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Kyunghye Lee

Author of The Sun Girl and the Moon Boy

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Works by Kyunghye Lee

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Characters: A single mom with two children, tiger

Setting: Their house in the forest

Theme: Circumspection can save your life.

Motif: Unwise antagonist

Summary: A single mom with two children, a boy and a girl, sells rice cakes to earn a living. One night, she was treading back home when a big tiger jumps out behind the bushes and threatens her that he will spare her life if she gave him some rice cakes. He gobbles all the rice cakes and asks for more. She says there is no more and makes a mistake of saying that there is none left for her children. This changes the tiger's plan. After ravening the mom, he disguises himself in the woman's clothing. He finds the children's house and knocks on the door, pretending to be the mom, imitating her voice. But the children notice that the voice belongs to none other than the tiger. They dash to the back door and climb a tree, but the tiger is chasing right behind them. The children pray to God that he lets down a rope to save them. Their prayer is answered and they climb up the rope. The tiger, yet to give up on the children, succeeds in climbing a tree and praying for a rope just like they did. But what down comes is a rotten rope which prompts the tiger to fall down on the ground as soon as he holds it. The boy and the girl who went up the rope become the moon and the sun, respectively.

Review: This is a timeless Korean folktale, widely loved by Koreans regardless of age. When used in classroom, students will be exposed to and experience multicultural folktale and diversity. However, if read to younger audience, teachers can water down the part where the tiger relishes the mom, smacking his lips at the thought of devouring small children their age. The story teaches that when students encounter situations in which they feel helpless, staying calm and exercising prudence will lead them to arrive at a wise decision. For example, a 6-year-old girl survived the tragic Connecticut school shooting by pretending to be dead, hiding in blood. Freaking out would have rarely helped her to display such bravery and wisdom.

Curriculum ties: Health (decision making), cause and effect, consequences

http://www.yes24.com/24/Goods/2117165?Acode=101
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irachelsweet | Feb 26, 2013 |

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