Young-hee and the Pullocho (11 page)

“They're
pretty
,” said Bum. One fish gave a funny shimmy, gathered speed and followed an upward stream to a higher part of the fountain. “Wow,” said Bum. “That's so cool.” He splashed the flow with his stick, sending water spraying upward before gravity re-asserted its hold on the little drops, pulling them to the ground. “Our apartment's fountain isn't like that.”

“Hmm,” Young-hee agreed.

And then it happened. “
Frog!
” shouted Bum, and quicker than she thought possible, he leaped into the fountain. She lunged, but clutched only air. With a deep
plunkt
sound, he was in the water, just like back home.

“Annoying!” she said, as his cannonball splashed all over her and Bum sank below the surface. The water was clean and clear, but the bubbling and churning from the force of the flow made it hard to see clearly. She could make out Bum in a dark corner of the fountain, distorted in the shimmering ripples, but he was not surfacing. “
Bum!
” she shouted.
What was going on?
He didn't look stuck on anything or hurt, but he just sat beneath the surface.

Young-hee had kicked off her shoes to jump after Bum, when suddenly a gush of water burst from the fountain. In it, a large, dark shape sprang rose high into the air, spraying water everywhere. It hopped in a big arc, landing at the foot of a tree, about twenty meters away, by the big hedge. It was a giant green frog. And, Young-hee realized in shock, Bum was on its back. Riding it like a horse.
That could not be good,
she thought. Before she could call out Bum's name, the frog jumped again, much higher and farther, flying between two jureum trees.
Oh, no
, she thought and took chase.

With each jump, the frog covered a lot of ground, as he zigged and zagged through the woods. Growing tired, it was all Young-hee could do to keep them in sight, but she pushed herself harder, determined to keep Bum safe. And then she heard it—Bum
laughing
. In fact, she was pretty sure she heard a “
Whee!
” coming from him, and resolved to kill him after she saved him.

Finally, as the end of the jureum tree forest neared and Young-hee thought she might be gaining on them, she saw an immense hole, like an old quarry, half-filled with water. “
Bum, don't go in there!
” she shouted. But even as the words left her lips, the giant frog stopped at the lip of the cliff, just long enough for Bum to slide off, and leapt into the water below.
Thank goodness for that
, she thought.

“What do you think you were doing?” she wheezed between gulps of air.

“The froggy was fun,” said Bum, clearly delighted.

“Bum, that was very dangerous.”

“No, froggy said we should go jumping,” he answered.

“Froggy said?”

“Uh-huh. First he said I shouldn't be in his fountain, but then he asked if I wanted to play.”

“That giant frog talked? Underwater?” she asked, surprised but not as surprised as she would have been the first time she traveled to the Strange Land. At least it didn't try to eat Bum. Or her. Yet.

“
Hi, froggy!
” said Bum waving at the water. Young-hee saw a large pair of eyes at the surface of the water, staring at them.

“Uh, hello, Mr. Frog,” said Young-hee politely. “Thanks for not hurting my brother.”

“Hurt him?
Phooey.
I wouldn't dream of it,” answered the frog in a rumbling voice. “Frogs know how to treat guests.”

Phooey? Young-hee recognized the sound of someone insulted, even if it was a frog.
Always be reverent and polite,
she recalled
.
Best to do damage control. “Oh, yes, of course,” she said. “Frog hospitality is famous where I'm from. I'm just, as his big sister, it's my job care for him. I'm sure you understand what family is like.”

The frog stepped from the water, droplets shimmering on its green skin. “Of course,” he said, magnanimously. “I have many siblings and I love them all.”

Young-hee remembered reading that frogs have thousands of tadpoles at a time and shuddered at the thought of thousands Bums running around. “I'm Young-hee, and this is my brother Bum. We're kind of new here. Are you from around here?”

“Indeed,” said the frog, approaching. “This lake has been my family's home for generations.”

“It looks very … big,” said Young-hee, not sure what to say to a frog. “Say, would you know an old woman named Grandma Dol who lives in that jureum forest?”

“Granny Dol?” he said, now right in front of them. Young-hee marveled at how the amphibian's ugly gait carried its great bulk, and could probably carry her as well. A great hopper, but walking was not the frog's strongest point. “Of course. A fine old stone. My family has basked on her cool surface on many a summer's day.”

“I see. The last time I was here, she was quite nice to me. I was hoping to see her again.”

“Well, that might be difficult. Many creatures have been leaving those woods. Many bad rumors afoot these days. Changes.”

“Oh, nothing too terrible, I hope.”

“I'm a frog. By night I eat dew. By day I eat sunlight. How can I know?”

“To be honest, I don't know a lot of frogs. Where I'm from, they're a lot smaller … and don't really talk.”

“I'm not surprised. Many of my people are not big talkers. Although we do enjoy a good cry, especially when it is raining.”

“Ah, I know that,” she blurted out excitedly. It was a story everyone knows. “I mean, I'm very sorry for your loss, but you cry because of your mother and the river, right?”

“Thank you for your sympathies, but to be honest it was long ago. And, personally, I think many of my brethren are too full of self-pity. But I am impressed you know of our sad story.” He took a couple of steps closer, looking over Young-hee and Bum. “If you don't mind me asking, but would you happen to be human children? From the mud world?”

“Yes, we're bear-children,” said Young-hee, trying to use what she had learned last trip. But her comment annoyed the frog.

“‘Bear children'—phooey,” he said with a rolling ribbit of disgust. “But I'm not surprised. That's all anyone talks about anymore. But keep in mind, Ms. Young-hee, there are different stories out there. Older stories. And in one of the oldest, it was actually frogs who helped the Son of Heaven create the first man. Frogs have ended kingdoms. Frogs have more power than most people realize.” He half-hopped toward the water.

“I'm sorry, Mr. Frog,” said Young-hee quickly. “I didn't mean to offend. I bet you are a very noble race.”

The frog turned back. “I did not mean to sound so grouchy,” he said. “There was a time when only our story was known, but that was a very long time ago, and I should not be surprised to hear of bear-sons and bear daughters. I guess I am just tired—I am a prince, too, of sorts, and I have been cursed.”

“A frog prince? Are you waiting for a kiss?”

“A kiss? No. What does that have to do with anything?”

“Sorry. It's a famous story where I'm from.”

“Well, please keep your story to your world. As for me, I cannot return home until I drink this lake dry and eat all the fish, among other things. It has been many years and it will be many more until I'm done. Sometimes it makes me short-tempered.”

“Oh, I wish I could help,” said Young-hee. “But I don't think I could drink much of that lake. It's very big.”

The frog looked at her funnily. “It was nice of you to offer. One day, perhaps you can help me. But not today. I thank you and your brother for your company.” And with that, the frog gave a big hop and dove into the water.

“Froggy's gone,” said Bum, disappointed.

Young-hee wasn't sure of what to make of that conversation, but reminded herself of the need to be respectful to all of Strange Land's creatures. For all she knew, the next mouse she met could be a princess. Or a pile of wood could be a wizard.

She looked at the sky and wondered what time it was. Or if Strange Land had time. Her last visit had lasted seven or eight hours, but it always looked like early evening.
No telling how long days last here
, she thought.
We'd better get moving
. “Come on, Bum. Take my hand. I want to show you something.”

Bum complied, and she led him back into the forest. The large jureum trees were disorienting, but she kept Haechi Hill on her left and tried to retrace her steps, aiming for Jiha and Cheonha. But when they emerged from the forest, the goblin market lay ahead. Young-hee thought about going back to talk to the jangseung, but decided it was easier to go straight into the market. She had a plan—buy some food and things, then go exploring. She could meet Jiha and Cheonha after, maybe ask for advice about places to go.

“Let's go,” Young-hee said. A few other people were walking to the market, too—a long, elegant creature that looked like an elf; a bent, witch-looking woman; three beautiful, child-like women dressed in forest greens and browns, giggling and gossiping. They all ignored her, thankfully. At least four times Bum almost ran off in one direction or another, suddenly captivated—by a strange flower, a big rock that needed climbing, something high in the trees. She was determined that nothing would bite or hop off with—or, heaven forbid, eat—her brother, so she held tight to his hand.

“Did you see that big froggy?” he asked.

“Yes, Bum, I was there.”

“Wasn't he awesome?”

“Yeah, he was pretty cool. Everything here is pretty cool.”

“Did you see that big orange flower, the one that was
walking
?”

“Uh, no. Are you sure it was walking?”

“Uh-huh. I told you to look, but you weren't listening.”

“Sorry, Bum.” She did feel a bit guilty about that, actually. There was so much to see, but she wanted to make sure Bum was safe and under control. The market hubbub grew with each step closer.

“And did you see the doggy?”

“Huh? Do you mean Gangjee? He's right here in my pocket.”

“No, the little brown doggy, playing in the long grass near froggy's pond.”

Young-hee didn't like the sound of that. She hadn't noticed any dog. Did fairytales have dogs? But there are plenty of wolves, like in
Red Riding Hood
or
The Three Little Pigs
. Or maybe wolves were just in Western fairytales?

“We're almost at the market, Bum. See?” She pointed at the stalls. “Now, Bum, this is
important
,” she said, holding him lightly by the shoulders and looking seriously into his eyes. “You need to stay with me, okay? We're going to the market, just like home. And we're going to meet strange-looking people. Or creatures. Or something.” Bum looked at her dumbly. “Anyhow, some are nice, but some can be a little scary. Don't get frightened or weirded out. Stay with me and we'll be okay, I promise. Right?”

“Okay,” he intoned, only half-looking at her. So far, nothing seemed to have fazed Bum at all. He just took it all in, matter-of-fact, like it was as normal as a refrigerator or a roll of
gimbap
.

Young-hee feared he wasn't paying attention, so she pushed the point. “Do you
promise
?”

“Yes, I promise.”

It would have to do. “Good. Then let's go.”

The market enveloped them with noise and activity. Young-hee wasn't as overwhelmed as the first time and managed to take it all in better. What now struck her were the hanbok
most of the creatures were wearing—many were white and baggy, like in TV dramas and traditional paintings, but others were brilliantly colored or made in exotic fabrics and fashions.

Most of the merchants in the goblin market were, unsurprisingly, goblins—squat, gray-skinned dokkaebi, with their gnarled, googly eyes—smelling of ashes. They were creatures of the fireplace, she had read on one trip to the library, and she even saw one handling hot coals with its bare hands. A large, jowly creature with three horns, shaggy hair, and hands the size of melons sat in his stall, polishing a huge array of copper, silver, and other metal pots. Past him—
it?
—four small, frail-looking women, like the one Young-hee had seen walking to the market, ran a stall for maps, beautifully drawn on heavy paper. Ignoring potential customers, they puffed on long pipes, gossiped, and pushed small stones on a game board. An old, skinny man with drooping skin and the longest pipe Young-hee had ever seen stood to one side. “
Unlearning!
” he called in a sing-song vibrato. “Give me the knowledge and thoughts you no longer need! Top coin for top ideas!” In another stall, was the most beautiful ogre ever—or the ugliest fairy—with long black hair in a bun, over a lumpy but graceful face. She wore a huge, brilliant hanbok, with a long, crimson
jeogori
jacket tied with a ribbon of beautifully stylized
otgoreum
. She sat around a huge stone wheel, grinding beans in colors both familiar and bizarre.