🌸 Korean Folktale Series 29
“The Tale of Dalrae and Gosari – The Love of the Mountain Sisters”
(달래와 고사리, 산에서 핀 자매의 사랑 · Dalrae-wa Gosari Iyagi)
🕰️ 1. The Story
Long ago, at the foot of a quiet mountain, lived two sisters named Dalrae and Gosari. They had lost their parents when they were young and survived by helping one another. Though their house was poor and their meals small, their laughter filled the valley each morning.
One harsh winter, famine struck the land. Snow covered the mountains, and food became scarce. The elder sister, Dalrae, went to the forest each day searching for something edible to keep her younger sister alive. One day, weakened and hungry, she prayed to the mountain spirit:
“Please, let me find food for my sister, even if it costs me my life.”
The mountain spirit, moved by her devotion, took pity on her. As Dalrae fell asleep under a tree, the spirit transformed her into a gentle herb that would bloom each spring—the wild onion, Dalrae—to feed others in times of hunger.
When Gosari awoke and could not find her sister, she searched the mountain, calling her name in tears. Hearing the mountain wind whisper “Dalrae... Dalrae...,” she realized the truth. In her grief, she prayed to the spirit:
“Then let me stay by my sister’s side forever.”
Her wish was granted. Gosari became the bracken fern, growing beside Dalrae every spring. Together, they returned to life each year—Dalrae bringing strength and flavor, Gosari symbolizing endurance and hope.
Villagers who gathered the herbs each spring would whisper thanks:
“These sisters still care for us with their love.”
And so, Dalrae and Gosari have become symbols of sibling devotion, renewal, and the kindness that sustains life.
🪄 2. Meaning & Lessons
- True love is selfless and eternal, even beyond human life.
- Sacrifice made from love transforms suffering into life’s renewal.
- Nature remembers the hearts that loved deeply and gives them new form.
👀 3. Reflections in Life
- Kindness planted today may bloom again in ways we cannot see.
- The bonds of family and love endure through change and time.
- Even in hardship, compassion nourishes others like spring herbs after winter.
🌏 4. Similar Tales Around the World
- Japan — The Tale of the Cherry Blossom Sisters
Two sisters who became cherry trees, blooming together each spring. - China — The Legend of the Peony Fairy
A spirit who sacrifices herself to bring beauty and healing to humanity. - Italy — The Almond Tree of Love
A woman turned into a tree so her loved one could feel her presence each spring.
💬 A Warm Saying
“Love rooted in sacrifice blooms again with every spring.”
📌 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.