Once upon a time, when God and nymphs lived in heaven, nymphs used to visit the earth to sightsee or to bathe. One day some nymphs went down to visit a waterfall in the mountains. They put their flying clothes on the tree near the waterfall. Meanwhile, a kind woodcutter was also on the mountain. He saved a fawn that was trapped by a thorny bush. The fawn said, "Thank you so much. In return I'll tell you how to get a nymph for a wife." The fawn said that if the woodcutter stole and hid away a nymph's flying clothes, he would be able to marry her. He also advised the wood cutter not to let the nymph know about her stolen flying clothes until they have at least four children together. The wood cutter went to the waterfall which the fawn had told him about. He found the flying clothes and hit them in his closet. The nymph without her flying clothes had to stay on earth. Hearing the nymph cry, the wood cutter invited her into his house. After getting married, the wood cutter and nymph had a happy life with their children. One day, when they already had three children, the wood cutter told his wife the truth about having hidden her flying clothes in his closet. The next day when the wood cutter went outside to work, the nymph took her flying clothes out of the closet and flew to heaven along with her three children. She carried one child on her back and held one child in each arm. The wood cutter saw his wife flying with the three children, and he regretted having told his wife the truth before they'd had four children. If there would have been four children, the nymph could not have carried them all to heaven. (Note: There are many versions of this story in Korea.)
Many years ago in the deep mountains of Korea lived a wood cutter and his mother. One day, as the wood cutter was working, a wounded deer plunged wildly over the hillside at the man. "Wood cutter, please hid me! A hunter is chasing me," sobbed the deer. So the gentle wood cutter hid the deer behind his firewood. Soon a hunter came running toward the wood cutter. "Have you seen a wounded deer?" he asked. But the wood cutter pointed the hunter in the wrong direction. When the hunter was gone, the deer came out, and promised the wood cutter a favor. The wood cutter answered, "My old mother and I are poor but very happy, so we really don't need much. But sometimes I think about having a beautiful wife and many children." The deer nodded his head sympathetically and said "Listen carefully. In those mountains there is a beautiful pond. On the 11th day of each month, seven nymphs from the celestial region fly down to bathe." The deer told the wood cutter to hide one of the nymph's dresses, for without her wings she would not be able to fly. But the deer warned one thing, "Do not show the nymph the dress until she has borne you three children." After several weeks, the wood cutter did as the deer had suggested. Without being seen, the wood cutter carefully picked up one of the dresses and hid it in his pack. After frolicking for some time in the clear water, the young nymphs came out to get dressed. But the one nymph who had lost her dress had no choice but to remain in the water. Soon the wood cutter appeared from behind the bushes, "Little one," he soothed, "Why are you crying? Are you lost?" At first the frightened little nymph did not know what to say, but the wood cutter looked like a kind person, so she told him about her dress. The wood cutter comforted her. "You may wear my coat and come to my humble home to stay until you find your dress." His old mother greeted them warmly and the little nymph was greatly comforted. After many weeks she fell in love with the handsome and kind wood cutter, and they were soon married. Within a year, she gave birth to a girl and several years later a boy was born. One day his wife said, "Dear husband, I am more happy than I ever have been before but it has been five years since I left my family and I miss my parents and sisters very much." Feeling sorry for his wife, the wood cutter told her about the dress he'd hidden. "Oh dear! Could you let me try on the dress just once?" she pleaded. The good-hearted wood cutter finally relented and showed her the hidden dress. He had completely forgotten the deer's warning. "Oh my gorgeous dress," she cried with joy and excitement. Not knowing what to think about their mother's new clothes, her two children ran closer to look at the beautiful material. The next moment, with her two children in her arms, the little nymph flew into the clouds. "I am sorry my dear husband," she called back. "I love you very much, but I must return to where I belong." The shocked wood cutter called out in grief, "Come back! Come back my dear wife," but it was too late.
