A Moonlit Fruit 달빛 열매

                                                              

    (written in 2003)

I would like to introduce a beautiful creative fairy tale entitled “A Moonlit Fruit,” written by Kim Jeong-cho and recently published by Pauline in Korean. This book is a picture book for children, but I think adults can also appreciate it. I translated this little story so as to share it with people all over the world. A moonlit fruit stands for a that, grown carefully, will make for a happy world. The story goes as follows:

 As usual, the elves in a forest had fun again. Lulubel, with pretty horns on her head, was calm and liked to imagine things.

 One day, Lulubel sat on a tree and looked at the blue sky and beautiful flowers around. Kiki, her little friend, was always near Lulubel. Kiki was a cheerful and warm-hearted friend. Kiki, said, “Lulubel, your horns are so splendid!” Kiki played on her horns and could watch the forest from far away.

 One day, Lulubel and Kiki went to the deep forest. The forest became thicker as they got away from their village.

 “Burble, burble…” Somewhere, they could hear the murmuring sound of water in the valley like a beautiful song. Lulubel and Kiki romped about and were in high spirits in the forest, where every kind of flower blossomed in the sunlight.

 “Oh, dear!” At that very moment, Lulubel's pretty horns became entangled in a branch.

 “Lulubel. Don't worry. I'll take it out.” Kiki began to gnaw the branch with his teeth. At last, Lulubel's horns were freed, but one of them was broken.

 “Lulubel. Don't cry. Your horn will surely grow again!” Kiki consoled Lulubel.

 Lulubel stayed home after having her horn broken. Kiki suggested she ask Cori, the wisest aunt in the forest, how a horn can quickly grow back. Aunty Cori welcomed Lulubel and Kiki and told them a story about moonlit fruit. “There is beautiful moonlit fruit in a little village over that hill. The moonlit fruit, shining like the moonlight, can do anything. Lulubel, your horn will grow soon if you have moonlit fruit.”

 The next day, Lulubel and Kiki left home to look for the moonlit fruit that aunt Cori had told them about. “Lulubel. Don't worry! Your pretty horn will grow soon if you find the moonlit fruit,” good-natured Kiki consoled Lulubel.

 As they passed uphill and through a densely wooded forest, it became dark. Lulubel and Kiki gathered leaves and made a bed under a tree so big they could hardly reach around it with their arms.

 Keeping good company with the trees and flowers, Lulubel and Kiki went to sleep with the stars lighting the night sky.

 The next day, Lulubel and Kiki entered a splendid village. “Sir, do you have a moonlit fruit in your village?” Lulubel asked a passing man.

 “Go away! We don't have such fruit in this village,” the man said in annoyance. Lulubel and Kiki left the splendid but unkind village, traveled over a hill and through the forest, and walked along a path across a field. Days and days went by.

 As they passed through the forest and went up the hill, they saw delicious-looking wild strawberries. Lulubel and Kiki enjoyed eating wild strawberries together and fell asleep. Lulubel and Kiki woke up again and found a little village on the hillside.

 “Hey. KiKi! Do you think that village has a moonlit fruit?” “Lulubel. Let's go quickly!” Lulubel and Kiki entered the little village.

 That little village looked peaceful. “Hi. I'm Wuhu. Welcome to our village!” Wuhu welcomed Lulubel and Kiki with open arms. Wuhu took Lulubel and Kiki, who were tired from their journey, to his home and served them. Lulubel and Kiki talked with delight and enjoyed their meal for a long time.

 Kiki said, “Wuhu. I have a question. About that wheel on your leg….” Wuhu said, “Oh, do you mean this wheel? This is my leg and bicycle. My leg was broken when I fell from a tree after making a nest several years ago. My friend made it for me. I felt uncomfortable in the beginning, but I can go anywhere thanks to this wheel.” Kiki could tell that Wuhu's leg wheel was precious to him.

 Wuhu said, “There is pretty moonlit fruit in our village. We are so proud of them.”

 “What? You have moonlit fruit?” Lulubel and Kiki shouted in surprise. Lulubel said, “Wuhu! If you have a moonlit fruit, your leg would be probably healed….”

 Wuhu answered, “Lulubel. I'm a bit uncomfortable with this leg, but I left the moonlit fruit behind for my friends who need them more than I do. If everybody took each moonlit fruit for her sake only, not a single fruit would be left. So, our village people could value one another while looking at the moonlit fruit.”

 Lulubel and Kiki went to the forest with the moonlit fruit that Wuhu had told them about. The forest was picturesque and they entered a place covered with winding lichen. At that moment, the moonlit fruit subtly shone, their light snugly embracing the forest. After calming themselves down, Lulubel and Kiki looked at the fruit. They realized that the good-natured Wuhu, who considered others first, and the warm-hearted love of the villagers, had protected the fruit.

 “Kiki. I think it's better for us to leave this moonlit fruit for our friends who need it more.” Lulubel and Kiki looked at each other with overflowing hearts.

 “Lulubel. It seems that your horn has grown a lot!” Lulubel and Kiki smiled broad smiles. On the way home, the stars twinkled just like Wuhu's kind and happy smile. 

 The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times/ April 18, 2003