{"content_id":"h22l3yxbgu","slug":"rat-transformation-folktale-buyeo-fingernail-taboo","locale":"en","schema_type":"Article","category":"story","category_name":"Tales","title":"Buyeo Shapeshifting Rat Tale and the Fingernail Taboo","summary":"This retelling draws on the version of the shapeshifting rat folktale recorded in Buyeo, in which a rat eats fingernail clippings and transforms into a son. It compares the tale with Boryeong's daughter-in-law transformation story and explains the meaning of the taboo against carelessly discarding fingernail clippings, distinguishing this explanation from the encyclopedia's interpretation.","sponsorship_disclosure":null,"affiliate_disclosure":null,"commerce_disclosure":null,"author":{"name":"Injoys Editorial Team","url":"https://injoys.com/ko/about"},"key_points":["\"The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernail Clippings\" is an oral folktale recorded on January 12, 1982, in Guryong-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungnam.","In the Buyeo version, a rat eats fingernail clippings and transforms into a son. A cat the son himself finds and brings back exposes the impostor.","In the Boryeong version, a rat that had been given food transforms into a daughter-in-law and wins the family's acceptance by correctly stating the number of plates in the cupboard.","The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture connects the taboo calling for careful handling of things shed from the body with the concept of filial piety.","The version recorded in Buyeo does not include a prohibition against cutting fingernails at night."],"content_markdown":"The folktale of the shape-shifting rat is a traditional story about a rat that turns into a person and takes their place. This is a retelling of “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails,” recorded in Buyeo in 1982. It tells of a rat that eats fingernails and transforms into a family's son.\n\nThis article follows “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails” in the *Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature* and was prepared as of November 2026.\n\n## The Story\n\nIn the Buyeo version, a rat eats a son's fingernail clippings and transforms into him. Long ago, there was a son who attended a village school. One day, he sat on a rock and clipped his fingernails. A rat was picking up and eating the clippings that fell.\n\nWhen he returned home that evening, he saw a familiar figure. Inside the house was a boy who looked exactly like him. The son tried to tell his mother that he was her real child. But his mother would not recognize the son who had returned as her own.\n\nThe son was deeply troubled. Even in his own home, he could not get anyone to recognize who he was. He went elsewhere and found a large cat. Then he returned home with it.\n\nWhen the cat caught the impostor, its identity as a rat was revealed. It was the very rat that had picked up and eaten the son's fingernail clippings. The two figures that human eyes could not tell apart were distinguished in this way. The impostor's time posing as the son also came to an end.\n\n## Source and Origins\n\nThis retelling is based on “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails” in the *Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature*. It is a researcher's record of an oral folktale whose author is unknown. The full transcript can be read on the Academy of Korean Studies' Korean Studies Integrated Platform.\n\n| Item | Recording details |\n|---|---|\n| Title | The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails |\n| Collection | Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature 4-5 |\n| Research date | January 12, 1982 |\n| Research area | Guryong-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do |\n| Research location | Nonti-ri Senior Citizens' Center |\n| Narrator | Hong Gil-hyeon |\n| Researchers | Park Gye-hong · Hwang In-deok |\n\nJanuary 12, 1982, is the date the story was recorded. It does not mean the date the folktale was first created. Guryong-myeon, Buyeo-gun, is likewise the place where the tradition was recorded. It does not mean that an actual incident of a rat turning into a person occurred there.\n\nHong Gil-hyeon is the narrator of this recorded version, not a person confirmed to have created the folktale. Oral narration means telling a story aloud. Recording means preserving those spoken words in a record. The original text also preserves the narrator's manner of speaking and the circumstances at the time of the research. [Korean Studies Integrated Platform, “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”](https://kdp.aks.ac.kr/inde/gubi?id=POKS.GUBI.GUBI.1_12055)\n\n## Other Versions and Similar Stories\n\n“The Rat's Transformation” from Boryeong is a variant in which the real daughter-in-law loses her place. A variant is a form of a story from the same tradition that has been passed down with different details. The Digital Encyclopedia of Boryeong Culture explains that this tradition was included in the *Daecheon City Gazetteer* in 1994.\n\n| Point of comparison | Buyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails” | Boryeong's “The Rat's Transformation” |\n|---|---|---|\n| Person the rat imitates | A son who attends a village school | The family's daughter-in-law |\n| What precedes the transformation | The rat picks up and eats the son's fingernail clippings | The daughter-in-law gives the rat leftover rice |\n| Family's response | The mother refuses to recognize the returning son as her own child | The family tries to identify the real person through answers to a question |\n| Identification scene | No separate knowledge test appears | The family asks how many plates are in the cupboard |\n| What happens to the real person | He worries because he is not recognized | She is driven from the house because she cannot give the correct number of plates |\n| Helper who explains what to do | None appears | A monk tells her to take a cat with her |\n| Animal that reveals the impostor's identity | A cat the son finds himself | A cat brought on the monk's advice |\n\nThe false daughter-in-law in the Boryeong version knew the number of plates because she had been in and out of the cupboard. The real daughter-in-law could not remember the number. The family accepted the impostor who gave the correct answer as the real person. Later, after receiving a monk's advice, the daughter-in-law uses a cat to expose the impostor's identity. [Digital Encyclopedia of Boryeong Culture, “The Rat's Transformation”](https://boryeong.grandculture.net/boryeong/toc/GC08801354)\n\nThe two stories differ from the outset in what leads to the transformation. The plate test in the Boryeong version does not appear in the recorded Buyeo version. The monk's advice is not part of the Buyeo version either. Combining these scenes into a single plot makes it unclear which tradition is being followed.\n\n### What Does Jingajaengju Mean?\n\nJingajaengju is a story structure in which a real person and an impostor compete for the rightful occupant's place. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture introduces it as another name for the folktale of the shape-shifting rat. The rat's transformation sets in motion the character's loss of their place.\n\nIn this structure, the conflict begins with the two figures looking identical. When the family accepts the impostor, the real person's circumstances are overturned. The cat resolves the problem that human judgment could not settle.\n\n## Folk Beliefs in the Story\n\nThe taboo concerning fingernails is connected to the belief that even things separated from the body should be treated with care. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture interprets this in relation to filial piety. It explains that hair, fingernails, and toenails are also parts of the body inherited from one's parents.\n\nThe encyclopedia also points to the problem of losing one's place through carelessness. Its interpretation is that treating what one has carelessly leads to a loss of self. This is the encyclopedia contributor's explanation of the folktale. The Buyeo narrator did not directly explain a lesson about filial piety. [Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, “The Folktale of the Shape-Shifting Rat”](https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0017056)\n\n### Are Discarding Fingernails and the Taboo Against Clipping Them at Night the Same Thing?\n\nThe recorded Buyeo version alone does not establish that these two taboos belong to the same tradition. The story includes a scene in which a rat eats fingernail clippings. But it does not stipulate that fingernails must not be clipped at night. The passage saying that the son returned home in the evening must be distinguished from the time when he clipped his fingernails.\n\n| Category | What the recorded Buyeo version confirms |\n|---|---|\n| Rat that eats fingernails | Appears as the cause of the transformation |\n| Time when the fingernails were clipped | No condition specifies that it was at night |\n| The evening | Appears in the scene where the son returns home |\n| Connection between fingernails, toenails, and filial piety | Presented by the encyclopedia in its interpretation of the folktale type |\n\nThe rat's transformation is a fictional element of the folktale. This story is not evidence that fingernails actually cause transformations or bad luck. The meaning of a taboo within a tradition must be distinguished from cause and effect in reality.\n\n### Is the Person Who Knows the Number of Plates the Real One?\n\nThe plate test in the Boryeong version is a scene in which an attempt to establish identity through household knowledge fails. The rat gives the correct answer because of its experience going in and out of the cupboard. The real daughter-in-law loses her place because she has forgotten the answer.\n\nThis scene can be read as questioning the criteria used to recognize a person. It raises the question of whether knowing household details well is enough to confirm someone's identity. This is an editorial interpretation offered by this article. It does not represent a purpose for the tradition stated by the recorder or a direct explanation from the narrator.\n\n## Frequently Asked Questions\n\n### Did the Folktale of the Shape-Shifting Rat Really Happen?\n\nThe folktale of the shape-shifting rat is a traditional story about a rat that turns into a person. The recording shows that the story was told. It is not evidence that a transformation actually occurred.\n\n### Where Can I Read the Original Text?\n\nThe full Buyeo version can be read on the Korean Studies Integrated Platform. Its title is “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails.” The research details and the narrated story are available together.\n\n### Was the Folktale Created in 1982?\n\n1982 is the year the Buyeo version consulted here was recorded. It does not mean the story was first created that year. This record alone cannot establish when the folktale first originated.\n\n### What Does the Taboo Against Carelessly Discarding Fingernails Mean?\n\nThe Encyclopedia of Korean Culture connects this taboo to the idea of filial piety. Its interpretation is that people should cherish the body inherited from their parents. It explains that this idea extends to fingernails and toenails separated from the body.\n\n### Does the Warning Against Clipping Fingernails at Night Also Come from This Story?\n\nThe recorded Buyeo version consulted here contains no warning against clipping fingernails at night. Evening appears as the time when the son returns home. This recorded version therefore cannot be presented as the direct origin of the taboo against clipping fingernails at night.\n\n### Does a Monk Appear Who Advises Bringing a Cat?\n\nThe Boryeong version includes a monk who advises taking a cat along. No such helper appears in the Buyeo version. In the Buyeo version, the son finds a cat himself and brings it home.\n\n### In What Ways Are the Two Traditions the Same Story?\n\nIn both traditions, a rat takes on the appearance of a family member. The real person cannot get the family to recognize them. At the end, a cat reveals the impostor's identity.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe folktale of the shape-shifting rat is a traditional story about a rat that turns into a person and takes their place. This is a retelling of “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails,” recorded in Buyeo in 1982. It tells of a rat that eats fingernails and transforms into a family's son.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis article follows “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails” in the \u003cem\u003eComprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature\u003c/em\u003e and was prepared as of November 2026.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe Story\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the Buyeo version, a rat eats a son's fingernail clippings and transforms into him. Long ago, there was a son who attended a village school. One day, he sat on a rock and clipped his fingernails. A rat was picking up and eating the clippings that fell.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen he returned home that evening, he saw a familiar figure. Inside the house was a boy who looked exactly like him. The son tried to tell his mother that he was her real child. But his mother would not recognize the son who had returned as her own.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe son was deeply troubled. Even in his own home, he could not get anyone to recognize who he was. He went elsewhere and found a large cat. Then he returned home with it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the cat caught the impostor, its identity as a rat was revealed. It was the very rat that had picked up and eaten the son's fingernail clippings. The two figures that human eyes could not tell apart were distinguished in this way. The impostor's time posing as the son also came to an end.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#source-and-origins\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"source-and-origins\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eSource and Origins\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis retelling is based on “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails” in the \u003cem\u003eComprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature\u003c/em\u003e. It is a researcher's record of an oral folktale whose author is unknown. The full transcript can be read on the Academy of Korean Studies' Korean Studies Integrated Platform.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eItem\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRecording details\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eTitle\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Recording details\"\u003eThe Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eCollection\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Recording details\"\u003eComprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature 4-5\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eResearch date\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Recording details\"\u003eJanuary 12, 1982\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eResearch area\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Recording details\"\u003eGuryong-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eResearch location\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Recording details\"\u003eNonti-ri Senior Citizens' Center\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eNarrator\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Recording details\"\u003eHong Gil-hyeon\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item\"\u003eResearchers\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Recording details\"\u003ePark Gye-hong · Hwang In-deok\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJanuary 12, 1982, is the date the story was recorded. It does not mean the date the folktale was first created. Guryong-myeon, Buyeo-gun, is likewise the place where the tradition was recorded. It does not mean that an actual incident of a rat turning into a person occurred there.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHong Gil-hyeon is the narrator of this recorded version, not a person confirmed to have created the folktale. Oral narration means telling a story aloud. Recording means preserving those spoken words in a record. The original text also preserves the narrator's manner of speaking and the circumstances at the time of the research. \u003ca href=\"https://kdp.aks.ac.kr/inde/gubi?id=POKS.GUBI.GUBI.1_12055\"\u003eKorean Studies Integrated Platform, “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#other-versions-and-similar-stories\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"other-versions-and-similar-stories\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eOther Versions and Similar Stories\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The Rat's Transformation” from Boryeong is a variant in which the real daughter-in-law loses her place. A variant is a form of a story from the same tradition that has been passed down with different details. The Digital Encyclopedia of Boryeong Culture explains that this tradition was included in the \u003cem\u003eDaecheon City Gazetteer\u003c/em\u003e in 1994.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePoint of comparison\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBuyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBoryeong's “The Rat's Transformation”\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003ePerson the rat imitates\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Buyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\"\u003eA son who attends a village school\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Boryeong's “The Rat's Transformation”\"\u003eThe family's daughter-in-law\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eWhat precedes the transformation\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Buyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\"\u003eThe rat picks up and eats the son's fingernail clippings\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Boryeong's “The Rat's Transformation”\"\u003eThe daughter-in-law gives the rat leftover rice\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eFamily's response\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Buyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\"\u003eThe mother refuses to recognize the returning son as her own child\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Boryeong's “The Rat's Transformation”\"\u003eThe family tries to identify the real person through answers to a question\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eIdentification scene\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Buyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\"\u003eNo separate knowledge test appears\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Boryeong's “The Rat's Transformation”\"\u003eThe family asks how many plates are in the cupboard\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eWhat happens to the real person\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Buyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\"\u003eHe worries because he is not recognized\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Boryeong's “The Rat's Transformation”\"\u003eShe is driven from the house because she cannot give the correct number of plates\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eHelper who explains what to do\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Buyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\"\u003eNone appears\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Boryeong's “The Rat's Transformation”\"\u003eA monk tells her to take a cat with her\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Point of comparison\"\u003eAnimal that reveals the impostor's identity\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Buyeo's “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails”\"\u003eA cat the son finds himself\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Boryeong's “The Rat's Transformation”\"\u003eA cat brought on the monk's advice\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe false daughter-in-law in the Boryeong version knew the number of plates because she had been in and out of the cupboard. The real daughter-in-law could not remember the number. The family accepted the impostor who gave the correct answer as the real person. Later, after receiving a monk's advice, the daughter-in-law uses a cat to expose the impostor's identity. \u003ca href=\"https://boryeong.grandculture.net/boryeong/toc/GC08801354\"\u003eDigital Encyclopedia of Boryeong Culture, “The Rat's Transformation”\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two stories differ from the outset in what leads to the transformation. The plate test in the Boryeong version does not appear in the recorded Buyeo version. The monk's advice is not part of the Buyeo version either. Combining these scenes into a single plot makes it unclear which tradition is being followed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#what-does-jingajaengju-mean\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"what-does-jingajaengju-mean\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhat Does Jingajaengju Mean?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJingajaengju is a story structure in which a real person and an impostor compete for the rightful occupant's place. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture introduces it as another name for the folktale of the shape-shifting rat. The rat's transformation sets in motion the character's loss of their place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this structure, the conflict begins with the two figures looking identical. When the family accepts the impostor, the real person's circumstances are overturned. The cat resolves the problem that human judgment could not settle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#folk-beliefs-in-the-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"folk-beliefs-in-the-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eFolk Beliefs in the Story\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe taboo concerning fingernails is connected to the belief that even things separated from the body should be treated with care. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture interprets this in relation to filial piety. It explains that hair, fingernails, and toenails are also parts of the body inherited from one's parents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe encyclopedia also points to the problem of losing one's place through carelessness. Its interpretation is that treating what one has carelessly leads to a loss of self. This is the encyclopedia contributor's explanation of the folktale. The Buyeo narrator did not directly explain a lesson about filial piety. \u003ca href=\"https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0017056\"\u003eEncyclopedia of Korean Culture, “The Folktale of the Shape-Shifting Rat”\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#are-discarding-fingernails-and-the-taboo-against-clipping-them-at-night-the-same-thing\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"are-discarding-fingernails-and-the-taboo-against-clipping-them-at-night-the-same-thing\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eAre Discarding Fingernails and the Taboo Against Clipping Them at Night the Same Thing?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe recorded Buyeo version alone does not establish that these two taboos belong to the same tradition. The story includes a scene in which a rat eats fingernail clippings. But it does not stipulate that fingernails must not be clipped at night. The passage saying that the son returned home in the evening must be distinguished from the time when he clipped his fingernails.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCategory\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat the recorded Buyeo version confirms\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003eRat that eats fingernails\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What the recorded Buyeo version confirms\"\u003eAppears as the cause of the transformation\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003eTime when the fingernails were clipped\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What the recorded Buyeo version confirms\"\u003eNo condition specifies that it was at night\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003eThe evening\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What the recorded Buyeo version confirms\"\u003eAppears in the scene where the son returns home\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003eConnection between fingernails, toenails, and filial piety\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What the recorded Buyeo version confirms\"\u003ePresented by the encyclopedia in its interpretation of the folktale type\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rat's transformation is a fictional element of the folktale. This story is not evidence that fingernails actually cause transformations or bad luck. The meaning of a taboo within a tradition must be distinguished from cause and effect in reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#is-the-person-who-knows-the-number-of-plates-the-real-one\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"is-the-person-who-knows-the-number-of-plates-the-real-one\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIs the Person Who Knows the Number of Plates the Real One?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plate test in the Boryeong version is a scene in which an attempt to establish identity through household knowledge fails. The rat gives the correct answer because of its experience going in and out of the cupboard. The real daughter-in-law loses her place because she has forgotten the answer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis scene can be read as questioning the criteria used to recognize a person. It raises the question of whether knowing household details well is enough to confirm someone's identity. This is an editorial interpretation offered by this article. It does not represent a purpose for the tradition stated by the recorder or a direct explanation from the narrator.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#did-the-folktale-of-the-shape-shifting-rat-really-happen\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"did-the-folktale-of-the-shape-shifting-rat-really-happen\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDid the Folktale of the Shape-Shifting Rat Really Happen?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe folktale of the shape-shifting rat is a traditional story about a rat that turns into a person. The recording shows that the story was told. It is not evidence that a transformation actually occurred.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#where-can-i-read-the-original-text\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"where-can-i-read-the-original-text\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhere Can I Read the Original Text?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe full Buyeo version can be read on the Korean Studies Integrated Platform. Its title is “The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails.” The research details and the narrated story are available together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#was-the-folktale-created-in-1982\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"was-the-folktale-created-in-1982\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWas the Folktale Created in 1982?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1982 is the year the Buyeo version consulted here was recorded. It does not mean the story was first created that year. This record alone cannot establish when the folktale first originated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#what-does-the-taboo-against-carelessly-discarding-fingernails-mean\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"what-does-the-taboo-against-carelessly-discarding-fingernails-mean\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhat Does the Taboo Against Carelessly Discarding Fingernails Mean?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Encyclopedia of Korean Culture connects this taboo to the idea of filial piety. Its interpretation is that people should cherish the body inherited from their parents. It explains that this idea extends to fingernails and toenails separated from the body.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#does-the-warning-against-clipping-fingernails-at-night-also-come-from-this-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"does-the-warning-against-clipping-fingernails-at-night-also-come-from-this-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDoes the Warning Against Clipping Fingernails at Night Also Come from This Story?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe recorded Buyeo version consulted here contains no warning against clipping fingernails at night. Evening appears as the time when the son returns home. This recorded version therefore cannot be presented as the direct origin of the taboo against clipping fingernails at night.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#does-a-monk-appear-who-advises-bringing-a-cat\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"does-a-monk-appear-who-advises-bringing-a-cat\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDoes a Monk Appear Who Advises Bringing a Cat?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Boryeong version includes a monk who advises taking a cat along. No such helper appears in the Buyeo version. In the Buyeo version, the son finds a cat himself and brings it home.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#in-what-ways-are-the-two-traditions-the-same-story\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"in-what-ways-are-the-two-traditions-the-same-story\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIn What Ways Are the Two Traditions the Same Story?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn both traditions, a rat takes on the appearance of a family member. The real person cannot get the family to recognize them. At the end, a cat reveals the impostor's identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n","tags":["Cultural heritage","Folktales"],"faqs":[{"question":"Did the events in the rat transformation folktale really happen?","answer":"It is a traditional folktale about a rat that turns into a human. The recording details show how the story was recorded; they are not evidence that the transformation actually happened."},{"question":"Where can I read the original text of the Buyeo version?","answer":"It can be read in the Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature on the Korean Studies Integrated Platform. It is titled “The Rat That Ate Fingernails and Transformed,” and the fieldwork details and full transcript are publicly available."},{"question":"Was the rat transformation folktale created in 1982?","answer":"January 12, 1982, is the fieldwork date for the Buyeo version. It is not the date when the folktale was first created, and this record alone cannot establish when it originated."},{"question":"What does the taboo against carelessly discarding fingernail clippings mean?","answer":"The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture connects it to the concept of filial piety, which calls for cherishing the body inherited from one's parents. It interprets the taboo as meaning that even things separated from the body, such as fingernails and toenails, should not be treated carelessly."},{"question":"Does the Buyeo version also include the taboo against cutting fingernails at night?","answer":"The version recorded in Buyeo does not stipulate that fingernails must not be cut at night. Evening is mentioned in the scene where the son returns home."},{"question":"How do the Buyeo and Boryeong versions differ?","answer":"In the Buyeo version, a rat that has eaten fingernail clippings turns into the son. In the Boryeong version, a rat that was being given food transforms into the daughter-in-law. The test involving a question about the number of plates and the monk's advice are parts of the Boryeong version."},{"question":"What role does the cat play in the rat transformation folktale?","answer":"The cat reveals the identity of the impostor that people cannot distinguish by sight. The son in the Buyeo version gets a cat himself, while the daughter-in-law in the Boryeong version follows a monk's advice."},{"question":"What does jingajaengju mean?","answer":"It refers to a story structure in which the real person and the impostor compete for the same position as master. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture lists jingajaengju as another name for the rat transformation folktale."}],"sources":[{"url":"https://kdp.aks.ac.kr/inde/gubi?id=POKS.GUBI.GUBI.1_12055","title":"Korean Studies Data Integration Platform · Comprehensive Collection of Korean Oral Literature 「The Rat That Transformed After Eating Fingernails」","type":"source"},{"url":"https://boryeong.grandculture.net/boryeong/toc/GC08801354","title":"Digital Encyclopedia of Boryeong Culture 「The Rat's Transformation」","type":"source"},{"url":"https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0017056","title":"Encyclopedia of Korean Culture 「The Tale of a Rat's Transformation」","type":"source"}],"images":[{"id":2445,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MzgxMDMsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--a92d6d69298212e930341ac2a38ef0cc826f4e6f/ai-12e543cc.webp","is_representative":true,"generation_method":"ai_image","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"들판과 초가집이 보이는 시골에서 늙은 소나무 아래 바위 위의 손톱 조각에 다가가는 쥐","caption":"쥐둔갑 설화는 손톱을 함부로 버리지 말라는 금기와 연결된다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"A rat approaches nail clippings on a rock beneath an old pine, with fields and thatched cottages beyond.","caption":"The rat transformation tale is linked to the taboo against carelessly discarding nail clippings.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"田畑と茅葺きの家々を背景に、老松の下の岩に置かれた爪の切りくずへ近づくネズミ","caption":"ネズミの変身説話は、切った爪をむやみに捨ててはいけないという禁忌と結びついている。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Una rata se acerca a recortes de uñas sobre una roca bajo un viejo pino, con campos y casas de paja al fondo.","caption":"El relato de la transformación de la rata se vincula con el tabú de desechar los recortes de uñas sin cuidado.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Seekor tikus mendekati potongan kuku di batu bawah pinus tua, dengan ladang dan rumah beratap jerami di kejauhan.","caption":"Kisah tikus yang berubah wujud berkaitan dengan pantangan membuang potongan kuku sembarangan.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Um rato se aproxima de aparas de unhas numa rocha sob um pinheiro antigo, com campos e casas de palha ao fundo.","caption":"O conto da transformação do rato está ligado ao tabu de descartar aparas de unhas sem cuidado.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"老松下，一隻老鼠靠近岩石上的指甲碎屑，遠處是田野與茅草屋。","caption":"老鼠變身的故事與不可隨意丟棄指甲的禁忌相連。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Eine Ratte nähert sich Nagelabschnitten auf einem Felsen unter einer alten Kiefer, dahinter Felder und Strohdachhäuser.","caption":"Die Erzählung von der Verwandlung einer Ratte ist mit dem Tabu verbunden, Nagelabschnitte achtlos wegzuwerfen.","description":null}}},{"id":2446,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MzgxMDksInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--8af8f5f93bd60560ddb52bce49a7ef9baf45f240/ai-2c33b416.webp","is_representative":false,"generation_method":"ai_image","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"해 질 무렵 초가집 문 앞에 아들과 고양이가 서 있고, 안쪽에는 쥐 그림자가 드리운 인물이 반쯤 숨어 있다.","caption":"부여본에서는 아들이 직접 구해 온 고양이로 가짜 아들의 정체가 드러난다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"At dusk, a son and cat face a thatched house doorway; a figure hides inside beside a rat-shaped shadow.","caption":"In the Buyeo version, the cat the son brings back exposes the impostor.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"夕暮れの茅葺き家の戸口に息子と猫が立ち、室内にはネズミの影を伴う人物が半ば隠れている。","caption":"扶余の伝承では、息子が自ら連れてきた猫によって偽者の正体が明らかになる。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Al anochecer, un hijo y un gato miran hacia una casa de paja; dentro se oculta una figura junto a una sombra de rata.","caption":"En la versión de Buyeo, el gato que trae el hijo revela la identidad del impostor.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Saat senja, anak lelaki dan kucing menghadap rumah beratap jerami; sosok bersembunyi di dalam dekat bayangan tikus.","caption":"Dalam versi Buyeo, kucing yang dibawa pulang oleh sang anak membongkar identitas si penyamar.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Ao anoitecer, um filho e um gato diante de uma casa de palha; dentro, uma figura se oculta junto a uma sombra de rato.","caption":"Na versão de Buyeo, o gato que o filho traz revela a identidade do impostor.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"暮色中，兒子與貓停在茅草屋門前，屋內一個身影半藏在紙門後，旁邊映著鼠形影子。","caption":"扶餘版本中，兒子親自找來的貓揭穿了冒牌兒子的真面目。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Ein Sohn und eine Katze vor einem strohgedeckten Haus im Abendlicht; drinnen eine halb verborgene Gestalt mit Rattenschatten.","caption":"In der Buyeo-Fassung entlarvt die vom Sohn herbeigeholte Katze den Hochstapler.","description":null}}}],"published_at":"2026-11-05T05:14:00+09:00","updated_at":"2026-11-05T05:14:00+09:00","license":"cc_by","translation_status":"reviewed","available_locales":["ko","en","ja","es"],"data_locales":["ko","en","ja","es","id","pt","zh-hant","de"],"url":"https://injoys.com/en/articles/rat-transformation-folktale-buyeo-fingernail-taboo"}