The Kite Fighters Read Online Free PDF

scholar. It was such men—those with much learning
and education—who were held in the highest esteem in society.

    Entry to the court was by examination. The examinations were held every three years, and Kee-sup would be taking them in the next cycle. Lee saw to it that the boy studied hard, for the examinations were extremely difficult. Only those with the best scores earned places at the court.
    As for Young-sup, perhaps one day he would take over the rice business. Lee loved both his sons, but the family honor was dependent on his first-born. This was the custom, the age-old tradition.
    There was no other way.
    ***
    The next day, after the evening meal, the boys' father came to their room. He held out a little parcel. As Young-sup looked on, Kee-sup opened the paper wrapping to discover a small ceramic jar.
    As always their father was a man of few words. "Gold leaf," he said.
    "Gold leaf ?" Kee-sup echoed.
    "Paint. With real gold in it."
    Young-sup understood in the same moment as his brother. "For the King's kite," they said in unison.
    "Yes. Now go finish." Their father left the room then, but not before both boys had seen the shadow of a smile cross his face.

    ***
    "Outline each scale in gold, brother. That would look very impressive."
    Kee-sup shook his head. "I thought of that already. There isn't enough."
    "Well, what about a little spot in the center of each scale? That would look good, too."
    "But such a small spot might not show up well from a distance." Kee-sup frowned at the dragon paper, deep in thought.
    Young-sup scowled. He was doing his best to help, but Kee-sup was rejecting every suggestion he made. He tried one last time. "How about a Chinese picture word painted in gold? You could write 'Royal dragon' or something like that. Something that tells of its whole character, its whole—whole ... I can't think of the right word, but do you know what I mean?"
    Kee-sup looked up suddenly. "What did you just say?"
    Young-sup sighed in exasperation. "Weren't you listening? I said to paint a Chinese word—"
    "No, no, not that part. The part about showing its whole character."

    "Oh. I just meant, we should think of something that shows its whole ... essence—that's what I was trying to think of before."
    Kee-sup clapped his hands in excitement. "That's it, brother! You've done it!"
    Young-sup grinned. "You like the idea? What word do you think would be best?"
    "I'm not going to paint a word, brother." Young-sup's face fell. "But never mind—you've given me an idea. Now I just need to work out how to do it." And though Young-sup pestered him all throughout the day, he would say no more.
    ***
    Even when Kee-sup finally declared that he knew how he would use the gold leaf, still he delayed. Each day Young-sup would ask if today was the day to finish the kite paper, and each day Kee-sup would have an excuse—he was too tired because he hadn't slept well, or he wanted to think about his idea one more time. Several more days passed.
    The evening meal was finished, and the boys were in their room. Their father's shadow fell across the
doorway. He glanced at the painted paper on the shelf, still red and black, as it had been for days, then looked at Kee-sup.

    "The paint is gold. Not magic. It will not paint the kite by itself." And he turned away as quickly as he had come.
    The boys looked at each other. Young-sup felt a pang of sympathy for his brother. All the same he knew their father was right.
    "Enough delay, brother." Young-sup spoke gently. "You can do it—no one better. It's time, you know."
    Kee-sup nodded without a word.
    Young-sup spread a linen drop cloth on the floor and took the dragon paper down from the shelf. Kee-sup opened the jar of gold leaf carefully. He picked out a rabbit-hair brush, then spoke. "I need the knife, too."
    "The knife?"
    "The one we use for kite making, to cut the bamboo sticks. Fetch it from Hwang for me."
    "All right, but why—"
    "No questions,"