04. Learning from children

''So you met the newcomer? I hear there are few families again near the town and only one single woman arrived. How is she?'' Group of men sat and watched the performance in front of them while they drank and had fun with few women.

The man shook his head. ''Nothing special. Trust me. Better to not bother her.''

One man smiled brightly and looked at him with a nasty smile. ''Did you 'taste' her?''

Gong shook his head. ''I am not crazy. You know my family. Thye would beat me half to death and would probably make her disappear. Why have an innocent soul on my head? No thank you.''

The sleazy man smiled even brighter as he came near. ''Then... you don't mind if I take her.''

Gong started laughing. ''Ugh, I forgot to tell you most important point.''

Everyone looked at him with interest as he said that. ''What is it?''

''You can't ever touch her. Ever...'' He shook only by thinking about it.

They became flabbergasted when they heard his words. Especially the man. ''Why? What is it?''

''She is in Kang's Village. Elder Kang sold her the old home where her parents lived a couple of years ago.'' Gong shook his head one more time and just stood up. ''If any of you try something stupid around that girl I don't want to be involved. I am going to check what is my little widow doing, you guys have fun. See you another time.'' He checked his clothes and then walked swiftly leaving everyone in room silent, even the actors became pale.

The sleazy men wrinkled his eyebrows. ''Old Kang is still alive?''

The other men shook their head and stared at him. ''If she put that child under her protection, you better watch out. Even if she dies that woman will be holding her protection. Be it alive or dead, she is too dangerous to play with. Don't be stupid.'' One by one stood up and left as they knew that he was quite stubborn in what he planned to do.

He narrowed his eyes as his face became cold. ''Maybe its time we get rid of Old Kang.'' The moment he said that all actors started running away and even the women that sat there picked their dresses and rushed out, leaving him completely alone.

A man entered the room and looked at him with a big smile. ''So, you plan to touch our mother...'' As the door slowly closed a scary smile appeared on man's face...

''Miss Mina, miss Mina... Look at this plant. It is called Hallei. It can heal light cough, but as it has a refreshing taste most of our household is cooking the tea with it and cool it down ins summer to drink. It refreshes the body and relieves it of fatigue in hot summer months.'' The girl pointed at a flower with five pink petals. But they didn't take the whole plat out and just cut few leaves off it. ''It has a strong flavour so only a few leaves are enough for a bunch of water. Of you put too many leaves in the water... you might have to go and relieve yourself too much.''

Mina took few leaves and smelled on them, but then had question popping in her mind. ''Why don't you transplant it near your home?''

The children shook their head. ''We tried. It seems it dies the moment it's taken out the ground so we don't dig it out. We know where plants are so we just take leaves and it's enough. Let it be alive. there are either things we can find in the forest.''

They continued their walk while she put the few leaves into her handkerchief and then in her small bag she held on side of her hip. She hoped it will be less crushed.

Suddenly they started cheering. ''It grew, it really grew this year!'' Their cheerful voices could be heard all over the forest.

Mina saw them diligently digging and saw nearby child taking out big round root and put it carefully into his bag. ''What is this?''

The little boy shook his head and like a big grown-up and rose his finger and started explaining. ''This is something delicious. Its called Salkmo. It starts growing randomly. Actually most plants in the forest grow randomly and can't be transplanted into gardens, we tried it all.''

Mina could see purple leaves connected to the root and tried to find an empty spot to dig herself. Soon she found as well one of those roots and slowly dug it out soft forest earth. It was actually easy to pull out but it was quite heavy.

She looked at the boy that spoke to her before and waved her hand for him to come. ''What is your name?''

''Ah yes, I am Choi Hyuk. Half of the children her are Choi, the other half is Lee. The other villagers do not come to the forest as they think its too dangerous. They just think its easier to eat from own garden than a forest, but it's foolish. My family lived here for many many generations and it was always usual to send children to the forest to gather wild vegetables. Ther are so many that people just don't know.'' Choi Hyuk shook his head.

''How comes Lee's send their children?'' She was curious.

Choi Hyuk smiles brightly. ''Lee's came just like you but a few years ago and saw us going to forest every now and then. So they sent few kids with us and now whenever we go they join or when they plan to go we join. We got used to it. Miss, here in the forest there are only three plants poisonous all other plants are edible. The problem is like with that healing plant. If you eat too much of it some plants have strange... side effects.''

She pointed at the round root. ''What kind of side effect ha this and how do you prepare it?''

Choi Hyuk smiles and shook his head. ''Today we will gather edible plants that you can eat as many as you want and cook as you wish. Cooked, fried, boiled, steamed. You name it and it's still edible.''

With relief, Mina sighed and smiled. ''Then let's continue.''

Not long after they came to strange stone formation. Choi Hyuk pointed at the stones. ''You see the pretty white flowers there. Don't even go near. they have something like needles. If you touch the needles you can faint and you will sleep for at least two days. right next to it is purple long plant and usually can be used as a tea against poisons, but if you eat it raw your body cools down and you might faint and stay that way for many days as well. And the third plant is the one right on the purple plant. Its creeper plant but so tiny that you have to go very close to see it. Look how translucent its leaves are that you usually don't see it.''

Mina saw a beautiful plant with small see trough leaves that were holding tightly on a purple flower. ''How pretty...''

Choi Hyuk shook his head. ''This plant is most dangerous plant ever. Its name is Dead Alive. Even by touching it for a few moments your body might lose the ability to move and some people survive it and some stay frozen until they die. Its cruel plant. You are alive but can't move not even one muscle until death. So stay away from this place as far as you can. Trust me. And this plant grows only near these stones. Nowhere else.''

She just noted the most important information. Stay away from the stones. Simple as it is.

On their way further in the forest, they found various mushrooms and he explained how they can be prepared so she happily gathered as many as she could and they walked back home with huge smiles.

But as soon she left the forest she met the most unpleasant situation in her life.