Korean Folktale : The Wise Mole Groom

🐹 Korean Folktale Series 55

“The Wise Mole Groom”

(지혜로운 두더지 신랑 · Jihyeroun Dudeoji Sinlang)

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🕰️ 1. The Story

Long ago, in a peaceful farming village, there lived a kind old mole and his wife. They had one beloved daughter, Mori, whose fur shone like soft brown silk. When Mori came of age, her parents decided to find her the greatest husband in the world.

One day, Father Mole looked up at the bright sky and said,

“The Sun must be the strongest of all! He gives light to every creature. Our daughter shall marry him.”

So he climbed to the surface and spoke to the Sun:

“Oh great Sun, will you take my daughter as your bride?”

The Sun smiled kindly and said,

“I thank you, but I am not the greatest. The Cloud can cover me whenever it wishes.”

So Father Mole went to the Cloud and asked the same. But the Cloud replied,

“I am not the greatest either. The Wind can blow me away whenever it pleases.”

Then the mole visited the Wind, who laughed and said,

“Even I cannot claim such power. The Wall can stop me whenever I rush by.”

Father Mole hurried to the Wall, proud that he had found the strongest suitor. Yet the Wall chuckled softly:

“Ah, my friend, you are mistaken. Even I can be broken by the smallest creature—the mole, who digs beneath my roots.”

Father Mole blinked in surprise. He returned home, realizing that greatness does not come from power or appearance but from wisdom, humility, and harmony with one’s place in the world.

He smiled and said to his daughter,

“Mori, the greatest one for you is not in the sky or the wind, but right here—among our own kind.”

Soon, Mori married a gentle mole from the next hill, and their wedding was celebrated by the forest creatures. As they danced under the moonlight, even the wind seemed to whisper:

“The wise see greatness where others see smallness.”

And so, the tale of the Wise Mole Groom has been told for generations as a lesson that true worth lies not in status, but in understanding and contentment.

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🪄 2. Meaning & Lessons

• True greatness is found in humility, not power.
• Wisdom comes from knowing one’s place and living in harmony with it.
• Happiness begins when we value what we already have.

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👀 3. Reflections in Life

• The smallest creature may hold the deepest wisdom.
• Seeking strength in others blinds us to our own gifts.
• Contentment is not weakness—it is quiet strength.

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🌏 4. Similar Tales Around the World

•  China — The Mouse Bride Legend
  A story where a mouse couple seeks the mightiest groom, only to learn that true strength lies among their own kind.
•  Japan — Nezumi no Yomeiri (The Mouse’s Wedding)
  A folk tale teaching humility and the importance of harmony in choosing one’s partner.
•  India — The Tale of the Humble Squirrel
  A small creature helps the gods, showing that size does not measure worth.

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💬 A Warm Saying

“Wisdom blooms where humility takes root.”

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📌 Note

This is creative cultural content from the Misojieum Story Blog (kor-telling.com).
Please do not copy without permission. Sharing is welcome with proper source citation.