🌤️ Korean Folktale Series 67
“The Girl Who Prayed to Heaven for Her Parents”
(부모 위해 하늘에 기도한 소녀 · Bumo Wihae Haneure Gidohan Sonyeo)
🕰️ 1. The Story
Long ago, in a quiet mountain village, there lived a young girl named Areum. She was gentle, hardworking, and devoted to her elderly parents. Though they were poor, their home was filled with warmth because Areum cared for them with all her heart.
One harsh winter, a terrible illness spread across the valley. Areum’s parents fell ill, growing weaker each day. The village doctor shook his head sorrowfully.
“Their sickness is too deep. Only a blessing from heaven can save them.”
Areum refused to give up. She wrapped herself in a thin cloak and climbed the highest mountain peak, where people believed the sky touched the earth. Snow stung her face and wind pulled at her clothes, but she kept whispering,
“Please… please save my parents. Take my strength, take my breath—just let them live.”
At the summit, she knelt on the frozen ground and prayed through the night. Her tears fell onto the snow, warm enough to melt tiny circles around her knees. As dawn approached, the clouds parted, and a soft golden light descended like a warm hand touching her shoulder.
A gentle voice echoed in the wind:
“Child of pure heart, your love reaches beyond the heavens.
Return now. Your parents will rise with the morning light.”
When Areum opened her eyes, she found herself back at the foot of the mountain, wrapped in a blanket of soft white feathers. She hurried home, breath trembling.
There, she found her parents sitting up in bed, color returning to their cheeks.
“Areum,” her mother whispered, “we dreamed of you surrounded by light… and felt warmth flow into our bodies.”
Areum embraced them, crying with joy. From that day forward, villagers said the girl’s footsteps left faint glimmers on the earth, as though heaven itself had blessed her path.
And every winter dawn, a golden ray of sunlight would fall directly upon their humble house — a reminder that true devotion can move even the sky.
🪄 2. Meaning & Lessons
▪️ Pure love is powerful enough to call forth miracles.
▪️ Sincerity is stronger than fear, cold, or hardship.
▪️ Devotion to family is a light that the heavens do not ignore.
👀 3. Reflections in Life
▪️ Sometimes, love asks us to climb mountains others cannot see.
▪️ The world often changes not through strength, but through sincerity.
▪️ A heart willing to sacrifice becomes a beacon for others.
🌏 4. Similar Tales Around the World
Japan — The Tale of Okiku’s Prayer
A devoted daughter prays for her mother’s life and receives a heavenly blessing.
China — The Filial Daughter Meng Jiang
A girl’s devotion moves heaven and earth, though her tale ends in sorrow rather than miracle.
India — Savitri and Satyavan
A devoted wife confronts the god of death through pure love and wins back her husband’s life.
💬 A Warm Saying
“Love that kneels becomes love that lifts the world.”
📌 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.
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