Once upon a time, there lived a nice couple. They had a precious daughter named Kongji. Kongji was raised with the greatest affection, and love from their parents. Kongji’s mom died of a serious disease. There was no one to take care of her when her mother died. Her dad thought, “She needs a stepmother.” The stepmother had a daughter of her own, Patji.

Stepmother treated her badly. “Fill up this urn until I come back!” But, no matter how hard she tried the urn was still empty because there was a hole at the bottom of the urn. Then a giant toad appeared in front of her. “Don’t worry I will block the hole for you.” She could fill the urn with the help from the giant toad.

The next day, the stepmother called up Kongji, again. “Pull out the entire weed from the vegetable field until tonight.” Kongji worked very hard, but because the field was very wide, she could hardly finish the half. “Kongji, I will do it for you.” A cow appeared and pulled out the entire weed from the field.

One day, there was a festival at the village. “Kongji, you can come to the festival after you harvest three bushels of rice.” Her stepmother and Patji dressed up nicely, and went to the festival. There is no way I can get the work done in time for the festival. When Kongji was crying desperately, a large flock of birds flew in, and said, “Don’t worry, we will help you.” They pecked the rice in great speed and got the work done in a second.

After that, mice brought a pretty dress and shoes. “Come on Kongji, put this on, and go.”

She was running quickly without knowing that the king was passing by. She accidentally left one odd pair of her shoes behind and went to the festival. The king gave an order to his followers, “Find the holder of this shoe.” The King’s followers went to the festival and announced, “If there is the holder of this shoe, please come up front.” At that moment, Patji yelled out “It’s my shoe” wishing for a reward. She couldn’t fit her foot in the shoe because her foot was too big.

Then one of the king’s followers saw Kongji missing an odd pair of shoes, and realized that Kongji was the one who had lost her shoe. The king recognized Kongji’s sweetness and kindness. The king and Kongji got married, and lived happily ever after.

<콩쥐 팥쥐>

옛날 마음씨 착한 부부가 살고 있었어요. 이 부부에겐 콩쥐라는 귀한 딸이 있었답니다. 콩쥐는 부모님에게 사랑을 받으며 살았어요. 콩쥐의 어머니가 병으로 돌아가시자, 콩쥐를 돌봐줄 사람이 없었어요. 콩쥐 아버지는 새엄마를 맞이하기로 했어요. 새엄마는 팥쥐라는 딸과 같이 집에 들어왔어요.

새엄마는 콩쥐를 구박했어요. “내가 돌아올 때까지 이 독에 물을 가득 부어라.” 콩쥐는 계속해서 물을 부었지만, 독에 물이 차지 않았어요. 독의 밑바닥엔 커다란 구멍이 나 있었어요. 그때 두꺼비가 나타났어요. “걱정하지 마세요. 내가 구멍을 막아 줄게요.” 두꺼비가 구멍을 몸으로 막아 줘 물이 금방 찼어요.

다음날 새어머니는 콩쥐를 불렀어요. “넓은 채소밭의 풀을 오늘 밤까지 뽑아라.” 콩쥐는 열심히 일했지만, 너무나 넓어 풀을 반도 뽑을 수가 없었어요. “콩쥐야 비켜, 내가 풀을 뽑아 줄게.” 황소 한 마리가 나타나 눈 깜짝할 사이에 풀을 다 뽑아 줬어요.

그러던 어느 날 동네에 큰 잔치가 열렸어요. “콩쥐야, 너는 그 벼 석 섬을 다 찧고 오너라.” 새어머니와 팥쥐는 예쁜 옷으로 입고 잔치에 갔어요. “어떻게 이 많은 걸 다 하고 잔치에 간담.” 콩쥐가 눈물을 흘리고 있자, 하늘에서 수많은 참새가 날아왔어요. “콩쥐야 울지 마. 우리가 찧어 줄게.” 참새들은 빠르게 벼를 쪼아 모조리 껍질을 벗겼어요. 쥐들이 예쁜 옷과 꽃신을 물고 왔어요. “콩쥐야, 이것들을 빨리 입고 가렴.”

콩쥐는 임금님의 행차가 있는 줄도 모르고 급하게 잔치에 뛰어가다 꽃신 한 짝을 잃어버렸어요. “얘들아, 저 꽃신의 주인을 찾아라.” 임금님이 명령했어요. 포졸들은 꽃신의 주인공을 찾아 잔칫집까지 왔어요. “여기 손님 중에 이 꽃신의 주인이 있으면 나오시오.” 이때 팥쥐가 외쳤어요. “내 신발이에요.” 혹시 상이나 받을까 해서였지요.

그러나 너무 발이 커 반도 들어가지 않았어요. 그러던 중 포졸 한 명이 꽃신 한 짝만 신고 있는 콩쥐를 보았어요. “어! 아이고, 꽃신의 주인이 저기에 있구나.” 임금님은 콩쥐의 어여쁜 마음을 알고 결혼해 행복하게 잘살았어요.

<오늘의 단어장>
precious 귀중한, 값비싼
affection 애착, 보살핌
disease 질병, 질환
take care of 을 돌보다
stepmother 새어머니
treat 대하다, 취급하다
urn 항아리, 주전자
toad 두꺼비
weed 잡초
wide 넓은
bushels 많은 양
desperately 절망적으로
flock (양, 새의) 떼
peck (새가 부리로) 쪼다
knowing 다 안다는 듯한
pass by 지나가다
accidentally 우연히
holder 소유자
announce 알리다
reward 보상
fit (모양, 크기가) 맞다 

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