, folk tales set in the closing years of the feudal Joson dynasty (1392-1910) and centred around the Pyongyang area, make up a train of narratives.
The tales are mostly featured by rich local colours, free use of humorous and witty words and clear ideas.
The popularity of the tales is attributable to the fact that their witty plots ridiculously lay bare the hypocrisy, greediness and arrogance of feudal rulers, landlords and the rich and reflect the people’s hatred for and criticism against the ruling class and exploiters.
Among the most famous tales are those about selling the water of the Taedong River and wild ducks in the river, selling a chicken as a phoenix and selling Kwangpho pond as a paddy field to rich men and landlords.
A typical one is the “Story of a chicken sold as a phoenix.”
One day Kim Sondal went shopping in the market and saw a chicken dealer fooling some dumb people into paying several times more than the real price. He decided to make a fool of the dealer. He approached him and, pointing to a cock, asked what it was. Judging Kim to be a stupid nobleman, the dealer said it was Pongi or phoenix. When Kim asked for it, he demanded 20 nyang for it, saying it was cheap for a phoenix. In those days a cock was sold for 3 or so nyang at the highest price. Kim paid, and rushed in haste to an avenue through which he heard the king was just passing on his inspection trip.
Kneeling down in front of the king, he took out the “phoenix” and said: “I am a subject from a rural village. I have come to see Your Majesty after I heard about your trip. And I was fortunate to buy a phoenix from a dealer and I would like to offer it to you to repay your benevolence.” The king looked down and noticed it was a cock, instead of a phoenix. The king ordered furiously to take the chicken dealer at once, angry with him as he sold the fake phoenix to the honest man. Taken to the king, the dealer confessed that he had joked for fun and sold the cock for 20 nyang . Kim sprang up to tell the king that he had bought it for 300 nyang , not for 20. Infuriated by the lying dealer, the king ordered to bind him to the rack for good flogging and make him pay back 300 nyang immediately. The dealer could not but pay back the money without any complaint.
Since Kim got the price of a phoenix instead of a cock, he was given the nickname of Pongi referring to phoenix.
The tales of Kim Sondal grew enriched and refined as they were retold from mouth to mouth, giving birth to many variations.
Tales about Pongi Kim Sondal are on the national intangible cultural heritage list.
Ri Jang Sok
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