A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
When Mountain Uncle threatens to eat the priest who rescued him, the man first appeals to a large tree. Its spirit speaks through the rustling leaves and says that the priest should be freed. A spirit in a large rock likewise condemns the tiger and invokes his master, the Mountain Spirit, described as riding a green bull and a piebald horse to punish enemies. These are two distinct unnamed speakers inhabiting tree and rock; the tale supplies no separate bodily appearance for either. Their judgments do not immediately restrain the tiger, so the priest subsequently appeals to the toad.
Origins & earliest records
Korean tale in an English literary retelling
Records & interpretation
Full relevant tale and collection preface directly read.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Korean Fairy Tales
The Unmannerly Tiger, pp. 3–4
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
William Elliot Griffis, Korean Fairy Tales (1922)
The Unmannerly Tiger. The Unmannerly Tiger, pp. 3–4
Complete chapter directly read; distinct speakers and actions retained. Literary personification and enacted magic distinguished from trickery and the reteller’s cultural generalizations. Original paraphrase of the public-domain-US historical witness.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical English literary retellingGriffis, Korean Fairy Tales (1922), The Unmannerly Tiger, pp. 3–4Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.