Ngoc Hoang, the king of gods in heaven, had a daughter, named Lieu Hanh. Lieu Hanh was fairy who was headstrong and usually didn’t obey rules in heaven. Ngoc Hoang had advised her many times but he still did what she wanted. Therefore, Ngoc Hoang decided to punish his daughter to teach her a lesson. One time, Lieu Hanh made a mistake, his father forced her to get down and lived on ground three years. Lieu Hanh transformed into a beautiful girl and built a hut, sold tea under Ngang pass after she landed on ground. The place was wild trees that grew up luxuriantly but the road leading from north to south crossed there so many travelers crossed there everyday. Besides, there had only a tea shop because others feared robbers and beasts around the place. Consequently, her tea shop was always crowded.
Though Lieu Hanh was punishing, she was still arrogant and didn’t respect any rules. Therefore, people went in her hut, drank tea then went away without trouble, would have no harm but anyone who dared to tease her, the beautiful owner of tea shop, would be punished. Some died when they went to their home, some turned dull after they left the tea shop.
Time passed. Her name spread largely in the country. Some said that she was a master of martial arts who could fight against hundred people one time. Some said she was a gangster who used to seduce young boys and did other bad things. Others said she was a fairy who was dispatched to ground to challenge people. All of them were rumors but they made people curious and made their way to her tea shop to meet her.
That time, the recent king who ruled the country was Thai To Le. His heir was a young prince, hyperactive and curious he heard about the girl at Ngang pass and wanted to catch her to the castle but he feared his father, the king, knew about that and besides, he heard the girl was very great in martial arts. Therefore, he still didn’t have chance to meet her.
At last, the prince hid his parent, left the castle in secret. He put on noble clothes, sat on a horse wagon, brought some guards then set off. After ten days, he had crossed River Lan, Mountain Nam gioi and nearly arrived to Ngang pass.
Lieu Hanh had early known that the prince went to meet her. Besides, she also knew he was only a normal man having no talent but arrogant and lewd. She didn’t want to meet him so did a magic that peach tree suddenly grew up by the road where prince and his guards camped. The tree bore a ripe peach which looked delicious. When the princes saw the peach, he didn’t need to order guards to take it he himself climbed to the tree and picked up the peach. The delicious peach in his hand suddenly disappeared after a pop as he put it in his mouth.
“This place has ghots”, screamed the guards. Guards advised him to be careful. He prince also felt a little scare but he didn’t understand the implication of the thing that Lieu Hanh wanted him to give up so, later, he forced guards to continue going. Short time later, they arrived to the tea shop.
The prince and all his guards seemed to lose their soul as they saw Lieu Hanh they had never seen anyone who was beautiful like her even the prince lived in castle with many beautiful women. The prince ordered each team of guards to went in the tea shop, drink and eat. Till afternoon, he met Lieu Hanh and made a conversation.
“We had gone for many days but still don’t come the place we want to come. Now, all of us feel tired so don’t you mind if we stayed here a night?” said the prince.
Lieu Hanh knew exactly what he wanted so she refused.
“Our hut is too cramped for all you. Besides, it was place of women and that will be uncomfortable if men stay in this place. You should go to the village which was half mile from here to the east. You will find inns and servants in that place”, said Lieu Hanh.
“I only need a place which is enough for me and two guards. I promise that I will not annoy you”, said the prince.
“If you can do what you have said. Choose a place for you”, said Lieu Hanh.
After dinner, people prepared to sleep. The prince and two guards helped themselves to have a place in the tea shop, the others guards camped outside. Under lamplight, the prince approached Lieu Hanh and made a conversation. Though she didn’t like, Lieu Hanh still kept herself to stay and talked with him. The prince fell in love more deeply as each Lieu Hanh’s word made him more satisfied. Then he forgot his promise and started teasing her. Lieu Hanh refused she ran to her bedroom. The prince seemed to forget his position, a royal, he chased after her but only few blinks were enough for Lieu Hanh to move to forest catch a monkey and transform it into a beautiful girl bring it back tea shop and disappear. The prince went in the bedroom, instead of Lieu Hanh he saw another beautiful girl. He grabbed her hand and pulled out to lamp on the table where he and Lieu Lanh had just stayed. That girl was as beautiful as Lieu Hanh. The prince started doing rude actions but short time later, he screamed. Guards woke up and saw the prince had fainted and there was not a beautiful girl but a monkey in arms. They sprinted to them, beat the monkey by the rods but they couldn’t the monkey had transformed into a cobra which was twining around the prince and its head emerged from the prince leaned toward guards then hissed. Later, the cobra made its way to the roof and disappeared. When guards brought the lamp to prince, he had lost consciousness and his face went white as if there was no blood under his skin.
That night, all guards hurriedly brought the prince to the castle. He turned dull as he came back the castle that he didn’t know anything but to smile. Queen and concubines were very nervous because they feared the king would know the prince had left the castle to follow a girl and besides, all great doctors in capital had cured him but they could do very little. Harem seemed chaotic. At last, someone advised the Queen to go to Thanh hoa and prayed eight guardians who were worshiped at there.
That was a-thousand-year-ago-story. When Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva appeared, she dropped two pockets, one was in East Sea and one was in An Dong village, Thanh hoa. Later, two pockets changed into two lotus flowers then each lotus flower transformed into four guardians who immediately separated to 8 directions and wiped out evils annoying people. After that, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva called them back to her. People called them 8 guardians (Bat Bo Kim Cang)
Guards came to Thanh hoa at one. After had amulet from eight guardians, the prince recovered. When he had completely recovered, he went to the king amitted sin and told him about the meeting between him and Lieu Hanh. The king was very angry, he deposed the prince and appointed the next prince to be the heir. And, he also felt unsatisfied that had a woman in his country who seemed not to respect his rules. Therefore, the king ordered district mandarin to investigate about Lieu Hanh. After investigation, the mandarin came back and reported that Lieu Lanh was a demon who used to catch souls of young men and only powerful mages could fight against her.
The king immediately ordered powerful mages to go to Ngang pass and eradicate demon but short time later they came back and admitted that they couldn’t fight against her all their magics were ineffective with her. At last, the king had to beg eight guardeds. Eight guardeds agreed. They moved to Ngang pass. Lieu Hanh that time had been ready for their fighting. Firstly, eight guardians created storm, dark clouds brought water to and poured down Ngang pass, sea invaded ground and winds pushed down trees. All things seemed to surround Lieu Hanh but Lieu Hanh didn’t let them do much more. She made trees stand up, controlled rocks to fly toward them that they couldn’t concentrate. Later, they transformed into beasts with sharpen claws and fangs. They jumped to her and planned to tear her in pieces but she had transformed into a huge eagle, flying to sky and fighting against them.
The fighting occurred in three days that made Ngang pass became a dreadful battlefield. All their magics had been performed but none had advantage. At last eight guardrain flew up sky to meet Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva gave them a pocket. They turned back the place and easily had Lieu Hanh in the magical pocket. Eight guardrain moved to the castle nad gave the king the pocket. The pocket poured out Lieu Hanh kneeling on ground.
“Who are you?” said the king.
“I am Lieu Hanh, daughter of Ngoc Hoang. Because I had some mistakes was forced to stay on ground”, said Lieu Hanh.
“Why you use your magics to harm people and, including my son?” said the king.
“I only punish bad guys who tease girls and annoy people”, said Lieu Hanh.
When the king knew Lieu Hanh was daughter of Ngoc Hoang and besides, what she had done were not wrong. Therefore, he released after that and also advised not to be too cruel with people.
Short time later, Lieu Hanh gave birth to a son who had six fingers on each hand. She brought her son to a temple under Hong Ling mountain, asked monks here to take care of him. Then three years passed, she came back heaven.
But short time late, she was forced to lived in ground one more time. That time, Lieu Hanh landed on Ba Doi pass, she built a three-floor-tower which was covered by high wall. There were gardens, ponds surround the tower. Many beautiful flowers in many colors were grown up in the gardens and ponds also had many kinds of colorful fish. Birds, butterflies and bees gathered in the gardens they sang, flew around and buzzed. Everyday, Lieu Hanh opened the gate and let people went in and watched the scenery there. She opened a fruit shop there and as the previous time, she used to punish bad guys who annoyed or tease others there.
Years later, Lieu Hanh gave birth to another son who had only four fingers on each his hand. She brought her son to nuns living in Ba Do temple and said:
“I have given twice and planed to help them to be kings but I didn’t. One has too much and one lacks something. Therefore, help him to be famous”, said Lieu Hanh.
Later, Lieu Hanh came back heaven with her tower. The sons of her all became famous after that and one of them was known with the name “Trang Quynh”.
THE END
"Translator: Hung Nguyen"
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