🌼 Korean Folktale Series 30
“The Evening Primrose and the Girl’s Promise”
(달맞이꽃과 소녀의 약속 · Dalmaji Kkot-gwa Sonyeoui Yaksok)
🕰️ 1. The Story
Long ago, in a quiet village near the edge of a forest, there lived a young girl named Areum. She was kind, gentle, and loved the night sky more than anything. Each evening, she would sit by the stream, gazing at the moon’s reflection and whispering her dreams into the silver light.
One summer, her father fell gravely ill. The family had no money for medicine, and Areum walked miles every day to gather herbs, praying for his recovery. One night, while she wept under the moon, a soft voice echoed through the air:
“Child of pure heart, I have heard your prayers. If you promise to keep your kindness even when sorrow visits again, I shall grant your wish.”
It was the Moon Spirit, shining brighter than ever. Areum vowed,
“I will stay kind and faithful, no matter what the world brings.”
The next morning, she found a golden flower blooming near her doorstep—the Evening Primrose, glowing faintly like moonlight. When her father drank tea brewed from its petals, his strength slowly returned.
But soon after, Areum herself grew weak. As she lay beneath the moon, she smiled and whispered,
“I have kept my promise. May this flower keep shining for those who need hope.”
The next morning, her family found that Areum was gone—but the place where she had rested was filled with countless yellow flowers, all facing the sky as if greeting the moon.
From then on, people called the flower “Dalmaji Kkot,” meaning “the flower that greets the moon.” It became a symbol of faith, purity, and promises kept under the light of hope.
🪄 2. Meaning & Lessons
- A promise made with sincerity lives beyond one’s lifetime.
- Hope shines brightest in those who stay kind through hardship.
- Every act of compassion plants seeds that bloom for others.
👀 3. Reflections in Life
- Kindness given in silence may one day become someone else’s light.
- Keeping one’s word is a form of love that time cannot erase.
- Even in loss, beauty can be born from pure intention.
🌏 4. Similar Tales Around the World
- Japan — The Moonflower Maiden
A girl blessed by the moon who turns into a flower that blooms only at night. - China — The Lotus of Faith
A young woman’s promise to help others gives rise to a flower of purity and healing. - France — The Legend of the Night Lily
A maiden’s devotion transforms her sorrow into a luminous blossom that lights the dark.
💬 A Warm Saying
“Promises made under the moon never fade—they bloom again in the hearts they touched.”
📌 Note
This is creative cultural content from the Misojieum Story Blog (kor-telling.com).
Please do not copy without permission. Sharing is welcome with proper source citation.