Tokgabi and the Kind Maid

Under the warm kitchen floor of an old Korean house lived a mischievous little spirit named Tokgabi.He loved fire, smoke, and warm, dark corners — but he could not bear anything white.Every night, while the family slept, Tokgabi liked to play tricks, especially on lazy people.

In that house worked a kitchen maid named Suni, who woke before dawn and worked hard all day.Tokgabi watched her quietly from his hiding place in the flue and decided she deserved a reward.

So each night, after tired Suni fell asleep, he crept out and finished washing her dishes.He also swept the kitchen floor and stacked the firewood neatly by the stove.In the morning, Suni was amazed to find her work already done, though she never saw who had done it.

Another young servant in the house, however, spent her days complaining and taking naps instead of working.Tokgabi did not like her at all, so at night he made the rice-pot lids dance and clatter loudly.He tangled her hair while she slept and hid her broom right when she needed it most.

Night after night, she grew so tired of the noise that she finally began to work harder, just for some peace.Before long, both servants worked hard, and quiet nights returned to the kitchen.As for Suni, she noticed that no matter how much rice she cooked, the kitchen jar never seemed to run empty.

To this day, Korean grandmothers tell children that a bit of red clothing or a little silver keeps Tokgabi’s tricks away.And that is also why, they say, a spotless white shirt has always been the safest thing to wear in an old Korean house.