Once upon a time, a king who ruled a country in the north owned a pearl. The pearl was very heavy but especially human could take it lightly and the second special point that it spreed light in nighttime; though it was hid in anywhere, its light still could come out. The king really liked it, he brought it whole day.
One day, the pearl disappeared. The king immediately ordered his servants to go and find it. The servants searched anywhere in the country but they couldn’t find it. At last, the king requested people to search by a telescope and they found out that the pearl was flying toward the south. So, the king ordered a general to go and chase after the pearl. The general set off he brought five hundred soldiers with him. They moved on ships which moved toward the south. After many days moving cross sea, the general saw the pearl dropped that was land of their neighbor southern country.
Dien Chi was a person who lived Gia Dinh. One night, when he was sitting outside his home, he saw something dropped on his garden and lighted up whole the garden. Hurriedly, he ran toward the place and caught a pearl, thing was known as the most precious thing on the world. He brought it in house and hid it into a wooden case but it couldn’t hide the pearl’s light. So, he took an iron case and put the wooden case into it. The iron case also didn’t prevent the light not to come out. Later, he brought the iron case which had the wooden case and the pearl in out. He buried them but that was useless though he buried them deeply in ground, the light still came out in nighttime. After days tried to hide the pearl. At last, he found out that the light couldn’t go through human flesh. Terrible if you can imagine he made an incision on his thigh and hid the pearl in there. Since the time, he had not walked because of pain but he was happy because he knew that no one could take away his treasure.
When people who were forced to find the pearl went to Gia Dinh, they lost all tracks the telescope also couldn’t find out where the pearl was. They separated to ask local people but it seemed not to help them much.
“The person who caught the pearl must know how to hide the pearl, in human flesh”, thought the general.
He spent much time thinking how could find out the person who had the pearl. At last, he had an idea that he held a party on an island at middle of river then he asked local mandarins to help them invited all people in the area to participate in the party. People were brought to the party in rafts. Days later, almost people in Gia Dinh joined in the party but a person, Dien Chi who didn’t come because of pain that was why they couldn’t find out the person who owning the pearl. A local person was brought to the general.
“There are all people in there participating in the party?” asked the general.
The person thought awhile then he replied.
“Almost sir. Only a person who don’t join in the party. He is Dien Chi and as I know he had pain”.
Immediately, the general ordered his underlings to bring a palanquin to Dien Chi’s house and take him to the party. Dien Chi had no doubting he followed them at one. When they walked on raft, the large raft moved madly then sank into water. That thing immediately was reported to the general who knew exactly that only the pearl could make the raft sunk.
Dien Chi was brought to the general.
“You own a pearl, don’t you?” said the general.
Dien Chi admitted because he couldn’t hide the general.
“The previous owner of the pearl is my king and you are very fortunate having the pearl.” Said the general, “But, you should know that we was following our king’s words finding the pearl which you own, now. So, we are pleasant to change anything for the pearl”.
Dien Chi saw their goodwill so he also didn’t want to keep the pearl more that may lead him to danger. Therefore, he said:
“Stack money from where I stand to the place the rock I throw drops. Whenever the pile of money highs as people's height, I will give you my pearl and take the money”.
The general agreed and the exchange fastly happened. Dien Chi because of that became the richest person in his country. His name and his wealth traveled through whole his country that his king heard about his name.
His king invited him to the castle and asked him about his wealth and as fast as his name spread the king gave him a suggestion marrying with his daughter. Of course, Dien Chi had no reason to refuse he happily agreed. A royal wedding was held Dien Chi married with one of king’s daughter.
Dien Chi and his wife had happy life. His wife treated him very well. Thought that nothing could bring unhappiness to them till the day, an old his friend visited to his mansion.
Dien Chi happily led him to anywhere in his mansion. His friend, besides, continuously gave him praises that made him turned proud.
“You can see I’m the richest person in this country”, he said, had never thought that the words would came to his wife the person really didn’t like his husband’s arrogance.
In a while unthinking, he brought the thing told to his father, the king. The king turned angry he immediately called him to castle.
“You said that you are the richest person”, shouted the king, “All right, I and you will do compete, dividing money to others. I will divide the first three days and you will divide the next three days. If I don’t have enough money to give people, you will win without any punishment. But, you don’t have enough to give people, you will be skinned.”, “ That will be example for anyone who dare to not respect royals”
What the king said as a thunder just roared by his ears. He immediately kneeled down and begged the king but the king ignored his begging he strode away.
Dien Chi had no choice but to obey the king’s words. He changed all his assets to money and brought it to capital. He met the king before the competition started. Three days the king gave money to people, very few people knew about the competition so he didn’t waste much money to them. Days later, the information about the competition spread largely that attracted a lot of people. Dien Chi was forced to give them money. Almost his money seemed gone but crowd of people still came. At last, he changed his rest of money for rice to divide people with hoping that would save their life but it couldn’t prevent people came so that all money, all rice of him gone. That meant he lost.
His fate had been defined. The king didn’t give him any little pity he was brought out to have his execution.
That moment, his wife was the person who felt remorseful most. She had never thought that her words were the reason for his husband's death. The death of her husband always annoyed her mind. At last, she gave all her fields to others then she went to a temple living as a nun till she died.
THE END
"Translator: Hung Nguyen"
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