The Tiger's Whiskers

By Yao-wen Li

(A Korean Folktale Adapted for Stage by P. Yu)

SCENE 1: Morning; In front of Yun Ok's hut

YUN OK: (Talks to herself) What's this? My husband had always been a tender and loving soulmate
before he left for the war, but ever since he returned home, he has been unpredictable.

WOMAN: (Passes by) Hey, Yun Ok, are you bothered by your husband's continued silence? I told you,
you must go and ask a hermit for a cure. I think your husband was bewitched.

YUN OK: (Looks squarely at the prying neighbor and rushes inside the hut as she talks to herself.) That
nosy neighbor! (Thinks) No, not Yun Ok! I can heal my own troubles. (Thinks again deeply and seriously)
But this is different. And I'm getting desperate. Ithink I need to see a hermit.

SCENE 2: Hermit's hut in the woods

(Yun Ok approaches the hermit's hut and sees that the door is open. She stands by the open doorway
for a while. When she is about to knock, she hears a voice from inside the hut.)

HERMIT :(His back turned, not looking at the doorway) I heard you. What's your problem?

YUN OK : I came for my husband who has been cross and angry and silent all this time. I'm almost
afraid to live with him.

HERMIT :(His back still to her) Ah yes, it's often like that when soldiers return from the war. What do
you want me to do about it?

YUN OK :(Cries) Make me a potion! Or an amulet, a drink, whatever it may take to have my husband
back the way he used to be.

HERMIT :(Turns around) Young woman, your request doesn't exactly fall into the same category as a
broken bone or an ear infection.

YUN OK :I know.

HERMIT :It will take three days before I can even look into it. Come back then. (After three days, Yun
Ok returns to Hermit's hut.)

SCENE 3 :Morning; Yun Ok comes to the hermit's hut

HERMIT :(Greets Yun Ok with a smile.) Yun Ok, I have good news. There is a potion that will restore
your husband to his old self, but you should know that it requires an unusual ingredient. You must bring
me a whisker from a tiger.
YUN OK :(Gasps) What? Such a thing is impossible!

HERMIT :(Shouts back) I cannot make the potion without it! (He turns his back.) There is nothing more
to say. As you can see, I'm very busy.

YUN OK :(Leaves without a word but wonders as she leaves.)

SCENE 4 :Nighttime; Yun Ok in bed

YUN OK :(Tosses and turns in bed. Then she finally gets up and goes out of the hut. Talks to herself)
How can I ever get a whisker from a live tiger? That old man, he's really impossible.

SCENE 5 :Early morning the next day

YUN OK :(Creeps out of the house as she talks to herself.) Well, then, Yun Ok. You must bring a bowl of
rice covered with meat sauce. (Walks towards the tiger's cave with the bowl of rice and meat.)

SCENE 6 :Near the entrance of the tiger's cave located near a mountain

YUN OK :(Clicks her tongue softly and carefully) Tsk... tsk... tsk.... (Continues to click her tongue very
softly as she creeps up the cave. Her heart pounding, she carefully sets the bowl on the grass, but tries
to make as little noise as she could, then she backs away.)

SCENE 7 :The next day before dawn; at the tiger's cave entrance

(Yun Ok takes another bowl of rice covered with meat sauce to the cave. She goes to the same spot,
clicks softly with her tongue. She sees that the bowl was empty, replaces the bowl with a fresh one, and
again leaves, clicking softly and trying not to break twigs or rustle leaves, or do anything else to startle
and unsettle the wild beast. Yun Ok goes day after day for several months.)

YUN OK :(Yun Ok talks to herself) Why do I never see the tiger? Oh, but thank goodness for that! But I
see its footprints on the ground. And the way I see it, it is not a small mountain creature! (Leaves)

SCENE 8 :One morning, at the tiger's cave entrance. The tiger pokes his head out.

YUN OK :(Glances down, steps very carefully to the same spot and with as little noise as she could, sets
down the fresh bowl and, her heart pounding, picks up the one that was empty. This goes on every time
Yun Ok comes day after day. The tiger comes out of its cave as it hears her footsteps, though it stays at a
distance.)

•(Whispers to herself) Whew, terrible! Thank goodness!

•(Another month goes by and the tiger waits by the empty food bowl every time it hears her
approaching. As she picks up the old bowl and replaces it with a fresh one, she can smell its scent.)

SCENE 9 :One morning at the tiger's cave entrance

YUN OK :(Whispers to herself as she sets the fresh bowl) This tiger actually looks almost kittenish. It's
rather a friendly creature, when you get to know it. In my next visit, I will try to glance at it briefly.

SCENE 10 :Morning at the tiger's cave entrance

YUN OK :(Speaks in a very careful voice) Good morning, Tiger. What a lovely downturn of reddish fur
you have. They cover your lovely eyebrows to the next. Please allow me to gently rub your head. (Rubs
the tiger's head gently and it purrs and stretches like a house cat. Yun Ok smiles in amazement.) Oh,
thank you, Tiger. Now, the time has come. I know what I will do this morning.

SCENE 11 :Very early the next morning at the tiger's cave entrance

YUN OK :(Brings with her a small knife in her pocket. She sets down the fresh bowl and the tiger allows
her to pet its head as she says in a low voice) Oh, my tiger, may I please have just one of your whiskers?
(Yun Ok's one hand pet the tiger, while her other hand carves the tiger's whisker off in one quick stroke.)
There, I got it! (She stands up and speaks softly.) Thank you, my dear tiger. Good bye. (Leaves for the last
time)

SCEE 12 :Morning at the hermit's hut

YUN OK :(Clutches the precious whisker in her fist; bursts and cries) I have it! I have the tiger's whisker!

HERMIT :(On his back) You don't say... (Turns around)...from a live tiger?

YUN OK :Yes! Yes!

HERMIT :Tell me, how did you do it?

YUN OK :Well, for the last six months, I had earned the trust of the creature and it had finally
permitted me to cut off one of its whiskers. (With pride she hands him the whisker.)

HERMIT :(Examines the whisker) It's indeed a whisker from a live tiger! I'm satisfied. (Walks to the
stove then flicks it into the fire where it sizzles and burns in an instant.)

YUN OK :(Cries with anger) What have you done? You know how I risked my life for that whisker and
you just threw it into the fire like that?

HERMIT :(Speaks softly) Yun Ok, you no longer need the whisker. Tell me; is a man more vicious than a
tiger? If a dangerous wild beast will respond to your gradual and patient care, do you think a man will
respond any less willingly?

YUN OK :(Just stands speechless. Then she turns and steps down the trail wondering.) (Silence. Still
thinks and recalls the image of the tiger and her husband). The hermit is right. He's absolutely right.
Now, I definitely know what to do!