A farm stood on highland area. Its owners were a wealthy couple who inherited big fortune from their family. The owners of the farm had happy life by their five-year-old son. Thought that only peace days passed over them, the master, his wife and their son but,
One day, an old friend of the master made his way to their home. Two men no see for long time were happy.
“I had heard that you moved to here for long time but have no chance to meet you”, said the guest, gifting them two geese.
“It‘s very long time I don’t hear from you. What are you doing?” said the master.
“Nothing. I am practising to become a fairy”, said the guest, “Five year I have practised for in a private place and must set off, go to here to do something.”
“Do what?” asked the master.
“Find precious tree,” said the guest, “when you fire wood taken from the tree, it will spread out scent and bring your wishes to the castle on sky that fairies can know and help you to get the wishes”.
“How can you find it?” doubted the master, “I mean there are millions of trees in forest”.
“It’s not too difficult. I have this”, said the guest, took out a wrap covering powder of something the master had never seen.
“What’s this?” asked the master.
“Ngai”, said the guest coldly, “if you put it in your mouth. Only a little you will not need to eat and drink for years, don’t need to scare any beats and so that you can go and go deeply in forest until you see the precious tree.”
The master seemed to be enchanted by the words he raised up and down the wrap again and again it’s about dozens of times.
“Gosh, only a little of this I can receive thing I want”, he thought.
Something made him happy and then, he told his friend, the guest, about his recent time while his wife was preparing great meal for them. The guest stayed in their house few days. He was person who liked to play chinese chess. Therefore, the master had chance to show off. He showed him his rare chess pieces almost were made of ivory then picked up a pawn gave his friend.
“This chess pieces have belonged to my family for long time, very valuable. Most of them are made of ivory but this pawn it’s made of gem. Best of best gem which always glitter though it’s put in dark”, said the master.
The guest took the pawn, considered it. That’s right the pawn was made of precious gem it’s very few people had chance to see it. He chucked. “Nothing better if I have one to gift king of fairy”, thought him.
Though they were playing chess but each of them was busy in thinking how to usurp things they wanted from the other. The master wanted the wrap and the guest wanted the pawn.
The date, the guest had to set off, came. While they were playing chess, the wife of the master called him in and later, dishes were brought out. The guest helped them picked up chess pieces and of course he didn’t waste the chance to steal the gem pawn. But, he also didn’t know that he also would be stolen. The guest fell down on table after he drank the first cup of wine his cup was poisoned, sleeping poison. The master fastly searched for the wrap in luggage of the guest and then he set off in hurry without saying goodbye his family.
The guest woke up after two days. Hurriedly he checked his luggage the gem pawn’s still there but his wrap had gone. He found his friend but he had vanished his wife also didn’t know where he went. Sadly, the guest set off, chased after his friend to get his wrap.
He went through mountain and mountain not resting but he didn’t catch any sign of his friend. One day, he made his way up the top of a high mountain but he slipped and rolled down. The gem pawn poured out from his luggage, landed on ground and transformed into a large rock. His body also downed on ground by the rock and transformed into a large tree which had roots wrapped around the rock as if it wanted to keep the rare thing away from thieves.
The master followed his friend words he put the powder in his mouth and went searching the precious tree. He had gone through hundreds of forests and mountains but he had not found the tree. He felt disappointed and wanted to go home but he forgot the way. Year and year, the powder left and now he only had very little of it. It seemed be a curse that lives of things and creatures relating to him would fade if he used more and more the powder. Now, his family, wife and son, animals he bred and things in his house had been turned to stone. He himself also changed he was changing into a tiger.
At last, he found the way back home. From the distance he could see his wife, son and besides, his pet, a dog. He hurriedly sprinted toward them, of course by four feet but, when they approached them what he saw were only stones which had shapes of them, people and things relating to him. He roared few terrible roars then left, vanished into forest.
"Translator: Hung Nguyen"
Book Introductions
1. Complete Collection of Vietnamese Fairy Tales - A Treasury of Legends and Folklore
Discover over 240 enchanting Vietnamese fairy tales, translated into English and beautifully illustrated. This collection is a treasure trove of legends and folklore that reflect Vietnam's rich cultural heritage. Available as an ebook on: Kobo, Apple Books
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This bilingual collection features 162 Vietnamese fairy tales in both English and Vietnamese, with stunning illustrations. Ideal for language learners and cultural enthusiasts. Available as an ebook on: Kobo, Apple Books
3. The Treasury of Fables
An enchanting collection of timeless fables, written in English and beautifully illustrated. Perfect for all ages, these stories offer valuable moral lessons. Available as an ebook on: Kobo, Apple Books
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