Namu Doryeong, Father Tree, and a Seonnyeo, A Korean Tale of The Great Flood

Introduction to Namu Doryeong

Namu Doryeong is a fascinating Korean folktale that weaves together elements of mythology and human foundation myths.

Namu Doryeong and his parents, Father Tree, and his mother, a Seonnyeo (Korean Fairy), are characters from a classic Korean folk tale that has been passed down through generations.

This tale holds a significant place in Korean folklore and culture, depicting the resilience and courage of its protagonists in the face of an extraordinary natural calamity. 

The Legend of Namu Doryeong

It has been said that long ago, a seonnyeo (fairy) descended from the sky and spent time in the shade of a tree. Their intimacy led to the birth of a son.

The boy would play with the tree and call it his father, so they named him Namu Doryeong. Once the child was older, the fairy returned to the sky, leaving behind her earthly child. 

One day, the tree told the boy to climb onto him and ride if the tree ever fell down in heavy rain.

The Korean Tale of The Great Flood

One day, as foretold by the tree, a massive flood engulfed the world. Namu Doryeong climbed onto his fallen father, who had become a raft.

He encountered some ants, then a mosquito, begging for rescue as he floated along. He saved all of them with his father's permission. Finally, he encountered a boy begging for help. Namu Doryeong also wanted to save the boy, but his father would not allow him to. Namu Doryeong nonetheless disobeyed his father and saved the boy.

Eventually, the rain stopped, and the group came to a house on the highest peak where an old woman lived with her daughter and a slave girl.

Re-Birth of Humanity

The old woman sought suitors for her daughter. The boy saved by Namu Doryeong claimed that the son of Father Tree could pick out grains of millet scattered on a bed of sand to win her hand.

When the old woman asked to see Namu Doryeong's skill, Namu Doryeong found himself in a tight spot. The ants that he had saved repayed Namu Doryeong by gathering the scattered millet.

Namu Doryeong and the rescued boy were told to choose their wives themselves by the old woman who placed her daughter in the room on the east side of the house and the slave girl in the room on the west side.

The rescued mosquito came and told Namu Doryeong where the woman's daughter was. Namu Doryeong married the daughter and the boy married the slave girl. 

They bore a new race of humans after the flood had wiped out everyone else on earth.

Lessons and Cultural Significance

An earthly father and heavenly mother founding an entirely new human race after the previous one is wiped out in a flood gives Namu Doryeong the characteristics of a myth about human foundation.

Despite its catastrophic nature, the Great Flood becomes a catalyst for themes of resilience, resourcefulness, and respect for nature, as well as acts of kindness and re-payment.

Namu Doryeong's journey and interactions symbolize the human spirit's perseverance, while his deference to the flood's power underscores a traditional Korean reverence for natural elements.

The tale is a cultural mirror, capturing the values of family, community bonds, and the collective over the individual, which are ever-present pillars in Korean society.

Through the story, readers glean insights into the importance of these social constructs within a historically communal culture.