Hello, everyone. Welcome to “Korean Folktales.” In this Monday corner, we introduce you to interesting Korean folk stories. I’m Emilee Jennings. Today, I’ll tell you the story of a young boy who shaped his own destiny by saving ants.

Once upon a time, there lived a young servant in a rich man’s house. The boy was smart, diligent and obedient, and the master liked him very much. One day, a friend of the master visited the house and stared at the boy who was sweeping the yard. The friend, in fact, could tell fortunes by reading people’s faces. The friend told the master to throw the servant out of the house immediately because ominous signs were found in his face. The master laughed it away, but the friend was absolutely serious. He said, “I can read something really bad in the boy’s face. He could kill a person. If you don’t kick him out right now, you will certainly regret it later.” The friend was so persistent that the master reluctantly followed his instruction.

The poor servant had to leave the house, where he had lived for years. He walked aimlessly, with tears in his eyes. Suddenly, it started to rain heavily. He quickly took shelter under a tree along the stream. Standing under the tree, he was looking at the rising water in the stream. Soon, he saw a swarm of ants floating down the water. He took pity on the poor creatures in danger. He broke a branch from the tree and extended it to the water so the ants could climb on. As he saved the ants from the stream, they crawled away and disappeared.

The rain stopped, but the servant couldn’t cross the rising stream. So, he decided to return to the house as he thought he should plead with his master to let him stay until he found another master. While the master was surprised to see the boy again, his friend, who had previously told him to expel the boy, hastily called him into the room. “Hey, I have to something to tell you. It may sound strange, but the boy’s fortune has completely changed now. He could even become a high-ranking government official when he grows up. Sometimes, a person’s fate changes in a positive way after his or her good deed. That seems to be the case with this boy. Outside the house, he must have done something good.” With these words, the friend advised the master to not only let the servant stay but also to help him study.

This time, too, the master followed his friend’s advice. Instead of making the servant work he sent him to a village school instead. The smart boy studied hard and passed the state exam to become a government official. The master gladly allowed the promising young man to marry his daughter, and the family lived happily ever after.

That’s it for today’s “Korean Folktales.” I hope you enjoyed the story. Thank you for listening. I’m Emilee Jennings. Goodbye, everyone.