Have you ever looked at a mountain and wondered if it was hiding a secret?
In Korea stands a magnificent mountain called Mount Baekdu. It is the tallest mountain on the Korean Peninsula, and for thousands of years, people have considered it a sacred place—the birthplace of the Korean people.
At the very top of this majestic mountain lies a breathtaking lake called Cheonji, which means "Heaven Lake." Its crystal-clear waters fill the crater of an ancient volcano, reflecting the sky like a giant mirror.
But how did this beautiful lake come to be?
Well... let me tell you an ancient Korean legend.
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Transcript:
Long, long ago, when mountains were believed to be the homes of powerful spirits, a terrible black dragon lived high on Mount Baekdu.
Now, this was no ordinary dragon.
Long ago, he had been thrown out of heaven because of his cruel and wicked nature. Instead of learning from his mistakes, he became even more selfish and angry.
From the top of the mountain, he ruled over the nearby villages through fear.
Children, can you imagine one cruel thing he did?
Let’s listen ahead
He demanded that the villagers build him a grand palace.
He demanded chests filled with precious treasures.
He demanded baskets overflowing with delicious food.
The frightened villagers obeyed. They were too terrified to refuse.
But then...
The black dragon made a demand so cruel that the entire village fell silent.
He ordered the people to sacrifice their own sons and daughters to him.
The villagers looked at one another in horror.
"No," they whispered.
"We cannot do this."
For the first time, they stood together against the dragon.
The black dragon was furious.
With a mighty roar, he smashed part of the mountainside. Rocks and earth crashed down, blocking the rivers and streams that carried water to the villages below.
Children, why do we need water?
That’s great!
Soon, the wells ran dry.
The streams disappeared.
The crops on the fields dried.
Trees drooped.
Flowers wilted.
Even the birds stopped singing.
The people had almost no water to drink.
Day after day, they gathered beneath the open sky and prayed.
"Please," they cried,
"Send someone to save us."
One hundred long days passed.
Then...
The clouds began to swirl.
Thunder rolled across the mountain.
A flash of brilliant blue streaked through the sky.
Out of the clouds descended a magnificent blue dragon.
His scales shimmered like the deepest ocean.
His eyes glowed with kindness.
His voice echoed across the mountains.
"Black Dragon!" he called.
"You were cast out of heaven because of your wickedness. Yet instead of changing, you continue to bring suffering to innocent people."
The black dragon laughed.
"I am the king here," he roared.
"Anyone who dares challenge me will not survive!"
With that, he breathed out a river of blazing fire.
The flames raced across the mountainside.
But the blue dragon rose into the sky and summoned dark rain clouds.
Rain poured down heavily, hissing as it met the flames.
The fire disappeared.
Then the battle truly began.
The dragons circled through the sky.
They clashed among the clouds.
Their roars shook the mountains.
Lightning flashed.
Thunder boomed.
For days they fought.
Neither dragon would give up.
Finally, exhausted and wounded, both dragons crashed to the ground.
For a long moment...
everything was silent.
Then the blue dragon heard something.
Soft voices.
The villagers.
They were crying.
Gathering the last of his strength, the blue dragon lifted his head and called out to the heavens.
"Lightning!"
"Strike down the evil!"
A brilliant bolt flashed across the sky.
It struck the black dragon with tremendous force.
The mountain echoed with one final roar.
The evil dragon would never rise again.
The blue dragon looked at the grand palace that had been built through fear and suffering.
With one mighty sweep of his tail, he destroyed it completely.
In its place, fresh mountain water began to flow.
The crater slowly filled until it became a sparkling lake, so clear that it reflected both the sky above and the clouds drifting by.
The blue dragon remained there, watching over the lake and sending its cool, pure water into every stream and river below.
The wells filled once again.
The fields turned green.
Flowers bloomed.
Birds returned.
And laughter echoed through the villages.
The people named the beautiful lake Cheonji—Heaven Lake—because they believed it was a gift from heaven itself.
Even today, visitors standing beside the peaceful waters sometimes whisper that, if they are very lucky...
they might catch a glimpse of a blue dragon rising silently from the lake before disappearing into the clouds.
And perhaps...
just perhaps...
the guardian of Heaven Lake is still watching over Mount Baekdu.
Thank you for listening to this ancient Korean folktale. Until our next story, keep wondering, keep imagining, and remember—every mountain has a story waiting to be told.
