도깨비 방망이
The Goblins' Magic Club
Traditional Korean folktale (도깨비 방망이, anonymous, oral tradition)
The Story
Tap a word to translate it. Select text to highlight it or add it to your study plan.
옛날에 마음씨 착한 소년이 살았어요.소년은 산에서 나무를 하다가 개암을 주웠어요.“이건 아버지 거, 이건 어머니 거, 이건 내 거.” 소년은 개암을 주머니에 넣었어요.
날이 어두워져서 소년은 산속의 빈집에 들어갔어요.밤이 되자 도깨비들이 우르르 몰려왔어요.소년은 무서워서 다락에 숨었어요.
도깨비들은 방망이를 두드리며 노래했어요.“금 나와라, 뚝딱! 은 나와라, 뚝딱!”그러자 정말 금과 은이 쏟아져 나왔어요.
배가 고픈 소년은 개암 하나를 깨물었어요. “딱!”도깨비들은 깜짝 놀랐어요. “집이 무너진다! 도망가자!”도깨비들은 방망이를 두고 모두 도망갔어요.
소년은 방망이를 가지고 집에 돌아와 부자가 되었어요.욕심쟁이 이웃도 똑같이 빈집에 가서 개암을 깨물었어요.하지만 도깨비들은 이번에는 속지 않았고, 이웃은 혼쭐이 나서 빈손으로 돌아왔어요.
Full translationTry the story first — open this only to check your understanding.
Long ago, there lived a kind-hearted boy. While gathering wood on the mountain, the boy picked up some hazelnuts. "This one's for Father, this one's for Mother, this one's for me." The boy put the hazelnuts in his pocket.
It grew dark, so the boy went into an empty house in the mountains. When night fell, a crowd of goblins came rushing in. The boy was scared, so he hid in the attic.
The goblins banged their club and sang. "Gold, come out — thump! Silver, come out — thump!" And gold and silver really did come pouring out.
The hungry boy bit into a hazelnut. "Crack!" The goblins jumped in fright. "The house is falling down! Run!" The goblins all ran away, leaving their club behind.
The boy took the club home and became rich. A greedy neighbour went to the empty house too and bit a hazelnut in just the same way. But this time the goblins weren't fooled, and the neighbour was given a good scolding and came home empty-handed.
Comprehension Check
1. Who did the boy pick up the hazelnuts for?
2. Why did the goblins run away?
3. What happened to the greedy neighbour?
Vocabulary
noun
도깨비
dokkaebi
goblin (Korean folk spirit)
도깨비들이 우르르 몰려왔어요.
A crowd of goblins came rushing in.
Your Summary
In 1–2 sentences, say how the boy scared the goblins away, and what happened when his greedy neighbour tried the same trick.
Source: Based on 도깨비 방망이 (Dokkaebi Bangmangi), an anonymous traditional Korean folktale — also told as 개암 깨는 소리 ("the sound of a cracking hazelnut") — passed down orally and long in the public domain. This simplified retelling and its English translation are original text written for SeoJae Story.
Read this with your book club
Share this chapter with your book club and discuss it together.