What is a single shard in a single shard?

Answer 1

Tree-ear, the main character, is on a trip to Songdo to show Emissary Kim the pottery made by Min. While he is on his journey, two robbers try to rob him at the Rock of the Falling Flowers. When they realize he has no rice, they throw the vases off the rock and they smash. Tree-ear then gets the largest shard from the broken vases and brings the SINGLE SHARD to Emissary Kim.

Answer 2

A Single Shard

In the 1400s, there is a Korean boy named Tree-ear. He lives under a bridge with his guardian, Crane man. He was left there as a toddler because his parents died and no relatives were able to accept him. He was going to live with the monks, but there was fever there too, so the villagers told the messenger to bring him to Crane-Man.

Crane-man taught him many things about life, like not stealing or begging, and turning him into a man who respects people.

Tree-ear is very interested about the potter Min. Everyday he went to go and see him throw clay on the wheel and make pottery. One day, he was specifically drawn to one of his latest creations. He went up and looked at it. It was a box with several minor boxes inside of it. He dropped one, it fell, and it broke. Min Came in and accused him of a stealer. Tree-ear stayed respectful. Then, Min Said that Tree-ear can work for him for 9 days, as that took as long to make the box.

Tree-ear then worked for 8 days, and on the 9th, he asked Min if he could actually work for him. He agreed. So then, tree ear went chopping his wood, and getting clay and draining it. Every worker that is employed gets a meal supplied by the employer, so Tree-ear gets a dinner every night after his work. He used to eat all of it, realized he was foolish, and then saved half of it for Crane-Man. He hid it in a hole near the house and after that, when he went to go get it, he was surprised. It was full!

One day he saw Kang, another potter, at the kiln site. His cart had a cloth covering it, and Tree-Ear knew he was making something special. Kang would probably crawl through the tunnel, putting his creations at the farthest edge of the kiln.

Over the week, Tree-Ear ran errands for Min. He kept an eye out for Kang, and soon he got his wish. He saw him, carrying two bowls of red and white slip. Whenever potters used that, it backfired and got ugly. He wondered what he was doing.

Tree-Ear continued to work for Min, and he did it normally. The days got colder and shorter.

When winter stared, Crane-Man and him moved to a dug out where they live, because it is too cold to live by the bridge.

Min's Wife Gave Tree-Ear some clothes that were her son's at Tree-Ear's age. The pants were the perfect size for him, and the jacket was Crane-Man's because it is his size.

One day, Tree Ear went to the wine shop. There has been news that a royal Emissary will be traveling to Ch'ulp'o in search for royal commission. When Min found out, he got even harsher commands for Tree-Ear.

When the Emissary finally came, He was in love with Min's pots. But, Kang's were far brighter. The red slip that he used turned black, contrasting against the celadon green.

When Kim (emissary) came back to tell who the commissions were, it was Kang. He told Min it was Kang because it was a new design, and if he came up with anything else, brings it to him in Songdo.

Tree-Ear had an idea. He was going to travel to Songdo to give Kim Min's pots. When he asked The potter's wife, she said yes. Also, to call her Ajima.

When he was about to leave, he gave crane man a clay monkey to remember him. He told him to visit the Rock of the Falling Flowers. Tree-Ear said he would.

When he was going up the mountain, he saw that there was a fox in his way. Foxes were know for witchcraft to trick people into their layer to eat them. He ran away.

When he got to the rock of the falling flowers, 2 robbers tried to take his pack. They dropped the two pots over the edge after they were angry that they did not find any money, and then when they left, Tree-Ear threw the pack over the cliff. He ran down to see only pebbles form the pots. He took only a shard to the Emissary, and he got Min the commission that he needed.

When he got back, he told Ajima that he got the commission. Min was sorry to say that Crane-Man died. He fell off a bridge when a traveler with a cart was going buy. The cold water was too much for his heart, and he died. Ajima then came out to take him inside. Min held out the Monkey. He said he was holding this when he died. Tree-ear went inside the house with Ajima without taking it.

When he woke up the next morning, he started working. Min kept barking commands and tree ear heard a wheel of your own! And Started smiling.