Princess Bari Read Online Free Page B

growled. Mother warned us to back away.
    â€œGive her space. She’s worried you’ll hurt her babies.”
    When my older sisters took a hesitant step back, I saw my chance to get a peek inside, so I crouched down in front of the doghouse. Then, with my mouth firmly shut, I spoke inside my head: It’s me. Bari. The seventh. Don’t worry. I just wanted to see my little brothers and sisters.
    Then, would you believe it? Hindungi staggered to her feet and stepped right out of the doghouse. The puppies, so tiny they could have fit inside my own tiny hand, were clustered together with their eyes shut tight on scraps of straw sacks. I stuck my hand into that warm puppy pile, gently pulled one out and cradled it against my chest. I could feel its heart beating softly against my fingertips. So you’re the seventh one too, just like me , I thought.
    I was so engrossed with the puppy in my arms that I forgot anyone else was even there. When I finally looked back, Mother, Grandmother and all my sisters were standing in a semi-circle around me, staring silently down at the puppy and me. Even Father was standing at the edge of the twenmaru in a daze, but then he broke the silence.
    â€œDon’t tell me they’re all girls, too.”
    â€œHey, hey,” Grandmother shook a broom at him. “Don’t ruin the morning with your grumbling.”
    My sisters went back to arguing and crowding around the doorway to the doghouse, but Hindungi growled and blocked them with her body. Jung raised her hand as if to hit the dog.
    â€œYou stupid dog, why are you playing favourites?”
    Hindungi got angrier and started to bark loudly. I put the puppy I was holding back in the doghouse.
    I’ll keep you safe , I said inside my head.
    Hindungi went back into the doghouse, tucked her babies between her legs and lay with her body curled around them. I could hear Jin, my oldest sister, muttering behind me: “Bari is so weird. Now she’s talking to dogs?”
    No one had anything to say to that; at some point, they had all caught on to the fact that there was something different about me. But no one, not even Mother and Father, ever said anything out loud about my behaviour, because Grandmother would glare at them and take my side. That day stands out in my memory, but how I met Chilsung – the youngest of Hindungi’s litter – is only part of the story. You see, that was also the day our mother’s brother came to town.
    Hyun and I were playing marbles in the courtyard when the wooden gate cracked open and someone stuck their head in and peered around. We took one look at that grown-up head, with its shaved hair on top of what had to be a very tall, gangly body, and we flung the marbles away and drew back to the far end of the twenmaru . Hyun was so scared that, although she refused to admit it later after we were all grown up, I was sure I saw pee trickling down her calves.
    â€œHey kids, where’s your mother?”
    Undaunted, I took a step forward and demanded: “Who’re you?”
    He peered around the courtyard some more and then stuck his whole upper body inside the gate.
    â€œAssuming this is the right house, I might be your uncle.”
    Mother, who’d been preparing dinner, stepped out of the kitchen as if on cue and ran over with her arms open.
    â€œ Aigo , look who’s here! When did you get into town? Are you on leave?”
    At last our uncle stepped all the way into the courtyard, clasped our mother’s outstretched hands and gave them a shake.
    â€œI’m out of the army now. How’s my brother-in-law …?”
    â€œHe’ll be home soon. Come sit.”
    He was dressed in an old, faded work uniform and carried a canvas rucksack and an accordion. Before following our mother into the house, he gave each of us, still cowering in fright, a rough tousle on the head. He probably meant for it to be an affectionate pat, but it made me angry.