The Blind Man's Daughter, Part 2
© Susan Johnson-Roehr
This is a continuation of the Korean folk tale, The Blind Man's Daughter (Chung Shim).
At first, the sea was calm and the sailing smooth. Chung Shim had little to do but watch the water and think about her poor, lonely father. After several days, however, a typhoon struck and whipped the waves around the small ship until it was in danger of sinking. The sailors looked grimly at the water and begged the sea dragon to spare their lives. All eyes turned to Chung Shim, who knew that it was time for her to save the ship. Hiding her eyes and calling out to her father, she jumped into the angry sea like a small pink butterfly. As Chung Shim's feet broke the surface of the water, a sea goddess caught her in an embrace. Escorted by a royal school of tuna, the goddess whisked Chung Shim to the palace of the Sea Dragon King. The Sea Dragon King was instantly struck by Chung Shim's beauty and wanted to adopt her as his own daughter. The palace was an incredible place, even more sumptuous than the home of the local nobleman from Chung Shim's village. Every surface was covered with gems--pearls, coral, rubies and emeralds sparkled in every room. The Sea Dragon King was constantly entertained by singers and dancers, and everybody at the palace was happy. Still, Chung Shim could only think of her poor father. She refused to eat at the feasts and even refused to smile at the charming Sea Dragon King. Soon, the Sea Dragon King heard her story, and his heart was touched. Though he wanted to keep her with him always, he knew it would be best to return her to her own land. He gently placed Chung Shim in the petals of a lotus flower and sent it floating to the top of the sea. A passing vessel spotted the lotus flower as it appeared on the sea's surface. Realizing this was something special indeed, they gathered it in their nets to take to their king. The king was pleased by this unusual gift, thinking its appearance was a good omen. How he was surprised when the lotus flower blossomed before him, revealing Chung Shim, fast asleep. The young prince, standing at his father's side, fell instantly in love with the sleeping girl, and requested permission of his father to marry her. The king was pleased with his son's choice in marriage, and the wedding feast commenced immediately. The feast was very sumptuous and lasted many days, but immediately after the honeymoon, Chung Shim threw another feast. This feast, however, was for all the blind men on in the land of the morning calm. Day after the day feast for blind men continued, yet Chung Shim saw no sign of her father. Finally, on the last day of the feast, the poor blind man appeared in the crowd of feast-goers. Ecstatic, Chung Shim ran forward through the crowd and hugged her father desperately. It is I, she announced, your only daughter, come back to visit you! She wept with joy as she wrapped her arms around her father's neck. Mr. Shim was shocked and confused. He was unable to believe it--Chung Shim had returned to him! At just that moment, the promise of the Buddhist monk came to pass. Mr. Shim opened his eyes and saw his daughter for the first time. Soon Chung Shim's prince became the king, and he ruled with a kindly and benevolent hand. Shim Chung provided many sons for her husband and lived to a ripe old age. Her grandsons prospered under her care, and the royal family lived happily ever after.
At first, the sea was calm and the sailing smooth. Chung Shim had little to do but watch the water and think about her poor, lonely father. After several days, however, a typhoon struck and whipped the waves around the small ship until it was in danger of sinking. The sailors looked grimly at the water and begged the sea dragon to spare their lives. All eyes turned to Chung Shim, who knew that it was time for her to save the ship. Hiding her eyes and calling out to her father, she jumped into the angry sea like a small pink butterfly. As Chung Shim's feet broke the surface of the water, a sea goddess caught her in an embrace. Escorted by a royal school of tuna, the goddess whisked Chung Shim to the palace of the Sea Dragon King. The Sea Dragon King was instantly struck by Chung Shim's beauty and wanted to adopt her as his own daughter. The palace was an incredible place, even more sumptuous than the home of the local nobleman from Chung Shim's village. Every surface was covered with gems--pearls, coral, rubies and emeralds sparkled in every room. The Sea Dragon King was constantly entertained by singers and dancers, and everybody at the palace was happy. Still, Chung Shim could only think of her poor father. She refused to eat at the feasts and even refused to smile at the charming Sea Dragon King. Soon, the Sea Dragon King heard her story, and his heart was touched. Though he wanted to keep her with him always, he knew it would be best to return her to her own land. He gently placed Chung Shim in the petals of a lotus flower and sent it floating to the top of the sea. A passing vessel spotted the lotus flower as it appeared on the sea's surface. Realizing this was something special indeed, they gathered it in their nets to take to their king. The king was pleased by this unusual gift, thinking its appearance was a good omen. How he was surprised when the lotus flower blossomed before him, revealing Chung Shim, fast asleep. The young prince, standing at his father's side, fell instantly in love with the sleeping girl, and requested permission of his father to marry her. The king was pleased with his son's choice in marriage, and the wedding feast commenced immediately. The feast was very sumptuous and lasted many days, but immediately after the honeymoon, Chung Shim threw another feast. This feast, however, was for all the blind men on in the land of the morning calm. Day after the day feast for blind men continued, yet Chung Shim saw no sign of her father. Finally, on the last day of the feast, the poor blind man appeared in the crowd of feast-goers. Ecstatic, Chung Shim ran forward through the crowd and hugged her father desperately. It is I, she announced, your only daughter, come back to visit you! She wept with joy as she wrapped her arms around her father's neck. Mr. Shim was shocked and confused. He was unable to believe it--Chung Shim had returned to him! At just that moment, the promise of the Buddhist monk came to pass. Mr. Shim opened his eyes and saw his daughter for the first time. Soon Chung Shim's prince became the king, and he ruled with a kindly and benevolent hand. Shim Chung provided many sons for her husband and lived to a ripe old age. Her grandsons prospered under her care, and the royal family lived happily ever after.
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