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Hyung Bo, a MythSource painting
Korean

Hyung Bo

01Identity

Hyung Bo in Korean tradition

Hyung Bo is the poorer and younger of two brothers, living with his wife and children in a hut that gives little protection from cold and rain. Even in hardship, he notices the swallows nesting around his home. When a snake attacks the young birds, one swallow escapes only to catch its legs in a reed blind. Hyung frees the injured bird, and he and his wife bind its broken legs and nurse it until it can fly again.

The swallow remembers this kindness. It returns with a seed from the bird-king, and when Hyung and his wife plant it, gourds grow across the roof of their hut. Each brings a different gift: a company of helpers and goods, valuable riches, a fine house and servants, then a maiden sent by the bird-king. The last gift brings a disagreement between Hyung and his wife, who objects to another woman in their home. The tale follows generosity into a household transformed by abundance, including the complicated choices that abundance creates.

SourceKorean Tales / Being a collection of stories translated from the Korean folk lore, together with introductory chapters descriptive of Korea: printed pp. 89-115; HYUNG BO AND NAHL BO

Top questions

The quick answers

02The myths

The myths of Hyung Bo

1 myth, with sources recorded for each.

Hyung Bo and the Swallow-King’s Reward

Hyung Bo’s family had little food and lived in a hut that offered poor shelter from rain and cold. The younger brother nevertheless cared for the birds that nested around the house. One day a snake attacked the young birds. A swallow escaped the snake but caught its legs in a reed blind and could not fly away. Hyung rescued it. He and his wife bound the broken legs and kept the bird warm until it recovered. When it could fly, it rejoined the others.

In autumn the swallow returned and sang to the family before travelling south. In the bird-king’s country, it told how Hyung had saved it. The king gave the swallow a seed for its human benefactor. When the bird brought the seed back, Hyung and his wife planted it and watched a vine cover their hut. Four large gourds grew on the roof. The first opened to reveal youths bearing gifts, including wine said to restore life and sight. Other gourds brought valuable goods, a house and servants. The fourth revealed a maiden whom the bird-king had sent to be Hyung’s concubine. His wife objected, but Hyung welcomed the maiden and rebuked his wife for resenting the gifts after their poverty.

Hyung Bo and the Swallow-King’s Reward, a MythSource painting of the scene