Long ago, in a certain country, a royal official was assigned to accompany the prince, who was being sent as a hostage to a rival nation. Before departing, the official spoke to the king:
“If one person runs up and says there’s a tiger in the marketplace, would Your Majesty believe it?”
“No, I would not believe it,” the king replied.
“What if two people said the same thing?”
“Even then, I would not believe it.”
“And if three people claimed there was a tiger?”
“In that case, I would have no choice but to believe it.”
The official then said, “Even though there may be no tiger in the marketplace, if three people say there is, it becomes hard not to believe them. So, I humbly ask that, if anyone speaks ill of me while I am away, Your Majesty will look kindly on me and not be swayed by rumors.”
From this story comes the saying Saminseongho (三人成虎), meaning “three people can create a tiger.” It teaches that even without any malicious intent, spreading uncertain or unverified information can turn falsehoods into truth. Without realizing it, you may find that the “tiger” you helped create has grown powerful and fearsome.