Korean Folktale - Heungbu and Nolbu

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived two brothers: Heungbu, who was kind-hearted, and Nolbu, who was greedy. After their parents passed away, Nolbu, the older brother, took all the family's possessions and drove Heungbu and his family out of their home. Heungbu's family was poor, but they supported each other and worked hard.

One spring day, Heungbu found a swallow with a broken leg and carefully nursed it back to health. The following spring, the swallow returned and gave Heungbu a magical gourd seed. Heungbu planted the seed, and in the autumn, a large gourd grew, full of fruits.

When Heungbu cut open the gourd, he found it filled with gold, silver, rice, silk, and countless other treasures. Heungbu became wealthy thanks to these treasures and lived happily ever after, escaping poverty.

When Nolbu heard this news, he was consumed with envy. He deliberately broke a swallow's leg, hoping to receive a similar gourd seed. However, instead of treasure, Nolbu's gourd yielded all sorts of terrible things, turning his house into a complete mess in an instant.

In the end, Nolbu repented and asked Heungbu for forgiveness. The kind-hearted Heungbu forgave Nolbu and they lived happily together. Heungbu shared his wealth with Nolbu, and Nolbu, from then on, abandoned his greed and lived a virtuous life. The two brothers reconciled and lived in even greater harmony than before.

Moral of the Story

The story of Heungbu and Nolbu teaches the lesson of rewarding good and punishing evil. It shows that doing good deeds brings blessings, while doing bad deeds brings punishment. It also emphasizes the importance of brotherhood and sharing. The story teaches that even in difficult situations, helping and sharing with each other leads to greater happiness. Greed brings misfortune, while a kind heart brings blessings. It shows that being blinded by material greed and harming others ultimately brings greater unhappiness to oneself. True happiness comes not from material wealth, but from love and sharing with family and neighbors. It also highlights the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness. Acknowledging one's mistakes and striving for change opens the door to a new life.

Re-evaluation in the Context of Modern Society

In modern society, "effort" and "ability" are emphasized more, and there is a view that success cannot be achieved solely through "good deeds." However, the story of Heungbu and Nolbu emphasizes not only material success but also the importance of human relationships and spiritual abundance. Even if one possesses extraordinary abilities, if their relationships with others are poor or they are blinded by greed to harm others, they cannot truly experience happiness. The story also conveys the hope that even in difficult circumstances, maintaining a positive attitude and a spirit of sharing can bring unexpected good fortune.