“Vạn Lịch” coins

Once upon a time, that had a business man named Vạn Lịch. He had so much money and was richest person in his country. He had dozens of ships which were used to bring goods. The ship which he used to stay in had compartment which were convenient as like houses placed on ground. He decorated his compartment with shiny golden furniture which attracted deep sights.

Lich had a young beautiful wife named Mai Thị. His work required they had to go away long time so he used to suspect that his wife did not loved him by whole her heart. Therefore, he always stayed nearly and observed each her action that made the wife felt heart-broken.

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One day, their ship stopped by a wild riverside. Mai Thi stood at top of the ship looked out. A fishing man came to asked her a rolled betel. Mai Thi saw a man only wore a lion-cloth felt compassionate so she asked him few questions then gave him some rolled betel. The sight was seen by Lịch he felt upset. Waited the fishing man went away he shouted at his wife violently. Though his wife tried to explain but he did not believed. He ordered her went away with a gold bar and a silver bar he threw down the ground.

Mai Thi was left lonely in the riverside. She went around to find some help, tears dropped from from her eyes. She met the fishing man again who was living alone in a hut by the riverside. She said him what happened after he went. The fishing man still did not understand she added:

“He said I and you had unclean things. Maybe my fate can not live in wealth so I will marry with you and accept a poor life.”

The fishing man did not know how to refuse her so he led her to his hut by the riverside. They became a couple. Day by day, the fishing man went fishing Mai Thị stayed at home bred chicken. Though they were poor but they had never had an argument.

Three years passed. One day it rained the fishing man did not go fishing he stayed at home by Mai Thị who was sewing. He saw chickens was eating rice in panniers he grabbed the gold bar which was put into his wife clothes basket and threw toward chickens. The gold bar dropped into the river.

As Mai Thi saw she scolded: “You are so stupid. Do you know what have you thrown?”

“I don’t know.”, said the fishing man.

“That is gold the most precious in the world.”, said Mai Thị.

“Oh, I have seen things like that a lot which lay on river bottom I have taken many but I have never known how to use so I have thrown all them.”, said the fishing man.

Mai Thị was speechless for few seconds her jaw dropped. She asked his husband went to collect gold bars.

The fishing man came back with gold bars in his basket. They were exactly gold. Gold bars with “Vạn Lịch” characters were notched on them. There gold bars belonged to Vạn Lịch the first husband of Mai Thị who had been in a storm which had broken all his ships. Vạn Lịch had escaped from death but all his assets had sank in water, some of gold bars had been brought to the river where the fishing man fished.

Had money Mai Thị and the fishing man built a big house. Mai Thi bought luxurious clothes for his husband the fishing man. She asked his husband went and made friend with others to learn good things but he couldn’t make conversation with any body because he was known as the most stupid person in the region. He went few days then came back.

“How many friends did you get?”, asked Mai Thị.

“None.”, he replied.

Mai Thị shook her head.

“So idiot you can not have gotten a friend for days. I think you only made friend with statues.”, said Mai Thị.

The fishing man heard. He believed that his wife asked him to be friend with statues. He went to a wild temple away his village. He met statues which was set in front yard of the temple to make friend. Saw statues smiled he also smiled then he threw his arm over statuse’s shoulder and said with them as real people. He bought food and fed statues. At last he felt bored because the statues didn’t said any thing. He pushed the statues down then went to home.

As Mai Thi asked he replied her what he did. Mai Thi couldn’t said any more word she had never thought that had a stupid as his husband on the world. Therefore, she decided kept him at home to teach.

Oddly the king of country was paralyzed half body from that time the statues were pushed down. Doctors were called to cure the king but none could. Then a mage was called. The mage said a temple was ruin. He also found out where was the temple. Immediately, the king ordered province mandarin went to the temple and repaired. The mandarin went with his soldiers. The fallen statues attracted their noticing. The mandarin ordered his soldiers to took up the statues but dozens of solders couldn’t. The news was spread to the king. The king was worried. At last the king announced that anybody who could took up the statue would be gotten deserving award. Mai Thi on her way to market crossed announcing board. She came home asked her husband.

“How could you make the statues fall down?”

“I only pushed them.”, said the fishing man.

“Can you take up them?”, said Mai Thi.

“Course, I can.” Said the fishing man.

Then Mai Thi asked him went to take the notification. The mandarin let him went in to take up. When the fishing man touched the statues immediately stood up.

King’s disease disappeared. He ordered to gift the fishing man gold bars but Mai Thi and his husband didn’t take. They asked for a position, tax mandarin the position didn’t require people had high education. The king agreed.

Mai Thị and her husband built a house by outfall. They collected taxes from merchant ships. One day, Vạn Lịch’s ships went passed the outfall. He stopped to pay taxes. A servant went to pay but Mai Thi knew there were Vạn Lịch’s ships so she required the boss of ships to come. Vạn Lịch came and was surprised as who front his eyes now was Mai Thị his old wife and who next to her was none else but the fishing man. Mai Thị sneered:

“I know you will continue trading so I sent myself to mandarin house. Though you go away to trade you can not avoid this place.”

Vạn Lịch was embarrassed. He went back ship. What had happened made him feel upset. He thought he could not meet Mai Thi any more time. At last, he listed all his assets and gave them to Mai Thị. He said there things were used to pay for his fault. Then Van Lịch disappeared. People said he ended his life.

Mai Thị felt sorry. So she changed Vạn Lịch’s assets to money the she asked the king to let her make a kind of coin which was named “Vạn Lịch” to divide poor people in country.

This story expresses the appearance of “Vạn Lịch” coin a kind of money which was used in ancient time.

THE END

"Translated by Hung Nguyen"

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