So when the island magistrate comes to
our farmstead with the news that Uncle has
returned to Dangpo Port, my heart leaps. And it
leaps again when the magistrate says, “According
to Joonsa, the entire armada is assembling at
Dangpo tomorrow under Admiral Yi.”
Admiral Yi is our hero. Last month, the
samurai who’ve been ravaging Korea attacked
Mireuk Island. Japanese warships descended
into Dangpo Port, and I’ll never forget the
terror I felt as I fled the town marketplace
amid flaming arrows and musket fire.
But before they could pillage Mireuk,
Admiral Yi’s ships swept in. Within hours,WHEN UNCLE JOONSA left our
village to become a messenger for the Korean
armada, I thought I’d never see him again.
After all, he’s just a Mireuk Island fisherman,
and now he’s sailing his little boat through
samurai-infested waters.the enemy fleet lay at the bottom of
the harbor.
We owe the admiral a debt, one that
weighs on our minds. “The admiral is only
requesting water supplies, but our soldiers
deserve more,” says the magistrate. “I know
times are tough, but if everyone—”
“Say no more,” interjects Grandfather.
“We’ll bring our contribution to town
tomorrow.”
I nod beside him. I’d gladly go hungry to
support our protectors.
After the magistrate departs for the next
farmstead, Grandfather says to my parents,
“Pack all the rice we can spare. The children
and I will gather what we can from the garden.”
I hurry to work, giddy at the prospect
of seeing Uncle and the armada, when
Grandfather adds, “And Cheonson?”
“Yes?” I reply.BY S. Q. ERIES
Cheonson
and
the Admiral
Illustrated by Alyssa Winans
text © 2019 by Melinda Ng, art © 2019 by Alyssa WinansANARMADA
IS A FLEET OF
WARSHIPS.
SAMURAI
ARE
JAPANESE
WARRIORS.