Tam and Tu

Once upon a time, there had a man named Tam. Tam was a musical instrument-maker. He used to bring musical instruments to other areas to sell. When all musical instruments were sold, he turned back home and made other musical instruments. One time, he went distantly. He met a man on his way. The man was under a tree resting. He felt tired so he approached the man and had a rest. They had a conversation and therefore, he knew the man was Tu. He was a trader but that time he lost all money. He was thinking about finding a new job to live, being a servant.

Tam felt sorry for Tu so he gave him half of his food to Tu.

“Help me shoulder my musical instruments till you separate, I will pay you some money”, said Tam.

They went. Later, they both felt thirsty. They found the way to a well but the well was nearly dry, too deep to take water. Tu turned to Tam and said:

“We have only choice. One of us will stand here, keep a top of this rope so the other can follow this rope to the bottom of this well and drink. Later, when the person in the well goes up, the other will go down to drink”.

So they did. Tu was the first person who went down. But, as Tam went down, Tu left him there, under the well, shouldered the musical instruments away. Tam had called Tu many times but he didn’t response. He knew that he was cheated so that he tried to scream, hoping someone could hear his voice. But, the well was the place very few people went cross. He screamed and creamed very long that made his throat pained. At last, some travelers went cross and heard his voice at the late afternoon. They helped him up then strode.

Tam shuffled on the road, trying to find somewhere to take a rest, so tired and feeling disappointed about Tu who he had tried to help but he seemed to be a bastard. Later, he reached an old temple. he knocked on the door and asked the guard to let him stay there one night.

“Hope you can let me stay here sir. I can not force my feet move anymore”, he said in exhausted breathes.

“I’m afraid that you can’t because here is the place four evils live. They will throttle any strange who dares to stay here in night. Move! Before you can’t”, said the guard.

Tam was too tired to move. His eyes nearly shut that he couldn’t think more much about other things but to have a sleep.

“I can’t move anymore sir. Please let me to the place that I can hide myself in”, he said

“Only at cave entrance that was where you can hide yourself. There had a hole on the wall next to the evils’ cave”. Said the guard.

Tam went in the hole, helped himself lay. He slept and was woken up by somebody’s voice. Four evils were standing at front of the cave entrance, taking.

“Behind this temple, ten steps to the left. There has six jars of silver”, said the first evil.

“Behind this temple, ten steps to the right. There has six jar of gold”, said the second evil.

“I know a pearl which can force us die immediately”, said the third evil.

“Where?”, said the fourth evil.

“Just next to our entrance”, said the third evil.

Suddenly, Tam felt something which was under his body. That was a shining pearl. He threw the pear to the evils at one. All evils fell down, motionless. He went out to check and they all had died.

The next morning, Tam made his way to the guard and thanked him. Later, he went toward his home and brought his family back the temple. They dug up the places which evils mentioned and found the things, six jars of gold and silver. From that time, Tam became richer and had a happy life.

You must wonder how about Tu. After Tu stole Tam’s instruments, he went toward a distant place. When sunset, he walked in an inn to rest but the owner prevented him.

“Go! Go away. Here isn’t safe” said the owner, “Recently, evils always come and stay here in nighttime. They will kill any stranger who dares to stay here at night”.

Though he was very scared, Tu still decided to stay there because it was too late to find other place. The owner led him to a secret cave. Tu set the instruments front of the cave entrance, went in and slept. Midnight, evils came.

“Bum! Bum!” evils ran to every direction after an evil stepped on a drum. One of them bursted onto the cave Tu was in. The evil killed him while he was sleeping.

THE END

"Translator: Hung Nguyen"

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