The Tale of the Woodcutter and the Tiger
Korean folklore recalls the tale of a woodcutter who encounters a tiger in the woods.  Fearing
that he would soon be the tiger’s dinner, he exclaimed: “You must be my long lost brother! Our mother
cried for you when you left home. She had dinner ready for you every night, waiting for your
return. Sadly, our mother has just passed away. How happy she would have been had she known you
are alive and well!” The woodcutter took out his handkerchief and pretended to wipe at his eyes. The
tiger turned away, as tears fell down his cheeks, leaving the woodcutter unharmed.
Every year thereafter, on Chesa, the memorial day of the woodcutter’s mother’s death, an
offering appeared on her grave -  sometimes a peasant, or even his mother’s favorite mountain
berries. The woodcutter did not know where these offerings came from.
One year, the woodcutter noticed that the customary offering had not been placed on his
mother’s grave, and he wondered what had happened. Out from the bush, three baby tigers appeared,
carrying offerings.  They approached the woodcutter and cried: “You must be our uncle! Mother tiger is
gone now, and we know how important it is for her to honor grandmother by bringing an offering to her
Chesa table beside her grave. We are here to bring offerings for our grandmother in loving memory of
our mother.” The woodcutter noticed that his face had turned suddenly warm and realized that it was his
own tears streaming down his cheeks.
The Tale of the Woodcutter and the Tiger
Korean folklore recalls the tale of a woodcutter who encounters a tiger in the woods.  Fearing
that he would soon be the tiger’s dinner, he exclaimed: “You must be my long lost brother! Our mother
cried for you when you left home. She had dinner ready for you every night, waiting for your
return. Sadly, our mother has just passed away. How happy she would have been had she known you
are alive and well!” The woodcutter took out his handkerchief and pretended to wipe at his eyes. The
tiger turned away, as tears fell down his cheeks, leaving the woodcutter unharmed.
Every year thereafter, on Chesa, the memorial day of the woodcutter’s mother’s death, an
offering appeared on her grave -  sometimes a peasant, or even his mother’s favorite mountain
berries. The woodcutter did not know where these offerings came from.
One year, the woodcutter noticed that the customary offering had not been placed on his
mother’s grave, and he wondered what had happened. Out from the bush, three baby tigers appeared,
carrying offerings.  They approached the woodcutter and cried: “You must be our uncle! Mother tiger is
gone now, and we know how important it is for her to honor grandmother by bringing an offering to her
Chesa table beside her grave. We are here to bring offerings for our grandmother in loving memory of
our mother.” The woodcutter noticed that his face had turned suddenly warm and realized that it was his
own tears streaming down his cheeks.
The Tale of the Woodcutter and the Tiger
Korean folklore recalls the tale of a woodcutter who encounters a tiger in the woods.  Fearing
that he would soon be the tiger’s dinner, he exclaimed: “You must be my long lost brother! Our mother
cried for you when you left home. She had dinner ready for you every night, waiting for your
return. Sadly, our mother has just passed away. How happy she would have been had she known you
are alive and well!” The woodcutter took out his handkerchief and pretended to wipe at his eyes. The
tiger turned away, as tears fell down his cheeks, leaving the woodcutter unharmed.
Every year thereafter, on Chesa, the memorial day of the woodcutter’s mother’s death, an
offering appeared on her grave -  sometimes a peasant, or even his mother’s favorite mountain
berries. The woodcutter did not know where these offerings came from.
One year, the woodcutter noticed that the customary offering had not been placed on his
mother’s grave, and he wondered what had happened. Out from the bush, three baby tigers appeared,
carrying offerings.  They approached the woodcutter and cried: “You must be our uncle! Mother tiger is
gone now, and we know how important it is for her to honor grandmother by bringing an offering to her
Chesa table beside her grave. We are here to bring offerings for our grandmother in loving memory of
our mother.” The woodcutter noticed that his face had turned suddenly warm and realized that it was his
own tears streaming down his cheeks.
The Tale of the Woodcutter and the Tiger
Korean folklore recalls the tale of a woodcutter who encounters a tiger in the woods.  Fearing
that he would soon be the tiger’s dinner, he exclaimed: “You must be my long lost brother! Our mother
cried for you when you left home. She had dinner ready for you every night, waiting for your
return. Sadly, our mother has just passed away. How happy she would have been had she known you
are alive and well!” The woodcutter took out his handkerchief and pretended to wipe at his eyes. The
tiger turned away, as tears fell down his cheeks, leaving the woodcutter unharmed.
Every year thereafter, on Chesa, the memorial day of the woodcutter’s mother’s death, an
offering appeared on her grave -  sometimes a peasant, or even his mother’s favorite mountain
berries. The woodcutter did not know where these offerings came from.
One year, the woodcutter noticed that the customary offering had not been placed on his
mother’s grave, and he wondered what had happened. Out from the bush, three baby tigers appeared,
carrying offerings.  They approached the woodcutter and cried: “You must be our uncle! Mother tiger is
gone now, and we know how important it is for her to honor grandmother by bringing an offering to her
Chesa table beside her grave. We are here to bring offerings for our grandmother in loving memory of
our mother.” The woodcutter noticed that his face had turned suddenly warm and realized that it was his
own tears streaming down his cheeks.
 Conflict: The woodcutter meet a terrible tiger in the woods, ready to eat
him up for lunch. ... It takes place in the woods where the woodcutter outwits
the tiger for letting him believe that he was his long lost brother they've been looking
for who used to be human.

Theme: The Tale of the Woodcutter and the Tiger is a Korean Folklore

which shows character of Korean people, courage and wit and filial piety. ... It takes
place in the woods where the woodcutter outwits the tiger for letting him believe
that he was his long lost brother they've been looking for who used to be human.
In this Korean folklore, a woodcutter encounters a tiger while he was walking
in the woods. Afraid that he would be eaten by the wild animal, he decided to trick it.
He exclaimed that the tiger must be his long lost brother and that their mother was
heartbroken when the tiger supposedly left home. The mother, claimed the
woodcutter, made sure that supper was waiting for the tiger in case he came home
until the day she died. Touched and saddened by the story, the tiger left with tears in
its eyes. From then on, on the anniversary of the death of the woodcutter's mother,
he would find offerings on her grave. One year, no offering could be seen. However,
three baby tigers approached the grave and gave the woodcutter their offerings,
saying that their mother tiger has died. The woodcutter cries.
GROUP # 1 2 3 4 5

MEMBERS: GROUP # 1 2 3 4 5

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GROUP # 1 2 3 4 5

MEMBERS: GROUP # 1 2 3 4 5

1. ____________________________________________ MEMBERS:

2. ____________________________________________ 1. ____________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________

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GROUP # 1 2 3 4 5

MEMBERS:

1. ____________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________

6. ____________________________________________

7. ____________________________________________

8. ____________________________________________

GROUP # 1 2 3 4 5

MEMBERS:

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2. ____________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________

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7. ____________________________________________