콩쥐 팥쥐 Kongjui and Patjui

 This story is called 흥부와 놀부 Heungbu and Nolbu, and I got the original Korean text from the Parrot Fairy Tale Series by SaeSaem publishing company (지혜와 슬기 주머니 10 새샘 명작 동화) all rights reserved to them!

This story is like a korean version of cinderella, in that a girl named Kongjui is forced to grow up with her evil stepmother and sister after her parents die. She is forced to do all the chores but gets help along the way and ends up marrying the Govenor's son in the end despite her stepmothers attempts to interfere. 

콩쥐 팥쥐

Kongjui and Patjui

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아주 먼 옛날 콩쥐라는 아이가 아버지와 함께 살고 있었어요. 어머니 콩쥐가 어린 때 돌아가셨어요. 그래서 콩쥐는 어머지 대신 집안일을 해야했어요. 아버지는 그런 콩쥐가 늘 안쓰러웠어요.

Along time ago, Kongjui lived with her father. Kongjui’s mother died when she was young, so Kongjui did the household chores instead. Kongjui’s father felt sorry for her.  

하루는 아버지가 새 어머지를 데려와 말씀하셨어요. “얘, 콩쥐야! 너의 새 어머니와 동생 콩쥐야, 인사하렴.””안녕하세요?콩쥐라고 함니다. 그리고 동생이 생겨서 반가워.” “뭐? 콩쥐? 이름도 되게 웃긴다. 나보고 언니라고 해!”

One day, Kongjui’s father brought home a new mother and said, “Hey, Kongjui! These are your new mother and sister, say hello to them.” “Hello? My name is Kongjui, and I’m happy to have a sibling now.” “What? Kongjui? That name is funny! When you see me, call me older sister!”

처음부터 새어머지와 팥쥐는 콩쥐를 못마땅하게 여겼어요. 함께 살면서도 새 어머니는 맛있는 것은 팥쥐에게만 주고 콩쥐에게는 힘든 일만 시켰어요. 그렇게 지내다 갑자기 아버지가 돌아가셨어요. “아버지! 흑흑흑…….” “콩쥐야! 넌제까지 그렇게 울고만 있을거냐?” 이젠 아버지가 하던 일까지 네가 해야지.”

From the beginning, the new mother and Patjui were never pleased by Kongjui. While they were living together, the stepmother only gave delicious food to Patjui, and only ordered Kongjui to do hard work. Like this time passed by until oneday Kongjui’s father passed away. “Father!” “Kongjui! Until how long are you going to keep crying like this? From now on you need to do your father’s work too!”

그 후로 콩쥐는 힘든 일을 더 많이 해야 했어요. 하루는 새 어머니가 콩쥐에게 나무 호미를 주며 말씀하셨어요. “얘 콩쥐야! 어른 가서 뒷산에 있는 밭의 풀을 뽑고 오너라.” “네, 어머니.” 그 밭은 둘과 풀이 아주 많았어요. 그래서 나무 호미는 그새 부러졌 버렸어요.

After that, Kongjui had to do even more hard work. One day, the stepmother gave Kongjui a wooden rake and said, “Hey Kongjui! Quickly go up to the mountain fields, pluck out the grass and come back.” “Yes, Mother.” In that field there were lots of rocks and grass, so pretty soon the rake was broken.

할 수 잆이 콩쥐는 손으로 풀을 뽑았어요. 콩쥐는 손이 너무 아팠어요.  그 때 어디선가 황소가 나타났어요. “콩쥐 아가씨! 제가 이 풀을 다 뽑아 드릴게요.” 황소는 순식간에 풀을 다 뽑아 주었어요. “어머! 어떻게 이런 일이? 황소야 고마워.”

Without any other method, Kongjui resorted to pulling the grass out by hand.  Kongjui’s hand hurt a lot. At that time, a bull appeared from somewhere. “Miss Kongjui! I will pull out the grass for you.” The bull quickly pulled out all the grass for her. “Wow! How did this happen? Bull, thank you.”

콩쥐는 기쁜 마음으로 집으로 갔어요. “어머니 풀을 다 뽑고 왔어요.” “뭐냐? 다 뽑았다고? 어디 가 보자.” 밭으로 간 새 어머니는 깜짝 놀랐어요. ‘아니, 저것이 나무 호미로 돌밭에 있는 그 많은 풀을 어떻게 다 뽑았지?’ 놀란 새어머니는 혼젓말로 중얼거리며 돌아갔어요.

Kongjui went back home happily. “Mother, I have pulled out all the grass and come back.” “Whay? It was all pulled out? Lets go see it.” The stepmother who saw the field was shocked. ‘No, how can you pull out all of the grass in the field which has rocks with that rake?’ the shocked stepmother said to herself while returning back to the house.

다음 날 새 어머지는 팥쥐를 데리고 나들이를 가며 말했어요.  “콩쥐야! 너는 이 독에다 물을 가득 채워 놓아라!” “네, 어머니.” “헤헤헤, 콩쥐야 약오로지? 메롱!”

The next day, the stepmother took Patjui out, and while they were leaving for the outing, she said, “Kongjui! Fill this jar full of water!” “Okay mother.” “He he he, Kongjui’s a sucker!” said Patjui while sticking out her tongue.

콩쥐는 물을 열심히 길어다 부었어요. 그런데 참 이상했어요. 독 안에 물이 고이지 않는 거예요. “참 이상하네…….” 독 안을 자세히 들여다 보니 밑바닥이 깨어져 있었어요. “이 일을 어떻게 하면 좋아…….”

Kongjui worked hard for a long time to fill up the jar. But, something was alittle strange. The jar wasn’t filling up. “That's strange....” When she looked at the jar’s inside in detail, she saw that the bottom was broken. “How can I do this chore well now....”

순간 그 광경을 지켜보고 있던 두꺼비가 말했어요. “콩쥐 아가씨! 제가 깨어진 곳을 막아 줄 테니 물을 길어 오세요.” “두꺼비야, 고마워.” 두꺼비가 깨어진 곳을 막아 주고 콩쥐가 물을 길어다 붓자 독 안에 물이 가득 찼어요.

At this moment, a toad, who had been watching spoke to her. “Miss Kongjui! I will block the broken places of the jar for you so you can pour the water in.” “Thank you toad.” The toad blocked the broken place in the jar and Kongjui added in the water to the jar until it was filled.

나들이에서 돌아온 새 어머니는 콩쥐를 혼낼 생각으로 물었어요. “독 안에 물은 다 채웠냐?” “네, 어머니.” “뭐? 다 채웠다구?” 독 안을 들여다 본 새 어머니는 깜짝 놀랐어요. ‘아니, 어떻게 깨어진 독에 물이 찼지???…….’

When they returned from the outing, the stepmother who was thinking of scolding Kongjui, asked her, “Did you fill the jar completely?” “Yes mother.” “What? You filled it all?” The stepmother, who looked in the jar, was really surprised. ‘No, the jar was broken how did she???....”

그렇게 세월은 흘러 콩쥐와 팥쥐도 자라서 시집 갈 나이가 되었어요. 하루는 새 어머니가 말씀하셨어요. “팥쥐야. 내일 잔치에 갈 준비를 해야겠다. 잔치에 온 처녀 중에 원님의 며느릿감을 뽑는다는구나.” “엄마, 그게 정말이세요?” “그렇다는구나. 너는 특별히 예쁘게 보여야 한다.”

The years passed like this, and eventually Kongjui and Patjui became the age to marry. One day, the stepmother said, “Patjui, you need to get ready for the party tomorrow. From amoung the young ladies who come to the party, the govenor will pick a daughter in law. ” “Mother, is that true?” “Yes, therefore you should be especially pretty for tomorrow.”

잔칫날이 되어 새 어머니가 콩쥐에게 말했어요. “콩쥐야! 너는 마당에 널어 놓은 벼를 다 찧어 놓고 방에 짜다만 옷감을 다 짜고 오너라!” “어머니, 그걸 언제 다…….” “아니, 요것이 못하겠다는 말이냐?” 그 때 팥쥐가 말했어요. “헤헤헤, 콩쥐야 약오르지?”

The day of the party came and the stepmother told Kongjui, “ Kongjui! Peel all the rice from the plants drying in the yard and make the clothing!” “Mother, when all of these....” “No, are you saying that you can’t do even this much?” At that time, Patjui said, “He he he, Kongjui is a sucker.”

새 어머니와 팥쥐는 잔치에 가고 콩쥐는 마당에 널어 놓은 벼를 찧을 준비를 하였어요. 그 때 참새들이 날아들었어요. “워어이! 참새들아 안돼!” “짹 짹 짹, 콩쥐 아가씨 걱정마세요. 저희들이 벼의 껍질을 다 까 드리겠어요.” 벼는 순식간에 하얀 쌀이 되었어요.

The stepmother and Patjui went to the party, and Kongjui went to the yard to prepare the seeds for pounding. At that time, a bunch of sparrows appeared. “Wah! Sparrows don’t!” “Chirp chirp chirp, Miss Kongjui, don't worry. We will peel the shells off the rice for you. ” The rice instantly became white.

콩쥐는 쌀을 담아 놓고 옷감을 짜기 시작 했어요. 콩쥐도 빨리 해 놓고 잔치에 가고 싶었거든요. 그런데, 짜야 할 실은 너무 많았어요. 순간, 콩쥐는 돌아가신 부모님이 생각났어요. “어머지! 아버지! 흑흑흑…….”

Kongjui put in the rice and then began to weave the clothing. Kongjui wanted to quickly finish the work because she wanted to go to the party. But, the strings she needed to weave were numerous. Soon, thoughts of her deceaced parents arose. “Mother! Father!”

     그때 선녀가 나타나 말했어요. “콩쥐 아가씨! 얼른 잔치에 갈 준비를 하세요.” “어머! 당신은?…….” “아가씨를도와 드리겠어요.” 선녀는 콩쥐에게 예쁜 한복 한 벌과 꽃신 한 켤레를 주고 짜다만 옷감도 다 짜 주었어요.

Then, a fairy appeared. “Miss Kongjui! Please quickly come get ready to go to the party.” “Oh dear! Who are you?... .” “I will help you Miss Kongjui.” The fairy then gave Kongjui a pretty dress, a pair of fancy shoes, and finished all of the weaving for her.

콩쥐는 예쁜 한복을 입고 꽃신을 신은 채 잔치가 열리는 곳으로 갔어요. 많은 사람들이 콩쥐의 예쁜 모습을 보고 한 마디씩 하였어요. “어머! 참 예쁘다.” “하늘에서 내려온 선녀같네요.”

Kongjui went to the place where the party was held wearing her pretty dress and fancy shoes. Many people saw Kongjui’s pretty attire and started to praise her. “Wow! Look how pretty she is. She’s like a angel that came down from the sky.”

그 때 원님의 아이들이 콩쥐에게 다가왔어요. “참 아름다우시군요. 어디에 사시는 누구신지?” “저어…….” 콩쥐는 아무말도 하지 못하고 얼굴만 빨개졌어요. 더욱 많은 사람들이 콩쥐가 있는 곳으로 모여들었어요.

At that time, the Govenor’s son went closer to Kongjui. “What a beautiful lady. Who are you and where do you live?” “Me....” Kongjui couldn’t say even a word and her face had become red. Many other people had flocked to where Kongjui was.

그 때 새 어머니와 팥쥐의 목소리가 들렸어요. “도대체 누가 그렇게 예쁘다는 거야?” 순간, 콩쥐는 새 어머니와 마주칠까 겁이 났어요. “죄송합니다만 저는 이만…….” 허겁지겁 달려 나오는 콩쥐를 원님의 아들이 따라오며 외쳤어요. “이름만이라도 알려 주시오.”

Then, she heard her stepmother and Patjui’s voices. “Who the heck could be that pretty?” Instantly, Kongjui became afraid of meeting with her stepmother. “I’m  very sorry but I....” Kongjui hastily ran off, but the Govenor’s son followed her and called out, “Just let me know you’re name at least.”

하지만 콩쥐는 뒤를 돌아보지도 못한 채 달려가다 그만 꽃신 한 짝이 벗겨져 버렸어요. “어머! 이 일을 어떻게 하지?” 콩쥐는 꽃신 한 짝을 남긴 채 가 버리고 원님의 아들은 꽃신 한 짝을 주워서 원님께로 들고 갔어요.

But Kongjui ran away without even looking back, and while running lost one of her fancy shoes. “Oh no! What should I do?” Kongjui abandoned her shoe, and the son of the Govenor picked up the shoe and carried it back to his father.

“아버님! 이 꽃신의 임자와 결혼하겠습니다.” 원님은 신하들을 시켜 온 고을을 뒤져서 꽃신의 임자를 찾아오게 하였어요. 신하들은 고을 전체를 돌다가 콩쥐의 짐에도 왔어요.

“Father! I want to marry the owner of this shoe!”  The Govenor order his servents to go to the town and find the owner of the fancy shoe. The men searched through the whole town for the owner, and they also went to Kongjui’s house.

신하들이 수줍은 듯 보고 있던 콩쥐에게 말했어요. “아가씨도 한번 신어 봐요.” 그러자 새 어머니가 말했어요. “쟤는 신어 볼 필요도 없어요.” “하지만 원님께서는 모든 아가씨들에게 다 신겨 보라고 하셨소. 자 신어 보시오.”

The servants talked to Kongjui, who was watching silently, saying, “Miss you must also try these shoes on.” Then the stepmother said, “Theres no need for her to try them on.” “But we have ben ordered by the magistrate that all of the young ladies must do it. Now, please try them on.”

콩쥐가 꽃신을신가 신하들이 소리쳤어요. “허어. 꼭 맞는군. 이제야 임자를 찾았어.” 그제서야 콩쥐는 방에 잘 두었던 예쁜 한복을 입고 나머지 꽃신 한 짝을 신고 나왔어요. “저-저것이 언게…….” 그렇게 하여 콩쥐는 원님의 아들과 결혼하여 행복하게 잘 살았습니다.

When Kongjui tried on the shoe, all of the servants screamed. “Aha. This is exactly right. We have found the owner.” Kongjui left the room, and came back wearing her pretty dress and fancy shoes. “I-well when...” Thus the govenor’s son and Kongjui were married and they lived happily ever after. 


*This story has lots of similarities to Cinderella, but the difference is that to me this story seems more believable. Instead of Kongjui getting married to a prince, she gets married in the end to the Govenor's son. It would seem more farfetched if all of the sudden a prince decided to come to some random village's party and pick a bride there, so I think that this story was nicely balanced. Much like cinderella this story tells us to be good and strive to live ones life no matter what gets you down, because in the end if you are good you will win in the end (and get to marry the prince!). The hard part about this story was translating the sound effects (ex 흑흑흑= crying) and some of the titles (ex 원님= govenor)  because in english we do not sound effect words and the title words are not always 100% equivalent. Choosing the right title gives the story a completely different feel, so I tried to stay as authentic to the original as possible.