Mr. Stubborn (Onggojip)
Once upon a time, in Ongjingol, there lived a man called Onggojip.
He was wealthy enough to support his family without working,
but he never had a minute of rest because of his nasty suspicious nature.
He did not trust anyone and always thought he was being cheated or deceived.
What are the servants doing…
What if they’re taking a nap because I’m not there to watch them!?
Hey, Dolsoi!!!
Onggojip would not leave his servants in peace
and kept thinking up new orders to give them to make sure they were working.
But Master, the yard has already been washed clean by the rain. Why must it be swept out again?
Do as I say! If you depend on the rain to do your work for you, you are nothing but a parasite who wastes my food!
Hmph.
When you have finished sweeping the yard,
get a basket and pump out water from the pond so it doesn’t flood.
Master, the pond has already been taken care of. It will not flood regardless of how much it rains.
Do you want to starve today, you insolent rascal!?
Oh.. No, sir. I’ll do as you say.
Chundan!!! Have you milled the rice bran?
Oh, surely I am the unluckiest man in the world to be stuck with such a cruel master!
The servants were very miserable because Onggojip would frequently starve them for nothing.
One day, a monk came to visit Onggojip’s house.
Surprised and nervous, Dolsoi ran to meet him.
Oh please, leave immediately before my Master sees you!
Dolsoi was concerned for the monk because he knew how his Master would behave if he saw him.
Dolsoi! Dolsoi!
May Buddha watch over you.
Oh, another of those false monks!
I come from the nearby temple to collect donations…
Donations!? Come to demand free food, have you?
Get out of my house at once, you beggar!!!
What? That’s not enough to get you out of my sight?
Out, beggar! Out, I say! Get out!!!
Ha ha ha! That’s better! Ha ha ha..
Hmm...
In fact, that particular monk was widely renowned for his piety and extraordinary abilities.
He had heard tales of Onggojip’s cruelty and had come to see for himself and form his own opinion.
I see…he is just as ill-tempered as I heard. He is the most horrid man I have met!
That night, the monk resolved to teach Onggojip a lesson he would never forget.
As the amulet began to burn, a strange transformation occurred…
Now, go at once to Onggojip’s mansion.
Oh, are you up already Master?
Sweep that yard! Ahem!
and even his servant Dolsoi could not tell the difference.
That morning, the real Onggojip was furious because his breakfast was late.
Where are my servants!? Why aren’t they serving breakfast!?
Chundan!!! Chundan!!!
Huh!!!
Huh???
Hmm.. Hmm...
Oh, my, husband, what is going on here?
Oh..
The real Onggojip was confused and intimidated by Fake Onggojip’s confidence.
You are pretending to be me to steal my property! Well I won’t let you! I won't, I say!
I’m pretending!!? This is ridiculous! I can’t believe this is happening to me!
The two Onggojips fought and argued over who was real and who was the impostor.
I am the real Onggojip!
It’s me!
No, it's me!
How dare you!!
The family was confused because they looked so identical, it was impossible to tell the difference.
I have two husbands now! How could this be happening?
Well, my son has a mole on his hip!
That’s true…
When my wife sleeps, she snores once, grinds her teeth twice, and the snores again!
Is that true, Mother?
Well…yes…it is true.
I am real, and you are fake!
No I am real!!
No, I’m real!
It seemed the argument would go on forever, so the family had to come up with a solution.
He is wise and will help us figure out this dilemma.
Very, well. Let’s go! Hmph!
Oh, this really is a challenging situation.
Governor! I am the real Onggojip, he’s an impostor!
Alright! Listen to me, both of you!
Whoever answers my question correctly must be the real Onggojip.
Huh..?
and what are the kinds and numbers of your livestock?
He realized that he had not memorized these things about his household.
The false Onggojip however, stepped forward with confidence.
Everyone knows how careful and miserly I am, so naturally I know the answer.
I have five cows, 30 chickens, and 12 pigs.
I have 37 spoons, three unpaired chopsticks, and two horses…
After Fake Onggojip listed all of the household goods with accuracy, the Governor turned to the real one.
Aha! You are the impostor!
But, Governor!!!
Wait, Governor! I’m real, I swear!
Take him away and punish him for his lies, then banish him from the village!
No Governor, no! Please…you have to believe me! My Wife! Dolsoi! Son! Help me!
The real Onggojip was thrown out of the village.
He knew he was real however, and could not give up so easily.
He snuck back into the village.
I will get you, you fake!!!
Haven’t you been punished enough?
Get out of here at once! If I see you again, I will beat you with this!
But Dolsoi, I’m your real master! Please…
Hmph!
In one night, Onggojip had lost his house, his family, and all his wealth and was left alone and homeless.
Oh, what did I do to deserve this!? It’s not fair!
Now I understand how the poor suffer.
If I had felt the horrors of cold and hunger before,
I would have shared my wealth and helped those less fortunate than myself.
I regret my behavior now, but it is too late..
I will die homeless and alone!
Have you repented your actions?
What if I gave you your wealth and family back? What would you do?
I would be so different!
Ha ha ha! Very well, you can go home now.
When Onggojip returned home, he saw that Fake Onggojip had turned back into straw.
and lived happily ever after with his family.