Latest / Sandman Stories Presents / EP 177: Korea- The Mirror that made Trouble

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EP 177: Korea- The Mirror that made Trouble · Sandman Stories Presents

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Welcome back, listeners to Sandman stories presents.
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A folklore podcast where I reach you to sleep or until the next
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story. I'm your host Dustin today, we
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are back in the book of Korean fairy tales by we Griffis.
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This is one of those stories about a silly Country.
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Bumpkin who has not seen a mirror before.
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Okay, let's begin. The mirror, the made trouble.
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The city of Seoul lies near the Han river which flows all the
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way across Korea, from the high mountains to the sea level to
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most Korean people in the old days when no one traveled abroad
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Soul was a center of the universe.
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All roads in the Kingdom led to this wonderful City in which
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there were big shops and stores and gay streets.
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Full of lively people in Rich clothing.
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The gentleman in there, stiffly starched in glistening, white
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clothes, walked very proudly with their heads up in the air.
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When they straddle, the little Korean ponies, which are not
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much bigger than Newfoundland dogs.
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It seemed as if elephants were trying to ride on donkeys, from
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morning to night, The Avenues were full of traffic and
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business. All the wonderful things brought
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by the Arabs from India and by the merchants from Japan and
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China could be bought in the Korean capital.
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A thousand Bulls loaded with dry grass and firewood came to the
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city Gates into Soul every day. They could be seen passing
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along, but not much beside legs and tail and horns were visible.
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At breakfast and supper time, clouds of blue smoke, rose up
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from the 10,000 low and often underground chimneys carrying
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the Heat and fire from the kitchens were good.
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Things to eat were cooked the cartloads of bags of rice,
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Millet, barley fruits and vegetables goodies and cookies
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jars and Crockery seen in the shops would make a mountain.
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Palaces pagodas temples and mansions of the Nobles and
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wealthy people made the palace in which the king lived, very
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beautiful. Well, out Beyond where the high
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stone City walls, white or covered with vines.
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When the sun dipped below the mountains, the gates were shut.
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And after that, no one could enter until morning.
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At every closing and opening of the gates, the musicians played
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Lively tunes, and the great Bell told out the time of sunrise and
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sunset. In the band, there were drums
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fife's trumpets and stringed instruments at night from inside
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the house in wine shops. One could hear the sounds of
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revelry music, song, and dancing and feasting which often lasted
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until morning. Out on the Great South Mountain,
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a mighty fire burned in the flame shot, high up into the
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air. This was the welcome message
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that all was peaceful throughout the whole Kingdom.
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On Hilltop and Mountain from the Snowy Peaks of the ever White
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Mountain, to the islands out in the Southern Sea.
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And from the East, to the West Coast, these signal fires Blaze
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Flame, answering flame, met a telegraph announcing.
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That all was well, But at 9:00 Soul Outdoors was a woman City.
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All boys and men must be off the streets.
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Any male person caught by the police would be taken to the
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magistrate's office and their receive a severe beating with a
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wooden paddles by the public spankers.
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And the women and grown-up girls old and young when Outdoors.
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Breathe the air, took their walks made their visits and had
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a delightful time with play and chat and gossip.
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But by midnight everyone must be indoors.
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It was no wonder then that in the country, the farmers in the
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village folk of the Seoul. The capital was the most
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Splendid city on earth. If they ever heard of London and
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Paris and New York, they suppose that these places on a map were
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only Villages, how was it possible that any City could
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equal or surpass Soul? Why the very idea was nonsense.
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In every Hamlet, even the children hope someday to see the
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city, often they dreamed of riding through the air on the
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dragons back in order to get there.
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It was thought that anything which a mortal man or even the
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insatiable dokkaebi should require could be bought in Seoul
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now, in a village up north, which, in English.
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We should call, Cucumber, evil lived, a Miller Mr. Kim and his
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wife, ciao. The man had worked hard for many
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years and heaped up piles of iron and Brass cash, which he
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kept hidden under the rafter beneath the roof.
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He had long intended to see the Royal City and his wife
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encouraged him for. She wanted a new dress and a
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comb and a pair of shoes such as the city people wear.
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His daughter said that they would like to have girdles or
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mind, trim slippers and silver hair pins.
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Kim felt that he must surely. Go to please both himself and
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his family. So, 15 May morning, he started
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off to walk to Seoul and see the sights.
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His wife and daughters bowing down with their faces to the
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paper carpet begged, him to bring them pretty things.
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They talked about so much and also, whatever might please
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himself. His faithful spouse.
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Paid him, beware of Thieves and robbers, and to not let his
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money lying around loose in the ends.
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By the way, when insole, he must not go into the wine shops, or
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to see the dancing girls called gisaeng, or to spend his cash
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foolishly. There were many Wicked Man about
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when she had heard that besides the polite people, there were
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boars even in the capital this she thought must surely be.
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The fact for there was a proverb that said, so, On his part Kim
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cautioned his wife since it was still chilly weather to keep the
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kitchen fires burning. So as to have the house warm and
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to not let the girls take cold, she must also beware of robbers
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he's bad man had a habit of coming after midnight when the
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fire was out and quietly loosening the stones of the
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foundation under the floor and getting inside and also into the
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rooms through the flues. The house must be well locked up
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in the door barricaded at night that no prowling leopard or
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tiger roaming around, should get in if she heard any scratching
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or clawing on the roof, she was to strike the gong.
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This would alarm the villagers and then the men would rush out
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with torches and drive away the beasts of prey.
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If she should hear the pig squealing out in the pain, she
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must sound the alarm for the Tigers love Korean pork.
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Even more than Korean people. Now Kim was a first-rate fellow
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when at home he was pretty sharp at a bargain while buying beans
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ml rice and was skillful and grinding barley or topping up
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straw for the donkeys. But once inside the walls of the
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big city, one would think he carried his head under his
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armpits, as the Koreans say, for a mid.
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So many strange sights and sounds, he was Dazed like a
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great gawk. He stood on the Main Street with
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his mouth wide open. As the crowds went by, who
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wondered where all the people came from, and how they all got
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a living, he found the saying true that there are rude people
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even in Seoul for one fellow shouted at him.
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Asking him whether he intended to swallow the moon, some of the
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boys laughed at him and said his mouth was like a bird box and
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something might fly in Kim looked at many things in these
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shops, but when he asked how much they cost he nearly
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fainted, he was truly scared at the price, and he walked on
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however, he bought some pretty things for his wife and
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daughters such as a fan role of silk for address a box of hair
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pins, some amber beads and a silver ring.
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So that when his eldest daughter was soon to Mary became a bride,
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she would have everything. Ready While in the silk shop,
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the clerk who sold him the goods.
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So that Kim was from the country and that he could have a little
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fun. So I told Kim about the fairies
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and pointed out a shop cross the way.
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They're if he looked at the round thing which the shop man
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would gladly show him, he would see.
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And feel as if he never felt her saw before at once, Kim went
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across the street and over to the shop where they made the
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metal things bright, shining polished and silvery There he
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stood in front of a round thing, like the moon in, it was a man's
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face. Who's the face of someone?
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He thought he knew it was a man about his own age, he fancied
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yet. He could not tell just who it
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was, or call him by name, but surely he had seen the person
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before. When he turned around suddenly
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hoping to surprise a friend and perhaps a neighbor from his
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hometown. There was nobody near he looked
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again. There was had his friend hate
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himself and then come back when Kim dodged he lost side of the
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face but when standing in front of this round thing, it was that
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same man again in the mirror but that is what The Shining metal
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was. When Kim laughed the fellow
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laughed to when he made a wry face or grimaces the other
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person, whoever he was, did the same, no matter how quickly Kim
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might turn around to catch him. He was gone.
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Now, Kim had never before seen a mirror and did not know what it
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could be yet. Thinking it was almost like a
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fairy magic. He bought the metal disc and
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took it back with him. When he arrived at home, he must
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first unpack, all the boxes containing the pretty things for
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the women of his family. For the girls were in patient to
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see what their father had brought them.
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They were so absorbed in their gifts that they do not notice
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what Mr. Kim had bought for himself.
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So we laid the case containing the mirror on the table and put
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some other purchases away in the big cabinet inlaid with
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mother-of-pearl that stood in the best room.
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Then he went out to look after his Mill and the pigs and the
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donkey and the bowl. No sooner had the girls opened
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the mirror case. Then the terrible things
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happened. The mother who was behind the
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daughter. Saw the face of a young woman
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and was startled at beholding, a stranger as she thought in her
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house instantly, she broke out in a fit of jealous passion.
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Your father has brought home another woman Aggie sang from
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Seoul to take my place. What does he mean?
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At the same time, the daughter seeing a face in the polished
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metal, cried out no mother who won't have any strange woman in
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Your place besides she's too young and will be a tyrant to
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us. Hearing the loud voices and
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crying. The grandmother hobbled in asked
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what was the matter. Look see for yourself, what our
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Daddy has brought home to us to make us miserable.
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Seeing the mirror, granny looked into it for a moment.
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Then she to burst out into a passion and cried out, I won't
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have this old woman in our house.
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It's enough for my son to support me and his family.
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Oh, why did he go to Seoul? By this time, there was such a
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racket with the for women. Young middle-aged and old
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crying. So lustily that each one quickly
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used up the three paper handkerchiefs of Peace before
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they could dry their tears. While still crying out legal
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eagle, very loudly grandfather, came in shaking his stick and
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ordering them to be quiet. Then looking at their streaming
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faces and dropping tears. He demanded to know the cause of
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the trouble. See, for yourself said his wife,
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then she handed him the medal Troublemaker such as never
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before, and had been seen in the village at once.
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The old man, turned almost purple with rage what he cried.
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In his creaked voice is my son. So unfilial as to bring home,
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another old man's into the house.
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How can you support two fathers? Where will he get the kimchi in
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the Millet, for the old fellow to eat, then he threw the mirror
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into its box and slam down the lid, tightly Right.
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All this time while jealousy was eating up.
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These angry people and threatening to disrupt the
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family, the noise increased, so greatly that, the husband left
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his pigs in his Mill and rushed in to see what was the matter.
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At once, his wife who was a very strong woman flew at him and
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seizing his top, not pulled him and dragged him over the floor
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and Outdoors along out into the street, never stopping till she
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reached the house of the judge to tell her troubles.
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There she made out a terrible story once in the presence of a
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great man who wore a mighty hat and had a string of amber beads
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hung over his ear. She told the story of what her
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husband had brought back from Seoul to destroy the Peace of
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his family. Surely, he meant to go back to
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the capital and have a young wife in her anger.
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Her tongue never stopped a moment.
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She charged her husband with all the crimes known in the codes.
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Yet all that she could proof against him.
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Was that he had brought back something around made of metal
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into the house. She assured the judge that it
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was as full of evil, magic is Toki be in all of his imps.
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Now, the other members of the family joined in the accusation
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of the Miller, besides supporting the wife story, they
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all declared that. It was true in every detail
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because the five witnesses all agreed in their story.
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When the flood of talk had subsided somewhat the judge, who
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meanwhile, he kept smoking on his breast, bold pipe, the stem
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of which was a yard long. While the bowl was only as big
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as a chestnut asked in what form did you say?
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This evil magic came at this, the Millers old father, produced
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The Box opened it and handed the metal mirror to the judge would
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never before seen anything like it.
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In fact, he had never been out of his district.
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Except once when he went to the examination years before and
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soul, even then he was so much with his His fellow students and
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so long, shut up in his little cell writing out his essays that
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he hardly saw anything of the city.
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When he held up the mirror before his eyes, he suddenly
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became like a demon in his rage behave, just like the other
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people in the courtroom. On the face of the round thing,
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which he held in his hand, he saw a man, an official robes
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such as only the men of eminence where he had on his head a high
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round hat like those which only magistrates will ever put on
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while on his right ear hung a string of 28 big round amber
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beads. When he held the mirror down in
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front of him, he discerned also the embroidered breast piece and
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the little silver stork that served to hold together.
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The folds of the judges code of office while around his waist
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was a decorated girdle. All this made him almost choked
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with anger at the idea of another magistrate, should come
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into the village of cucumber Ville to take his place.
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What should he himself? Do for a salary if he lost his
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position? How would he support his old
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parents in his 25? Poor relations.
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He saw himself as a pauper in his old age.
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Age. Speechless with rage.
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There was a silence in the courtroom for at least a minute.
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All looked at each other to see what would come next, but the
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piece lasted, no longer than 30 seconds for the storm.
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Broke out again, full force. When the jealous wife, seized
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her husband by his top, not to drag him home.
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She feared that the magistrate himself was so angry and jealous
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that he might adjourn. The court, just when the
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hullabaloo was at its height, a messenger, rushed into the
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courtroom to announce that the Royal inspector direct from the
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King was on his travels of observation in the province.
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Within five minutes, he would be at the Gate of the courthouse.
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House. Instantly the jealous wife like
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over husband's top. Not the magistrate called for
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order and posted his under officers in their places
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according to the etiquette of welcoming, the Kings agents,
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Then the magistrate adjusting his hat and taught now which had
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been badly tumbled in his passion.
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Went out to greet his worship, the Royal inspector.
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Salutations over he waved his hand to his Superior, to take
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the chief seat of Honor. as soon as all formalities were over the
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high officer inquired into the cause of the troubles and into
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the merits of the case, The local magistrate, put the mirror
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onto a silken cushion and handed.
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Both To His Highness. The inspector saying, please
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your worship, it is this that had turned us all into Devils a
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jealousy. What is it?
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Then this gentleman from the capital was everyday accustomed
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to the Comforts and conveniences of a great City.
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And the Splendor of the palace explained what a mirror was he
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gave them all a mild scolding for their Folly and dismissed
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them telling them that. Whenever he or she felt angry or
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jealous to go out and pull off, tops of five turnips or to
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slowly drink a cup of rice water before speaking, an angry word.
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Thereupon. The Miller's wife fell over on
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her face and beg, the pardon of her husband.
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Then all the family young and old while walking home laughed
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heartily at their mistakes. When a Korean begins to laugh,
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it is sometimes hard for him to stop but after half an hour, all
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was quiet again. After that, nearly everyone who
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could afford, it bought a mirror, all the people in the
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village sooner or later possessed one.
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They used it to look into its face.
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So often to see their own. Let the oil people carpeting in
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front of the mirror was in many houses soon.
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Worn out. In Seoul the mirror makers,
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wondered what happened in cucumber Ville The Village, so
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long famous for only it's cucumbers, but they slap their
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thighs for joy and grew Rich the end.
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Quite a few times in that story. I had to edit outer Fraser or
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change them because it was all about, oh, women talking women,
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talking as like a tiger that. And I don't really like the part
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of picking on country bumpkins is being ignorant.
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There are plenty of people who live in the countryside that are
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wise about the world. I also struggle sometimes with
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thinking that people are ignorant, they don't know
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something that I think is obvious, but then I realize that
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there's a bunch of stuff that they I know that I have no idea
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on, so I should really be more humble and compassionate.
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Still, I like how the people seeing the mirror for the first
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time, but they had all been replaced and it was a comedy of
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errors. Also sings, it's 4:20 this is
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coming out on my father's 70th birthday.
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So pops happy 70th and I love you very, very much.
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See you soon. And the podcast shout-out is to
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the endless knot hosted by Mark and Haven.
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The show marries the idea of etymology with historical
18:47
sources that we have to go with it.
18:49
Usually their show starts off with a cocktail, then a quick
18:52
video where Mark explains a bunch of related word Histories
18:54
on a theme, like, rock and roll and then Mark and even talk
18:58
about what Classics have to say about the words and how those
19:00
cultures influenced how those words are used today.
19:03
They recently had one about patrons and patreons and
19:07
bellinis and it was super cool. It's all very interesting.
19:10
And I feel lucky to have prepared on one of their
19:12
episodes and so if you like the Them as much as I do go and give
19:15
them a listen or rating in a review.
19:19
And The Listener shot out is to Southern savonia Finland, you
19:24
are 11% of my listeners from Finland and the capital is
19:28
micheli. It's English equivalent would be
19:30
st. Michael's, it is the largest
19:32
city in Southern California and is home to some very early cave.
19:35
Paintings that show. The people have been there for
19:37
thousands of years. There's also the location of the
19:40
uprising in the 1500s called the cultural War.
19:43
I used to babysit for a family with a finished father, and so I
19:46
got to learn a little bit of finish.
19:49
Shhhh. And I also like to listen to a
19:51
polenta and so I hope I don't put you this too much, ketose,
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yahuveh, yatta, Thank you and goodnight.
19:58
Thank you and goodnight.