This ancient Korean folk tale of two brothers illustrates the power of kindness over greed.
Come closer, my little ones…
Let halmoni tell you an old story… from Korea…
Older than even your great-great-grandmother’s stories.
This one is called… Hongbu and Nolbu.
Now… long ago… there were two brothers.
The older brother… Nolbu…
He was very rich.
But… hmm… how shall I say this nicely…
He was also very greedy… very grumpy…
The younger brother… Hongbu…
But so kind… so warm-hearted…
even the birds and animals trusted him.
and ohhh… so many children…
So many that sometimes… even he might have lost count.
One year… times became very hard.
No rice.
The children were so hungry… their little stomachs made noises like drums.
So Hongbu went to his brother’s house…
could you spare just a little rice… for my children?”
and chased Hongbu away… with a stick.
Hongbu did not become angry.
doesn’t turn hard… just because someone else is cruel.
Hongbu found a маленькая swallow bird…
Its tiny leg… was broken.
“Aigoo… poor thing…” he said.
Very gently… he picked it up…
and fixed its leg… with care.
until it was strong again.
And when the bird finally flew away…
Hongbu only smiled… and waved goodbye.
But the story… was not finished.
A tiny seed… dropped right at Hongbu’s feet.
a great vine grew…
with large, heavy gourds hanging from it.
When Hongbu cut one open…
Silk.
Everything his family needed.
“Magic seed? Treasure gourds?”
did not learn the right lesson.
he broke its leg on purpose.
Mm… already… you know this is not wise.
only because he wanted the reward.
The vine grew.
Nolbu rubbed his hands together.
“Now I’ll be even richer,” he said.
He cut open the first gourd…
Noisy… messy… troublemaking goblins.
making the biggest mess you can imagine.
Storm winds that blew everything away.
But here… is the part I like best.
He did not say… “Serves you right.”
He welcomed his brother in.
is what a truly kind heart does.
So remember, my little ones…
Be kind… even when others are not.
Do not let greed grow in your heart…
And if you make mistakes…
It is never too late… to change.
do not go around breaking birds’ legs.
That part… is very important.
And dream of kind hearts…
