Once upon a time, in a small village a boy was born. The prophet talked that he would get married with a princess when he was sixteen years old. The prophecy fastly came to the king who was traveling incognito. The king who had bad heart didn't want his son-in-law's person having humble origin. He found the way to home of the child, put on in clothes of wealthy trader, brought some slaves with him. He pretended as a kind trader who had no child, and desired to have one. By sweet lies, the king convinced parent of the child.
"You are poor." he said, "Give him to me. I will take of him."
The couple refused till he gave them glittering golden bars.
"It's his luck. His fate will be good." they thought so. Then, they gave their son to the king, thought that their son would grow up in wealth.
The king put the child in a case, brought it, rode away. He stood on the edge and threw the case into a strong river.
"So, my daughter did get rid of him." he said. Thought that the water would plunge the case with the child in which down, he left. However, the case wasn't sunk, it floated as a boat, drifted following the water to a countryside away the King's city two miles. It gently move cross a mill and stopped at mill-dam. That's lucky for the child as the mill-boy stayed there and noticed the case. Thought that in which had treasure, he took out it by a hook. However, instead of treasure, he found out a pretty child who was sleeping peacefully. He brought the child to the miller and his wife. The miller and his wife didn't have any child so they were happy as they saw the child.
"Husband! Look! He's so pretty." yelled the wife happily as the chubby pretty child woke up, looked at her and smiled at the time she received him, "Thank God because of giving us this child. We will take care of him."
The lucky-boy grew up in great love of miller couple. After years, he became a tall, handsome and proud boy. He had a normal life as a mill-boy till his sixteenth birthday was coming.
One day, to avoid a storm the king went in the mill.
"He's your son?" said the king curiously as the lucky-boy who was tall and handsome, not similar with miller couple.
"No, he's not." said the miller husband "He's found my king."
"Sixteen years ago," he continued, "he came to us in a case which drifted to here and stuck in mill-dam. A mill-boy saw and did save him. After that, he brought him to us and my wife, my kind wife decided to take care of him at the first time she saw him. He's so pretty."
No longer doubt, the king knew at one that the boy he mentioned was exact child he had thrown into water.
"He's so lucky but it's not this time." thought the king. He had a plan for him, the lucky-boy. After many years, king's heart was still bad he planned to kill lucky-boy another time.
"I have a letter and need someone to bring it to your queen." said the king, "Will he do it if I give you two golden coins."
The couple agreed. They asked lucky-boy to go. The lucky-boy took the letter which was wrapped carefully in a envelope. He set off. Of course, he didn't know what his king wrote. If he knew, he would have never gone.
He went but he lost and arrived to a vast forest. Sun had downed. She followed a light coming to a cottage where an old woman was standing lonely by the fire. He knocked on the door and the woman appeared after it.
"Who are you? Where are going?" said the woman in panic.
"I come from the mill. I am on the way bringing a letter to the queen but I'm lost. Please let me stay here one night." begged lucky-boy.
"Poor you boy." said the woman, "Where you are standing here is place of robbers. They will kill you as they saw you. I really want to help you, but... you have go."
"Whatever," he said, "I don't scare. Besides, I felt to tired to go anymore."
The he made the went in, settled himself on a bench while the woman still stood at the door, looked at his back with great worry.
Robbers came back at night.
"Who is he?" the leader of robber roared as he saw a strange staying in their home and could able to sleep peacefully.
"He don't know where on the world he is?" he raised his voice, glared the at the kind woman.
"God! He's harmless with you. Poor boy! He lost and I only give him a place to rest." said the woman, "He will go next morning to bring a letter to the queen."
"Bring a letter to the queen. He?" repeated the leader.
Latter, robbers groped in lucky-boy clothes and found the letter. They unwrapped and read. It's king's order.
"Kill the person who bring this letter come immediately."
Though the robbers were not kind people, they felt the boy unlucky. They wrote another letter and put in king's envelope. They let him continued sleeping. The next morning, they gave him the letter, led him out the forest and directed him to the castle.
Lucky-boy arrived to castle. The letter was brought to the queen. The queen unwrapped and what in it was.
"The person who bring this letter come is the husband of my daughter. i want they have a wedding immediately."
The queen didn't doubt and a wedding was held at one. Prince consort was kind and handsome. The princess was pleasing and happy as she have him as a husband. They both felt happy.
Short time later, the king went back and discovered the prophecy had come true the lucky-boy had married with his daughter.
"I don't understand." said the king as he stayed with the queen, "I don't order to hold any wedding."
"You did my king." said the queen, managing to give him the letter.
"It's changed." said the king after he read the letter.
Lucky-boy immediately was summoned.
"Where's my letter?" roared the king angrily, "How do you dare to change my letter?"
"I don't know my king. I don't know where it is. It maybe was changed while I was sleeping in robbers' cottage." said he innocently
"Maybe it don't relate to you but you can not be my daughter's husband anymore or you have to bring me three golden hairs of demon." said the king calmly, thought that lucky-boy would leave.
"I don't scare. I will bring you golden hairs." said lucky-boy.
He said his wife and everyone then set off. He went to a big city where was known as city of festival.
"Who are you? What do you do?" asked guardians as he stood front the gate. It always happened that if he wanted to go in any city. He answered them.
"Do you know with your knowledge why our well which always flow out great red wine, now turn dried having no a drop of wine." added guardians, hoping someone who crossed there could answered them.
"I will answer you one I come back." he said, managing to go in city.
It's silent and sad sight as he went in which. The city of festivals now had no festival. Their wine well had dried. There had only the people who were there while the others had left. He followed the direction the sun downed, left city of festivals. He came to another city which was known as destination of traders. Wealth and bustle were things the city had and what created the things was an ancient apple tree which stood in middle of the city. Every year, the tree bore one hundred golden apples which all people on the world desired and attracted trader to come there and brought the apple away. However, apple tree didn't give any golden apple recently. Even leaves, they had gone all.
"Who are you? What do you do?" asked the guardians as he met them at the gate.
He answered them like he had did at city of festivals.
"Do you know with you knowledge why our golden apple tree turn withered?" sadly they asked him, hoping in luck they could have the answer.
"I will answer you one I come back." he said.
It's quiet deserted and gloomy on street. He rarely saw a person on streets which had ever were very crowded before. He went crossed city-middle on which the golden apple tree stood. There had some children who were watering a withered tree. He noticed the tree which now had no leaves, showing people scrubby twigs. The children gave him an inquisitive look as he crossed them. He kept moving and got out of the city after that.
At last, he went to the river which divided people' world and demon's. That's also the last place the sun lit up. There had a very old ferry-man who had complete white hair and sunburned skin. His face expressed fatigue.
"Where do you want to go?" said the ferry-man in deep voice.
"I wanna come to the other side." he said.
That's wide river with half was lit up by sunlight and the other was blurred under weak blue light. It took hours to get pass the river and so they had time to talk to the other.
"I have been here for great time boy." said ferry-man, frowning his eyebrow and made his face turned more miserable, "I don't want to stay here any moment but I can't leave. Thought somewhere in this world has somebody who can answer my question." he stopped awhile, "By any chance boy," he added, "Do you know how I can leave this place? How to get a person to replace me at here?"
"Be patient. I think I get the answer but I will tell you as I come back." said lucky-boy.
Lucky-boy landed on the other side, he said goodbye the ferry-man and left. He went in a strange forest on which stood strange trees having no leaf with scrubby twigs. Above his head was something which looked like the moon but it spread out weak blue light. He follow the only path leading in deep strange forest. After half hour, he arrived to a vacant place on which a cottage stood. In the cottage an old woman was sitting on an armchair. She looked kind.
"What do you want boy?" asked the woman.
"I want three golden hairs of demon." he said.
"Poor you boy. He will kill you at right the moment he sees you." she said, "But, maybe I can help you."
The woman pointed at him, whispered something. A blue light flew toward him the surround his body. He got the feeling of pain then his body automatically shriveled up, a little and a little until his body was as big as a finger. She picked him up.
"I will put you in my pocket." she said, "You have to stay in it if you want to live."
"You are kind. But, I have three questions and think that demon know the answers. Can you do me another favor?" he said.
"Come on boy. I will manage." she said.
"Why is wine-well dried? Why is golden apple tree withered? Why is ferry-man not replaced?"
He said before the woman put him in her pocket and they both waited for demon's coming.
There were flaps on the blurred sky. The demon appeared in a fearsome creature, half goat and half human. He had low half body of goat with black fur around. The upper belonged to a muscle man, naked, with big arms. Goat horns were on his forehead and wide bat-like wings were on his back. He flapped on the sky for some rounds, observed before he touched down.
As soon as his feet landed on ground, he transformed. With a pop his body changed into an old man who looked bony, tired and sleepy. He looked so different with his appearance before. He dragged his feet toward the cottage.
"Some people here. I smell them." he said, sniffed.
"Don't be stupid like that." said the woman, "You always smell people. Come on and eat."
He managed to have a seat and ate things the woman prepared for him. The dinner finished after a quarter. The demon felt sleepy so he settled himself on a bench and started sleeping while the woman caressed him.
Later, when the demon fell in deep sleep and started snoring, she plucked one golden hair, put it besides her.
"What are you doing?" said the demon uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry son. I wake you up?" said the woman.
"Yes, you did. You plunked my hair." said the demon
"Son, it's because I dream." she said.
"What did you dream about?" he asked.
"I dreamt about wine-well. But, something's wrong with it. It turned dried. Is it bad thing?" she said.
"Oh, that's because you don't know. There had a toad hiding under a rock at the bottom of the well. Kill the toad, wine will flow out again."
She caressed the demon again. The demon fell in sleep again and started snoring. Then, she plucked another golden hair again.
"What else now?" shouted the demon angrily.
"I'm so sorry son. I just dreamt again." she explained.
"What did you dream about?" said the demon.
"I dreamt about golden apple tree which used to give golden apples but now it doesn't. Why? Is it a bad omen?" she said.
"Oh, it's because you don't know. A rat is gnawing its root. Kill it the tree will give golden apples again. If the rat continued gnawing the tree will died. Okay! It's all. Don't pluck my hair again or I will hit you."
The demon fell in sleep again and as the two times before, it snored. The woman caressed him and then she plucked the third hair. The demon reared up, roared at her and planed to hit her.
"Omg!" she screamed, "How can I force myself not to dream?
"Dream about what?" asked the demon curiously, calmed his temper.
"I dreamt about the ferry-man who complains that why no one replace him." she said.
"He idiot," said the demon, "he only needs to give the person who want to cross the river his paddle and so he can get rid of the working."
The woman let the demon slept till the next morning after she got three golden hairs and answers. The next morning, the demon transformed into the shape of half goat and human being, flew up the sky, flapped few rounds around his cottage then vanished.
The woman took lucky-boy out of her pocket. She whispered then the blue light another time flew toward and surrounded him. He was brought in midair and a feeling of cold was the thing he got that time. He turned bigger and bigger. At last, when his feet touched on ground, he changed into his normal size.
"Here three golden hairs," she said, "and did you hear the answers?"
"Yes, I did and remember them. Thank you so much for your helping." he said.
"So go boy. Leave this place before demon come back." the woman hurried him.
He thank her many times later after he said goodbye and left.
Of course, he met the ferry-man first.
"Do you have the answer?" said the ferry-man in deep depression voice.
"I have." he answered him, "But, you have to bring me cross this river first."
They didn't talk anymore till they reached the other side. Lucky-boy landed on the ground and as he did promised he told the answer to ferry-man.
"Give the person who want to cross this river your paddle, you will get rid of this working." shouted lucky-boy, walking away.
He followed the way which led him to the demon back to the city having golden apple tree. Guardians gathered and asked him for the answer. He repeated the words of demon.
"A rat was gnawing its root. You have to kill it before it kill the tree." he said.
People dug around golden apple tree's root and found out a rat. They killed the rat. It's like magic as leaves started appearing on scrubby twigs of the tree. Then, it bloomed and bore golden apple. People in that city broke in happiness. They thank him thousand times. Besides, they gave him two donkeys with heavy sacks full of gold on their backs. Lucky-boy said goodbye right after that. He felt impatient wanting to meet his wife after many days. He led the donkeys left and the last place he came to was city of festivals. As the before time, people gathered and asked him for the answer. Lucky-boy immediately gave them what they wanted. He repeated demon's words.
"A toad hide itself under a rock which was on bottom of the well. Kill it, and wine will flow out again."
People easily discovered to toad after the direction. They killed it and the wine-well again flowed out. Festival immediately started on streets. They drank, danced and sang. To thank lucky-boy they gifted him two donkey with sacks full of gold inside. Girls came and invited him to join parties but he refused. He wanted to come back as fast as he can. He left the city with four donkeys, went straight to castle where his loving wife was waiting for him.
His wife rushed to castle's gate as she saw him from distance through her window. She realized her husband had gotten golden hairs as she saw the expression on his face. She and he went toward which their king was.
"Here your golden hairs my king." he said happily.
The king received there golden hairs but what he was noticing at the moment was four donkeys with heavy sacks on.
"What are there?" he asked curiously.
"It's gold, my dear king." said lucky-boy.
"You have brought golden hairs to me so you can continued being my daughter's husband son. You are my son-in-law." said the king, "My son, I have a question." he stopped awhile, "Where do you find out the gold. It's too much. It must be big treasure."
"I found it on the other side of river which at the end of the world." said lucky-boy.
"Can I take it son?" said the king impatiently. He was greedy.
"Of course, you can my father."it's like sand at there. You can take as much as you want. But, you have to ask the ferry-man at there to bring you cross the river."
The greedy king wore in normal clothes, and didn't bring any person go with him. He didn't want to be noticed by others or shared the place he could have gold to them. He left, followed the way lucky-boy directed him. At last, he arrived to the rive.
"Hey you! Bring me cross this river." he shouted to the ferry-man who was at middle of the river.
The ferry-man rowed toward him.
"Come on." ferry-man invited him to down his raft. After, the king landed on the raft. Ferry-man hurriedly gave him his paddle, leaped on ground and vanished. The king didn't understand but because of his greed, he rowed to the other side. However, he didn't find anything instead of gold. He turned angry, rowed back, planned to punish lucky-boy after he got back the castle but when he touched the side he couldn't leave the place. He was forced to be ferry-man till other replaced him. Many years later, the greedy king still worked as ferry-man while lucky-boy had become the king of that country. He and his wife had happy life. This is the present for his brave and kindness.
The end. 🔯🔯🔯
Read more:
List of Vietnamese fairy tales
List of collected tales
***
16. Godfather's the Death
17. Roses sent to Rose
18. Three golden hairs of demon
"You are poor." he said, "Give him to me. I will take of him."
The couple refused till he gave them glittering golden bars.
"It's his luck. His fate will be good." they thought so. Then, they gave their son to the king, thought that their son would grow up in wealth.
The king put the child in a case, brought it, rode away. He stood on the edge and threw the case into a strong river.
"Husband! Look! He's so pretty." yelled the wife happily as the chubby pretty child woke up, looked at her and smiled at the time she received him, "Thank God because of giving us this child. We will take care of him."
The lucky-boy grew up in great love of miller couple. After years, he became a tall, handsome and proud boy. He had a normal life as a mill-boy till his sixteenth birthday was coming.
One day, to avoid a storm the king went in the mill.
"He's your son?" said the king curiously as the lucky-boy who was tall and handsome, not similar with miller couple.
"No, he's not." said the miller husband "He's found my king."
"Sixteen years ago," he continued, "he came to us in a case which drifted to here and stuck in mill-dam. A mill-boy saw and did save him. After that, he brought him to us and my wife, my kind wife decided to take care of him at the first time she saw him. He's so pretty."
No longer doubt, the king knew at one that the boy he mentioned was exact child he had thrown into water.
"He's so lucky but it's not this time." thought the king. He had a plan for him, the lucky-boy. After many years, king's heart was still bad he planned to kill lucky-boy another time.
"I have a letter and need someone to bring it to your queen." said the king, "Will he do it if I give you two golden coins."
The couple agreed. They asked lucky-boy to go. The lucky-boy took the letter which was wrapped carefully in a envelope. He set off. Of course, he didn't know what his king wrote. If he knew, he would have never gone.
He went but he lost and arrived to a vast forest. Sun had downed. She followed a light coming to a cottage where an old woman was standing lonely by the fire. He knocked on the door and the woman appeared after it.
"Who are you? Where are going?" said the woman in panic.
"I come from the mill. I am on the way bringing a letter to the queen but I'm lost. Please let me stay here one night." begged lucky-boy.
"Poor you boy." said the woman, "Where you are standing here is place of robbers. They will kill you as they saw you. I really want to help you, but... you have go."
"Whatever," he said, "I don't scare. Besides, I felt to tired to go anymore."
The he made the went in, settled himself on a bench while the woman still stood at the door, looked at his back with great worry.
Robbers came back at night.
"Who is he?" the leader of robber roared as he saw a strange staying in their home and could able to sleep peacefully.
"He don't know where on the world he is?" he raised his voice, glared the at the kind woman.
"God! He's harmless with you. Poor boy! He lost and I only give him a place to rest." said the woman, "He will go next morning to bring a letter to the queen."
"Bring a letter to the queen. He?" repeated the leader.
Latter, robbers groped in lucky-boy clothes and found the letter. They unwrapped and read. It's king's order.
"Kill the person who bring this letter come immediately."
Though the robbers were not kind people, they felt the boy unlucky. They wrote another letter and put in king's envelope. They let him continued sleeping. The next morning, they gave him the letter, led him out the forest and directed him to the castle.
Lucky-boy arrived to castle. The letter was brought to the queen. The queen unwrapped and what in it was.
"The person who bring this letter come is the husband of my daughter. i want they have a wedding immediately."
The queen didn't doubt and a wedding was held at one. Prince consort was kind and handsome. The princess was pleasing and happy as she have him as a husband. They both felt happy.
Short time later, the king went back and discovered the prophecy had come true the lucky-boy had married with his daughter.
"I don't understand." said the king as he stayed with the queen, "I don't order to hold any wedding."
"You did my king." said the queen, managing to give him the letter.
"It's changed." said the king after he read the letter.
Lucky-boy immediately was summoned.
"Where's my letter?" roared the king angrily, "How do you dare to change my letter?"
"I don't know my king. I don't know where it is. It maybe was changed while I was sleeping in robbers' cottage." said he innocently
"Maybe it don't relate to you but you can not be my daughter's husband anymore or you have to bring me three golden hairs of demon." said the king calmly, thought that lucky-boy would leave.
"I don't scare. I will bring you golden hairs." said lucky-boy.
He said his wife and everyone then set off. He went to a big city where was known as city of festival.
"Who are you? What do you do?" asked guardians as he stood front the gate. It always happened that if he wanted to go in any city. He answered them.
"Do you know with your knowledge why our well which always flow out great red wine, now turn dried having no a drop of wine." added guardians, hoping someone who crossed there could answered them.
"I will answer you one I come back." he said, managing to go in city.
It's silent and sad sight as he went in which. The city of festivals now had no festival. Their wine well had dried. There had only the people who were there while the others had left. He followed the direction the sun downed, left city of festivals. He came to another city which was known as destination of traders. Wealth and bustle were things the city had and what created the things was an ancient apple tree which stood in middle of the city. Every year, the tree bore one hundred golden apples which all people on the world desired and attracted trader to come there and brought the apple away. However, apple tree didn't give any golden apple recently. Even leaves, they had gone all.
"Who are you? What do you do?" asked the guardians as he met them at the gate.
He answered them like he had did at city of festivals.
"Do you know with you knowledge why our golden apple tree turn withered?" sadly they asked him, hoping in luck they could have the answer.
"I will answer you one I come back." he said.
It's quiet deserted and gloomy on street. He rarely saw a person on streets which had ever were very crowded before. He went crossed city-middle on which the golden apple tree stood. There had some children who were watering a withered tree. He noticed the tree which now had no leaves, showing people scrubby twigs. The children gave him an inquisitive look as he crossed them. He kept moving and got out of the city after that.
At last, he went to the river which divided people' world and demon's. That's also the last place the sun lit up. There had a very old ferry-man who had complete white hair and sunburned skin. His face expressed fatigue.
"Where do you want to go?" said the ferry-man in deep voice.
"I wanna come to the other side." he said.
That's wide river with half was lit up by sunlight and the other was blurred under weak blue light. It took hours to get pass the river and so they had time to talk to the other.
"I have been here for great time boy." said ferry-man, frowning his eyebrow and made his face turned more miserable, "I don't want to stay here any moment but I can't leave. Thought somewhere in this world has somebody who can answer my question." he stopped awhile, "By any chance boy," he added, "Do you know how I can leave this place? How to get a person to replace me at here?"
"Be patient. I think I get the answer but I will tell you as I come back." said lucky-boy.
Lucky-boy landed on the other side, he said goodbye the ferry-man and left. He went in a strange forest on which stood strange trees having no leaf with scrubby twigs. Above his head was something which looked like the moon but it spread out weak blue light. He follow the only path leading in deep strange forest. After half hour, he arrived to a vacant place on which a cottage stood. In the cottage an old woman was sitting on an armchair. She looked kind.
"What do you want boy?" asked the woman.
"I want three golden hairs of demon." he said.
"Poor you boy. He will kill you at right the moment he sees you." she said, "But, maybe I can help you."
The woman pointed at him, whispered something. A blue light flew toward him the surround his body. He got the feeling of pain then his body automatically shriveled up, a little and a little until his body was as big as a finger. She picked him up.
"I will put you in my pocket." she said, "You have to stay in it if you want to live."
"You are kind. But, I have three questions and think that demon know the answers. Can you do me another favor?" he said.
"Come on boy. I will manage." she said.
"Why is wine-well dried? Why is golden apple tree withered? Why is ferry-man not replaced?"
He said before the woman put him in her pocket and they both waited for demon's coming.
There were flaps on the blurred sky. The demon appeared in a fearsome creature, half goat and half human. He had low half body of goat with black fur around. The upper belonged to a muscle man, naked, with big arms. Goat horns were on his forehead and wide bat-like wings were on his back. He flapped on the sky for some rounds, observed before he touched down.
As soon as his feet landed on ground, he transformed. With a pop his body changed into an old man who looked bony, tired and sleepy. He looked so different with his appearance before. He dragged his feet toward the cottage.
"Some people here. I smell them." he said, sniffed.
"Don't be stupid like that." said the woman, "You always smell people. Come on and eat."
He managed to have a seat and ate things the woman prepared for him. The dinner finished after a quarter. The demon felt sleepy so he settled himself on a bench and started sleeping while the woman caressed him.
Later, when the demon fell in deep sleep and started snoring, she plucked one golden hair, put it besides her.
"What are you doing?" said the demon uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry son. I wake you up?" said the woman.
"Yes, you did. You plunked my hair." said the demon
"Son, it's because I dream." she said.
"What did you dream about?" he asked.
"I dreamt about wine-well. But, something's wrong with it. It turned dried. Is it bad thing?" she said.
"Oh, that's because you don't know. There had a toad hiding under a rock at the bottom of the well. Kill the toad, wine will flow out again."
She caressed the demon again. The demon fell in sleep again and started snoring. Then, she plucked another golden hair again.
"What else now?" shouted the demon angrily.
"I'm so sorry son. I just dreamt again." she explained.
"What did you dream about?" said the demon.
"I dreamt about golden apple tree which used to give golden apples but now it doesn't. Why? Is it a bad omen?" she said.
"Oh, it's because you don't know. A rat is gnawing its root. Kill it the tree will give golden apples again. If the rat continued gnawing the tree will died. Okay! It's all. Don't pluck my hair again or I will hit you."
The demon fell in sleep again and as the two times before, it snored. The woman caressed him and then she plucked the third hair. The demon reared up, roared at her and planed to hit her.
"Omg!" she screamed, "How can I force myself not to dream?
"Dream about what?" asked the demon curiously, calmed his temper.
"I dreamt about the ferry-man who complains that why no one replace him." she said.
"He idiot," said the demon, "he only needs to give the person who want to cross the river his paddle and so he can get rid of the working."
The woman let the demon slept till the next morning after she got three golden hairs and answers. The next morning, the demon transformed into the shape of half goat and human being, flew up the sky, flapped few rounds around his cottage then vanished.
The woman took lucky-boy out of her pocket. She whispered then the blue light another time flew toward and surrounded him. He was brought in midair and a feeling of cold was the thing he got that time. He turned bigger and bigger. At last, when his feet touched on ground, he changed into his normal size.
"Here three golden hairs," she said, "and did you hear the answers?"
"Yes, I did and remember them. Thank you so much for your helping." he said.
"So go boy. Leave this place before demon come back." the woman hurried him.
He thank her many times later after he said goodbye and left.
Of course, he met the ferry-man first.
"Do you have the answer?" said the ferry-man in deep depression voice.
"I have." he answered him, "But, you have to bring me cross this river first."
They didn't talk anymore till they reached the other side. Lucky-boy landed on the ground and as he did promised he told the answer to ferry-man.
"Give the person who want to cross this river your paddle, you will get rid of this working." shouted lucky-boy, walking away.
He followed the way which led him to the demon back to the city having golden apple tree. Guardians gathered and asked him for the answer. He repeated the words of demon.
"A rat was gnawing its root. You have to kill it before it kill the tree." he said.
People dug around golden apple tree's root and found out a rat. They killed the rat. It's like magic as leaves started appearing on scrubby twigs of the tree. Then, it bloomed and bore golden apple. People in that city broke in happiness. They thank him thousand times. Besides, they gave him two donkeys with heavy sacks full of gold on their backs. Lucky-boy said goodbye right after that. He felt impatient wanting to meet his wife after many days. He led the donkeys left and the last place he came to was city of festivals. As the before time, people gathered and asked him for the answer. Lucky-boy immediately gave them what they wanted. He repeated demon's words.
"A toad hide itself under a rock which was on bottom of the well. Kill it, and wine will flow out again."
People easily discovered to toad after the direction. They killed it and the wine-well again flowed out. Festival immediately started on streets. They drank, danced and sang. To thank lucky-boy they gifted him two donkey with sacks full of gold inside. Girls came and invited him to join parties but he refused. He wanted to come back as fast as he can. He left the city with four donkeys, went straight to castle where his loving wife was waiting for him.
His wife rushed to castle's gate as she saw him from distance through her window. She realized her husband had gotten golden hairs as she saw the expression on his face. She and he went toward which their king was.
"Here your golden hairs my king." he said happily.
The king received there golden hairs but what he was noticing at the moment was four donkeys with heavy sacks on.
"What are there?" he asked curiously.
"It's gold, my dear king." said lucky-boy.
"You have brought golden hairs to me so you can continued being my daughter's husband son. You are my son-in-law." said the king, "My son, I have a question." he stopped awhile, "Where do you find out the gold. It's too much. It must be big treasure."
"I found it on the other side of river which at the end of the world." said lucky-boy.
"Can I take it son?" said the king impatiently. He was greedy.
"Of course, you can my father."it's like sand at there. You can take as much as you want. But, you have to ask the ferry-man at there to bring you cross the river."
The greedy king wore in normal clothes, and didn't bring any person go with him. He didn't want to be noticed by others or shared the place he could have gold to them. He left, followed the way lucky-boy directed him. At last, he arrived to the rive.
"Hey you! Bring me cross this river." he shouted to the ferry-man who was at middle of the river.
The ferry-man rowed toward him.
"Come on." ferry-man invited him to down his raft. After, the king landed on the raft. Ferry-man hurriedly gave him his paddle, leaped on ground and vanished. The king didn't understand but because of his greed, he rowed to the other side. However, he didn't find anything instead of gold. He turned angry, rowed back, planned to punish lucky-boy after he got back the castle but when he touched the side he couldn't leave the place. He was forced to be ferry-man till other replaced him. Many years later, the greedy king still worked as ferry-man while lucky-boy had become the king of that country. He and his wife had happy life. This is the present for his brave and kindness.
The end. 🔯🔯🔯
"Translator: 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
List of Vietnamese fairy tales
List of collected tales
***
16. Godfather's the Death
17. Roses sent to Rose
18. Three golden hairs of demon
Bilingual Vietnamese Fairy Tales
Vietnamese Fairy Tales Collection
Shan Hai Jing
The 72 Spirits of Solomon
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