A Single Shard

Min’s harsh rejection rings in Tree-ear’s head as he walks home. Tree-ear hadn’t noticed, but it’s true that the other potters’ apprentices are all potters’ sons. Tree-ear longs to yell at Min that he, Tree-ear, isn’t to blame for his own parents’ or Hyung-gu’s death and to ask why the father-to-son transmission of the pottery trade must be respected.

When Tree-ear gets home, Crane-man offers him two new pairs of sandals, which he tries on politely. Then he asks Crane-man whether potters pass their trades to their sons everywhere like they do in Ch’ulp’o. Crane-man replies that according to legend, potters used to make merely functional ceramics rather than art objects, so they received no respect. In those days, potters’ sons refused to enter the trade until there weren’t enough potters—so the king made a law that potters’ sons had to become potters. Tree-ear marvels at the irony of potters’ sons running away from his dream job. Crane-man says that the law may not still be in effect, but cultural traditions “can be stronger than law”—but then he tells Tree-ear that when one door closes, another sometimes opens.

Now that Min has refused ever to teach Tree-ear pottery, Tree-ear no longer enjoys his work. Moreover, Tree-ear now tells himself that he’ll take the pots to Songdo for Ajima’s sake—not Min’s. One day, while he is testing clay at the drainage site, he absentmindedly forms a lump of clay into a petal—and then realizes he can teach himself to mold pottery freehand rather than learning to throw pottery on a wheel. The other door has opened!

It’s almost fall when Min finishes the two inlay-work vases he wants to send to Songdo. Ajima suggests that Tree-ear carry the vases in a well-lined woven backpack called a jiggeh. When Min asks who could weave the pack, Crane-man ends up getting the job. After Crane-man completes the durable lidded pack, Ajima asks Crane-man a favor: would he come to Min’s house and do Tree-ear’s chores while Tree-ear is away in exchange for food? Tree-ear is grateful, knowing that Ajima wants to continue feeding Crane-man. Yet Crane-man delicately declines the offer and leaves. When Tree-ear gives Ajima a questioning look, she explains Crane-man is too proud to take charity. 

Back at the bridge, Tree-ear scolds Crane-man, saying he doesn’t need additional worries when he’s setting out on a perilous journey. When Crane-man says that Tree-ear doesn’t need to worry about him, Tree-ear shouts that he’s worried about Min’s elderly wife doing all the chores by herself! Then he tells Crane-man that helping her would be helping Tree-ear. Crane-man bursts out laughing and calls Tree-ear an excellent actor but agrees to go to Min’s house every day. Tree-ear is glad that Crane-man agreed—even if not exactly for the reasons Tree-ear had hoped.

Two disposable vases are packed into Tree-ear’s travel pack. Then Tree-ear tosses around and kicks the pack while Min, Ajima, and Crane-man observe. After Tree-ear is done, Min checks to make sure the vases haven’t broken. They haven’t. Satisfied, Min goes to get the inlay-work vases that Tree-ear will bring to Songdo. A sleeping mat, spare sandals, a water dipper, and a food bag are also attached to the pack. Tree-ear will leave the next day.

That evening under the bridge, Tree-ear gives Crane-man a tiny monkey he molded out of clay and fired in secret. He claims the monkey will remind Crane-man to go to Min’s house—but really, it’s a memento of Tree-ear. Though Tree-ear thinks molded work isn’t as beautifully symmetrical as work created on a potter’s wheel, he’s pleased with the etching he did on the monkey’s face and fur. Crane-man tries to speak but his voice is too hoarse. Instead, he gets some string, ties the monkey to his belt, and says that the gift honors him. Then he advises Tree-ear that other people will be the biggest threat but also the biggest help on his journey.