A Bridegroom for Miss Mole

A Bridegroom for Miss Mole

Underground, not far from the large stone statue of Miryok, lived a family of moles.

One spring morning, their daughter was born. She grew up curious and quick, with a gift for digging new passages where other moles saw only hard earth.

Father Mole was incredibly proud of her.

“My daughter is special,” he told the neighbors. “One day, she must have the most remarkable companion in the world!”

When Miss Mole was old enough to make her own decisions, her father suddenly announced:

“I shall find the most powerful bridegroom in the universe!”

Miss Mole raised her eyebrows.

“Father, perhaps you should find him first, and then we can see whether we like each other?”

“Of course, of course,” replied the father hastily. “That is exactly what I meant.”

And he set out in search.

First he thought of the Sky.

“What could be grander?” Father Mole thought. “It covers the whole world.”

He climbed out of his hole, raised his muzzle and called out:

“Great Blue Sky! You stretch above mountains, rivers, and towns. Are you the most powerful thing in the world?”

The Sky answered in a calm voice:

“I am vast, but not the most powerful. When the Sun rises, it fills me with light. When it sets, my colors change. Speak to the Sun.”

Father Mole gave his thanks and waited until morning.

The Sun rose, golden and bright.

“Sun!” he called, shading his eyes with a paw. “They say you are stronger than the Sky. Are you the most powerful thing in the world?”

The Sun laughed warmly.

“I can warm the fields and light the roads, but look over there.”

A large Cloud was just floating in the sky.

It drifted in front of the Sun, softening its rays.

“The Cloud can hide me,” said the Sun. “Ask her.”

Father Mole waited for the Cloud to drift closer.

“Dear Cloud! You can hide even the Sun. Are you the most powerful?”

The Cloud puffed up in surprise.

“Me? Look what the Wind does to me!”

Just then, a breeze blew past.

Whoosh!

The Cloud sailed on.

“I can cover the Sun,” she called as she went, “but the Wind sends me wherever it wishes.”

Father Mole turned to the Wind.

“Mr. Wind! You move the clouds. Surely you are the strongest!”

The wind whistled between the trees, shook the grass, twisted a few dry leaves and answered:

“I can drive clouds and shake branches. But do you see that enormous stone statue of Miryok? I have blown against it for years, whistled around its ears, and rushed at it from every side. Still, it stands.”

Father Mole looked at Miryok.

The stone figure rose above the slope, like a part of the mountain itself.

“There he is!” Father Mole thought happily. “The most powerful of all!”

He ran to the statue’s feet and called up:

“Great Miryok! The Sky yielded to the Sun, the Sun to the Cloud, and the Cloud to the Wind. Now the Wind says you are stronger. You must be the most powerful in the world!”

The stone giant was silent for a long time.

Then his voice seemed to roll through the rock:

“I am large and heavy. The Sun cannot melt me, the Wind cannot move me, and the rain cannot make me leave this place.”

Father Mole jumped up with joy.

“Then I have finally found the strongest!”

“Not so fast,” said Miryok. “Look down.”

Father Mole lowered his eyes.

Near the very foot of the stone a fresh mound of earth was visible.

A young mole peeped out of it.

“What are you doing?” Father Mole asked in surprise.

“Digging a tunnel,” the young mole replied. “The earth is rather hard here with the stone above it. But never mind. I’ll go around underneath.”

Miryok said quietly:

“You see? I cannot move the Wind, and the Wind cannot move me. Yet this little mole is digging away at the earth beneath my feet. Every kind of strength meets another that can challenge it.”

Father Mole sat down on the ground.

He had traveled such a long way, yet the answer had been close to home all along.

That evening he returned to his daughter.

“I have not found the most powerful being in the world,” he admitted. “The Sky depends on the Sun, the Cloud hides the Sun, and the Wind moves the Cloud. The Wind cannot move Miryok, yet a little mole digs quietly beneath him.”

Miss Mole laughed.

“Perhaps we don’t need to find the most powerful one?”

“Perhaps not,” her father agreed. “Better to find someone who makes you happy.”

Just then, the young mole Father Mole had seen beside Miryok passed their burrow. He was carrying a basket of roots for his grandmother and stopped to say hello.

Miss Mole began talking with him. He loved digging new tunnels too, knew where the earth was softest after rain, and never laughed at anyone who took a wrong turn.

They became friends. And later they decided that they wanted to be together.

Father Mole did not announce anything this time and did not compare anyone to the Sun or the Wind.

He only said:

“That is probably the best answer of all.”

And from that day on, whenever the moles in town argued over who was strongest, Father Mole smiled and said:

“There are many kinds of strength. And happiness cannot be measured by strength at all.”

May this story leave a little light in your heart ✨