Skip to main content

19. Donkey vegetable

There's a very long path which led through a vast ancient forest. The forest with giant trees was the place many wild beasts lived. From distances, a man was approaching. He's a hunter who was tall, young and handsome with nice eyes. With leaf on his mouth, the hunter was playing music happily. The music spread out, coming to animals which were around. A stag stopped eating, raised its head to listen. For awhile, the music disappeared, he stopped. The young hunter met a woman on his way. That's a great old, ugly woman who was wearing shabby clothes.
"Boy," she said by weak voice, heading her bony hand toward him, "You look happy while I'm hungry and thirsty. Will you feel pleased to do me a favour boy?"
"Poor you!"
donkey vegetable, rau lừa
The hunter felt pity her, he groped in his pocket and took some money and gave her. Then, he planned to left but the woman prevented him.
"You are good guy, boy." She said, "You are very kind to share me this money. You are worthy to have reward. Keep going boy. You will meet nine birds which were struggling for a coat. Use your hunting gun, shoot at them. They will scatter but one bird will be hit and fall down with the coat."
"It's a magical coat which will bring you to everywhere you want." she asked, "what you need are to put in it and to think about the place. Take out the bird's heart and swallow it boy, you will get a golden coin under your pillow everyday you wake up."
The young hunter said thank you then left.
"I'm must be the luckiest person if what she said are true." he thought.
He kept going. It's about five hundreds steps till he heard crowd of birds crying. He looked up and there nine strange birds were struggling a coat. All of them wanted to have it for each oneself. The young hunter raised his gun and with a loud ban, birds scattered to every directions, left colorful feathers after them. A bird dropped down with a thump while the coat was still in midair, sluggishly fell down. There's a strange bird lying on ground. It have size of an sparrow with colorful feathers, a great long tail which looked so beautiful, a red crest and golden feet. The hunter took his knife and did exactly what the woman had said. He slashed on bird's stomach and took its heart which was still beating. He swallowed it after that. Afternoon, he came back home with nothing but the very little bird and the coat. He had dinner and then slept as usual.
He woke up early the next morning and because of the curious, he lift his pillow up and found out there a golden coin glittering. The next morning he saw another. Days after that he always found one golden coin under his pillow after he woke up. He had a pile of golden coins after days. In the days, he still went to the familiar forest to hunt but he didn't hunt anything. Honestly, he didn't need because he could buy everything by the coins. The life turned bored and he wanted to travel.
"I have to go." he thought, "If I only stay here, I will never have chance to use this gold."
Then he stacked, said goodbye his father and mother, brought hunting gun and bag with him. He set off. He went on the endless path in the forest which had never got pass. He arrived to the other side after few days. He went in cities and came to villages, stayed at there places for few days then left. He didn't stay at any place too long. One day, he went to a vast forest. The other side of it was a wide field and stood on it a beautiful palace.
He emerged from the forest when the owner of the palace and her daughter, a young beautiful were standing by window.
"See him, the hunter." Said the woman who was also a witch, pointing at the him, "He have a mavellous heart inside which should belong to us. Every person who have the heart will get one golden coin after he or she wake up. We have to have it my daughter."
Then she directed her daughter how to get the heart.
"If you don't obey me, I will punish you." the witch gazed at her daughter.
From the hunter's place, he had seen the owners of castle. They were a woman and besides her, a young girl. At the first sight, he saw her, the daughter, he couldn't look to anything but her. She was so charming. Of course, he's not wrong. The more he came near, the more he saw more her beauty and that's the reason he decided to stay there.
"I have gone for long time. Now, I should stop for awhile. This palace is so beautiful. I will stay here." he thought.
Course it's not the reason. He wanted to stay at the palace because he wanted to see the girl every day. He went in the palace and was treated well. It didn't take much time he was charmed and what he thought was nothing but how to satisfy the daughter. He would do whatever she wanted.
"It's time to take the bird heart, daughter." said the witch, "We will take it without his notice."
The witch boiled some green liquid in a caudron. It had disgusting smell. She stirred it few time then put in it some white powder. Later, she poured it in a glass. The green liquid turned into something which looked like milk after few seconds. It was brought to the hunter's room with some toast and a handkerchief.
"Honey!" the daughter went to the hunter's bed, "I bring you your breakfast. Please, drink it because of me." said her sweety, giving him the glass.
He received the glass from her and as a way to show his love, he drank a great gulp. The liquid made him feel sick, he grabbed the hankerchief and vomited the bird's heart.
The bird heart secretly was brought to the witch after that and the daughter had to swallow it. From the time, young hunter didn't see any golden coin after he woke up. However, he seemed not to care whole his mind was full of the daughter's image. The daughter, on other sider, always had one golden coin under her pillow after she woke up from that time. Every day her mother came and took it away.
"We have had the bird heart. Now, we have to take his remaining thing, the magical coat." said the witch. The bird heart seemed not to satisfy her.
"Leave it with him, mom." said the daughter, "He lost his wealth."
"I have to have it." grunted the witch, "There had only one coat like it on the world."
Then, as the first time, she said her the plan which attached the same threat.
"If you don't do, I will punish you."
It's a day, the daughter stood by window, looked to distance with a depressed face.
"Why you look so sad honey?" asked the hunter who was approached her.
"Oh honey, do you see the mountain? It's front of our castle." she said, "It have many gems there. I love gems." she looked at him by her enermous eyes. "How can we come there, honey. Only birds can do that - they can fly."
"If you want to come there honey. I can bring you to there in seconds."
"Come on!" He wrapped himself and her in magical coat. "Thach Luu mountain." he said.
They disappeared and a blink later, they appeared on Thach Luu mountain. It's looked like a field of gems, pearls, diamonds and others surround them at the moment. All of them were glittering. It's magnificent. They stood still seconds because of the sight.
"Look!" the daughter rushed into a big gem near that but later, she dropped it and ran toward another bigger and more beautiful. It took hours for them to choose.
"I feel tired honey. We need to have a rest." said the hunter while the daugter was still collecting. Then, he fell in sleep. The daughter put in magical coat, brought gems then transferred back the palace, left he stayed alone there. When he woke up, the daughter had gone, his coat had vanished. All surround him were wild sight with glittering gems which, the moment, were useless with him. He had found but he didn't see her and besides, he couldn't find the way to leave. There was not place for people to go and leave. It didn't doubt that his lover betrayed him. He sank into very bad mood. He sat down and then fell himself lying on ground, just lying not to do anything more.
There was the place in which giants lived. Afternoon, three giants came back. They wore in suits of armours, brought axes. They were hairy and bearded. They went toward where the hunter was lying.
"Why does this worm lie here?" said a giant, touching the hunter by his foot.
"Kill it!" said the second giant.
"Let it alive. It's harmless with us. It will not able to leave here unless, it climb on the top where clouds will bring it away."
The giants strode away after that. The hunter waited for them to vanish, he woke up, climbed up the top. He waited for clouds. Later, a white cloud moved toward him. He caught the chance, mounted on that soft cloud. He and the cloud flew on sky for long time till it landed on a garden in which vegatable was. He looked around to seek some fruit but there had nothing but vegetable. He picked up a vegetable plant and ate because he was too hungry. Suddenly, his body swelled. He floated in midair.
"Pop! Pop!..." One, two donkey ears emerged from his body and then four donkey feet appeared. At last, it was the donkey tail. He burst into a donkey. The vegetable the time was suitable with his new state. He felt it cool and delicious. It meant he continued eating in order to satisfy his hunger. Suddenly, his body shriveled up. He couldn't move and with a pop he changed into human appearance. He had eaten other vegetable without notice.
He fell in sleep after long journey. He woke up at the next morning and the first thing he did was picked two plants of the vegetable, one was donkey vegetable and the other was human vegetable. He left, found the way to back the castle. It took him few days to came it. He spread dirt on face and made sure that others couldn't realize him before he went in castle.
"I feel tired and can not move anymore." he said, "Can you let me stay here a night."
"Where are you from boy? What do you do?" asked the witch.
"I am a servant of king. I am sent in order to find the rarest vegetable on the world." he said, "I'm so lucky as I have found out it and bring it here but it's fading. Duno whether I can bring it to my king before it completely spoiled.
"Oh my friend! Can I taste a little." said the witch who's too greedy.
"Of course, you can. You are too kind because of letting me stay here. I have two plants and I'm pleased to give you one." he said, giving her donkey vegetable.
The witch didn't doubt. She brought it to kitchen and cooked. She even didn't bring it to others to eat. She tasted it right in kitchen. Immediately, she burst into a donkey.
"What's going in me?" roared the witch, bolting but there only had donkey's hoarsed voice. She rush into yard, continued roaring but no one heard or noticed her, the donkey.
The maid who serving the witch and the daughter who used to tasted food of them on sly. That time, she also behaved like that. She looked around and when she's sure that nobody saw her, she took a little then swallowed it. Immediately, she brust into a young donkey. She bolted, kicked the dish of vegetable down. She roared, rushed into the yard in which her mistress was. They both continued roaring but no one noticed them.
Meanwhile, the hunter was beside the daughter.
"What are they doing? Why do they make it so long?" said the daughter who was impatient wanting to taste the vegetable.
"I'll go take a look." said the hunter. He knew that the vegetable had had effect. Two donkeys were roaring out the yard while vegetable scattered on ground as he came.
"Alright! You both had yours." he said.
He picked up the vegetable, put neatly on dish then brought it to the daughter.
"I myself bring this delicious vegetable to you. Think you are very impatient to taste it." he said, giving her the dish. She ate and immedately burst into a young donkey. He ran out, gathered the others. The hunter washed her face.
"See! Do you realize me?" said the hunter, "That's prize you have to pay because you betrayed me."
Then he chained the donkeys and pulled them to a mill. He knocked on door. The miller appeared after the door.
"What do you want boy?" he said.
"They are too headstrong", the hunter looked at the miller then hinted to the donkeys, "I want you to train them. I will pay."
"Right-but how?" asked the miller.
"The old beat three times, feed one time a day. The young beat one time and feed three time and the youngest feed enough three times but don't beat it." said the hunter. He wanted to punish the witch but didn't want his lover hurted.
Short time later, the miller found the way to him, informed that the old dinkey had died. She was forced to work hard, beat painfully and was not fed enough. The others were still alive but they both were depressed and might follow the old.
The hunter had forgiven. He felt pity them so he asked the miller to bring them back. The donkeys hoarsed again as they see him but no one understood them. He took the other vegetable plant and asked them to eat.
The donkeys shriveled up, transformed into human appearance.
"I'm so sorry." cried the daughter, weeping tears on her cheek, "I don't want to lie you, betray you but my mother force me. She will punish me if I don't obey. I love you honey. I will return all things belonging to you. Your coat is in wardrobe and the bird heart a will drink to vomit it."
"You don't need to do that." he changed his attention, "Keep the bird heart inside you. I want it belong to you, my wife. Will you marry with me?" he asked.
Nothing could expressed how much the daughter felt happy. After all the hunter still love her, forgave her and believed her.
A wedding was held after that. They were happy.
The end, 🎍🎍🎍

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

Essential Reads: Engaging Books You Can't Miss!

Comments

BÀI ĐĂNG ĐƯỢC XEM NHIỀU

List of Vietnamese fairy tales

Vietnamese  fairy tales includes many stories as Tam and Cam; So Dua; Hundred – knot- bamboo tree... which were spread in folk. Each stories has  its own meaning. I think I can not translate exactly each word into english but I will try my best to convey its meaning to you. Hope you like them!

The Tale of the Hundred - knot Bamboo tree

Once upon a time, there had a boy who was poor, had no field. Therefore, he found the way to work for a landlord. He was healthy, worked hard and great in working so the landlord wanted him to work for him long time without any pay. One day, he called the boy to come. "You are honest and healthy. If you agree to work for me in three years without pay, I will let you marry with my only daughter after that." The boy agreed. He believed completely. He worked very hard, help the landlord turn richer that he could build more houses, buy more fields and cattles. Then, time passed. Three years nearly crossed, the boy always remembered his master's promise while his master, the landlord didn't want to do his promise. He in secret had found another boy for his daughter, a son of another landlord in that area. Therefore, what he need was a reason to refuse the boy. One day, he called the boy to come. "You have worked very hard for three years, waken early, slept late....

Thuong Luong

Thuong Luong was common name of creatures which are in people’s imagines. They are distant relatives of dragons. While dragons are worshiped as gods, the gods ruled rivers and sea and the gods can make rains, Thuong Luong is not respected as dragons that the creatures are too amorous, combative, wild, and have bad behaviors. All most of them like to harm people.

The Tale of Geckos

Once  upon a time, a poor couple who named Thach Sung lived in a hut next to a market. They begged others to live. Although their lives were difficult, they were people who had ambitions. They had saved a lot of money which was hidden under ground in their hut but they still acted as poor people and continued praying. vietnamesefairytales.blogspot.com One night, when Mr. Thach Sung was coming home he saw two buffaloes were fighting. His experience told him that year the water would rise over ground very much and of course they couldn’t pick up so he dig his money and bought rice by all money he had. The August that year, a big flood occurred. Therefore, they earned a lot of money by selling rice for others. 

Thanh Giong

Once  upon a time, a woman was old but she had not given birth a child. One day, when she went to her field, she saw a stranger footsore on the ground. The big footsore made her surprise and said: “omg, this footsore is so big” the she put her foot into the footsore. More 9 months later, she gave birth to a little boy named Giong. The boy was extraordinary that he was over three years old but had not spoken. He only knew lying and smiling. vietnamesefairytales.blogspot.com That year, the enemies they were known An planed to attack the country of the boy. They were merciless. Wherever they had gone, houses were ruined, fields were fired, people were killed. The sight behind them is mess of corpse and blood and ashes.The King was worry he forced his servants to look for person who could fight against the enemies.  One day, a servent went to Giong’s village while the woman was holding the boy in her arms, she said sadly that: “Giong, I wonder that when you hav...

The tale of "Nhất Dạ" swamp and "Tự Nhiên" dump

The  third Hung Vuong king had a princess people said that when she had just born she was blessed by fairies so she grew up with perfect beauty. Because of that thing the king named her Tien Dung it mean beauty of fairies. The king very loved her so whatever she wanted he always gave to her. Tien Dung had a hobby that was travelling by boat. Therefore, the king bought her a beautiful boat with all things she needed as servants, food, water… Every year, her boat started moving at the end of spring and went back when birds flew toward the south. Sometime, she forgot to go back because she was very enjoyable to explore things that always made the king be worry. When Tien Dung was enough 18 years old princes in other countries around her country had went to ask a wedding with her but she refused all.she said her father, the king in a party: “Dad, I will never marry.”   While time, in Chu Xa where a man, Chu Cu Van, and his son, Chu, lived. They were poor people but t...

Luu and Death god

Nobody  could explain why people belonging to Luu family used to die early. Servants of Death god brought them away when they about thirty years old. The luckiest person ended his life as he was forty. Therefore, all people in the Luu asked the others to prepare for their deaths when they nearly thirty. While Luu family had young deaths, a fisher in La family had lived for three hundred years. He still had good health and had no sign that he was going to die. But, he was reticent and didn’t like to converse with others. vietnamesefairytales.blogspot.com A man in Luu family knew that and he felt that was unfair. He was angry and planned to ask the Death god to explain why he did the unfair thing. Short time later, he was thirty one years old and of course, servants of Death god came to bring him away. He had no preparation so he just talked people to send him a little money, some paper and a suit before he died. (In Vietnam if you want to send something to dead you only ...

Bay Giao, Chin Quy

Once  upon a time, in  Cai - se   village lived two brothers one was Bay   Giao   and the other was Chin   Quy . Their parent had died when they were child leaving them some parts of field. They were beefy and also wanted to devote their power for their country. They heard that Binh dinh was land of martial arts so they sold their field, packed then went toward Binh dinh. They found to many masters and had no long time to be great on 18 skills of martial arts. They they said goodbye their teacher came toward castle. But meanwhile the country was peaceful that they didn't have any enemies so the king preferred mandarins than generals. Therefore,   they had to turn back their way to their village. They taught people martial arts to live but it didn’t help them have enough money to fill full their stomach. Having no choice, at last, they worked as thieves then changed into robbers. They robbed travelers but they onl...

Bài 14: Danh từ đếm được số ít và số nhiều và quy tắc thêm chuyển từ danh từ đếm được số ít sang số nhiều.

      Như chúng ta đã biết danh từ thường phân thành nhiều loại nhưng về mặt ngữ pháp bạn chỉ cần biết danh từ gồm hai loại: danh từ đếm được và danh từ không đếm được. Về cơ bản mình sẽ nói qua một chút về danh từ đếm được và danh từ không đếm được vì bài này chủ yếu xoay quanh danh từ đếm được. Về bản chất danh từ đếm được là những từ bạn có thể kiểm soát nó bằng mặt số lượng tức là bạn có thể đếm 1, 2, 3 cái gì đó và nó có sự phân biệt giữa số ít (một) và số nhiều (hơn một) của loại từ này trong ngữ pháp của câu. Ví dụ: I have  bananas và  I have  a banana  có sự khác biệt rõ ràng, bạn có nhận thất mạo từ  “a”  ở trước banana không? Thêm nữa Bananas  are  yellow và a banana  is  yellow bạn có nhận thấy động từ đi kèm có sự khác biệt không; danh từ số nhiều sẽ tương đương vói ư chỉ ngữ they và danh từ số ít sẽ tương đương vói it. Cơ bản là thế. Còn về danh không đếm được thì bạn phải cân, đo, đong như những...