The Korean folk tale 'The Vanity of the Rat' teaches lessons on truthfulness and humility through a rat couple seeking a powerful husband for their daughter. They discover that true strength lies in honesty and practicality when they realize another rat is the best suitor, highlighting the importance of acknowledging one's limitations. The story emphasizes that vanity can obscure meaningful qualities, and being truthful and humble leads to wiser decisions.

1. The Vanity of the Rat: A Korean
Folk Tale
Understanding the Importance of
Truthfulness and Humility

2. Introduction
• Warm-up Question:
• Have you ever overestimated someone or
something, only to later realize it wasn't as
great as you thought? Share your experience.
• Hook:
• This folktale teaches valuable lessons about
vanity and truthfulness.

3. Summary of the Story
• Key Points:
• 1. A rat couple searches for the most powerful
husband for their daughter.
• 2. They approach the Sun, Cloud, Wind, and
Stone Buddha, each of whom humbly admits
their limitations.
• 3. Finally, they realize the best suitor is
another rat, highlighting humility and
practicality.

4. Key Themes
• Truthfulness:
• - Each character in the story is honest about
their limitations.
• - Lesson: Being truthful about oneself helps in
making wise decisions.
• Humility:
• - The story emphasizes the importance of
accepting one's strengths and weaknesses.

5. Discussion Questions
• 1. Why did Mr. Rat think the Sun was the most
powerful?
• 2. How did each character (Sun, Cloud, Wind,
Stone Buddha) show humility?
• 3. What lesson do the rat parents learn at the
end?
• 4. How does the story connect to real-life
decisions you might face?

6. Activity
• Group Task:
• - Divide into small groups and answer: Who is
the 'most powerful' in your life and why?
• - Discuss whether their power is based on
strength, kindness, wisdom, or another trait.
• Reflection:
• - Present group answers and reflect on how
this story's lesson can guide our personal lives.

7. Moral of the Story
• Key Takeaway:
• - Truthfulness and humility lead to better
understanding and decision-making.
• - Vanity often blinds us to the qualities that
truly matter.

8. Conclusion
• Wrap-up Discussion:
• - Why do you think folktales like this one are
still relevant today?
• Homework:
• - Write a short paragraph answering: How can
truthfulness and humility impact your daily
decisions?