Recent research in China and Korea has revealed that the tale of a prince who is turned into a calf originated in China, as early as the late sixth century when it was written up as a jataka tale. The Chinese version that circulated in Korea most likely also was composed in China. While these early versions dropped from circulation in China, the story survived there in several versions, for instance as a precious scroll. The story also continued to circulate there, just as in Korea, as a popular folk tale.
This case book presents full translations of the major versions of the legend, each with their own introductions, as well as a selection of modern folktales. Each of these adaptations offers its own take on this fascinating tale, reflecting period, genre and authorial intention. The volume is introduced with a general discussion of bovine lore in China and Korea. This book would be of great interest to those studying comparative East Asian literature, Chinese and Korean popular literature, folklore, Buddhist literature, and animal literature.