Seori Tales

Seori Tales — Korean Folktales for Children

Cover of Granny and the Tiger, A Korean Folktale of Red-Bean Porridge and Seven Little Helpers

Granny and the Tiger

A Korean Folktale of Red-Bean Porridge and Seven Little Helpers

All summer long, a little old granny pulls weeds in her red-bean field, until a big striped tiger jumps out of the bushes. "I am going to eat you up!" Quick as a wink, Granny makes a deal: come back on the longest night of winter. When that snowy night arrives, Granny cries into her porridge pot... and one by one, seven surprising helpers come to the door: a chestnut, a turtle, an awl, a millstone, a straw mat, a wooden carrier, and yes, some dog poop! A funny, warm retelling of a beloved Korean folktale about sharing what you have, perfect for reading aloud again and again.

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About this book

All summer long, a little old granny pulls weeds in her red-bean field, until a big striped tiger jumps out of the bushes: "Granny, I am going to eat you up!" Quick as a wink, Granny makes a deal. Let her harvest her beans and cook red-bean porridge first. Come back on the longest night of winter.

When that snowy night arrives, Granny cries into her porridge pot, and one by one, seven surprising helpers come to the door: a chestnut, a turtle, an awl, a millstone, a straw mat, a wooden carrier… and yes, some dog poop! Each one gets a bowl of porridge. Each one hides. And then the tiger comes creeping in. POP! SNAP! SQUISH! BONK! SPLASH!

  • Read-aloud English with a call-and-response refrain ("Granny, Granny, why are you crying?") and a sound for every helper that kids shout along with you
  • Rich illustrations in a warm painterly style with the bold spirit of Korean minhwa folk art, starring the series' striped folk-art tiger and seven funny little helpers
  • A gentle window into Korea: an "About This Story" note on Dongji, the winter solstice, and the red-bean porridge Korean families still share on the longest night of the year
  • Perfect for ages 4–8: slapstick, not scary; the tiger never touches Granny and simply floats far away, and the story ends with friends sharing porridge at sunrise

A wonderful winter gift for bedtime, multicultural classrooms, and every grandma who knows that small friends can do big things together.

Book 9 of Seori Tales — Korean Folktales for Children.

Details

Series
Seori Tales — Korean Folktales for Children, Book 9
Original tale
팥죽 할머니와 호랑이
Reading age
4-8 (Preschool - Grade 3)
Paperback pages
24, full colour
Publisher
Seori Books
Paperback ISBN-13
9798167531154

Inside the book

On a bright summer day, a little white-haired granny in a cream jacket and navy skirt bends over her red-bean field with a small hoe, her thatched cottage and a green mountain behind her.
On a snowy night, the granny cries big tears as she stirs a black cauldron of dark red porridge in her kitchen, the fire glowing beneath it.
A cut-away view of the house at night shows everyone hiding: the chestnut in the fire, the turtle in the water jar, the poop and the awl by the door, the millstone on a shelf, the mat in the yard and the carrier by the gate, while the granny peeks out with a finger to her lips.

Korean Words in This Story

  • Halmeoni — grandma. Korean children call their grandmothers halmeoni.
  • Horangi — the Korean word for tiger, the star of many old Korean tales.
  • Patjuk — thick, warm red-bean porridge, cooked on the longest night of winter.
  • Dongji — the winter solstice, the longest night of the year.
  • Saealsim — small, chewy rice balls in the porridge, as small as a bird's egg.
  • Meongseok — a big woven straw mat, spread in the yard to dry grain.
  • Jige — a wooden A-frame carrier that farmers wore on their backs.
  • Say them out loud together!

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