Dangun - Korean

High, high up in the sky lived a kind prince named Hwanung. He looked down through the fluffy, white clouds at the pretty green world below. He wanted to go there and help everyone. This is the myth of Dangun. Hwanung asked his father, the Lord of Heaven, "May I go down to Earth?". His father smiled a big, bright smile. "Yes," he said. He gave Hwanung three special, shiny gifts to help make a happy land for all the people and animals. Down, down, down he went.

Hwanung landed on a big, green mountain. He stood under a tall, special tree. Soon, a fuzzy bear and a striped tiger came to see him. They had a big wish. They wanted to be people. Hwanung gave them a job to do. "Go into this dark cave," he said. "You must eat only this magic food and wait for a long, long time." The tiger wiggled and jiggled. He did not want to wait. Roar. He ran out of the cave. But the bear was very patient. She waited and waited. She sat very still. After many days, poof. A magical thing happened. The bear turned into a beautiful woman named Ungnyeo.

Hwanung and the kind Ungnyeo became a family. They had a strong baby boy named Dangun. When Dangun grew up, he was a wonderful leader. He built the very first kingdom for the people. A kingdom is like a very big home for everyone to live in happily. This story is very old. It tells us that being patient is a good thing. It shows us that good wishes can come true. And it all started with a prince from the sky and a very patient bear.