The Tiger Who Almost Went to Heaven: An Enchanting Journey through Korean Myth| Episode 2 of Fireside Folklore with Hades

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Hades: Greetings, adventurers of the arcane and hunters of the horrifying! You've gallantly galloped across the sands of time, to find yourself at the gateway of another spine-tingling episode of "Fireside Folklore with Hades". This is the sanctuary where we breathe life into ancient tales and terrifying folklore, resonating from the four corners of the world.

Adventuring alongside you through these awe-inspiring narratives, I am Hades, the King of the Underworld, your guardian of riddles and the orchestrator of the ominous.

My intrepid co-hosts join me in this daring quest. The radiant Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, whose light outstrips even the brightest of constellations. And, our wise nephew Hermes, the Messenger of the Gods and the Psychopomp. If this designation seems complex – Hermes essentially acts as our spectral scout, leading souls across the thresholds of time and space, aiding us in exploring these bewitching tales.

This evening, we journey through the craggy terrains of Korea to reveal the chilling saga of "The Tiger Who Almost Went to Heaven, or How the Moon and Sun Came to Be". So, gather round, let the crackling flames cast an enchanting glow, and brace yourself for a riveting voyage into the world of hushed legends and eerie lore. Friends, let the storytelling begin!

Persephone: Hello everyone! I’m excited to be here with you as we venture to Korea to hear about a very crafty tiger who almost had two lovely children for dinner!

Hermes: Yikes! I guess it’s a good thing the tiger wasn’t successful!

Zeus: Thanks to my lightning bolts, naturally.

Hades: [chuckles] I think you meant Sangje, brother.

Hermes: Sangje is the name of the sky god in Korea, and that brings us to this week’s fun facts about our host country, South Korea.

1.    Korea has a vibrant pop music scene known as K-pop. K-pop bands like BTS and Blackpink have become hugely popular worldwide, with their music videos drawing billions of views.

2.    Korean cuisine is delicious! Dishes like 비빔밥, 불고기, and 김치 are favorites. A Korean barbecue meal, where you cook meat right at your table, is an experience not to be missed.

3.    The Korean language is unique among Asian languages. It has an alphabet called 한글 that was specially created under King Sejong in the 15th century to promote literacy among all Koreans. 한글 is considered one of the most scientific writing systems ever devised.

Persephone: That’s incredible! It’s great to hear about K-pop becoming so widely enjoyed! And knowing King Sejong invented 한글 so that all Koreans could benefit from the gift of literacy, especially so long ago, shows just what a forward-thinking king he was.

Hades: Indeed. Now let us travel to Korea where our tiger awaits.

Persephone: Is the tiger like the Big Bad Wolf in Western cultures?

Hades: [chuckles] It’s a little more complicated than that, my dear. You see, in Korea, the tiger is often viewed as a regal and majestic guardian who protects people from evil spirits. Rather than being universally viewed as the villain, in some tales, the tiger can be the protagonist, and in others, the fool. However, in this particular myth we’ll be retelling today, the tiger does indeed take on the role of a malevolent figure.

Now, let me introduce the guests who will be joining us today. Playing the role of our cunning and crafty tiger we have my dear brother Poseidon, god of the sea and bringer of earthquakes. In the role of the unfortunate mother, we have Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. And finally, playing our heroic children are Apollo and Artemis, fitting since they are associated with the Sun and the Moon, respectively.

Poseidon: Dear brother? Ha! If I was that dear to you, I would have gotten the role of the Korean sky god.

Hades: [laughs] Oh come now, you know I couldn’t resist casting you as the tiger. Your regal nature and love of majestic creatures make you perfect for the role.

Poseidon: [good-naturedly] Tell them the truth. It's because I'm crankier than Medusa in the mornings.

Hades: That may have played a small role as well. Now, let us begin our tale of The Tiger Who Almost Went to Heaven. Once upon a time, many years ago, there lived a woman with two children. She and her children lived in the woods in a humble cottage surrounded by hills. Despite being poor, the woman was kind and loving towards her children and always gave them enough to eat, though it was rare for them to enjoy treats like rice cakes. This woman worked as a servant to a very rich and powerful man, who lived in the heart of a bustling city several miles away. One day, her master decided to throw a large party for his servants to thank them for their hard work. Before leaving her two children, the mother told them,

Aphrodite: [in a gentle voice] Be good and stay close to one another. I'll be back before nightfall. Remember not to let anyone in. I'll be sure to bring back some tasty rice cakes for you to enjoy.

Hades: The young mother made it safely to the party and as planned, took a brimming basket filled with rice cakes back with her after the party came to an end. as she left the city and began climbing the large hill, however, she accidentally stumbled into the path of a ferocious tiger.

Poseidon: Roarrrr!! What do we have here?

Hades: Terrified, the young mother froze, knowing the grave danger she was in.

Poseidon: Mmm, you look like a tasty meal.

Aphrodite: Oh please, great tiger, don't eat me up. I am a poor young mother with two children who need me.

Hades: This was a cunning tiger who had already decided to have this woman for dinner, but when she revealed that she had two children, he decided to make her think that he had had a change of heart.

Poseidon: [slyly] Well, since you have two children who depend on you, I will spare your life. But you must give me whatever is in that basket of yours.

Hades: With relief, the young mother opened the basket of rice cakes and gave one to the tiger. The tiger greedily consumed the rice cake and left. With relief, the mother continued her walk, knowing that she needed to get home quickly. However, after walking only a hundred feet, the tiger sprang out from behind a tree and said,

Poseidon: If you give me another rice cake, I won't eat you up!

Hades: And so it went for this poor young mother until she had no more rice cakes left. The tiger licked his lips and devoured the unfortunate woman, but not before she said a silent prayer to the sky god to protect her children.

Aphrodite: Oh great Lord Sangje, please protect my children from this dreadful tiger and keep them safe.

Hades: Now, the tiger had figured out where the young woman lived so he continued the walk to their home, thinking to devour them too. When he knocked on the door and called to them,

Poseidon: Little children, I have returned and I have brought you some delicious rice cakes. Open the door and let me in!

Hades: He didn’t fool them one bit. The young boy called out,

Apollo: You don't sound like our mother!

Artemis: Slide your hand under the door so we can see it.

Hades: The older sister said. The tiger, without thinking, put a paw underneath the door. The children soon realized that it was indeed a tiger's paw. They began to fear that this tiger may have eaten their mother and was now out to get them.

Apollo: What should we do, sister? I'm scared.

Artemis: Don't worry, little brother. He won't be able to harm us if we stay here. Go away!! Our mother does not have hairy hands! Nor does she have a rough and harsh voice!

Hades: With a growl of frustration, the tiger left the home and sat down upon a rock to think. The children had been alerted to his identity by his voice and his hairy paw. So, he went to a tree with large smooth leaves and wrapped his paws

in them to make them feel like a human's hand. Then, he went to a stream and gargled water to make his voice less rough. When he returned to the house, he knocked on the door once again.

Poseidon: Little children, it's me, your mother. Please open the door and let me in. I have brought you some delicious rice cakes.

Hades: The children, however, were still suspicious. They asked him to show them his hands once again. The tiger grinned slyly as he pushed one of his leaf-wrapped paws through the space underneath the door. The children, finally convinced that it was indeed their mother, opened the door and let the tiger inside. He had put on the mother’s dress and managed to give the appearance of being human.

Apollo: Thank goodness you're back, mother. We missed you so much.

Artemis: We were starting to worry about you. It's getting dark.

Poseidon: Ah, my sweet children! Do not worry. I am safe and sound. Here, let me make dinner for you.

Hades: As he walked into the kitchen in an attempt to pretend to make dinner, his tail could be seen beneath the hem of the dress.

Artemis: Brother, that is not our mother. That is the tiger!

Apollo: What will we do, sister?

Artemis: We must escape. Let’s go out the back door and climb a tree. He shouldn’t be able to catch us there. He’ll eventually have to leave, and hopefully our mother will come back by then.

Hades: The children slipped out the back door and scampered up a tree. For a few minutes, the tiger, who had been in the kitchen pretending to prepare dinner, did not know where they were. Then, when he saw the open back door, he realized they had escaped!

Poseidon: I’ll find you, my little mice, and when I do, I’ll gobble you up! Yum yum!

Hades: At last, the tiger found them trembling in a tree. He could see that it was a very tall tree, and there was little chance of him reaching them. He called out to them,

Poseidon: Children, how did you get up that tree? Tell me at once, or I’ll eat you up!

Artemis: We rubbed sesame oil on our hands and feet, and that helped us climb the tree.

Hades: The tiger, not familiar with sesame oil, thought that sounded like a good idea, so he went back into the house and rubbed the oil all over his paws. However, try as he might, he was unable to climb the tree. The slippery oil caused him to slide down the trunk each time he attempted to climb. Frustrated and angry, the tiger roared up at the children in the tree. 

Poseidon: Tell me how you really got up that tree!

Hades: In high spirits, the young boy said, 

Apollo: [laughs] We took an axe and cut notches into the tree and used them as steps to climb up!

Poseidon: Aha! So that's how you did it. What clever children! But now I’m going to eat you up!

Hades: Soon enough, the tiger returned with an axe and began to cut notches into the trunk of the tree. In his excitement, the young boy had unfortunately given the tiger a way to effectively climb the tree. He was gaining ground, branch by branch, licking his lips as he thought of the meal he would soon enjoy. 

Apollo: What are we going to do, sister? He's getting closer and closer! 

Artemis: We must pray, brother. That is all we can do. Dear Lord Sangje, our fate is in your hands. If you wish for us to live, please send a strong rope down to us so we may ascend it to Heaven. If you wish for us to die, then please send down a rotten rope. Falling at your hands would be much more merciful than being eaten by the tiger. 

Hades: To their great relief and surprise, a rope soon descended from the heavens, until it dangled right in front of them. The children could hardly believe their eyes. Without wasting any time, they grabbed hold of the rope and began to ascend to the heavens as the divine spirits pulled it from up above. 

Poseidon: Curses! I just missed those little brats, but no matter. I can pray just as well as they did. Dear Lord Sangje, my fate is in your hands. If you wish for me to live, then send me down a rotten rope, and if you wish for my death, send down a strong one. 

Hades: What's this? To the tiger’s delight, a rope began to descend from the heavens. 

Poseidon: I've got them now! Soon, I'll be devouring those tasty children! 

Hades: As the tiger began ascending towards the heavens, however, the rope fell apart, sending the tiger tumbling to his death. 

Poseidon: Aaaaaah!!!!!!!

Hades: You see, when the tiger had said his prayer, he had reversed it in his haste and so he got exactly what he wished for. The tiger fell into a field of sorghum, and it is said that his bloodstains never did wash away. As for the brave brother and sister, the young ones became the Sun and the Moon. The young boy, who was afraid of the dark, became the Sun, while the older and quieter sister became the Moon.

Persephone: Wow, that was quite a story, filled with scares and tasty treats! That reminds me…this week, since we’ve traveled to Korea, I’d like to share a recipe for a delicious Korean pancake with a gooey brown sugar and nut filling known as hotteok. It is often found on the streets of Korea, and is particularly enjoyed at wintertime. 

Here is the recipe. Okay, first up, you'll need to gather these ingredients:

• 1 and 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of instant yeast
• Half a cup of warm milk
• Some cooking oil
• A quarter cup of dark brown sugar
• A quarter teaspoon of cinnamon
• And 2 tablespoons of crushed nuts. I'm using walnuts today.

Now, the first step is to mix together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and milk in a large bowl. Make sure to get your parents' help with this part. Stir it all up into a sticky dough. Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

We need to let the dough rise and get puffy. Set it aside at room temperature for an hour. Go ahead and play or do your homework while you wait.

After an hour, the dough should have doubled in size. Have mom or dad help you punch it down to get the air out. Re-cover the bowl and let it sit for 20 more minutes.

When the dough is ready, rub a little cooking oil on your hands so the dough doesn't stick to you. Now comes the fun part - you get to shape each pancake!

Separate the dough into 6 equal pieces. Take one piece and flatten it in your palm. Spoon about a tablespoon of the filling - the brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts - into the center. Then pinch the dough closed around the filling. Make sure it's fully sealed.

Repeat with the remaining dough, shaping each one into a filled pancake.

Next, ask an adult to heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add just a drizzle of oil.

Carefully place one dough pancake in the pan. Cook for 30 seconds until the bottom browns. Flip it over and flatten it gently with a spatula. Cook for 1 more minute until browned again.

Flip it one last time, then have mom or dad lower the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for just 1 more minute so the filling gets nice and warm.

Slide the finished pancake onto a plate. Now you can shape and cook the rest!

These taste best when they're still piping hot. The filling can get really hot, so blow on each bite before you eat.

I hope you'll give these sweet hotteok pancakes a try. Let me know how you like them by E-mailing me at persephone@firesidefolklorewithhades.com. 

Zeus: That sounds delicious, and brings us to my introduction of the sponsor of our show! This episode has been sponsored by Artemis Electric, the makers of the Ambrosia Pancake Griddle!

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The Ambrosia Pancake Griddle - breakfast fit for the gods!

Persephone: [Laughs.] Oh, Dad! 

Hades: Well, I think that brings us to the end of our show … 

Zeus: Hold up! Hold up! Just because nobody was brave enough to play my Lightning Round last time doesn’t mean we’re skipping it this time! 

Hades: All right, brother. What have you got for everyone this week? 

Zeus: For those of you who are new, this is how it works. I will ask three questions about this week’s episode and the first one who E-mails me at Zeus@firesidefolklorewithhades.com with the correct answers will win a book of their choice from Libro FM. In your submission, include the subject line “Zeus’s Lightning Round”, as well as your first name or pseudonym, and where you’re listening from. Are you ready? Let’s go!

1.    Name a K-pop star who has gotten billions of views on their videos. 

2.    When the mother in our tale was going back home to her children, she was bringing back her children a basket of what?

3.    When the tiger fell after the rotten rope broke, he fell into a field of what? 

I look forward to receiving your answers! Feel free to subscribe to our podcast if you enjoyed it.

Hades: Well, that’s all we have for you, folks. We hope you’ll join us next time when we venture to our homeland of Greece in the myth of Perseus and Medusa. 

Persephone: Goodnight everyone. 

Hermes: Stay curious!

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