This story happened during the reign of Jinheungwan, the twenty-fourth king of Silla.
[Jinheungwan ruled the country from 540 to 576]
There lived in the capital of Silla - Kendu - two officials. They have not been separated since childhood. We grew up in one village and became such friends that you couldn’t spill water on them. They grew up, passed state exams for positions, began serving, and continued to be friends.
Their children were born on the same day, at the same hour, one had a son, the other had a daughter. The boy's name was Baekun and the girl's name was Zhehu.
Friends met, began to congratulate each other, and Jaehu’s father said:
- Miracles, and that’s all! On the same day, at the same hour, our children were born.
So, apparently, Heaven wanted it. Let's not anger Heaven! Divide the children into yours and mine! We'll grow up together and then get married.
It didn’t take long for Father Jaehu to persuade Father Baekun, and in honor of the engagement, the friends threw a feast.
So from the very birth, Baekun and Jaehu were engaged.
Ten years passed and four more years passed. Baekun was taken into Hwarang for his beauty and good disposition. She was not inferior to him and Jaehu - she became a real beauty. And fate did not harm them with their talents. Everyone was talking about the happy couple.
[Hwarang is a court boy, page in Ancient Korea.]
But then trouble happened - the young man went blind. My father and mother tried all sorts of medications, but none of them helped. Pekun no longer saw the white light.
The young man cries, sheds bitter tears, but no one can help his grief.
Fate treated Pekun cruelly! After all, from Hwarang he could in the near future become an important official and become famous. And most importantly, he had a beautiful Jaehu!
And now everything is irrevocably gone. And then Zhehu’s father broke the agreement, betrayed his long-standing friendship with Paekun’s father, and decided to marry his daughter to Li Ke Pyeong, the ruler of Mujin. Why does he need a blind son-in-law?
Little by little, everyone turned away from Pekun, and he was left completely alone. The young man came to terms with his grief, does not blame anyone, does not complain about fate, but the weight fell like a stone on his soul.
And yet the world is not without good people.
Baekun had a friend, Kim Cheon, who was also Hwarang, like Baekun. He did not abandon the young man, he visited him as best he could and consoled him. He was not talkative. If you don’t talk to him, he’ll remain silent all day. So modest that it’s hard to say.
There was one thing Kim Chon did not tolerate: injustice. And don’t expect any mercy from him here. His eyes are burning, his huge fists are shaking. Until the offender asks for forgiveness, Kim Cheon will not calm down. Friends knew this and were afraid of the young man. Kim Cheon and Baekun were the same age. Strong and dexterous, Kim Cheon had no equal in archery. Now that trouble had come to Baekun, Kim Cheon did not leave his blind friend day or night and turned all his anger against Jaehu’s father.
“You can’t even call him a man,” said Kim Chon. “He should have tried to dissuade his daughter from marrying someone else, but he decided on such meanness!”
No official in Silla would allow himself anything like this!
Pakun listens, remains silent. He won't say a word. It's like he doesn't care. And it’s not offensive at all. And time doesn’t wait, it goes by quickly. The wedding day of King Kye Pyeong and the beautiful Jaehu is just around the corner.
Pekun went to the lotus lake. The young man loved it. He often came here to wander.
The warm May wind blows in your face. The sun gently warms. The environment smells so good! Birds are chirping, insects are buzzing.
There are so many flowers on the shore! And peonies, and roses, and azaleas. And on the lake itself, lotuses bloomed, fish splashed and played in the sun. The sky is clear and glowing.
The young man thinks his sad thoughts. Remembers the past. Can't bring it back like a wonderful dream. Suddenly he hears a rustling sound. Someone came up to him and said:
- How much suffering has befallen you!
And in the voice there is pain and melancholy.
Pakun woke up, raised his head and asked:
- Who are you?
The voice seemed familiar to him. But Pakun doesn’t know whose it is. Little does he know that it was Jaehu who came here. The girl answers:
- It's me, Jaehu. “She sank down on the grass and cried bitterly. It was like being slashed through the heart with a knife. She feels sorry for Pekun! Such a handsome man, Hwarang, would certainly have become an important dignitary. And such a disaster must happen!
Zhehu finally stopped crying, wiped away her tears, told Paekun that she was forced to marry, that she still loved Paekun, but could not go against her father’s will, although she was ashamed of him, the treacherous one.
The girl says, and her voice trembles:
“If you decide to break up with me, then there’s nothing to talk about, but if you want to marry me, do as I say.” I'll ask my father to let me go
Mujin, as if to celebrate a wedding ceremony, and you go there too. Let's meet and run away to Gyeongju. Pekun was so happy, as if he had received his sight.
The long-awaited day has arrived. Following Zhehu, he went to Mujin and Pekun, and with him a guide. They walked through steep mountains, over high rocks, and finally reached Mujin.
The young people met, held hands, and that was all they saw. They run without feeling their feet. We reached a mountain gorge, and suddenly, out of nowhere, a robber, a real giant. He is six chok tall, no less. Your eyes are like your bells.
[Chhok is a measure of length equal to 3.79 cm]
The robber says:
- Give the girl back. I wanted to take her from Ruler Mujin, but I didn’t have to. And now here she is.
The giant said so, grabbed Zhehu and was gone.
Pekun stands there, doesn’t know what to do. A blind person doesn't see anything. He fell to the ground and cried out loud.
Suddenly he hears someone running. And this is Kim Cheon. He shot an arrow at the giant robber and struck him down on the spot. He brought Jaehu to Baekun and said:
“I heard that you went to Mujin, let me, I think, I’ll follow, it won’t be easy for you, a blind man, on the road.” But I had no idea what could happen to you. It's good that he arrived on time.
Kim Chon took the girl's hand and placed it in the boy's hand.
But Pekun cannot say a word with joy. Suddenly tears flowed from his eyes. Even though he is blind, it seems that there is no happier person in the world than him. After all, next to you is the best girl in the world and the most faithful, devoted friend.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru