Sun was going to down. Drumbeats spread out in field. A drummer was going on the way to home. He strode passed a pond which was beside the way.
"Oh! Beautiful!", he said, picking up a piece of cloth left on the shore.
He put it in his pocket then left, kept beating and going.
He came home and forgot the thing he had picked. Therefore, he went to bed and was going to sleep.
"Drummer! Drummer! Wake up!"
Some one was calling him in very light prety voice as like she was whispering.
It's so dark he didn't see exactly what's it what he saw was something blurred white above his face.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"Please return my clothes." said the white shadow, "You took it on the shore."
"Right!" he said, "I will give it to you but - Who are you?"
"You poor girl. I'm pleased to return you." he said, giving her the clothes
She grabbed the clothes and intended to leave at one.
"Wait!" he called, "Maybe, I can help you."
"If you want to help me, you have find the way to Glass mountain, rescure me from the evil witch but-" she stopped awhile, "you will never able to come to it or if you by any chance can reach on it foot, you also can not climb up."
"I will go. I will find the way to meet you girl." he said, "Please, give some guide."
"You have to cross a vast forest where flesh-eating giants lived. That's all I can say you." her voiced echoed.
She vanished.
The drummer woke up early in next morning. He brought his drum, went straight to which gaints lived. There had no fear in his heart as he went in the forest. He did go in forest munites but there had no giants.
"They still sleep - too lazy. I have to wake them up." he said.
He grabbed his drum and then played it violently. The loud drumbeats suddenly spread out. They made birds which were on branches scared, scattered in everywhere with cries.
The ground around him trembled. Bushes moved aside. A giant sat up then stood on his feet. He was so high, higher than every ancient trees in the forest. He stepped toward where the drummer was. Each step he made the ground trembled.
"What are you doing boy?" his voice like thunder noises, "Do you know you just ruin my dream." he grunted.
"I'm drumming" he said, "to lead thoudsands of people to come here."
"Ha ha ha!" the giant laughed, "For what boy? I will step on them as like ants."
"You think you can fight against them." said the drummer, gazed at the giant, "When bent down to catch one of them, they will scatter, hide themseves and wait. When you feel tired, fall in sleep, the will get out from the hidings. Each of them brings on belt a iron hammer which will be use to smash your head when you are sleeping giant."
The giant hesitated.
"I can kill wild beast with one hit but I had better not concern them. They are crowded and clever." thought the giant.
"Keep going boy. I promise I will not touch a finger on you and your friends." said the giant, "If you have any request, I'm pleased to meet it." he lowed his voice.
"You have long feet." cried the drummer, still headed up looking the giant, "You can run fast. Bring me to Glass mountain. I will direct my friends to leave and you will be safe."
"Come on!" the giant bent down, lowed his giagntic hand with fingers like trunks. "Sit on my shoulder, I will bring you to there."
The giant stood up, put him on his large shoulder which was covered in thick coarse canvas. Somewhere on it even grew plants. The drummer started drumming. It's so fast and made the giant thought that he was hinting his friends to leave. Later, he stopped. The giant started moving and on the giant's shoulder which was higher much than trees, the drummer saw tops of trees start running backward, birds, animals scattered everywhere. Latter, the giant started running. These had loud thump every time the giant stepped on ground. He couldn't see any thing clearly. It's like they were flasing cross him. He had to grabbed on the giant's green, curly hairs and beards to keep himself not to fall down. Honestly, he could see moss grew on his hair and beard. The gaint moved slowly and slowly. The drummer's eyes that moment were blurred because of tears. Seconds later, they met another giant who had to have higher position because he wore in nice clothes and shoes white the giant took the drummer on shoulder had no shoes. They said something to the other that the drummer didn't understand. Then, the giant they just met, took the drummer, put on his highest button, went ahead while the other turned back. The drummer hurriedly clung on the button and they started moving. That time, he could saw things on the ground, he was under tops of trees but it's before the giant run and trees fell down aside. The drummer tried to cling on the button, his eyes closed because winds and flash of things made his eyes so pained. He only heard winds blow cross his ears. Later, the winds stopped, he opened eyes and realized the third giant was front of them. The third had to have highest rank, he put in polish clothes and shoes. Besides, he wore a nice hat, his hair and beard was nice, clean and smooth they were too different with the first. They said something to the other before the second turned back while the third put the drummer on his hat and continued going ahead. From the third's hat, the drummer could see a mountain.
"It can be Glass mountain." he thought. Honestly, what he thought was right, it's Glass mountain. The third moved some steps. He put him down ground when they stood by Glass mountain's foot.
"Hey! Can you bring me to the top?" said the drummer.
The giant shook his head. He whispered something which the drummer didn't understand then walked back the forest. Front poor drummer was a high mountain which was as high as three other mountains. The mountain was abrupt, smooth and transparent as glass. He tried to climb up times but he fell down.
"Wish I can transform into bird." he said sadly. However, wings didn't appear and he, of course, couldn't fly.
It's argument near there. Two men were arguing violently. The strugled a saddle on ground. It seemed no one would give up.
"Are you stupid?" he said, "You want a saddle for what while both of you have no horse."
"Because you don't know boy. This is magical saddle." said one of them, pointing at the saddle, "It brings you to any where in this world just in a blink. We both own it together and today was day I use it but this man, bastard don't want to give it to me."
"It's easy. I will help you both." said the drummer.
He walked ahead, stuck a flag on ground. Later, he came back.
"You both run toward it." he hinted them the flag, "The person who reached it first will use the saddle today."
The people looked at the other. They nodded. It meant they liked it. The drummer drumed to signal them. They started running after the third drumbeat which was loudest. However, when they just ran few steps, the drummer had jumped on magical saddle.
"Top of Glass mountain!" he cried.
Immediately, he was transferred. It's wide on the top of Glass mountain. There had a stone cottage looking at a pond, a forest was at the back. The cottage was surround by beautiful flowers which stood aside the path leading to the door. Next to flowers was green grass which covered whole the place between the cottage and the pond. He could see clouds move slowly above his head, could feel cold winds sweeping on his skin. It's deserted and wild place but it was nice to live. He walked to the door.
"Knock! Knock! Knock!" he knocked on the wooden door. He had to knocked three times before the owner of the cottage appeared. Behind the door, a woman went out. The woman was in black. She had browned with blood eyes owesome. Glasses slid down on her long hooked nose.
"What do you want boy?" she asked, glazed at him.
"I need some food and a place to sleep." he said.
"Alright! You can stay here if you do me three things." said the woman.
"Right! I will do though they are hard work." he said.
The woman gave him some food. She prepared for him a nice bed that night. The next morning, she woke him up early. She took off the iron-fingertip wrap from her ugly bony finger.
"Use it to scoop water out of the pond. All fish in it have to be arrange at the same sizes. You have to finish before sundown as I come back." she requested.
"It's a difficult work." he said.
However, he took the iron-fingertip wrap out and did it. He scooped. Whole morning time had gone but how he could scoop the large pond by the little iron-fingertip wrap. Though he did it centuries, it's impossible. He continued till lunch.
"I can't." he said sadly, "It's impossible."
He stopped. His arms dropped down. He felt tired and powerless.
From the cottage, a girl appeared. She looked like an angel with white dress. She had blond hair which was shining under sunlight. The girl walked toward where the drummer was.
"What's wrong with you? Why do you look so sad?" she said, looking at him by her warm eyes.
The drummer looked up. The girl front his face was so beautiful but that time it's not thing he cared.
"It's first thing but I can not finish it. How can I stay here?" he said, "I am finding a princess here but I don't see her. Think I should leave."
"Stay here drummer." she said, "I will help you. Come here. You look so tired. Lie your head on me and take a rest. When you wake up, it will finish."
The drummer didn't need her to ask again. He lay on her and slept. When he had fell in deep sleep, the girl revolved the surface of magical ring on her finger.
"Water fly, fish jump on the shore." she request.
Immediately, water turned into white mist. It gathered a big and high pile, followed clouds then flew away while fish, one by one, burst out the mist, lay on the shore in same size.
when the drummer woke up, he's so surprised. All thing he needed to do had been complete.
"There had a fish which's alone, not lying with others." said the girl, "When the witch come back, she will ask - why does this fish stay lonely here? At the time, take it and throw at her face - it is for you witch, you have to shout at her."
Tue drummer nodded. He understood what he had to do. Later, the girl left. She walked in the cottage and vanished in it as though she hadn't ever existed.
The sun turned bigger and redder as it fell down. Winds twisted more strongly. A black shadow appeared in sky in yhe direction of forest that meant the witch was coming back.
"Well done boy." said the witch, still glazed at him by the blood eyes, "But why does this fish stay alone here?"
"It's for you witch." he grabbed the fish and threw it strongly to her face.
The witch didn't say any word. She stared at him before she left turning in the cottage.
The drummer was given food and a place to sleep as the first night. Next morning, he was woken up again.
"Last day, you got an easy job but today you will not lucky like that. I have to give you a difficult job." said the witch, "See the forest, you have to chop all trees in it, split them then stack in piles."
"Here what you need." added the witch, gave him an ax, two wedges and a knife. The witch left. He started working but the ax she gave him was made of lead while the knife and wedges were made of tin. Blade of ax and knife were broken while the wedges were flattened as he began. He strugled with the things for hours but he couldn't fall down a tree. Thirst and hunger made him get furious. He threw the ax aside.
"I give up." he cried, sat down with a thump.
The girl appeared again. He brought a bastket with full of food and drink.
"Come here drummer!" said the girl, set the foood and drink on a piece of cloth, "you must be hungry and thirsty."
The drummer dragged himself toward her. He didn't have power to refuse.
"Please feel peace to take a rest and when you wake up, all things are finished." she said after they ended the great lunch.
He lay his head on her then slept. When he was in deep sleep, she, one more time, used the power of the magical ring. He revolved it and requested.
At one, whole the forest trembled. The trees with pops and cracks automatically fell down and split. Then wood stacked neatly on piles. It seemed like a giant had done it."See! Trees were fell down and split." said the girl as he woke up, "They were stacked neatly in piles but a twig's still not stacked. She will ask you as she come back but don't scare. When she asks, use it and lash her. It's for you, witch-you have to shout at her like that."
The girl vanished again after that.
A black shadow appeared on the big red sun. It was flying toward him. The witch landed on bare forest, front of him.
"Is it easy?" sneered the witch, "But what is this? Why this twig lie here?"
"It's for you, witch." the drummer cried. He grabbed the twig and lashed her painfully. The witch didn't dodge. She curled her mouth.
"Tomorrow, you have to stack them in a pile and fire it." she said.
He woke up early in next morning. He moved the piles of wood and stacked but how he could he was only a normal while there's a forest of wood. He did but it seemed to have no progress. However, the girl didn't leave him alone. She appeared as he felt tired most. Shebl brought food and drink to him as usual and he again took a rest. When he woke up, all things had done. The wood was stacked to be a huge pile which was as high as a mointain. Flame was flickering as though it wanted to reach on the sky.
"She will come." said the girl, "She will request you to do others. Don't scare and accept her. If you scare, the flame will burn you but you don't, you'll be safe. After that, when you have done, throw her in the fire."
The girl left.
The witch silently walked to him.
"It's so cold." she said, "This fire is useful. Do you see the chunk of wood. Why it don't catch fire. Bring it to me, you will be freed."
The drummer didn't scare he walked toward the fire. It seemed not to want to harm him, fire split letting a path toward the chunk. He grabbed the chunk, returned without a burnt hair. He lay the chunk on ground. As soon as it touched on ground, the chunk transformed into a girl with a pop and mist around. She was not other but the girl who always helped him. The crown on her head and the clothes made of gold let him know she was princess.
"You think she has belonged to you." roared the witch, the edge of her mouth curled up, "Not!"
She rushed into them, intended to part them but he extended his arms, hugged her as she came. He raised her up and then threw her into the roaring fire. The fire twisted, it rounded her and caught her in though she roared and tried to escape. It put an end to her life after minutes.
The princess looked at the drummer who did everything to free her.
"You did everything because of me so I also can do everything because of you. If you promise you love me, I'm pleased to get married with you." she said, "Things the witch left are enough for us to have wealthy life."
She led him in cottage. They went in a room which had many coffins. The coffins were full of gold, silver and jewel. They didn't take gold or silver, just took jewel. Later, they decided to leave because they both didn't want to stay there anymore.
"Come here and mount behind me. We will fly down." he said.
"It don't like it, the ugly saddle." she said, "We will use my ring."
"Alright! I want to come the gate of city." he said.
She revolved her ring and they appeared at front of city's gate.
"I want to meet my parent first. Wait me here my princess. I will come back." he said.
"I will wait you my drummer but you have to remember that don't let your mother and father kiss on your right cheek. If they do, you will forget all about me and it's unfortunate as I have to wait for you here whole my life."
"I will never forget you." he said, holding her hand and looking at her sweetly. "I will come back soon."
He left, went traight to his home. Nobody realized him as he came back. He had changed to much. Three days on Glass mountain was as long as three years. He had to introduced himself to his parent. And when they realized him, they both burst into happiness. They hugged him tightly, kissed him on both cheeks. He was also like them, too happy to remember what the princess talked to him. At the moment, they kissed on his right cheek, all the things relating to the princess vanished.
The drummer took out jewel from his pockets, gave to his parent who didn't know what to do with it. Therefore, they built a nice castle which had a forest behind, gardens asides and grass in front. It's like kings' castle.
"I have chosen you a girl. Three day later, you will get married with her." said his mother after the castle was built.
The drummer had forgotten completely about the princess so he accepted at one.
Poor princess, on other hand, still waited him outside of gate's city. That night, as the drummer didn't go back, she knew at one he had forgotten her.
"He let his parent kiss on the right cheek and forgot me." she thought.
She was very sad, revolved the ring to have a cottage beside forest. Every day, she went in city, cross his home. Sometime, she met him on the road but he didn't realize her. It made her so pained.
"Tomorrow, he will marry." she said, "I will try my best to get again his heart."
On the first day of wedding, she revolved the ring and ordered a dress which shone as the sun.
All people in the wedding turned to the princess as she walked. She looked like an angel without wings. Her dress shone. It looked like it was weaved by golden sun lights. All girls turned blurred as she went in. The drummer was surprised because of the her appearance. He had never seen any dress splendid like that. His bride was the person who was surprised most. She had great love with dresses. She approached the princess. By chance, she asked her whether she wanted to sell the dress.
"I don't need money." said the princess, "I will give it to you if tonight you let me to stay by your groom. It will belong to you that time."
The bride nodded. She agreed at one but she was clever. She put some soporific in groom's drink before he slept.
When people left the party, the princess found the way to the drummer's room. She opened the door ajar.
"My drummer, listen to me." she called, "You forget me? You forget we have ever stay on Glass mountain? You held my hand and promised that you would love me forever. My drummer, listen to me."
She talked much but the drummer couldn't wake up and he also didn't hear her. She left the castle early morning with deep sadness.
She went in the second night party, wore in another beautiful dress which spread out gentle lights as the moon. The dress made her turn more gentle. He looked like the moon goddess kind and beautiful. Of course, the bride desired it. She found the way to her and asked for the dress. She agreed her to stay beside groom's bed as the before night to have the moon-light dress.
She went to the drummer's room as people had left.
"My drummer, you forgot me? You forgot we fought against the evil witch? You forgot that you did hold my hand and promised you would love me forever? My drummer, wake up and listen to me."
As the previous night, the drummer had drunk soporific and fell in deep sleep. He couldn't hear any her saying. The princess went back her cottage in the next morning. Her heart seemed to be broken the second time. However, her sayings were not useless. Some people in the castle had heard them. They found the way to say their master about the sayings. They also let him know that he was poisoned.
The third night, the princess revolved her ring and ordered another dress which glittered as stars on sky. She put on it, participated in the party. The third dress seemed to be the most beautiful dress on the world. Though the first and second dress were so beautiful but they were nothing with the third. It made the bride desire most.
"I must have it." she thought.
Of course, she had it and the princess had another chance to go to the drummer's bed. At midnight, the princess went to drummer's bed when people had left.
"My drummer, listen to me." a gentle voice came in and the drummer heard it. He didn't drink the wine he was given, "Do you remember me? Do you remember Glass mountain where I and you fought against the evil witch? You held my hand and promised you would love me forever. Don't you forget it? My drummer, my love-do you hear me?"
Suddenly, the drummer remembered whole the thing.
"Omg! How can forget it? How can I forget my lover, my princess. It must because of the kisses. I have let my parent kiss on my right cheek. They made me forget, forget the girl I love most."
He woke up at one, grabbed her hand and led her toward his parent's room. He woke them up.
"She is my bride. If I get married with the other, I will be very sorry with her." he said.
Later, he told them whole the thing they had passed. His parent after hearing were very pleased to let him marry with the princess. The candles were lit, music resounded and rooms were decorated by roses. The wedding was continued but there was another bride. That was the wedding of the drummer and the princess while the other girl was satisfied with dresses, she agreed not to marry with the drummer.
🎭🎭🎭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
Bilingual Vietnamese Fairy Tales
Vietnamese Fairy Tales Collection
Shan Hai Jing
The 72 Spirits of Solomon
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