English through Mythology – Sugungga (수궁가)

Rabbit and Terrapin: Creative Dialogue

수궁가 : 대화

Instructions: Please read the sample dialogue (대화) about the story of Rabbit (토끼) and Terrapin (식용 거북). The sample dialogue will give you some ideas!

After reading the sample dialogue, please make up a new dialogue (새로운 대화) about the story of Rabbit and Terrapin. Good luck!

Sample dialogue: Ji-hye and Cheol-su talk about the ‘Song of the Underwater Palace’

In this dialogue, Ji-hye tells Cheol-su about a performance (공연) of the ‘Song of the Underwater Palace’. Let’s listen!

Ji-hye: Do you know the ‘Song of the Underwater Palace’ (수궁가)?

Cheol-su: No, I don’t. Is it a new pop song (팝송)? I haven’t been listening to pop music recently.

Ji-hye: No, it’s an old song. It’s one of the five pansori (판소리) songs. It’s much longer than a pop song!

Cheol-su: Yes, I know the one you mean. It’s similar to the Book of Byeoljubu (별주부전). The story is about a rabbit (토끼) that tricks a turtle (거북).

Ji-hye: That’s right!

Cheol-su: I read it when I was very young (어렸을때), but it’s a great story. It’s one of my favourite folktales (동화). Why do you mention it?

Ji-hye: I went to a performance (공연) of the ‘Song of the Underwater Palace’. It was great!

Cheol-su: Was the performance here in Gyeongju?

Ji-hye: No, the performance was at a small theatre (극장) in

Jeonju (전주 / 全州).

Cheol-su: How long was the performance?

Ji-hye: It was about two and a half hours. The ‘Song of the Underwater Palace’ is shorter than the other pansori songs.

Cheol-su: Two and a half hours! That’s a long time to listen to one singer. Did you enjoy it?

Ji-hye: Yes, I certainly did. The story of Rabbit and Terrapin is very interesting, funny, and imaginative (상상력이 풍부한). Besides, the singer (가수) was very talented (재능이 있는). She kept the audience interested from start to finish.

Cheol-su: Wow (와)! Next time there’s a full-length performance (완창) of the ‘Song of the Underwater Palace’, please invite me!

Ji-hye: I didn’t know that you were interested in pansori.

Cheol-su: Well, you seem enthusiastic (열렬한) about it. When you talk about pansori, it sounds very interesting!

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Instructions: Now it’s your turn to make up a great dialogue about the story of Rabbit and Terrapin (<수궁가> 에 대한 대화). You have six minutes (6 분). Good luck!