Once upon a time…
In the quietest nights of a faraway land, there was a mountain that shone like silver, its peak never shimmering with mist: Moon Mountain . It was named after the thin rays of moonlight that curved around its summit every night, casting their light down upon the earth. Those who lived at the foot of Moon Mountain spoke of it with both fear and admiration; for it was said that the spirits of the moon roamed there.
Once upon a time, in a small village at the foot of Mount Ay, there lived a young man named Arin who had no dealings with hunters . Arin’s heart was full of compassion; he would heal wounded birds and secretly leave food for hungry wild animals.
One afternoon, a mournful cry rose from the forest. Arin ran to where the sound came from and saw a fox trapped in a snare. The animal’s fur shone as brightly as the moonlight, and its eyes gleamed like jewels. Arin immediately opened the trap and embraced the fox.
At that moment, something strange happened:
moonlight poured down on the fox, its fur slowly shimmered and dissolved, and the fox transformed into a young woman in Arin’s arms !
The woman’s eyes were as sharp as a fox’s, and her voice as gentle as the moon’s wind.
“I am the Fox Bride ,” she said. “I am one of the spirits of the Moon Mountain. Today you saved my life. I owe you a debt.”
Arin exclaimed in astonishment, “I didn’t want you to get hurt. I would have done the same for anyone I helped.”
The Fox Bride smiled. “That’s why I chose you. A great danger is looming over the Moon Mountain. The Silver Spring , hidden in the heart of the mountain, is drying up. If the spring runs out, both the people and the spirits of the mountain will perish. I needed someone to help me with this task.”
Arin accepted without hesitation.
The pair began their climb together along the misty paths of Mount Moon. Bear spirits, beams of light, and mist fairies guided them along the way. But in the heart of the mountain, amidst the shadows of dark cliffs, a giant creature awaited: the Wolf of Shadows .
This creature drinks the water of the Silver Spring, increasing its strength and weakening the mountain.
The Fox Bride whispered,
“We can only defeat him together. I will summon the light, and you will walk toward the heart of the shadow.”
As Arin gathered her courage and approached the wolf step by step, the Fox Bride ascended towards the sky. The moonlight spread in spirals, descending upon the wolf like a silver net. As the shadowy creature began to weaken under the light, Arin touched its heart with the torch in her hand. The wolf instantly dispersed like a dark cloud.
The Silver Spring had begun to shine again; its water had become clear and was flowing abundantly.
The Fox Bride landed beside Arin.
“Mission accomplished,” she said. “Mount Moon is saved. You are now among the mountain’s friends.”
Arin looked a little sad and asked, “And you? Will we never see each other again?”
The Fox Bride smiled; there was both sadness and light in her eyes.
“I am a moon spirit, I must be free. But whenever you look at the Moon Mountain, know that there is a light shining there for you.”
Having said this, it transformed back into a fox, leaping over the mountain and disappearing into the moonlight.
From that day forward, Arin became the protector of Mount Ay. The villagers called him “The Friend of the Mountain.” And the Fox Bride continued to greet Arin with a faint light that appeared on the mountain’s summit every full moon.
And Mount Moon, thanks to the courage of those two friends, has forever bestowed its silver light upon humanity.
And so the fairy tale ends.
Three silver drops fell from the sky; one onto the reader’s heart, one onto Mount Moon, and one onto the Fox Bride’s path…
