There once lived an ambitious young man named Hong Gil-dong. He couldn’t work for the government because his mother was a second wife. Only sons of a man’s first wife could work for the king and his government.

Hong Gil-dong left his parents and traveled around to find something he could do for a living. One day, he was awakened by an old mountain man who said,“ You have been chosen among the people to fulfill an important mission for the world.”

During the next few months, Hong Gil-dong learned many things from the old mountain man including martial arts, magic, and the wisdom of the masters.

Hong Gil-dong left after he mastered everything he learned from the old mountain man. On his way, he came across a band of thieves. They were  competing to see which of them could lift the largest rock. Hong Gil-dong picked up the largest rock and threw it a great distance. The men were amazed and asked Hong Gil-dong became their leader. Hong Gildong accepted on the condition that they stop being thieves.

Hong Gil-dong heard about a mayor who was notorious for his greed and unfairness. The mayor asked for too much in taxes from his people and put many honest people in prison. Hong Gil-dong planned a way to help the people.

Hong Gil-dong pretended he was a high ranking officer and ate with the mayor one day. He secretly put some small rocks in his mouth. He then pretended that the rocks came from the food.

“How dare you serve me food that has rocks in it!”he shouted. “You must be punished!” Hong Gil-dong’s men tied up the mayor and gave all the mayor’s rice, jewels, and money to the poor.

From that time on, he helped the poor by taking wealth from corrupt overnment officials and giving it to the poor. He became a hero of the poor people and the enemy of the greedy rich people at the same time.

The king offered a big reward to anyone who would capture Hong Gil-dong, and he put Hong Gil-dong’s father in prison. Hong Gil-dong then made eight scarecrows that looked exactly like him and brought the scarecrows to life with magic. The scarecrows were sent around the country; and they
shouted, I am Hong Gil-dong!”People caught the scarecrows and brought them to the king’ s palace.

The king was confused because no one could identify who the real Hong Gil-dong was. The king sent for Hong Gil-dong’s father.“ Tell your son to come forward,”he said. “Please, son,”his father said,“ Come forward.” All eight  scarecrows came forward and then turned back into straw. The real Hong Gildong, who was hiding behind a screen, ran out of the palace, taking his father with him.

Hong Gil-dong returned to his band of men.
He asked them to go with him to an island far away across the ocean. There he built a new country where everyone could live equally.


오늘의 단어장

*ambitious (사람) 야심이 있는 *awaken (잠에서) 깨다, (감정이) 일다 *fulfill (의무) 이행하다, (기한) 종료하다 *martial arts (유도 같은) 무술 *wisdom
지혜, 현명함 *compete 경쟁하다, (시합) 겨루다 *thief 도둑, 절도범 *notorious 악명 높은 *honest (성품이) 정직한 *wealth 부, 재산, 부유함 *corrupt 부패한, 타락한 *capture 포로로 잡다, 함락시키다 *scarecrow 허수아비 *exactly 정확히, 틀림없이 *identify (신원 등을) 확인하다, 발견하다


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