Skip to main content

Thien and Dia

Once upon a time, Thien and Dia were farmers but both of them didn’t have any farm. Therefore, they had to work in others’ farms and got wages. They were very poor and parentless. One of them, Thien was so clever so that he could do everything with one time guide. One day, Dia said with his fellow.
“If we only do that work we will get nothing. You are clever person so you can study and attend contests the king hold then get pass them to be a mandarin. Don’t need to do anything but study. I will try to get enough money for me and you. When you become mandarin we will enjoy happiness together.”
Thien agreed.
Then Dia work hardly to have money for both him and Thien. Thien also study increasingly that was Dia’s source of motivation.
Ten years passed. Thien passed the district contest then province contest and he also passed the contest which the king held passing with highest score. The king let him became a power mandarin, had a large beautiful mansion and many servants.
Dia was burst into happiness when he heard his friend had become a mandarin. He sold his house, got that money and went to find his friend. But he had never thought that his friend now changed his mind he didn’t consider him as his friend. Therefore, Dia wasn’t allowed to go in. He was expel away his friend’s house. His heart sank. He had no choice but moving away.
In his way, he went to a river, sat on the riverside. Tears poured from his eyes. He thought about his fate it was so dark. Meanwhile he also couldn’t go back his house which was sold. At last, he cried. He cried loudly.
Buddha appeared but he transformed into a passer who approached him.
“Why do you cry?”,he said.
Dia said Buddha a long story.          
Buddha made a boat appeared.
“Stay here son. You only need to help people get cross the river you also can get enough money to live.” said the Buddha. Then the Buddha disappeared.
Dia stayed at the river. Day by day he helped people cross the river to have money. But the money was enough to buy food he saved no money. When his father’s death anniversary was coming he sank into his thinking that how to get something to put in to his father’s altar. That afternoon, he took few people cross the river then rowed back the other riverside. When he was in middle of river he heard somebody called. He turned back. The customer was a young beautiful lady. When they got on the land it was dark. The lady had a reckless request.
“It is dark and so far from here to my house. Could you let me stay here one night, please.”, asked the lady.
Dia’s house was a hut next to riverside. He had a hammock in the hut. Glad to let the lady lay on his hammock he nearly went out to find another place. Suddenly the lady said: “Are you married?”
“No, I am not.”, said Dia
“Do you want marry with me? I can be your wife now.” said the lady.
Dia was so surprised he was speechless.
“I am a resident who live in heaven. Because the king of heaven felt sorry for you so he asked me to come and help you.”, added the lady.
Then the lady waved sleeve the hut transformed immediately into a luxurious mansion with full of furniture. Surround Dia now was dozens of servants who would do all things he requested.
Dia had feeling of surprise and happiness. Then lady transformed out a feast. She asked Dia to invite Thiem to come the feast in tomorrow.   
The tomorrow, Dia wore luxurious clothers sat on a palanquin then went to Thien’s house. That time, Dia was treated kindly. He invited Thien to go the feast but Thien was so arrogant he sneered.
“If you want me to come. You have to spread rug from my house to your house.”, said Thien.
Dia went back. He said their conversation to his wife. She transformed out a long rug which was spread from Thien’s house to Dia’s house.
Thien was so surprised he had never thought that Dia could be wealthy as that after a very short time. He felt curios so he came to take a look. When he went to Dia’s house he got more unexpected. He saw things located in the house very few people could have and Dia’s wife. He had never any woman who could be more beautiful than her. The woman now was serving them wine. He drunk and drunken then he felt jealous with his friend. He said:
“Why we don’t mad a exchange? You give me your wife, your house and I give my house and my position.”, said Thien.
Dia didn’t want that thing but his wife whispered him to agree. They had a commitment then Dia sat on the palanquin went to Thien’s house.
Thien stayed at Dia’s house and had a deep sleep. The next morning he woke up and bewildered when he didn’t saw the mansion. All things he saw were only a shabby hut and a boat but he couldn’t do any more because of the commitment. Therefore, he had to be ferryman.
THE END

 "Translated by 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

2. Vietnamese Fairy Tales - Stories in English and Vietnamese

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

Read more:
-----

BÀI ĐĂNG ĐƯỢC XEM NHIỀU

List of Vietnamese fairy tales

Vietnamese  fairy tales includes many stories as Tam and Cam; So Dua; Hundred – knot- bamboo tree... which were spread in folk. Each stories has  its own meaning. I think I can not translate exactly each word into english but I will try my best to convey its meaning to you. Hope you like them!

So dua - Coconut boy

Once upon a time, there in a village had a couple who worked as servants for a landlord. Although they were over fifty years old, they had ever not had a child. They were sad about that, but they had never given up to dream about a child. One day, it's a very hot day, when the wife was working in the field and felt very thirsty. She seeked for water, but she didn't see any but a little water in a skull which was in a hole beside an ancient tree. She had no choice but to drink it. Right the moment she drank, the feeling of cold water running from her throat to her stomach made her felt very comfortable. As a magic, she was pregnant after that short time. Then, the husband died before he got the happiness looking his child be born. After nine months and ten days, the wife gave birth a son but he didn't look like any child on the world. He had no feet, no leg, and even no body. He just had a head with full of eyes, nose, ear, hair and mouth on it. He didn't ugly but was ...

Story 9: Royal Concubine Y Lan

Being  royal concubine seemed to be god’s setting for Thi Yen Le, a country girl. She was born in Tho Loi village (in Duong Quang, Thuan Thanh which now is Gia Lam, Hanoi). She lost her mother when she was child. Every day, she busied weaving but she still kept the beauty and innocence. That year, in 1062 while mulberry trees was in harvest time, King Thanh Tong Ly was on his travel went to Dau temple in neighbor village, crossed Tho Loi. The temple was sacred temple and King Thanh Tong Le went to there to pray for a son (King Thanh Tong Ly that time was 40 years old but he still had never had a son. Therefore, having a son was the greatest wish). While Yen was picking up mulberry leaves in filed, a crowd of people went cross the field who were the king and his servants. King Thanh Tong Ly rode on a horse and was escorted by soldiers. People living the village didn’t want lose their chance seeing the king, sprinted to and rounded him. King Thanh Tong Ly stopped to meet the...

The tale of watermelon

Once  upon a time, a young man whose name was Mai An  Tiem   was a slave. He was sold to a King named Hung   Vuong . Mai An   Tiem   was clever, he   learned   vietnamese   language very fast.   Futher , he knew so many stories, places and could do everything so good so he was liked by Hung   Vuong   very much that wherever Hung   Vuong   had come he also came with him. Three years later, he was Hung   Vuong   let to become a noble and was stayed in a building near the castle. Besides, Hung   Vuong   made his daughter become his wife.  Mai An   Tiem   now had wife, a five-year-old son, servants and assets. He seemed to lack nothing. Although he had never been arrogant people still were jealous with his his luck. vietnamesefairytales.blogspot.com One day, people who were participating in a party complimented as much as they could but he only said: “That because of ...

Tam and Cam

Once upon a time, there had a little girl named Tam. Her mother died early so her father decided to remarry on purpose the stepmother would take care of his little daughter. The stepmother gave birth to a girl, named Cam after that. Then, her father died after few years. Tam had to live with her stepmother and her sister, Cam. Since the time, she was forced to work hard, all housework, while Cam had to do nothing. One day, the stepmother gave Tam and Cam each one a corf to caught fish. She promised that who caught full her corf would receive a piece of red silk. Tam and Cam went to field together. She was hard to catch fish while Cam only wondered around till afternoon and had nothing in her coft. Cam pointed at Tam’s coft and realised it is full, thinking seconds, she said gently: “sister Tam, your head is mud, you should wash it or mother will punish you” Belive Cam, Tam went to river nearly. She left her corf on the shore,  waded into water to wash. Cam, meanwhile, stayed on t...

Danh sách truyện cổ tích việt nam

Dưới  đây là những câu truyện cổ tích chắc có lẽ chỉ quen thuộc với mọi người. Bởi lẽ, ngày nay chúng ta đã quá quen với các phương tiện giải trí khác như smart phone, internet có thể dễ dàng cập nhật những bộ phim hay, trò chơi điện tử hấp dẫn. Những câu truyện cổ tích vì vậy không còn quá nhiều sức hấp dẫn đối với chúng ta. Tuy nhiên, mỗi câu chuyện ở đây đều mang trong mình một ý nghĩa riêng. Nếu bạn là người yêu thích những thứ liên quan tới văn hóa dân gian Việt nam; từng một lần ghé qua đây, hãy đọc những câu chuyện dưới đây và nhận lấy cho mình một ý nghĩa trong mỗi câu chuyện dưới đây.

Bài 1.6: Động từ “to be”.

Động từ “to be” là một động từ đặc biệt và gần như có nhiều dạng thức nhất trong nhóm động từ. Vì vây, để giải thích rõ ràng ý nghĩa và các sử dụng động từ “to be” là một vấn đề khá phức tạp. Mình sẽ có gắng giải thích một cách dễ hiểu nhất cho các bạn.

Wishing pearl

De was a young boy. His parent was servants of a landlord. Every morning, De led landlord’s cattle to meadow and brought them back at nightfall. De used to be excited in playing with his fellows and when he was in his game he didn’t care anything. Many times the cattle he herded ate rice on field and the owners used to beat him pained but he still left cattle and joined in his fellows. One normal day, he and his fellows had a swimming competition. An award was given to the winner that he couldn’t refuse. Therefore, he participated in the competition and left his cattle on a wild hill. They swam and dived in water until noon and when they walked on ground, a cow had disappeared. The cow belonged to no one but his master. Children separated to find the cow but the cow seemed to vanish they couldn’t find it. Sun was going to down, children made their ways to home they left De staying at there. Day stayed at there alone crying. After that, he fell in sleep. Latter, he was woken up b...

Bài 1.2: Phân biệt tân ngữ và bổ ngữ.

Hầu hết các bạn học tiếng anh đều đã từng nghe qua khái niệm tân ngữ và bổ ngữ nhưng không phải ai cũng làm rõ hai khái niệm này. Vì vậy mình có viết một bài hy vọng phần nào giúp ích cho các bạn trong việc phân biệt rõ đâu là bổ ngữ và đâu là tân ngữ. Việc này có thể có ích cho các bạn khi nghiên cứu các tài liệu học tiếng anh khác.