According to an ancient Korean folktale, there was once a time when there was no salt in seawater. So how did seawater become salty? Let us find out.

Once upon a time in Korea, there lived an extremely wealthy and generous King. The secret to the King’s wealth was a magic millstone. While millstones generally were used to grind grains, this millstone was different. Whenever the King wanted something, he would ask the millstone for it. The millstone would grant him his wish for any object – gems, gold, food grains, etc.

The millstone’s fame grew far and wide. A thief heard about the millstone and thought, “I must steal the millstone. Once I have my hands on it, I will be rich beyond my dreams. I will never have to steal from anyone ever again.”

One day, he dressed as a tourist and visited the palace first thing in the morning.

“I have come from a distant land to get a tour of this palace. Is it possible?” asked the thief to one of the guards guarding the palace.

“Yes, it is. You are just in time. Every day from half-past ten in the morning to noon, there is a palace tour. Go straight through the gates and enter the palace doors. An official will meet you and show you around.”

“Thank you,” said the thief. He went into the palace, where he found a palace official.

“Have you come for the palace tour?” asked the official.

“Yes, sir,” said the thief.

“Please follow me then,” said the official. He then proceeded to show the thief to all the rooms open to the public.

“I don’t see the millstone anywhere. Wonder where it is hidden,” thought the thief.

Aloud, he asked, “I have heard about the famous millstone. I suppose you will not be able to show it to me?”

“Of course, I can. Everyone in the palace knows the King has kept it in his chambers right next to his bed,” said the official.

“Really? Such a precious object, and the King has not hidden it? The King must trust all his subjects,” commented the thief.

“It is no secret, for our King trusts all of us. The millstone provides our King with everything which he uses to help his subjects. None of us would dare remove it,” replied the official, slightly insulted.

“I apologise if I offended you,” said the thief as they neared the palace doors.

“Not at all,” answered the official. “Anyway, we have completed the palace tour. I will leave you here. You can continue walking on the palace grounds for as long as you like.”

The thief looked at the palace grounds. He thought, “Let me look around to see from where I can enter the palace. I will come during the night and steal the millstone when the King is asleep.”

As planned, the thief entered the palace during the night by jumping the palace walls.

“Security is surprisingly bad here,” thought the thief as he went into the palace.

After searching for a while, he found the King’s bedroom without being detected by the palace guards. He entered the King’s room from the balcony and hid behind a curtain without the King noticing.

The King was sitting in front of the millstone. He said, “Millstone, oh, Magic Millstone! Start giving gold coins for me alone!”

The millstone began to spew gold coins to fill a treasure chest.

Once done, the King said, “Millstone, oh, Magic Millstone! Stop the flood before I groan!”

The King then went to bed and fell asleep. After some time, the thief slowly crept out of the curtain. Quietly, he took the millstone and ran away.

“Aagh! This millstone is so heavy,” thought the thief as he struggled to carry it.

After much exertion, he finally exited the palace. He quickly went to the beach where he had kept a small boat hidden. He placed the millstone in the boat and began to row away.

“I am rich,” thought the thief gleefully. “Now I need to test to see if the millstone works. What do I ask?” He decided to ask the millstone for the first thing that came to his mind. “Salt! I will ask for salt. Now, what was the phrase the King used to start the millstone?”

After thinking for a moment, he said, “Millstone, oh, Magic Millstone! Start giving salt for me alone!”

Salt began to flow out of the millstone. “Wow! It works,” the thief thought happily. “Now, let me ask for gold. But what was the phrase the King used to stop the millstone?”

He said, “Millstone, oh, Magic Millstone! Stop giving salt for me alone!”

But the salt kept pouring. Panic-stricken, he shouted, “Millstone, stop!” But nothing happened.

“Oh, no! What do I do? How do I stop the salt? At this rate, the boat will sink with the weight of the salt. I do not know to swim,” wailed the thief.

Salt kept coming out of the millstone, forming a huge mound on the boat. The boat slowly started sinking with the weight of the salt.

Eventually, the boat sank to the bottom, taking the thief and the millstone along. The millstone continued churning salt into the ocean from then on, which is why the seawater is salty.