The Lazy Cow-Boy
Once upon a time, in a humble Korean village, there lived an extraordinarily lazy boy named Kuang.
— Kuang, will you go clean the potatoes, please? — Oh! I'm sorry, Mom, but I have a very important test tomorrow. — Oh, really? Isn't tomorrow a holiday? And the day after tomorrow too, right? In fact, isn't it summer vacation now? — Uh...
If someone asked him for something, he would try everything he could to avoid working.
— Would you like some snacks and juice? — Yes! — Me too! — I want some too! — Would you help me make the juice, kids? — Uh, I think my stomach hurts. I'll go home and take some pills and be back in about an hour. — Oh, he ran away because he didn't want to squeeze a few fruits? — Ah!
A Day of Work and a Strange Wish
One day, exasperated by her son, his mother made him work an entire day. Kuang helped her with cooking, cleaning, and other chores.
At the end of the day, he was so fed up that he ran away before his mother could ask him to do anything else.
— Oh, how could she make me work so much? I'll hide in this tree, just in case she comes looking for me.
So he climbed into the giant tree and stretched out among its branches. From there, he saw some cows looking into the distance.
— Oh, how I wish I were a cow. To eat and sleep daily. To do nothing, just gaze at the grass.
The Transformation
— Are you sure that's what you want to be? A cow? — Who? Who's there? — Just an old man who doesn't do much. — Oh, then we're the same. I don't like to work either. — Ha ha ha! We're not quite the same. I like work, I'm just too old. On the other hand, you're just lazy. — If being lazy makes me happy, then lazy it shall be. I'd rather be a cow chewing grass and doing nothing. — Do you think cows are lazy? Why don't you become one and let's see what it's like. — Ha ha ha! How could I do that?
The old man grinned at Kuang.
— Easy. You turn into a cow, just like that.
— Hey, what did you do to me? Oh, what moo! What's happening? There's something behind me. Moo! — It seems to be a cow's tail! Ha ha ha!
Kuang was scared. On his head he had two horns, two huge pink ears, and suddenly he realized he was a cow and had four legs.
— Moo! Moo! — Ha ha ha! Silly boy, I told you it would be like this. You didn't believe me.
Life as a Cow
The cowherd took Kuang to a farm and sold him to the farmer.
— Hello! Did you want a cow to work on the farm? I've brought you a good one. — Moo! — Oh, no! He's selling me! — Well, look at that! Thank you very much! I'll take good care of her. — Keep an eye on her. Sometimes she tends to be lazy. Ha ha ha!
Saying that, the cowherd patted Kuang on the head and left, leaving Kuang completely helpless.
— Now let's see what you can do.
Kuang felt terrible on the farm. The farmer immediately sent him to work in the fields, and poor Kuang tried in vain to explain to the farmer that he wasn't actually a cow.
— I'm not a cow! I'm a boy! Moo! Moo! — What a noisy animal!
Kuang wasn't used to work and wasn't much help to the farmer.
— Moo! — You seem quite weak, huh? Hmm, I'll take care of that.
Kuang looked at the farmer in fear. He thought he would be punished for not working hard.
— Oh, no, no! What if he whips me or starves me. Oh dear, why did I do this?
He heard the farmer's footsteps and began to tremble.
— Oh, no, no, oh, no, oh, no! — Here, this is the best fodder I have. Later I'll bring you some fruit. You worked well today, let's go back to the stable.
Kuang was impressed. He knew he hadn't worked well for the farmer who relied on him and that he didn't deserve his kindness.
A New Perspective
That night, Kuang was awake, thinking deeply.
— The farmer isn't rich enough to give me a barrel of apples, and he takes great care of me. I should return the favor.
And so, to the farmer's delight, Kuang began to put a lot of effort into his work.
— Come on, I can do it! Moo! — Wow! Yesterday you couldn't even walk through the field. Today you've done almost half the work. Congratulations!
Kuang was amazed by this praise, which made him work even harder.
Soon, Kuang began to enjoy the work he was doing, for he was growing stronger and happier.
The farmer was very kind to him and took great care of Kuang.
However, with time, Kuang began to realize that a cow did more than he thought. He also started to miss his warm bed and the good food he ate when he was a normal boy.
— Ah, how could I have been so foolish and lazy? I wonder why Mom was tired. It was also my fault for never helping her. If I were there now, I would do everything she asked.
The Awakening and the Change
After he fell asleep, he heard the cowherd laughing in his dreams.
— Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha! Oh, oh, oh!
Kuang was shocked. He looked around and saw that he was no longer in the farmer's wooden stable, but under the tree where he had met the strange cowherd.
— Two hands, two feet, and no tail. It was all a dream! Yippee!
He quickly ran home, and when he entered, his mother was sleeping. He felt sorry when he saw her and decided to work hard, then went to bed.
The next day, when Kuang's mother woke up, she came out of her room and the house was sparkling clean.
— What happened? — Mom, come for breakfast!
Kuang's mother was so surprised that she stood in shock, looking at her son.
— What? How is my son working? Kuang, are you alright? And where were you last night? — I was at a friend's house. Mom, I'm sorry for what I've done until now. In fact, for what I haven't done. — Oh, yes! — Oh, listen. I know you've been working for a long time and I haven't helped you. From today onwards, I will no longer be lazy.
Keeping his word, to his mother's immense astonishment, young Kuang began to work hard. He did everything he was asked, and soon, people began to forget that he was lazy.
Kuang was now a happy and hardworking boy, who learned that, the more you work for something, the more fulfilled you feel.
