Why Can't the Kokiri Children Leave the Deku Forest?

[ChuChuOfTime]

I think they probably dont want to. They have everything they need in the forest, why would they have a need to leave?

 

[bspurka]

Each Kokiri has a fairy partner, and they always maintain their childish appearance. It’s said that they’ll die if they leave the forest.
This is what it says in the HH.
Source: GlitterBerri's Game Translations » Pg. 85 Those Chosen by the Triforce

 

[theoathtoorder]

Maybe Mido threatened them with their lives.

 

[aviari]

The lives of the Kokiri are not only protected from monsters and dangers, but literally preserved by the powers of the faries and the Deku Tree (up until the point of his death), however the next Deku Tree as seen in Ocarina of Time] will serve the same purpose.
If that isn't the case, it's because the Kokiri can not age, thus are always young and innocent children, and also have no means of protecting themselves from outside dangers.

 

[Ghirahimiscool]

As long as theres a Deku tree, the kokiris can live anywhere.

 

[Ventus]

I would say that the Great Deku Tree's influence doesn't stretch outside of the Forest, so the Kokiri cannot be sustained outside of the Forest. I would also say that Saria and Link are special cases; Saria is a spoiler, so she can get out of bounds. Same for Link.

 

[Dio]

Well they do leave at the end of OOT for the credits, maybe that is why we never see them again.

 

[Majora]

I always figured that after the credits, Hyrule was more peaceful so the new Deku Tree's influence was able to spread farther? I don't know.

 

[Beauts]

I always theorised that the Kokiri would just grow up if they left the forest. They genuinely believe they will die if they leave, probably as has been mentioned, because thats what they were taught by the Great Deku Tree. I don't think it relies on his influence though, I think his power as a deity mean they are kept as children. However, they are seen in the credits in Lon Lon Ranch so clearly they can leave, but I think they probably left just purely for the celebration and went home afterwards. Saria is a sage, so she may be excluded from the rules of the Kokiri. However, they obviously don't die for the second reason that later on in at least one timeline they have evolved into a different species. There is no way that the timeline can split on the basis of the Kokiri's survival, so I think that is a moot point.

 

[LaytonLink]

What Seth said makes a lot of sense I agree.

 

[dur.i.am]

Why can't the Kokiri children leave the Deku Forest?

I've always thought that it was more symbolic. By that i mean the Kokiri symbolize innocence and purity. And that by leaving the forest they would be exposed to impurity and evil of the world (growing up). The Deku tree most likely told them this so that they would not try to leave the forest. Much like how a parent lies to protect a child. This is just my thought though.

Comments, concerns, questions, critics (be nice)

There are two possible instances in which a Kokiri has left that forest that I can think of in Ocarina of Time. The first is more of a rumour than a definite truth, one of the Gossip Stones near the Deku Tree says:

They say that one Kokiri has left the forest, and he is still alive!

However, due to the fact that all other Gossip Stones start off with the phrase 'They say that', it's quite safe to say that this is probably correct.

The other instance is once you have defeated Ganon and the end of game credits roll, in the background it shows all the races dancing around in a section of Hyrule Field, this includes the Kokiri. From that I do believe that the Great Deku Tree is just protecting them from the purity and innocence that flows outside of the Kokiri Forest. After all, the Kokiri race isn't exactly a race that could survive too well if they were to leave the forest due to all the enemies that could probably kill them quite easily.

 

[hilt134]

i imagine that it's like the peter pan movie hook. where peter pan leaves never-land and grows up and when he goes back all of his friends where still kids so it could be that but if you think of it saira left the forest to go to the temple of time and when the sages where at gannons castle so i guess it's not impossible so much as forbidden

 

[Zelda_1224]

that makes sense, but i think that theres some magic involved somewhere

 

[Terminus]

It was talking about link when it said that. Or tingle

Tingle wasn't in OoT.

They say that one Kokiri has left the forest, and he is still alive!

You have to have the Mask of Truth to learn this, and in order to get it you have to have left the forest... Catch-22

 

[AnimeHat]

I believe that the whole "can't grow up thing" was a ruse created by the Deku Tree to keep the Kokiri from leaving the forest. Because (SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT) at the end of Ocarina of Time you see the Kokiri at Lon Lon Ranch with the other races celebrating the downfall of Ganondorf.