The Nightingale
Title: The Nightingale
Pairing: Jaejoong/Yunho
Genre: AU, romance, fairytale
Length: One-shot
Rating: PG-13
Summery: King Yunho of Korea has something beautiful in his gardens, but what happens when you take something beautiful and change its settings? And sometimes artificial beauty is just not the same.
A/N: This is based on H.C. Andersen's The Nightingale. Everything in italics is from the translation linked before or my own translations from the original Danish work. I recommend this fairytale to everyone, since nothing compares to his original works.
Written for un_scribbled community Fairytale prompt
Original quotes have been adapted to fit the story. China has been made Korea, emperor made king and the Nightingale a singer. Also changes in pronouns when talking about Yoochun and Jaejoong, since in the original both were females.
Changmin in this story is soly dedicated to taemun
The Nightingale
In Korea, you know, the king is Korean and all those around him are Korean also. The story I am going to tell you happened a great many years ago, so it is well to hear it now before it is forgotten.
King Yunho was the greatest of all kings. The King of Korea knew this. The workers in the court new this. The lords and overlords knew it. Everyone else knew it as well. His castle was the biggest in Asia and no one had seen anything as grand. The building itself was beautiful with the most magnificent colours you could dream of. The tops of the palace were covered in beautiful gold that would enchant any bystander in the instant they looked at it.
The grounds matched the magnificence of the castle itself. A river flowed from the castle and into a forest and flowers that were not seen elsewhere bloomed perfectly in the immediate gardens. The forest was big and deep with the trees going further up than anyone would ever know. They stood there proudly, for they were the only trees in the king’s garden. You could see the leaves if you stood under the tree, you could however not see how far up the tree reached and some would say it reached all the way into the Heavens. Birds nested in these trees and sang ever so lovely all year long. The beauty and the size of King Yunho’s estate would know no limits and people came from near and far to get one little taste of this spectacular view.
However, despite the remarkable beauty of the area it was not the reason for the many visits. The birds sang about another voice, a man, whose voice was so beautiful that even the most talented bird couldn’t keep up with him. The rumours said that deep within the forest, far deeper than the river would go, lived this man, who would sing his heart out at any given opportunity. Despite the fact that no one had seen him, because he only showed himself to a few servants who dared to venter this far out into the forest, everyone who worked at the castle had heard the beautiful voice that would carry its way to any listener’s heart.
The rumour had even reached other countries in Asia making its way over to Japan and China, yes even further away as well to countries in the far, far west. Everyone had heard of this man in King Yunho’s forest. The man whose voice would compete with the beauty of the nature around him. Travellers came to listen to this man sing and then return home to write poetry and newsletters about he, whose voice no one knew anything similar to. The rumours went to the very far end of the world and back again into the King’s castle and finally one of the servants was overheard telling another servant about this magnificent voice and the news travelled all the way back to the king.
King Yunho was enraged. “How can such beauty exist right outside my doors and no one has informed me? How is such thing in my kingdom and I have not been told about it?” he wanted to know. No one dared to speak when King Yunho spoke, because the air about him was always with great authority and firmness that only a few selected members of society even dared to breathe in the same air as the king. Overlord Changmin was one of those, though he was of such high-bred that he would speak to anyone lesser than him with only a “P” and that means nothing in Korean.
The King summoned his overlord and Changmin was brought to the main hall of the castle instantly and was then asked the question about the beautiful voice.
“I have heard nothing of this my King.” Changmin bowed respectfully to his king as he spoke. “The voice has never been presented to the kingdom.”
“Then it shall be so tonight. I cannot have things in my Kingdom, which other people know more of it than I do.”
“I shall make it my first priority to find your beautiful voice.” The overlord bowed again as he left the room without once turning his back to the king. He did however not speak to the servants that guided him. They were of lesser breed.
Changmin was searching everywhere for this voice. He listened in the halls to hear if any of the servants knew anything, but he could never ask them, since he refused to speak with them and not much conversation would be made out of ‘P’.
“Your very modest majesty,” said the overlord as he was once again summoned to the king. “I have listened the very far endings of your palace and I have heard no such thing as the beautiful voice described in the books and the poetry. Perhaps his Royal Highness should not believe everything that is said in the written. It could be pure fiction or perhaps dark work.” Changmin argued.
The king was not pleased by the lack of directions to the beautiful voice. “I have great trust in the book I read it in, because it was given to me by a dear and trusted friend from Japan,” said the king and looked at the overlord who quickly bowed in respect. And as that the King turned towards all the servants and workers of the castle and spoke; “I will hear the man sing this evening and it will so happen even if I have to go through the forest myself. I shall gather the whole court and you will go out after supper.”
“Tsing-pe!” cried out Changmin as he once again ran out to look for any inquiry he could get about the man who sang so beautifully the fiver just flowed a little bit better at night and of the voice that everyone in the whole world knew of, however was still unknown to the court.
The court walked through the castle. Up and down the stairs. King Yunho was with them surrounded by his guards. They asked the servants and the painters, they even asked the man, who was cleaning the windows and the one who was dusting off the plants and all these workers led them to one person. The same person. One boy in the kitchen named Yoochun would lead them to the man.
“Ah yes I know of this voice.” Yoochun always spoke with his eyes lowered and even more so when it was the King himself standing before him. Changmin, the overlord, kept repeating “P” as if it was an actual word.
“Every night I walk through the forests to get home. I sneak small amounts of food home for my poor sick old mother and when I reach the ending of the river I hear the most beautiful song of a man, who is singing out his heart. It is so beautiful and I listen in the woods as I rest on my way home. Then the tears come into my eyes, and it is just as if my mother kissed me.” And even as the boy spoke tears filled in his eyes, because the voice of this mysterious man was just that beautiful.
“Youngling.” And because the young boy obviously was of lesser breeding than the overlord another lord was speaking. “We shall make sure your sick mother shall have medical care and you will forever have work with the court if you lead us to the singing man, because he is invited to the palace this evening to sing for the King himself.”
“P” Changmin was not willing to speak, however he was willing to voice his agreement with his favourite letter of the alphabet.
The entire court followed the young boy as they were lead out of the great castle and onto the grounds of it. The king of course stayed in the protection of the castle, however standing by the window waiting in anticipation.
“Ah!” said a young lord, “we have found him. I can hear the voice ever so clearly. True to the words of the book this is the most beautiful sound I have heard.”
“No sir, my apologies, but it is merely a duck quacking.” The young boy explained, “we are very far from the place.” He was always polite and would never disrespect the court despite the growing urge to laugh.
The sound of a nightingale was then heard. Beautiful songs of the best singer of all the birds. Simplicity and beauty came through to them.
“Beautiful! Magnificent.” The lord spoke again awe and wonder in his voice. “I do believe we have found him now.” Because he had never heard such beauty in his life before.
“No sir,” said the little boy again. “That was the nightingale, beautiful as its voice may be it is nothing compared to the beautiful man singing in his beautiful voice. We are there soon.”
And as the boy walked through the forest the court followed. The boy walked through the bushes stepping over branches and the court would follow. And just as the river ended the beautiful voice was heard. Right where it was always heard.
“There, there!” The boy pointed towards a man sitting on a bough in the shadow of a tree singing beautifully.
“How is this even possible?” The overlord Changmin had forgotten that he did not speak to those lesser than himself. “This is not at all what I imagined. This is a beautiful song, but he must have crumbled down knowing this many can hear him, because he is rather small.” The awe in his voice however would not fool anyone.
“Jaejoong.” The boy called out to the man and everyone gasped when he turned. Because the man might have looked plain from behind, but his face showed nothing plain. Pure beauty that matched his voice was shown and the entire court took a step backwards in awe of the purity and untouched beauty.
“Jaejoong, the great King of Korea wishes to hear you sing. He has heard all about you and he wishes that you sing for him tonight.” Yoochun continued, for he and Jaejoong were in fact friends.
“It would be my greatest pleasure to sing for our king.” The man - Jaejoong - bowed down formally. “Where is this king?” His eyes sought out a reaction, because he thought the king would be with them.
“Ah your voice and beauty will please our king greatly. We will hold a grand festival and you will sing for the king.” Changmin spoke with delight as he had been able to fulfil the order given to him by the king.
“Ah.” Jaejoong’s eyes faltered for a second, for he did not like to be inside. He did not like the restraints of the indoors and the air that was not fresh from the trees. He did not like singing when there were no birds to sing for. “My song sounds best in the green wood.”
Jaejoong however reluctantly agreed to join the king on the palace, because he was not one to say no to such a grand request. Of course he had heard of the king through the tales of the forest and if the king requested to see him, he could do nothing but allow it. This once.
If the castle had been beautiful before it was nothing to the spectacular decoration made to it for the man to sing for the king. The walls and floors glittered as thousand lamps and candles were lit throughout the castle. Flowers beautifully decorated the walls and stood in the corridors in large and equally beautiful vases. The little kitchen boy was standing in the door allowed to listen in, because it was quite clear that he had been the one to lead the court to Jaejoong, who’s voice would impress the king with no doubt.
Every person attending was wearing the finest clothing. Women’s eyes were delicately painted with a colour to enhance the eyes and the lips full and red. Men were wearing gloves and the elegant attire that would match that of a king’s. The king of course wore heavy gold chains around his neck and his finest attire, for he could not meet Jaejoong from anything but his best side. When Jaejoong was brought inside by the overlord Changmin the court bowed to him, though the king kept his eyes locked with those of the man’s. People were a little disappointed to see that the man was not wearing his finest clothing and was not wearing big golden chains, but no one spoke.
And it was as if the decorations faded away and the clothing became pale in comparison with the singer letting out his voice. This beautiful song had everyone standing in silence as they watched and the man sang so sweetly that the tears came into the king’s eyes, and then rolled down his song, as his song became still more beautiful and went to every one’s hear. Even the overlord was sniffling gently, but the kitchen boy was standing with eyes wide and full with pride as he felt his heart swell with joy for his friend. The song was so beautiful that no one had like it. No bird, no man, no woman had ever sung like this.
When Jaejoong was finished with his song there were loud claps throughout the dining hall and the King was so impressed he offered one of his heavy golden chains to be placed around Jaejoong’s neck and his golden slipper to be worn around his neck. “I have seen tears in a king’s eyes,” he said, “that is my riches reward. A King’s tears have wonderful power, and are quite sufficient honour for me;” and then he sang again more enchantingly than ever.
The ladies with the delicately painted eyes and full red lips could do nothing but sigh in appreciation of the man, who had turned beautiful the instant that he started singing. They whispered to each other gushing over the magnificence of the voice they had just heard. The maids who served the wine this evening felt extremely blessed to have witnessed such thing and the men who had mounted horses for court felt their hearts swell as Jaejoong sang of love, life and beauty. And Jaejoong was now to stay at the castle, because he was the reason for the pure joy on the King’s face. He received his own chambers and was to leave his forest. He would leave his home in the forest and take up the second best room of the castle, much to Changmin’s dismay, for he had had his eyes on that room for the past few months. Jaejoong was allowed to leave the castle twice a day to visit the nature as he could not sing without the fresh air, but no less than twelve servants would follow him out and stand around him as he took in the nature and there was not much pleasure in this kind of flying.
Everyone throughout the country spoke of this wonderful man and his wonderful voice. It was to the extent that if two people would meet they no longer greeted each other with ‘hello’ however one would say ‘Jae’ and the other answered ‘joong’ and they both understood that they spoke a name that held such beauty never known to human eyes or ears before. Nothing else was talked about in the time right after the festival held for Jaejoong and none less than eleven children were named after him, but not one of them could sing a note.
The King Yunho was very beloved not only in Korea, but also in other countries and this was clear, because he kept receiving gifts from everyone who knew him. One day he received a package so heavy that two men had to carry it to the King. “I am certain that this is a book about Jaejoong,” the king spoke as he saw it, because he had received quite a few of these. King Yunho was however for a brief moment disappointed as he learned that it was not a book. His disappointment quickly turned to joy as he discovered that the packet contained a beautiful statuette resembling Jaejoong. It was colourful and covered with all the stones you could ever imagine. It looked like the living one, though it was of a lot finer material. Rubies, diamonds, sapphires covered the whole body and clothing and the eyes were made of onyx. The statue was quickly unwrapped and the king looked at it with glee. It stood there on the table right in front of him and smiled just like the real Jaejoong would do if he was singing for the King. “The Emperor of Japan’s singer is poor compared with that of the King of Korea”
Whoever saw this small statuette would look at it with great joy and love it at first sight, because it looked just like Jaejoong, though with far more care and time put into the appearance. And it was radiant. He who had brought the artificial singer received the title of “Imperial singer-bringer-in-chief. And he was so highly rated that even Changmin spoke to him with words of great length. He would however turn around in distaste to anyone who cared to listen in on their conversation and give them a “P”.
And the statue was told to sing and so it did. The voice was ever so beautiful and its song would continue. They brought in Jaejoong to sing a duet with the lovely statue, which grand attire was that worthy of a King’s personal singer. But they did not get on well, for the real Jaejoong sang in its own natural way, but the statuette sang only waltzes. The disappointment was great by the King, because he had indeed been looking forward to the duet.
The music master however said that it was not a fault only to sing waltzes and that he preferred the waltz to the natural music of the real Jaejoong. If the music master thought so then everyone quickly agreed, because he was the one who knew best. Of course the statue was also far more beautiful to look at with its shining stones and fancy clothing. It would sing all night and would not grow tired, his voice did not go hoarse and he did not request to be taken back to his chambers. If King Yunho requested another song the statue would gladly oblige and keep on singing until the King told him to stop. The real Jaejoong was soon forgotten, for why would you listen to him, when this one was far prettier and would sing in waltzes? And nobody but the kitchen boy Yoochun noticed when Jaejoong ran out of the castle in the night and back to his green forest and the lovely river.
Only the very next day when the twelve courtiers were ready to take Jaejoong for his daily walk did they discover that he was gone. Nobody blamed the men, because they could not have known that Jaejoong would flee, but the singer was the one who was blamed. They all said that he was far too ungrateful, because he did not like to stay even after the king had given him the second best room of the castle. Jaejoong was no longer welcome within the courthouse or the castle itself.
But their sorrow was short-lived, because they had the statue and the beautiful waltz put them all at ease rather quickly. They never grew tired of the same piece over and over again and at some nights the King would request the song to be played a whole of forty-four times. The music master had only praises to say about this song and said that the music it produced was far better than the music Jaejoong had made. Not only in its dress and the beautiful diamonds, but also in its musical power was this statue far better than the real man they used to listen to. It was beautiful because they could all sing along with the song. And it became so famous that everyone knew the song, which was far better than when the real person sang, because with him you could never know which song would come next. It was understood and other musicians would play it on their violins or pianos and it would sound almost as beautiful as when the statue sang it.
Only Yoochun did not appreciate the artificial singer. He did not like the voice with the little bit of scratch you could hear beneath the real song or the workings of the inner mechanics of the statue. He did not appreciate any of those things, but he did not speak up, for he still heard Jaejoong sing out his heart every day he walked home. And the songs were even sadder than they had ever been, because now Jaejoong had experienced real pain. The birds would cry when he sang and tears would well up in the eyes in every living being around him. The flowers lowered their heads in sadness and the trees’ branches no longer stood proudly in the sun. Yes, even the fish found tears in their eyes as Jaejoong sang out his sad song.
In the castle the statuette was put on an exhibition and everyone were commanded to come listen to it sing every Sunday. They were all delighted about the sound from the statue and when the music master said it was the best piece of music he had ever heard, then so it was. However the workers in the kitchen and the poor fisherman, who had heard the real singer, said, “it sounds prettily enough, and the melodies are all alike; yet there seems something wanting, I cannot exactly tell what.” But those of court did not mind the poorer people, for the music master was the only one who knew about music and he had said the statuette was all good.
And the statue was placed on a high stand in the King’s chambers, the stand as preciously covered with stones and gold as the statue itself. It was so much more pleasing for the eye than Jaejoong had ever been. The statue was considered the second rank in the Kingdom only overdone by the King himself. It had the finest title of all “The Majesty’s Personal Singer For All Occasions” which was a title even higher than overlord, which was the one Changmin bore. The statue was considered among the noblest of men and even higher still and in the King’s heart it held a very special place nothing had yet to hold.
A whole year passed and before long everyone in all of Korea knew everything the statuette would sing. They would go around and sing it. The overlord sang it and yes, it was said that even the King sang it on occasion. It brought great amusement to everyone who ever sang since the melody was so giving.
However one day something terrible happened. The King was dining with the emperor of Japan, who had been the one to give the statue as a gift and he was very famous and beloved in all of Korea for bringing such beauty to their country. During the dinner the golden figure started to sound a little bit weird and no later than between the main course and dessert did something within it start to crack. It cracked and cracked and the shock was so great among all the listeners. The King called for doctors throughout the Kingdom and asked them advice, but they all didn’t know what to do with the statue. It went to watchmakers, for they knew a great deal about the insides of beautiful things however they did not know how to fix the statue either.
Finally a man who knew all about singing statuettes saw it, but he said the statue could not be fixed. They could not place a new heart within in it and it was now too dangerous to have it play this much. The statue was simply too tired and they needed to let it rest. It was with great sorrow that the King Yunho then decided only to let it play for him once a year on this date. Everyone were sad and people even started wearing black, but the music-master made a great speech about how it was better this way and of course it so became.
After this incident though the King was never the same and it wasn’t more than five years later that the wave of great depression hit the country like a storm. Everyone loved King Yunho and it was so that when he became sick everyone would be sad. In the streets people talked and whispered, for they wanted to know how their king was, but everything Overlord Changmin would ever tell them was “P” and then sigh heavily as sorrow painted his features as well.
A new king had to be chosen, but King Yunho was the only king the people wanted.
And there he laid in his bed the old King. Cold, pale and practically lifeless. The doctors said that there was nothing to be done about the beloved King and that he was now dead. Everyone went out to deal with the people who had come to ask about the king. They explained what the doctors had said and then went to eat dinner, because the king might be dead, but they did need food to be able to work.
The grand decorations of the castle were now covered in black, the portraits were all covered and the whole castle was weeping. Yoochun, the kitchen boy who was now a chef in the kitchen, stood outside the King’s chambers hoping to see a glimpse of the king. He did not believe what was happening.
What no one knew was that the King was not quite dead yet, because he had not been visited by Death. In the night when he opened his eyes and they were met with darkness his troubled breath caught in his throat and he felt a weight upon his chests. There, right next to the stand with the statuette singer stood Death looking at the King with great satisfaction. He had put the crown on his own head and admired the little statue with his hands, where his nails were painted black. “Yunho,” Death did not acknowledge that it was the King he was talking to, for now he was the one wearing the crown which made Death king.
“I am Death, or Junsu, but really Death should be fine.” It was odd how Death was actually introducing himself, but the King thought it was to scare him even more, for he did not want to die. His eyes were black and in them the King could see his entire life. All his good doings and all those he had done wrong were staring back at him and tears went to his eyes as Death’s stare were now in his heart. They all required him to remember how he had done them wrong and some were thanking him. As a king Yunho had done a lot of people wrong, however he had also done some right.
The King did not know what to say to them all, so he bowed and shed tears for all the wrong deeds he had done in his life. Then one cried “music” and another one joined and yet another until all the people Yunho had ever met were crying for music and the king himself joined in, for he missed his life’s greatest joy. “You little precious golden statue, sing, pray sing! I have given you gold and costly presents; I have even hung my golden slipper around your neck. Sing! Sing!” But the statuette remained silent. There was no one to wind it up, and therefore it could not sing a note.
Junsu looked at the king; his eyes unimpressed, empty and filled with coldness, the room went quiet as a familiar voice was heard from down the window. Yoochun had been listening at the door when the King had been visited by Death and he felt the horror of that you felt when you realised someone was about to die. He had heard the king’s plea and known that the statue would not sing. He did not like the king too much for having put Jaejoong into a room and suffocated him; however he did understand that his disliking of the King was not great enough for him to let him die. Running down the castle undetected in the middle of the night Yoochun managed to find Jaejoong and he explained everything. They both ran back and Jaejoong now stood under the window singing.
“Jaejoong.” King Yunho’s voice was filled with happiness and even Death’s eyes softened.
“Sing, please sing.” The plea came from Death himself and Jaejoong nodded and then understood that he was given the time to run up the stairs and into the King’s chambers. “Sing please,” Death pleaded again upon Jaejoong’s entrance.
“Then will you give me the beautiful golden sword and that rich banner? And will you give me the king’s crown?” Jaejoong asked.
And so Death gave up the king’s objects for yet another song, for he was not immune to the beauty of this voice. And flowers sprung free as Jaejoong sang and the sun woke up from its slumber as real light illuminated the grounds again, which it had not done for five years. Junsu looked out the window and longed to feel the wind on his face and the sunshine hit his eyes as the morning mist would disappear. And with that Death disappeared and he gave the king back his health, for Jaejoong had managed to sing his way into Death’s black heart.
ldquo;What can I ever give you back for what you gave me? My life!”
“You have already rewarded me,” said Jaejoong. “I shall never forget that I drew tears from your eyes the first time I sang to you. These are the jewels that rejoice a singer’s heart. But now sleep, and grow strong and well again. I will sing to you again.”
He started singing and the King fell into a sweet sleep that would only be induced by such beautiful voice. The entire night he sang not caring that his voice became stained as the night went on and when the king woke up he was all well. The sun was shining once again over the palace and the flowers no longer hanging with their heads towards the ground. The trees once again stood proudly in the gardens and the King had tears in his eyes as he discovered the reason for all this.
“You must stay with me. Please.” King Yunho pleaded with the singer, for he had discovered that he could not live without this voice.
“I cannot stay in the castle. I was not happy the last time I was in the castle.” The king had rose from his sickbed and was once again clothed in the clothing worthy of a king of his greatness with the crown placed high on his head. “I will come and sing for you and only you. Every evening. I will sing to you about nature and the beauty,” Jaejoong promised happy for the way he could make the King feel with his song.
“Yes, yes,” the king stood in front of Jaejoong breathing out the words happy that he once again was gifted with the beautiful songs.
“But you must tell no one about your singer. It is only for you.” And when the King did promise that he would not tell a soul about the singer Jaejoong leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the king’s lips before disappearing out the door and back into the nature.
The servants that now came to tend to their dead King were surprised to see a King standing in his finest attire with a smile gracing his lips, because he could still feel the soft kiss that had just been placed there. He greeted them as if nothing had happened and spoke to no one of the fact that Jaejoong every night would come and sing for him. And every night he would leave with a kiss that would leave King Yunho smiling for the entire day. And no one knew the reason for the King’s new found happiness, but no one spoke of it either. They assumed he had seen things when he had been dead. They did not know that the love for a song so beautiful that it would make your heart sing could make you smile with this happiness. They did not know that a kiss on the lips from this singer would feel like a kiss on the heart and make you fly with invisible wings. They did not know the wonders of Jaejoong.
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For your/my amusement here's the casting list from the original characters:
The Emperor of China: Yunho (King of Korea)
The Nightingale: Jaejoong
The overlord/lord-in-waiting/resident-snob: Changmin
Kitchen maid: Yoochun (kitchen boy)
Death: Junsu
Pairing: Jaejoong/Yunho
Genre: AU, romance, fairytale
Length: One-shot
Rating: PG-13
Summery: King Yunho of Korea has something beautiful in his gardens, but what happens when you take something beautiful and change its settings? And sometimes artificial beauty is just not the same.
A/N: This is based on H.C. Andersen's The Nightingale. Everything in italics is from the translation linked before or my own translations from the original Danish work. I recommend this fairytale to everyone, since nothing compares to his original works.
Written for un_scribbled community Fairytale prompt
Original quotes have been adapted to fit the story. China has been made Korea, emperor made king and the Nightingale a singer. Also changes in pronouns when talking about Yoochun and Jaejoong, since in the original both were females.
Changmin in this story is soly dedicated to taemun
The Nightingale
In Korea, you know, the king is Korean and all those around him are Korean also. The story I am going to tell you happened a great many years ago, so it is well to hear it now before it is forgotten.
King Yunho was the greatest of all kings. The King of Korea knew this. The workers in the court new this. The lords and overlords knew it. Everyone else knew it as well. His castle was the biggest in Asia and no one had seen anything as grand. The building itself was beautiful with the most magnificent colours you could dream of. The tops of the palace were covered in beautiful gold that would enchant any bystander in the instant they looked at it.
The grounds matched the magnificence of the castle itself. A river flowed from the castle and into a forest and flowers that were not seen elsewhere bloomed perfectly in the immediate gardens. The forest was big and deep with the trees going further up than anyone would ever know. They stood there proudly, for they were the only trees in the king’s garden. You could see the leaves if you stood under the tree, you could however not see how far up the tree reached and some would say it reached all the way into the Heavens. Birds nested in these trees and sang ever so lovely all year long. The beauty and the size of King Yunho’s estate would know no limits and people came from near and far to get one little taste of this spectacular view.
However, despite the remarkable beauty of the area it was not the reason for the many visits. The birds sang about another voice, a man, whose voice was so beautiful that even the most talented bird couldn’t keep up with him. The rumours said that deep within the forest, far deeper than the river would go, lived this man, who would sing his heart out at any given opportunity. Despite the fact that no one had seen him, because he only showed himself to a few servants who dared to venter this far out into the forest, everyone who worked at the castle had heard the beautiful voice that would carry its way to any listener’s heart.
The rumour had even reached other countries in Asia making its way over to Japan and China, yes even further away as well to countries in the far, far west. Everyone had heard of this man in King Yunho’s forest. The man whose voice would compete with the beauty of the nature around him. Travellers came to listen to this man sing and then return home to write poetry and newsletters about he, whose voice no one knew anything similar to. The rumours went to the very far end of the world and back again into the King’s castle and finally one of the servants was overheard telling another servant about this magnificent voice and the news travelled all the way back to the king.
King Yunho was enraged. “How can such beauty exist right outside my doors and no one has informed me? How is such thing in my kingdom and I have not been told about it?” he wanted to know. No one dared to speak when King Yunho spoke, because the air about him was always with great authority and firmness that only a few selected members of society even dared to breathe in the same air as the king. Overlord Changmin was one of those, though he was of such high-bred that he would speak to anyone lesser than him with only a “P” and that means nothing in Korean.
The King summoned his overlord and Changmin was brought to the main hall of the castle instantly and was then asked the question about the beautiful voice.
“I have heard nothing of this my King.” Changmin bowed respectfully to his king as he spoke. “The voice has never been presented to the kingdom.”
“Then it shall be so tonight. I cannot have things in my Kingdom, which other people know more of it than I do.”
“I shall make it my first priority to find your beautiful voice.” The overlord bowed again as he left the room without once turning his back to the king. He did however not speak to the servants that guided him. They were of lesser breed.
Changmin was searching everywhere for this voice. He listened in the halls to hear if any of the servants knew anything, but he could never ask them, since he refused to speak with them and not much conversation would be made out of ‘P’.
“Your very modest majesty,” said the overlord as he was once again summoned to the king. “I have listened the very far endings of your palace and I have heard no such thing as the beautiful voice described in the books and the poetry. Perhaps his Royal Highness should not believe everything that is said in the written. It could be pure fiction or perhaps dark work.” Changmin argued.
The king was not pleased by the lack of directions to the beautiful voice. “I have great trust in the book I read it in, because it was given to me by a dear and trusted friend from Japan,” said the king and looked at the overlord who quickly bowed in respect. And as that the King turned towards all the servants and workers of the castle and spoke; “I will hear the man sing this evening and it will so happen even if I have to go through the forest myself. I shall gather the whole court and you will go out after supper.”
“Tsing-pe!” cried out Changmin as he once again ran out to look for any inquiry he could get about the man who sang so beautifully the fiver just flowed a little bit better at night and of the voice that everyone in the whole world knew of, however was still unknown to the court.
The court walked through the castle. Up and down the stairs. King Yunho was with them surrounded by his guards. They asked the servants and the painters, they even asked the man, who was cleaning the windows and the one who was dusting off the plants and all these workers led them to one person. The same person. One boy in the kitchen named Yoochun would lead them to the man.
“Ah yes I know of this voice.” Yoochun always spoke with his eyes lowered and even more so when it was the King himself standing before him. Changmin, the overlord, kept repeating “P” as if it was an actual word.
“Every night I walk through the forests to get home. I sneak small amounts of food home for my poor sick old mother and when I reach the ending of the river I hear the most beautiful song of a man, who is singing out his heart. It is so beautiful and I listen in the woods as I rest on my way home. Then the tears come into my eyes, and it is just as if my mother kissed me.” And even as the boy spoke tears filled in his eyes, because the voice of this mysterious man was just that beautiful.
“Youngling.” And because the young boy obviously was of lesser breeding than the overlord another lord was speaking. “We shall make sure your sick mother shall have medical care and you will forever have work with the court if you lead us to the singing man, because he is invited to the palace this evening to sing for the King himself.”
“P” Changmin was not willing to speak, however he was willing to voice his agreement with his favourite letter of the alphabet.
The entire court followed the young boy as they were lead out of the great castle and onto the grounds of it. The king of course stayed in the protection of the castle, however standing by the window waiting in anticipation.
“Ah!” said a young lord, “we have found him. I can hear the voice ever so clearly. True to the words of the book this is the most beautiful sound I have heard.”
“No sir, my apologies, but it is merely a duck quacking.” The young boy explained, “we are very far from the place.” He was always polite and would never disrespect the court despite the growing urge to laugh.
The sound of a nightingale was then heard. Beautiful songs of the best singer of all the birds. Simplicity and beauty came through to them.
“Beautiful! Magnificent.” The lord spoke again awe and wonder in his voice. “I do believe we have found him now.” Because he had never heard such beauty in his life before.
“No sir,” said the little boy again. “That was the nightingale, beautiful as its voice may be it is nothing compared to the beautiful man singing in his beautiful voice. We are there soon.”
And as the boy walked through the forest the court followed. The boy walked through the bushes stepping over branches and the court would follow. And just as the river ended the beautiful voice was heard. Right where it was always heard.
“There, there!” The boy pointed towards a man sitting on a bough in the shadow of a tree singing beautifully.
“How is this even possible?” The overlord Changmin had forgotten that he did not speak to those lesser than himself. “This is not at all what I imagined. This is a beautiful song, but he must have crumbled down knowing this many can hear him, because he is rather small.” The awe in his voice however would not fool anyone.
“Jaejoong.” The boy called out to the man and everyone gasped when he turned. Because the man might have looked plain from behind, but his face showed nothing plain. Pure beauty that matched his voice was shown and the entire court took a step backwards in awe of the purity and untouched beauty.
“Jaejoong, the great King of Korea wishes to hear you sing. He has heard all about you and he wishes that you sing for him tonight.” Yoochun continued, for he and Jaejoong were in fact friends.
“It would be my greatest pleasure to sing for our king.” The man - Jaejoong - bowed down formally. “Where is this king?” His eyes sought out a reaction, because he thought the king would be with them.
“Ah your voice and beauty will please our king greatly. We will hold a grand festival and you will sing for the king.” Changmin spoke with delight as he had been able to fulfil the order given to him by the king.
“Ah.” Jaejoong’s eyes faltered for a second, for he did not like to be inside. He did not like the restraints of the indoors and the air that was not fresh from the trees. He did not like singing when there were no birds to sing for. “My song sounds best in the green wood.”
Jaejoong however reluctantly agreed to join the king on the palace, because he was not one to say no to such a grand request. Of course he had heard of the king through the tales of the forest and if the king requested to see him, he could do nothing but allow it. This once.
If the castle had been beautiful before it was nothing to the spectacular decoration made to it for the man to sing for the king. The walls and floors glittered as thousand lamps and candles were lit throughout the castle. Flowers beautifully decorated the walls and stood in the corridors in large and equally beautiful vases. The little kitchen boy was standing in the door allowed to listen in, because it was quite clear that he had been the one to lead the court to Jaejoong, who’s voice would impress the king with no doubt.
Every person attending was wearing the finest clothing. Women’s eyes were delicately painted with a colour to enhance the eyes and the lips full and red. Men were wearing gloves and the elegant attire that would match that of a king’s. The king of course wore heavy gold chains around his neck and his finest attire, for he could not meet Jaejoong from anything but his best side. When Jaejoong was brought inside by the overlord Changmin the court bowed to him, though the king kept his eyes locked with those of the man’s. People were a little disappointed to see that the man was not wearing his finest clothing and was not wearing big golden chains, but no one spoke.
And it was as if the decorations faded away and the clothing became pale in comparison with the singer letting out his voice. This beautiful song had everyone standing in silence as they watched and the man sang so sweetly that the tears came into the king’s eyes, and then rolled down his song, as his song became still more beautiful and went to every one’s hear. Even the overlord was sniffling gently, but the kitchen boy was standing with eyes wide and full with pride as he felt his heart swell with joy for his friend. The song was so beautiful that no one had like it. No bird, no man, no woman had ever sung like this.
When Jaejoong was finished with his song there were loud claps throughout the dining hall and the King was so impressed he offered one of his heavy golden chains to be placed around Jaejoong’s neck and his golden slipper to be worn around his neck. “I have seen tears in a king’s eyes,” he said, “that is my riches reward. A King’s tears have wonderful power, and are quite sufficient honour for me;” and then he sang again more enchantingly than ever.
The ladies with the delicately painted eyes and full red lips could do nothing but sigh in appreciation of the man, who had turned beautiful the instant that he started singing. They whispered to each other gushing over the magnificence of the voice they had just heard. The maids who served the wine this evening felt extremely blessed to have witnessed such thing and the men who had mounted horses for court felt their hearts swell as Jaejoong sang of love, life and beauty. And Jaejoong was now to stay at the castle, because he was the reason for the pure joy on the King’s face. He received his own chambers and was to leave his forest. He would leave his home in the forest and take up the second best room of the castle, much to Changmin’s dismay, for he had had his eyes on that room for the past few months. Jaejoong was allowed to leave the castle twice a day to visit the nature as he could not sing without the fresh air, but no less than twelve servants would follow him out and stand around him as he took in the nature and there was not much pleasure in this kind of flying.
Everyone throughout the country spoke of this wonderful man and his wonderful voice. It was to the extent that if two people would meet they no longer greeted each other with ‘hello’ however one would say ‘Jae’ and the other answered ‘joong’ and they both understood that they spoke a name that held such beauty never known to human eyes or ears before. Nothing else was talked about in the time right after the festival held for Jaejoong and none less than eleven children were named after him, but not one of them could sing a note.
The King Yunho was very beloved not only in Korea, but also in other countries and this was clear, because he kept receiving gifts from everyone who knew him. One day he received a package so heavy that two men had to carry it to the King. “I am certain that this is a book about Jaejoong,” the king spoke as he saw it, because he had received quite a few of these. King Yunho was however for a brief moment disappointed as he learned that it was not a book. His disappointment quickly turned to joy as he discovered that the packet contained a beautiful statuette resembling Jaejoong. It was colourful and covered with all the stones you could ever imagine. It looked like the living one, though it was of a lot finer material. Rubies, diamonds, sapphires covered the whole body and clothing and the eyes were made of onyx. The statue was quickly unwrapped and the king looked at it with glee. It stood there on the table right in front of him and smiled just like the real Jaejoong would do if he was singing for the King. “The Emperor of Japan’s singer is poor compared with that of the King of Korea”
Whoever saw this small statuette would look at it with great joy and love it at first sight, because it looked just like Jaejoong, though with far more care and time put into the appearance. And it was radiant. He who had brought the artificial singer received the title of “Imperial singer-bringer-in-chief. And he was so highly rated that even Changmin spoke to him with words of great length. He would however turn around in distaste to anyone who cared to listen in on their conversation and give them a “P”.
And the statue was told to sing and so it did. The voice was ever so beautiful and its song would continue. They brought in Jaejoong to sing a duet with the lovely statue, which grand attire was that worthy of a King’s personal singer. But they did not get on well, for the real Jaejoong sang in its own natural way, but the statuette sang only waltzes. The disappointment was great by the King, because he had indeed been looking forward to the duet.
The music master however said that it was not a fault only to sing waltzes and that he preferred the waltz to the natural music of the real Jaejoong. If the music master thought so then everyone quickly agreed, because he was the one who knew best. Of course the statue was also far more beautiful to look at with its shining stones and fancy clothing. It would sing all night and would not grow tired, his voice did not go hoarse and he did not request to be taken back to his chambers. If King Yunho requested another song the statue would gladly oblige and keep on singing until the King told him to stop. The real Jaejoong was soon forgotten, for why would you listen to him, when this one was far prettier and would sing in waltzes? And nobody but the kitchen boy Yoochun noticed when Jaejoong ran out of the castle in the night and back to his green forest and the lovely river.
Only the very next day when the twelve courtiers were ready to take Jaejoong for his daily walk did they discover that he was gone. Nobody blamed the men, because they could not have known that Jaejoong would flee, but the singer was the one who was blamed. They all said that he was far too ungrateful, because he did not like to stay even after the king had given him the second best room of the castle. Jaejoong was no longer welcome within the courthouse or the castle itself.
But their sorrow was short-lived, because they had the statue and the beautiful waltz put them all at ease rather quickly. They never grew tired of the same piece over and over again and at some nights the King would request the song to be played a whole of forty-four times. The music master had only praises to say about this song and said that the music it produced was far better than the music Jaejoong had made. Not only in its dress and the beautiful diamonds, but also in its musical power was this statue far better than the real man they used to listen to. It was beautiful because they could all sing along with the song. And it became so famous that everyone knew the song, which was far better than when the real person sang, because with him you could never know which song would come next. It was understood and other musicians would play it on their violins or pianos and it would sound almost as beautiful as when the statue sang it.
Only Yoochun did not appreciate the artificial singer. He did not like the voice with the little bit of scratch you could hear beneath the real song or the workings of the inner mechanics of the statue. He did not appreciate any of those things, but he did not speak up, for he still heard Jaejoong sing out his heart every day he walked home. And the songs were even sadder than they had ever been, because now Jaejoong had experienced real pain. The birds would cry when he sang and tears would well up in the eyes in every living being around him. The flowers lowered their heads in sadness and the trees’ branches no longer stood proudly in the sun. Yes, even the fish found tears in their eyes as Jaejoong sang out his sad song.
In the castle the statuette was put on an exhibition and everyone were commanded to come listen to it sing every Sunday. They were all delighted about the sound from the statue and when the music master said it was the best piece of music he had ever heard, then so it was. However the workers in the kitchen and the poor fisherman, who had heard the real singer, said, “it sounds prettily enough, and the melodies are all alike; yet there seems something wanting, I cannot exactly tell what.” But those of court did not mind the poorer people, for the music master was the only one who knew about music and he had said the statuette was all good.
And the statue was placed on a high stand in the King’s chambers, the stand as preciously covered with stones and gold as the statue itself. It was so much more pleasing for the eye than Jaejoong had ever been. The statue was considered the second rank in the Kingdom only overdone by the King himself. It had the finest title of all “The Majesty’s Personal Singer For All Occasions” which was a title even higher than overlord, which was the one Changmin bore. The statue was considered among the noblest of men and even higher still and in the King’s heart it held a very special place nothing had yet to hold.
A whole year passed and before long everyone in all of Korea knew everything the statuette would sing. They would go around and sing it. The overlord sang it and yes, it was said that even the King sang it on occasion. It brought great amusement to everyone who ever sang since the melody was so giving.
However one day something terrible happened. The King was dining with the emperor of Japan, who had been the one to give the statue as a gift and he was very famous and beloved in all of Korea for bringing such beauty to their country. During the dinner the golden figure started to sound a little bit weird and no later than between the main course and dessert did something within it start to crack. It cracked and cracked and the shock was so great among all the listeners. The King called for doctors throughout the Kingdom and asked them advice, but they all didn’t know what to do with the statue. It went to watchmakers, for they knew a great deal about the insides of beautiful things however they did not know how to fix the statue either.
Finally a man who knew all about singing statuettes saw it, but he said the statue could not be fixed. They could not place a new heart within in it and it was now too dangerous to have it play this much. The statue was simply too tired and they needed to let it rest. It was with great sorrow that the King Yunho then decided only to let it play for him once a year on this date. Everyone were sad and people even started wearing black, but the music-master made a great speech about how it was better this way and of course it so became.
After this incident though the King was never the same and it wasn’t more than five years later that the wave of great depression hit the country like a storm. Everyone loved King Yunho and it was so that when he became sick everyone would be sad. In the streets people talked and whispered, for they wanted to know how their king was, but everything Overlord Changmin would ever tell them was “P” and then sigh heavily as sorrow painted his features as well.
A new king had to be chosen, but King Yunho was the only king the people wanted.
And there he laid in his bed the old King. Cold, pale and practically lifeless. The doctors said that there was nothing to be done about the beloved King and that he was now dead. Everyone went out to deal with the people who had come to ask about the king. They explained what the doctors had said and then went to eat dinner, because the king might be dead, but they did need food to be able to work.
The grand decorations of the castle were now covered in black, the portraits were all covered and the whole castle was weeping. Yoochun, the kitchen boy who was now a chef in the kitchen, stood outside the King’s chambers hoping to see a glimpse of the king. He did not believe what was happening.
What no one knew was that the King was not quite dead yet, because he had not been visited by Death. In the night when he opened his eyes and they were met with darkness his troubled breath caught in his throat and he felt a weight upon his chests. There, right next to the stand with the statuette singer stood Death looking at the King with great satisfaction. He had put the crown on his own head and admired the little statue with his hands, where his nails were painted black. “Yunho,” Death did not acknowledge that it was the King he was talking to, for now he was the one wearing the crown which made Death king.
“I am Death, or Junsu, but really Death should be fine.” It was odd how Death was actually introducing himself, but the King thought it was to scare him even more, for he did not want to die. His eyes were black and in them the King could see his entire life. All his good doings and all those he had done wrong were staring back at him and tears went to his eyes as Death’s stare were now in his heart. They all required him to remember how he had done them wrong and some were thanking him. As a king Yunho had done a lot of people wrong, however he had also done some right.
The King did not know what to say to them all, so he bowed and shed tears for all the wrong deeds he had done in his life. Then one cried “music” and another one joined and yet another until all the people Yunho had ever met were crying for music and the king himself joined in, for he missed his life’s greatest joy. “You little precious golden statue, sing, pray sing! I have given you gold and costly presents; I have even hung my golden slipper around your neck. Sing! Sing!” But the statuette remained silent. There was no one to wind it up, and therefore it could not sing a note.
Junsu looked at the king; his eyes unimpressed, empty and filled with coldness, the room went quiet as a familiar voice was heard from down the window. Yoochun had been listening at the door when the King had been visited by Death and he felt the horror of that you felt when you realised someone was about to die. He had heard the king’s plea and known that the statue would not sing. He did not like the king too much for having put Jaejoong into a room and suffocated him; however he did understand that his disliking of the King was not great enough for him to let him die. Running down the castle undetected in the middle of the night Yoochun managed to find Jaejoong and he explained everything. They both ran back and Jaejoong now stood under the window singing.
“Jaejoong.” King Yunho’s voice was filled with happiness and even Death’s eyes softened.
“Sing, please sing.” The plea came from Death himself and Jaejoong nodded and then understood that he was given the time to run up the stairs and into the King’s chambers. “Sing please,” Death pleaded again upon Jaejoong’s entrance.
“Then will you give me the beautiful golden sword and that rich banner? And will you give me the king’s crown?” Jaejoong asked.
And so Death gave up the king’s objects for yet another song, for he was not immune to the beauty of this voice. And flowers sprung free as Jaejoong sang and the sun woke up from its slumber as real light illuminated the grounds again, which it had not done for five years. Junsu looked out the window and longed to feel the wind on his face and the sunshine hit his eyes as the morning mist would disappear. And with that Death disappeared and he gave the king back his health, for Jaejoong had managed to sing his way into Death’s black heart.
ldquo;What can I ever give you back for what you gave me? My life!”
“You have already rewarded me,” said Jaejoong. “I shall never forget that I drew tears from your eyes the first time I sang to you. These are the jewels that rejoice a singer’s heart. But now sleep, and grow strong and well again. I will sing to you again.”
He started singing and the King fell into a sweet sleep that would only be induced by such beautiful voice. The entire night he sang not caring that his voice became stained as the night went on and when the king woke up he was all well. The sun was shining once again over the palace and the flowers no longer hanging with their heads towards the ground. The trees once again stood proudly in the gardens and the King had tears in his eyes as he discovered the reason for all this.
“You must stay with me. Please.” King Yunho pleaded with the singer, for he had discovered that he could not live without this voice.
“I cannot stay in the castle. I was not happy the last time I was in the castle.” The king had rose from his sickbed and was once again clothed in the clothing worthy of a king of his greatness with the crown placed high on his head. “I will come and sing for you and only you. Every evening. I will sing to you about nature and the beauty,” Jaejoong promised happy for the way he could make the King feel with his song.
“Yes, yes,” the king stood in front of Jaejoong breathing out the words happy that he once again was gifted with the beautiful songs.
“But you must tell no one about your singer. It is only for you.” And when the King did promise that he would not tell a soul about the singer Jaejoong leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the king’s lips before disappearing out the door and back into the nature.
The servants that now came to tend to their dead King were surprised to see a King standing in his finest attire with a smile gracing his lips, because he could still feel the soft kiss that had just been placed there. He greeted them as if nothing had happened and spoke to no one of the fact that Jaejoong every night would come and sing for him. And every night he would leave with a kiss that would leave King Yunho smiling for the entire day. And no one knew the reason for the King’s new found happiness, but no one spoke of it either. They assumed he had seen things when he had been dead. They did not know that the love for a song so beautiful that it would make your heart sing could make you smile with this happiness. They did not know that a kiss on the lips from this singer would feel like a kiss on the heart and make you fly with invisible wings. They did not know the wonders of Jaejoong.
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For your/my amusement here's the casting list from the original characters:
The Emperor of China: Yunho (King of Korea)
The Nightingale: Jaejoong
The overlord/lord-in-waiting/resident-snob: Changmin
Kitchen maid: Yoochun (kitchen boy)
Death: Junsu