Mangoes 5

The Story of Five Apples

Five apples, neatly wrapped, stand in the display room of a People's Commune on the coast of Fukien Province. In appearance there is nothing out of the ordinary about these apples, but there is a story behind them.

When Premier Kim Il Sung of Korea visited China, there were carloads of apples among the many gifts he presented. These were later distributed among the various government departments. When the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications received a case, various suggestions were made concerning the disposal of the apples. Finally it was decided that the apples should be sent to their colleagues doing voluntary labour at the Shihchingshan Iron and Steel Works near Peking. There the recipients thought they should be presented to the workers of the plant instead. The workers in turn sent them to the Fukien front. They thought the soldiers there deserved this honour. After careful consideration, the General Headquarters at the Fukien front decided to award the apples to servicemen who distinguished themselves in action. Thus on New Year's Eve the five apples arrived at an air force unit. The airmen sent them to the People's Commune which had got the best yields in Fukien in 1958. And this is how the five apples, looking a bit dried up but shining nevertheless, were put on display as a symbol of friendship and comradeship between Korea and China.