A boy was lived in wealth from he was born. He loved a girl who lived in same village; she was a beautiful girl but lived in a poor family; everyday she had to work for others to get money. Though the difference between him and her was too large he still wanted to marry with her. He asked a wedding-maker to help him meet her. Then they had met few times he had promised for sure that he would marry with her. The girl believed his words and had given him her body.
But the wedding-maker was greedy though the boy had given her much money to have dates but that was not filled her stomach. Besides, the poor girl didn’t give her any money so she thought about another girl who lived in a rich family and had not married. She came to meet the rich girl whispered that if she gave her money she would find the way for her married with the boy. The rich girl was very pleasant to give such much money to her. Then the wedding-maker started to spread rumors.
“She is not faithful. I have seen her have unclear things with Do Van who is clever student and may have a great future…”, she talked people about the poor girl.
The rumors came to the rich boy that made him be jealous. At time she also whispered great things about the rich girl to him. Her plan at last got result the rich boy started having a feeling hating his lover. He spent no much time deciding to have an engagement with the rich girl.
The day the rich girl followed the rich boy to come his house was also the day poor girl threw herself down river. The death of the poor girl made the new couple be frightened. The wedding-maker was person who felt most frightened. But they still had normal lives until all of them died and went to world of dead, the Hell.
The Death reviewed records of each to know clearly about what they had done then the Death would decide they were reborn to “pay” or “get”. The wedding-maker was reborn in a rich family and was named Cai Kien. The rich boy was reborn to be a poor student who didn’t have anything but good learning. About the poor girl, she was stayed at the hell to observe them.
Cai Kien grew up a beautiful and clever girl who had a greedy father who didn’t care of anyone but money. She and the poor student had a beautiful love but it was so unfortunate good learning student had participated in many contests with poor results although he was known as great student. Whenever he participated in a contest he also was in cases that he was stomach-ache, failed at second gate or violated rules; the poor girl’s soul made him can not pass end of the contest. Whenever he failed he felt more disappointed. But his lover Cai Kien still trusted him could get pass contest she dreamed that a day she will became wife of a mandarin. Thought that they two decided to keep their love by a wedding. But she knew her father would not agree to let her marry with the great poor student. So she stole hes father’s money then bought gold and made a golden yam. She gave a person the golden yam to send to student’s hand and said him to take the golden yam to her house and presented it to her father.
Then the student came, asked for a wedding with a golden yam which was present. Cai Kien’s father was surprised but when he heard about the golden yam he immediately agreed.
The wedding-date came people in the student’s family brought the present came, people in Cai Kien’s family sprinted out to see how groom’s family was rich. The golden yam which was covered in four pieces of red silk was unwrapped front people’s eyes. But when it had been unwrapped people didn’t see the golden yam instead steamed yam; the poor girl’s soul had made the thing. People broke into laughter. Cai Kien’s father shouted at the student’s face and he still cut the yam and served people to make him ashamed.
The student could not explain he felt both sad and ashamed. Therefore, he went away and had not come back his home. Cai Kien in other side thought her lover was a juggler not only he took her but he also make a joke. That night she died because of anger. When she went to the hell she complained to the Death about the golden yam but the Death said her about his crimes in her previous life that was cost she had to pay.
Therefore ancient people have said:
“Cai Kien complain about the yam.” It is a sneer that explains requiring will not have results.
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
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