Prelude: A Dragon's Promise

The morning of Yong Tae’s birth came on a calm winter day, and the crowd of villagers’ breath hung in a cloud around The Elder’s house. Inside, they could hear Shi Woo laboring to bring Yong Tae to the world. Then, for a long moment, no sound came from behind the walls. The thin cloud disappeared as everyone held their breath. Then a baby cried and a great cheer rose from all the people of Ka Chi San village.

A voice cried out, “The promise of the Dragon has come true!”

Later, many bright fires lit the night as the people celebrated the birth of the newest member of their village. No one had seen the baby, for Shi Woo would not leave her house for two more days, but they all knew she had born a son, healthy and strong.


Yoo Sang was the Sah Boo of Ka Chi San village. He was a wise leader and protected everyone in the village with his powerful Ki.

Shi Woo was his only child, and when she had come of age, Yoo Sang had arranged a month long tournament of games. The winner would marry Shi Woo and become successor to Yoo Sang. Word of the tournament traveled far. Men from many mountains away came to enter for the chance to marry Shi Woo and someday become Sah Boo.

Shi Woo knew most of the men who entered the tournament. All of them were skilled riders, fighters, and hunters. She looked forward to watching them compete for the right to call her wife.

Then a stranger entered the games. A head taller than all the other men, he wore a long cloak and a simple hat that tied beneath his chin. Unlike the other men, he wore no beard on his face. He spoke little and when the other men competed, he did not watch. His eyes would not leave Shi Woo, and she found him at the same time both great and terrible.

With ease, he bested all the other men in hunting, riding, archery, and martial arts. He was gracious and humble in his victories. He never joined the other winners as they celebrated at night, instead, he would retire from the village to the forest, only to return the next morning.
On the last day, the last three men rode to the foot of Ka Chi San mountain before sunrise, The first note of birdsong would start the final race, and the man to reach the village first would win. Everyone in the village waited at the gates to greet the victor.

The magpie was the first to break the morning calm with his song. Two of the men broke into a swift run. The stranger did not. He sat down and began to untie his hat. The other runners gave him one look then ran on. They dodged tall stalks of bamboo and leapt over boulders. Soon, the stranger was far behind.

The runners kept their eyes to the ground, watching where they ran. They did not see the silver-maned dragon fly overhead.

The villagers fled from the dragon as it landed before the gates. Its serpentine body shone in the dawn and its silver mane whipped in the wind. Great claws and fangs flashed. Yoo Sang stood unafraid.

“Where is your hat, brother?” He asked with a smile. “My daughter will not marry a man with no hat. Dragon or not.”

The dragon’s laugh shook the gates of the village. “I left it at the foot of the mountain, Great Sah Boo. I was in a rush to claim my prize.”

“And claim her you may, Great Dragon, for you will be a more worthy husband than a father could want, and as great a leader as any village could need.”
The dragon looked to the sky and shook his great body in pleasure. “A husband I will be, a leader I will not. In one year your daughter will bear my son. You will call him Yong Tae, and he will lead your people. This village will grow to a kingdom under my son. This is my promise to you.”

In a flash of silver, the dragon was gone, and Shi Woo with him.

1.1 A Gathering of Friends

“Wake up Mom, the sun is coming up,” Yong Tae said, shaking Shi Woo’s shoulder.

“It seems dark still…” Shi Woo teased, she could hear the excitement in her son’s voice. “You’ll just have to wait.”

“But MOM, the light is coming over the east mountain! It is my 3000th day and we have to gather the last blade of bamboo grass for my hat! You don’t want my next ten years to be all bad luck do you! You know that’s what’ll happen if I don’t get the bamboo before the sun comes all the way up. Plus, Che Ju and Ah Won are coming and…”

“Ok. Ok!” Shi Woo interrupted, “I’m up. Bring me my sandals, and we’ll go get your grass. Are your friends here yet?"

“Ah Won is outside, but Che Ju is always late. He probably stopped at his girlfriend’s house.”
Yong Tae’s nose wrinkled when he said “girlfriend”. Shi Woo smiled at her son. He would be ten soon. She knew his opinion of girls would change. He ran back into the bedroom, and she ruffled his hair before taking her sandals.

“Someday you’ll have a girlfriend too, Yong Tae.”

Yong Tae opened his mouth to reply, but before he could speak, Ah Won stuck her head in the open window.

“No girl would ever like Yong Tae. They all know he belongs to me!” Ah Won flashed a smile, and her face disappeared from the window. Moments later she reappeared in the bedroom.

Grabbing Yong Tae’s arm, Ah Won leaned in to kiss him “Isn’t that right?”

“Bwaaa!” Yong Tae’s eyes grew wide and he pushed her away with two hands. “Get offa me!” He backed away, lost his balance, tripped over a pot, and landed hard on his bottom.

“And he’s a little clumsy,” Ah Won jibed as she leaned over Yong Tae and landed a kiss on his cheek..

“Gross,” Yong Tae wiped his cheek with the back of his hand.

“Yong Tae! Be nice to your friend. Ah Won is a pretty girl, there’s nothing gross about her,” Shi Woo chided.

“And I’ll pound you if you aren’t nice to me. Remember that too!” Ah Won laughed as she turned and darted out of the bedroom. “You two better hurry! The sun is almost up now . And here comes Che Ju!”

“Here Yong Tae, take these rice cakes and share with your friends. Go ahead without me and gather the bamboo blade. I will have breakfast ready when you come back.”

Yong Tae grabbed the rice cakes, “Ok, Mom! Thanks! Be right back.” He called over his shoulder as he slid the door aside and joined his friends outside.

“Hey Big Brother, glad you could make it,” Yong Tae greeted his friend, "but where is your hat? You'd better put it on before one of the masters sees you, or worse, Sah Boo Nim"


Che Ju's hand went to his head reflexively, and he blushed a little as he realized his mistake. "Oh, I must have left it...somewhere...Don't worry about it."

"You can't go around town with no hat." Ah Won stated flatly. "You will have to...somewhere...and get it before we can go."

“Ha! There's no time!" Che Ju ignored Ah Won's jibe and returned to his light-hearted self. "I went to the forest yesterday to find the perfect blade for your mom to weave into your hat. It’s going to be great. We are going to have to hurry to make it to Dae NaMu Grove before the sun though.”

“Wait a minute,” Ah Won paused the group as they walked. “Dae NaMu Grove? I won’t go there. Grandpa Bing-Bing lives in that part of the forest.. He’s crazy!”

“Yeah,” Yong Tae offered his agreement. “My mom said he moved to the forest because he talks to trees! She said he thinks that plants are his family….and he never wears his hat! I’m not going near him.”

“He’s harmless,” Che Ju laughed. “I went there yesterday, and he didn’t even come out of his cave. Besides, that’s where your bamboo blade is.”

“No way. There is bamboo grass everywhere. Why should we go to Dae NaMu Grove?”

Che Ju’s answer was just above a whisper, “I told you, I found the perfect blade." His eyes shone with excitement. "On top of an old grave in Dae NaMu Grove there’s a silver bamboo plant! Let’s Go!”

1.2 Grandpa Bing Bing

Che Ju ran so quickly, Ah Won and Yong Tae struggled to keep up. He knew he was the fastest boy in the village and loved to show it. The friends ran past the school and Head Master Yoo Sang’s house at the top of the mountain, and began the climb down into the valley past the shops that were just opening. Behind them the sun eased its way over the East Mountain.

“Keep up you two!” Che Ju laughed. “We are almost to the gate, we can rest there!”

The friends pressed on until they reached the village gate, the only entrance to Kkachisan village on the west wall. The lucky magpie, symbol of the village, was carved atop the brown pillars that stood like tree trunks holding the massive gate.

Ah Won and Yong Tae collapsed against the thick wooden pillars, exhausted and out of breath.

“We’ll never make it in time,” Yong Tae panted. “Can’t we just collect some bamboo here? That way, if we don’t make it, I won’t have 10 years of bad luck. Anyway, I would be happy with a normal bamboo grass blade. I don’t need a silver one.”

“Hey! We’re going to make it, I know exactly where we’re going. And no way am I settling for a normal blade of bamboo for my Little Brother. How would that look on your 3000th Day celebration?”

Ah Won had caught her breath, and a little of Che Ju’s excitement. “Ya! Yong Tae! C’mon, you will receive your first hat today, and our Sah Boo is presenting it! That’s a BIG deal! ”

Yong Tae dropped his chin to his chest, hiding his face from his friends. Instantly, Che Ju knew why.

“Yong Tae, don’t worry about it. Not every boy’s father is able to present him with his first hat. It happens a lot. Last month the boy from DaeRim Village got his hat from his uncle, a goat herder, on his 3000th Day. You get yours from our Sah Boo! I want this to be special for you, Little Brother.”

His friend put his arm around Yong Tae’s shoulder.

Yong Tae lifted his chin and saw Che Ju’s smile. “Alright, lets go.”

“’Bout time!” quipped Ah Won.

Quickly, Che Ju bolted off down the mountain, with Ah Won right behind. Yong Tae pressed off the gate and gave chase, thankful for his friends.

The three friends raced down the mountain into the valley. The sun was nearly half-way over the top of East Mountain when they crossed the bridge and left the road to follow the path next to the river. It was only a short trip down the path, past the cave of Grandpa Bing-Bing, to Dae Namu grove.

As they passed the cave, a thin wisp rose from the entrance like smoke from the nostril of a sleeping dragon. The cave was dark, but something moved inside, and the friends stopped to stare as they heard a loud sound from the cave. “Krrrsssh…Crack! Krrrssh…. Crack! Krrrrsssh….Crack!”

“C’mon, let’s keep moving,” Che Ju said. “Seems like Grandpa Bing-Bing is a little more active today.”

A high pitched voice startled the trio. “Grandpa BING BING! More active, HA!” Grandpa Bing Bing slipped from the underbrush behind them and began to circle around, trapping them between himself, the river, and the mouth of his cave. His tattered robes were knotted with roots. Twigs and leaves twisted into thick braids with his hair and beard, and the ground at his feet sprouted with thorny weeds wherever he stepped.



His eyes caught Che Ju's. “Knew it! My trees told me what you found yesterday. It’s mine! The silver bamboo grows for me, not you!”

1:3 The Silver Bamboo

Grandpa Bing Bing thrust his hands into the ground at his feet, and his arms grew thick bark over the skin. The earth rippled, roots shot through the soft soil, and tangling vines erupted around Che Ju's feet.

"Hahaha, not so fast now!" Grandpa Bing Bing laughed as the roots began to snare Che Ju's ankles in serpentine swirls.

Ah Won gave a fierce cry and dove at the roots, pulling at them to free her friend, but the roots only wrapped tighter around Che Ju. Some of them began to ensnare her hands, and soon, Ah Won too found herself bound in Grandpa Bing Bing's roots.

"Help, Yong Tae! We're stuck!" Ah Won cried out.


Yong Tae saw the danger his friends were in, and a complete calm settled over him. Time seemed to slow, and his vision sharpened. He would save his friends, he had no doubt.

Quickly, Yong Tae dropped to his knee and hefted a small stone. Moving toward Grandpa Bing Bing, he let the stone fly from his hand. It found its mark, landing with a solid Thud against Grandpa Bing Bing's forehead.

"Ya!" Grandpa Bing Bing shouted, "You hit me!"

A thin line of blood ran down his head into his eyes and he stumbled back, pulling one had from the dirt to cover his wound. Many of the tangling roots left Che Ju, and Ah Won was freed.

Yong Tae launched another stone, this one missed, but a third followed and struck Grandpa Bing Bing in the shoulder. Grandpa Bing Bing pulled his other hand from the ground, freeing Che Ju, and turned his attention to Yong Tae.

Yong Tae threw another volley of stones, three quickly, one after the other, but this time, Grandpa Bing Bing was ready. His skin hardened into thick bark, and his fingers and toes became gnarled wooden claws. The stones bounced harmless and landed at his feet.

His laugh was the sound of splintering wood. "Foolish boy! I will hang you from my trees by for ankles for that!"

As Grandpa Bing Bing strode toward Yong Tae, he grew taller and taller and waved his twiggy claws in slashing strokes. Yong Tae's heartbeat remained steady and his mind clear, no fear clouded his thoughts. Just as before, he was certain of what he needed to do.

"Ah Won! Che Ju!" Yong Tae called to his friends. "Split up!"

"We can't...the trees are blocking the path!" Ah Won said. "I can't find a way through!"

"My trees won't let you go! You try to steal my bamboo...throw stones at your elder! You three should be punished!"

"And they will be..." a voice came from behind Che Ju, "but not by you."

Che Ju recognized the voice even before his Sah Boo appeared along the path. "Yoo Sang!"

A gentle breeze parted the branches, and the village elder stepped through the trees that had blocked Che Ju's escape. Dressed in his morning robes, he placed a hand on Che Ju's shoulder. In the chill morning air, his hand felt warm.

"You three go ahead." Yoo Sang addressed the children, but his eyes did not leave Grandpa Bing Bing. "Complete the task you set out upon this morning. Come to my Do Jang when you have finished."

"Yes, Sah Boo Nim!" The three friends answered in unison, and with parting glares at Grandpa Bing Bing made their way down the path to gather the silver bamboo.

With one eye on the slowly rising sun and the other on the trail before them, the three friends made their way to Dae NaMu Grove. Che Ju led them to the silver bamboo. Yong Tae pulled a few long blades from the base of the plant and turned his gaze to the top of East Mountain. The sun had all but risen. Only the very top of the mountain still cut an arc into the bottom of the sun.

"Ten years of good luck!"Yong Tae called to his friends.

They smiled, and he was happy to be with them. In the back of his mind he still worried about their meeting with Yoo Sang.

What kind of trouble had they gotten into and what had happened with Grandpa Bing Bing?

Yong Tae decided to let it go for now and enjoy the moment with his friends.



As they returned to the path, the top of East Mountain shifted smoothly, and a dragon stretched silver wings, rose up, and flew away into a fully risen sun.