If you look at the Taedong River from Moranbong, then in the very middle of it you can see an island that looks like a crescent. From the mountain it looks like a boat floating on the water. Weeping willows along its banks, low peasant huts, beds with yellow, blue and white cabbage flowers, radish leaves diverging like arrows in different directions - all this together from a distance can be mistaken for a skillfully woven carpet, playing with many colors. The landscape is so beautiful that it seems embroidered on silk, which is why the inhabitants called their island Silk.
Since time immemorial, there has been an amazing legend about this island.
One day in the summer it rained for several days in a row. The Taedong River overflowed its banks and became as huge as the sea. All dams, houses and crops were flooded. People worked day and night to restore the dams.
And then one morning a peasant noticed in the middle of the river something similar to the highest mountain. And he reported this to the ruler of Pyongyang.
The ruler immediately sent people to find out what kind of mountain had floated into his domain. The ruler's envoys came to the shore, looked, and there was indeed something huge rising on the river. Anything happened during the flood. But for something like this... I simply couldn’t believe that this huge thing could move and swim. What a curiosity? People got into the boat and swam closer.
And this, it turns out, is a big, big island. People were even more amazed.
Where has it been seen that in one night, out of the blue, an island suddenly appeared on the river?!
The people talked among themselves and went to report to the ruler of Pyongyang what a miracle they had seen on the river. The ruler listened to them and was amazed. And rumors and gossip began in Pyongyang. There's only talk about the island. And no one knows where he came from.
At the same time, a commotion also began in Seongcheon County. At night, the island disappeared from the Birugan River.
The landowner found out about this, became furious, and ordered the farm laborers to find the island at all costs. Not only is the disappearance of an island a scandalous matter, but what a loss! After all, the inhabitants of the island paid taxes to the landowner! The farmhands went to look for the island. They searched and searched, but they couldn’t find it. So they returned with nothing.
And the day before the flood, a resident of the island, a young peasant, went to the county town on business. As soon as I reached the place, it began to rain, it poured all day, and by evening the Birugan River overflowed its banks and flooded everything around.
The peasant knew that the island suffered the most from the flood. That's why I decided to return home straight away. While walking, I got soaked to the skin. I came to the bridge that leads to the island, but there is no bridge. And there is no house of his own that stands on the island either. And the island itself disappeared.
In the morning the rain stopped, the water in the river subsided, and the island disappeared. Then the peasant realized that the island, along with the houses, had been carried away. And where is unknown.
The peasant became sad and did not know what to do. At least he could find his wife, even if she was dead or drowned. The peasant walked further and did not notice how he reached the Taedongan River. And the Birugan River flows into it. Suddenly he heard people say that some island had floated into the Taedong River and was standing near Mount Moranbong. It was brought during the flood.
- This is our island! - The peasant was happy and went to Mount Moranbon.
This was indeed his island. And although not a single house survived, they all fell apart, but well-trodden roads remained. And the place where his house stood. And next to it is a small hill. A peasant dug it up and looked - and there were his clothes and a hoe. A little further on I saw my wife. She's dead. Drowned.
The residents of Pyongyang finally found out what kind of island had appeared on the Taedong River, and they began to slowly settle in it. But it is difficult for a Seongcheon landowner to pay taxes; he has to travel far.
They lived on the island for a year, lived for another, and submitted a petition to the ruler of Pyongyang so that the island belonged to the province of Pyongyang. And the ruler of Pyongyang ordered that from now on Silk Island be considered part of the province of Pyongyang. About which a corresponding decree was issued. A landowner from Seongcheon made a fuss here. How so? His income was deprived!
The ruler of Pyongyang became angry and said:
“Since this scoundrel does not want to obey my order, let him take his island back to Seongcheon County and collect taxes there.” I don’t want this island to be in my possession! If he doesn’t take it, I’ll find justice for him!
And the greedy landowner only knew how to tear three skins from the peasants, where could he move the island from place to place! So the island remained forever in the possession of the ruler of Pyongyang. The landowner had to come to terms with this.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru