The Sun and the Moon - Korean

My name is Dalsun, and every night, I peek through the clouds to watch over the world below. Long ago, before I became the Moon, my brother Haesik and I lived in a cozy little house at the edge of a deep, green forest. Our story, the tale of The Sun and the Moon, began one day when our mother had to walk over the mountain to work. She hugged us tightly and told us not to open the door for anyone, no matter what. 'Be good, and I will bring back delicious rice cakes,' she promised. We waved until she was just a tiny dot on the path. But we weren't the only ones watching her. A huge, hungry tiger with stripes as dark as shadows was hiding in the woods, and he saw our mother leave. The tiger was very tricky. He followed our mother and, after scaring her away, he stole her colorful dress to disguise himself. He wanted the sweet rice cakes she was carrying, but he also had a mischievous plan to trick us. Later that evening, as darkness began to creep through the trees, we heard a knock at our door. A scratchy, low voice, not at all like our mother’s, called out, 'Children, it’s me! Open the door!'.

Haesik and I looked at each other, and a shiver of fear wiggled down my back. That didn't sound like our mother at all. Her voice was as sweet as a songbird, but this voice was like rocks scraping together. 'Show us your hand through the crack in the door,' Haesik called out bravely. A big, hairy paw with sharp claws pushed through the opening. 'You're not our mother!' we shouted together. We knew we had to be brave and clever. We bolted the door and quickly ran out the back, our hearts pounding like drums. The nearest hiding spot was a giant, ancient tree in our yard, and we scrambled up its trunk, climbing as high as our little arms and legs could carry us. The tiger growled with frustration when he realized we had escaped. He came to the bottom of the tree, his yellow eyes glowing in the dusk. 'Come down, little children!' he snarled. He tried to climb, but the bark was smooth, and his heavy body made him slip and slide back down. Seeing we were trapped so high up, we closed our eyes and prayed to the heavens with all our might. 'Please save us!' we whispered to the first evening stars. Just then, a miracle happened. A long, strong rope made of shimmering golden light lowered from the sky. We didn't hesitate; we grabbed on tightly and were pulled up, up, up, past the tree branches and into the soft, welcoming clouds.

When we arrived in the sky kingdom, we were finally safe from the tiger below. The kind spirits of the heavens decided to give us a very important job to do. My brave brother Haesik became the Sun, shining his bright, warm light so children could play and flowers could grow during the day. I was asked to become the Moon, but at first, I was afraid of the dark, lonely night. Seeing my worried face, Haesik, being the kindest brother in the world, offered to switch with me. So now, he is the bright, powerful Sun that chases away all the shadows, and I am the gentle Moon that glows softly at night. I guide lost travelers, watch over everyone as they sleep, and light the way for nocturnal animals. Our story is told to explain why the sun shines by day and the moon glows by night. It reminds people in Korea, and all over the world, to be brave and clever in the face of danger, and to always look after one another, just like my brother and I do. Every time you see the sun's warm smile or my gentle light in the sky, remember the two siblings who watch over the world, keeping it in perfect balance.