There was an old hermit in Korea. One day, a woman pleaded with the hermit to help her regain her husband’s affection. The hermit said that he could make a potion that could kindle love in the person who consume it but he lacked a tiger’s whisker that was one of the ingredients to go into its making. The woman promised to get the whisker. She saw a tiger near the river and was frightened. She brought him food and soon they had become good friends. She patted his head and ran her hand down the side of his face.
One day, she deftly pulled out one of his whiskers. She rushed to the hermit’s house and gave him the whisker. He dropped it into fire. “What have you done!” said the woman, “You promised to make me a magic potion!” The hermit said softly that she did not need any potion. Because through her gentleness and patience she could win her husband’s affection who surely was more responsive than a savage and blood-thirsty tiger. The woman returned home. When she saw her husband, she remembered the tiger and the hermit’s words and moved forward with a smile on her face.
