Hello, everyone. Welcome to “Korean Folktales.” In this Monday corner, we introduce you to interesting Korean folk stories. I’m Jinny Na. Today, I’ll tell you the tale of a strange rock that produces rice.

Once upon a time, there lived a Buddhist monk at a temple deep in the mountains. One day, while strolling around the hill behind the temple, he happened to see something odd on a rock. Rice was flowing from a hole in the rock. He couldn’t believe his eyes, but he soon came to believe that the rice-producing rock was a blessing from Buddha. He ordered a trainee monk at the temple to collect the rice from the rock. The trainee monk wished for more rice, but strangely, the rock only produced enough rice for two people at each meal time. Clearly, the rice was meant for the chief monk and his trainee monk.

A few days later, a traveler stopped by the temple. It was lunchtime, and the chief monk asked the trainee monk to set the table for three people, including the traveler. The young monk was annoyed because he expected the rock to produce only enough rice for two people, as it always did. So he reluctantly went to the rock, feeling unhappy at the thought of sharing the rice with the visitor.

Contrary to his expectations, though, he found more rice under the rock—the exact amount for three people. Surprised, he quickly informed the head monk of the incredible discovery. The monks realized how this mysterious rock worked. At each meal time, the rock would create rice in exact proportion to the number of people at the temple at that moment. Both monks were amazed and felt grateful for Buddha’s mercy. Thanks to the magic rock, the monks no longer had to worry about rice, regardless of how many or how few visitors they had.

The trainee monk, however, still hoped that he would collect more rice so he could eat as much as he liked. Despite his wish, the rock always produced the exact amount of rice that was necessary—no more, no less.

One day, the head monk went to a nearby village. Before leaving the temple, he told the trainee monk not to be too greedy with the rice from the rock since he was aware of the young man’s obsession over it. Left alone at the temple, the trainee monk went to the rock. As expected, there was rice for only one person. It was an anticipated outcome, but the trainee monk still felt disappointed with the small amount of rice. He thought there might be more rice inside the rock. So he began to poke into the small hole to look for more rice but found none. Instead, water started flowing from the rock. The young monk recalled the head monk’s advice but it was too late. From then on, the rock stopped producing rice.

The tale teaches us not be too greedy and to always be thankful for what we get.

That’s it for today’s “Korean Folktales.” Tune in again next time for another interesting Korean folk story. Thank you for listening. I’m Jinny Na. Goodbye, everyone.