The Story Of A Small Fox Who Has A Star - Chapter 1
Chapter 1
I would like to share a small story.
Once upon a time, when a tiger could smoke a cigarette, there was a nine-tailed white fox named Cheon-Ho who ruled over Dong-Lang Mountain in the east.
Master Cheon-Ho ruled over Dong-Lang Mountain region for such a long time that it was enough to make elders go haha and hesitate to offend him.
Not only foxes who directly serves Master Cheon-Ho, but goblins with both strong and weak spiritual energies, animals in the area, and even humans were all living under Master Cheon-Ho’care.
One peaceful day, Master Cheon-Ho, who was sitting inside the government office located within the magnificently built red palace, while dully staring out the garden, spoke.
Because Master Cheon-Ho always did as he pleases, the fox lots who were by Master Cheon-Ho’s side silently bow down their heads.
“Should I create a child-”
He spoke casually while pick at his nine tails one after another.
At Master Cheon-Ho’s word, brown-nose crow whispered from the side.
“I heard that the mountain tail of the south region is noisy with trouble. If it is Master Cheon-Ho’s Child, then I am sure the child will successfully carry out master’s command better than anyone.”
To this, Master Cheon-Ho, while choosing which tail to pick, turned to the crow and spoke.
“Get out.”
For a long time, Master Cheon-Ho idlily choose among his tails until he found the most flowing tail and yanked it out.
But, what a surprise.
Because the tail was grabbed by the end when pulled, only the tip of the tail was cut off.
Clicking his tongue, Master Cheon-Ho throw away the short tail in his hand and proceeded to uproot rest of his tail with stronger force.
‘CRUNCH’ Like a thunder, the sound of uprooting tail echoed everywhere.
That sound was so loud that the animals living on Dong-Lang Mountain range were startled and the birds simultaneously flew up into the sky.
Nine tails turned eight, Master Cheon-Ho tossed the completely uprooted tail aside in the government office.
Round and Round, the tail rolled about on the floor before curling into a ball. From that ball, arms popped out, legs suddenly appeared, and head with light violet hair came out.
A fifteen-years old bonny boy with white body and red eyes fixed his gaze up at Master Cheon-Ho while gently wagging his white tail.
Master Cheon-Ho liked the child he made for the first time in many years.
“All right, let’s name you JHo*, since your hair color is so beautiful.”
“Thank you, Master Cheon-Ho.”
*’Ja’ refers to color violet in Chinese character.*
The Child who received the name JHo bowed his head in gratitude.
The fox lots who were near hurriedly came over and draped the boy’s charming legs and arms with jewelries.
Birds chirped in celebration of newly birthed and spread the news far and wide.
Master Cheon-Ho was about to bring the child in with a smile when the crow shouted.
“Ah, my goodness! Master Cheon-Ho look!”
When turn to the direction the crow shouted to, there, something was wiggling on the side of the garden.
It was the tail tip, Master Cheon-Ho throw away earlier, that turned into a child.
This child was so weak that he could not even stand, the thin and willowy limbs were skinny without any muscle or form.
The boy’s face was not pretty and, it looked like he was without any spiritual power because, the boy had boring hair and eye colors like human.
Don’t even mention that ungainly tail!
Simply put, it wasn’t worth laying your eyes on the child.
Sensing the displeasure from Master Cheon-Ho, foxes became anxious.
The child could not meet Master Cheon-Ho’s eyes and was shivering with nervousness even though he was Master Cheon-Ho’s child.
“Master Cheon-Ho”
Seeing how the foxes were waiting on him with unease, Master Cheon-Ho decided to give this pitiful child a name.
“Call him Ho-Chi* JHo can use him as an errand boy.”
*Chi is a letter that refers to something vulgar.
It was easy to deduce how Master Cheon-Ho thought about the child just by hearing the name. When JHo was given varying types of jewelries and beautifully colored silks, Ho-Chi could only cover himself with thin cotton fabric before following after JHo.
Because it was not too long after his birth and because he didn’t have much spiritual energy, Ho-Chi often fell while following the two figures.
It was better when Ho-Chi tripped over his cotton fabric, but Ho-Chi staggered and fell even without any obstacle.
Noticing this, JHo wrinkled his nose with distaste. Not wanting to see Ho-Chi’s struggling form, JHo ordered Ho-Chi to be sent away to the far corner of the palace.
The order made Ho-Chi to look up at his sibling for the first time with eyes full of tears. Ho-Chi knew that he was the short end of the tail, but they were still made from a same tail. Watching Ho-Chi’s figure, JHo snorted and continue to follow Master Cheon-Ho. Master Cheon-Ho did not reprimand JHo for his treatment of Ho-Chi.
The whole palace, no, the whole Dong-Lang Mountain welcomed the new junior master.
Day after day, banquet continued, and endless array of presents were offered to the new junior master. Even though it was just short time after the birth, JHo grasped the order of the world and his spiritual ability was very high.
Watching how his son can keep up a conversation with him, Master Cheon-Ho became very happy and bestowed JHo with more gems and Jewelries as presents.
Master Cheon-Ho brought wise turtle from NSa creek as a teacher, and escorted a tiger that leaves its nest once a month as a sparring partner for JHo.
Because it was a long time since he had such outstanding son, Master Cheon-Ho generously pampered JHo.
The celebratory banquet continued, and it was overflowing with creatures who wish to congratulate Master Cheon-Ho and win JHo’s favor.
For one month, JHo did not go to his palace.
Foods were abundant, and JHo was busy wallowing in praises of many others.
And then one day when everything seems little tedious, Master Cheon-Ho retired to his chamber and JHo also went back to his palace.
JHo’s palace was smaller in comparison to Master Cheon-Ho’s main palace, but it was still very splendidly decorated and built with red roof tiles.
While looking through numerous jewelries and hard to come by fabrics in several different rooms, one of JHo’s subordinates cautiously asked JHo.
“What should we do about master Ho-Chi?”
“Ho-Chi?”
Hearing a unfamiliar name, JHo stared at his subordinate with a blank look.
“Mater Ho-Chi was born at the same day with Master JHo. Master JHo did not instruct us any further what is to be done about Master Ho-Chi after relocating him to the far corner of the palace.”
Only then JHo remember leaving Ho-Chi in the corner of his palace. JHo could not even remember how Ho-Chi’s face looked like.
Just at that moment of boredom, JHo decided to pay Ho-Chi a visit.
JHo’s subordinate guided JHo to the very corner of the palace that they had to walk quite far. Even though the child is disdained, Ho-Chi was still the son of Master Cheon-Ho so Ho-Chi’s room was differentiated by a small gate.
Before the subordinate can help open the gate, JHo took the lead and barged into the courtyard.
Nothing could be shabbier than what JHo saw beyond the gate.
JHo could only stare at the small cottage before him with a shocked expression. Up until now, JHo laid his eyes only on extravagant things. Compared to everything else in JHo’s palace, this place seemed so out of place and uncultivated.
JHo looked around the ruined cottage that lacked any presence before turning his steps toward the back region of the cottage where he could make out small breathing sound.
“Ah, aat kkeueung (grunting noise)”
Like a noise made by a bird, the small sound of moaning tickled the rims of JHo’s ears. Wearing a snow-white cotton clothing, Ho-Chi was reaching his small hand towards an apple that was hanging from a tree branch over the stone wall.
Ho-Chi groaned as his fingertips barely touched the fruit that was just out of reach.
Ho-Chi’s weak and skinny figure was unchanged. The spiritual energy was very scarce in Ho-Chi’s body that one wouldn’t be able to differentiate Ho-Chi from a human if it wasn’t for Ho-Chi’s small tail.
Not noticing JHo’s presence, Ho-Chi longingly stared at the apply. Without any progress on plucking the apple from the branch, Ho-Chi bent down slightly and abruptly jumped to wallop the apply with his hand. One apple fell to the ground and rolled round and round. Even though the boy was now flopped down on the ground, Ho-Chi’s face was beaming with smiles.
And that is when Ho-Chi’s eyes met JHo’s.
Ho-Chi, remembering JHo right away, approached JHo. Ho-Chi was very delighted to see his sibling.
“Ah Ah”
Eyeing the stupid boy who cannot even speak properly, JHo turned his attention to the apple by his feet.
Ho-Chi followed JHo’s eyes to look at the apple on the ground. Instantly, Ho-Chi’s eyes glittered with anticipation for food.
Seeing Ho-Chi’s pure smiling eyes peeking up at him, JHo returned the smile.
To that, Ho-Chi’s face turned bright red and traces of shyness appeared on his face.
That was when JHo lifted his foot and crushed the apple.
A sound of crunch and a sweet scent of apple filled the air. Ho-Chi’s face stiffened and became twisted with grief.
By the time Ho-Chi produced enough tear to fat tear drop on his eye rims, JHo turned his body and left the pitiful cottage with a smile on his face.
“Since Master Cheon-Ho wished for me to use him as an errand boy, I will do that.”
Ho-Chi looked down on the ground where the crushed apple laid and cried.
Before JHo visited him, Ho-Chi had no guest except for those who brought him tray of food.
Even though Ho-Chi was Master Cheon-Ho’s child, no one knew how to approach Ho-Chi since Ho-Chi was abandoned by Master Cheon-Ho and bestowed on JHo as a servant. So fox lots only brought Ho-Chi food and did not even address him.
Because of such circumstances, Ho-Chi did not have the opportunity to learn how to properly speak and had to stay within the walls of the cottage. Ho-Chi’s world was limited to cottage and the courtyard.
Ho-Chi rubbed his now reddened eyes and gathered some soils to make a small grave for the crushed apple.
TN: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. The novel is not divided by chapters so I will translate as much as possible each time. This story stayed with me for many years and I am happy to share it with more people. If you would like you can support me by rating this novel on Novel Updates, leaving encouraging comments, and buying me Ko-Fi!
