it flies!” The king sent his guard to follow the crow. When the guard came to Picheon in the southern half of the capital, he saw two wild boars fighting. Distracted by the fight he lost track of the crow. The guard had to look all over the place until he came across an old man with a long white beard who came out of a pond. He had a letter for the guard that said ‘If this letter is read, it will take the lives of two - if not, it will take the life of one’ on its cover. The guard hurried back to the palace and gave the letter to the king. The king said, “I’d rather have one person die than two. I will not read this letter.” The king’s astronomer stood up to oppose this. “That will not be good for you, my king. Two refers to the people and one refers to the king!” The king agreed with his astronomer and decided to open the letter. It said ‘shoot the zither chest’. So the king ordered his general to shoot an arrow into the chest where the zither was kept. Inside, they found a high monk embracing a princess. Both the monk and the princess were punished by death. After that incident, it became customary in Silla to be extra cautious on the first day of the pig, the rat, and the horse in the lunar new year. The 12 animals of the Korean zodiac appear on big tombs and temples all over the
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nation. When it comes to the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties, more rats appear in writings and artwork, especially as part of the 12 Earthly Animals. Rats are very quick and clever little animals. In old times, Koreans noticed how rats had a strict hierarchical system and complicated living quarters with separate sleep rooms, bathrooms, and storage rooms. They are also thought to pose the power to foresee disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods, or forest fires. When they were no longer seen in a house, people took it as a bad sign. Fishermen would stay in port when there were no rats in their boat. Some boats had shrines in them where rats could live. This practice was popular along the southern coast of Korea.
p. 30 Here is another story about rats.
A long time ago, a family of rats lived in a very rich house for generations and generations. One day they discovered that part of the wall in the house was collapsing. If the wall was left unfixed, the humans who lived in the house could die in an accident. The elderly rat decided to save the humans from danger, as they allowed the rats to live with them in peace for so long. The old rat ordered all his relatives to assemble at the courtyard in daylight. “Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!” They all danced and yelled to get people’s attention. All the humans in the house came out to see the strange sight. Right then the walls caved in and the entire house fell to the ground. Thanks to the rats, the humans were saved. Rats represent fertility - in other words having lots of babies. The royal court handed out charred grain in a silk bag to royal subjects for them to pray for a good year’s harvest on
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the day of the rat. Young boys would set the dry fields on fire to wish for another year of health and good harvest. It was believed that the bigger the fire, the greater the harvest would be.
p. 31 Rats were also the symbol of good fortune. That is why those who are born in the year in the rat are considered to have good luck, especially when it comes to food. This belief is thought to have originated from the rats’ ability to survive no matter how bad things were in its environment.
p. 32 The Benefits of Year of the Rat People who are born in the year of the rat are curious, imaginative, careful, honest, and frugal. Rats would not search dumpsters for food if they were glamorous creatures. They are able to make the right judgment because they are unfazed by their instincts or emotions. They are clever, learn quickly, and are able to survive independently wherever they go. They also have a hidden romantic side that is passionate and generous. Year-of-the-rat people are usually pleasers and tend to be nervous.
The Downsides of Year of the Rat People who are born in the year of the rat are prone to greed and tend to be aggressive. They are also proud and suspicious of others. It is in their nature to be inquisitive about personal matters and are opportunists who look for personal gain. They tend to be introverts who do not get along with others and often show signs of uneasiness.
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p. 33 Rat Related Proverbs As a rat visits its nest (풀 방구리에 쥐 드나들 듯) -to visit frequently 16 The rats start to dance (집안이 잘못 되려면 생쥐가 춤을 춘다) -when strange things happen as a bad omen
Not know a rat’s horn (쥐뿔도 모른다) -to be absolutely clueless
Herding cattle into a rat’s hole (쥐구멍으로 소 몰려 한다) -to force an impossible task
A Rat biting a rat’s tail (쥐가 꼬리를 물고) -To come one after another
A cornered rat bites the cat (궁지에 몰린 쥐가 고양이를 문다) -the weak fight back with everything they have got when they are cornered
Unknown to the rats and birds (쥐도 새도 모르게) -very secretly, without anyone noticing
p. 34 Like a rat tiptoeing across a cat (고양이 앞에 쥐걸음) -Someone who is infinitely weak in front of their superiors
Letting the rat go to save the pot (독 갤까봐 쥐 못 잡는다) -being unable to take action worried it may inflict harm
Birds listen during the day, rats during the night(낮말은 새가 듣고 밤 말은 쥐가 듣는다) -no secrets last forever
A rat in a pot (독안에 든 쥐) -To be in a tight situation
Rat drenched in water (물에 빠진 생쥐) -to look haggard and wet
A cat that does not hunt rats (쥐 안 잡는 고양이) -a person or an object that no longer serves its main purpose
Birds pray and rats fart (새도 염불을 하고 쥐도 방귀를 뀐다) -an expression aimed at people who are unable to join the fun
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