20. Duke and river-god

Once upon a time, a Duke who lived in a country where people was so venerated the God of water was great in water-magic. One year, it was rain violently that made a part of riverside was broken. Water poured violently from the broken-part, ran across a village and brought all things it had passed but it still continued raining and the water was stronger everyday.
The Duke was responsible in repairing the broken-part. When he and his soldiers arrived a part of river which ran cross village Kim where placed God of river temple, a soldier said:
"This temple have a power God, anyone who want to get pass this part of river always have to go the temple so we had better go to the temple, master”.
After hearing, the Duke glared at his soldier and shouted:
“I have country business in hurry. Although he is a God, can he dare to stop us?”
Then he forced his soldiers to row cross the temple without taking a look. Meanwhile, the God of river was in riverside and had heard all the Duke’s words. He made the boat stop moving though the soldiers had tried their best to row. The Duke had known the God was preventing so he asked his servants to go toward the temple. He stood on the front of boat, shouted:
“You reign this region. Everyday, people who lived there always incense for you. Today, you not only ruin their lives, their assets but also prevent me doing my work. If you are reasonable you had better let me go; if you don’t I will ruin your temple”.
When the God had just heard he was very angry. He forced his servants who had  bodies with fish-faces appeared on five boats surround the Duke’s boat. All of them grabbed lances on their hand, glared to the Duke. The Duke wasn’t confused. He sat on the deck and led his soldiers fought. Fired arrows, sharp lances from boats shot toward the others. Further, the Duke painted many amulets which were shot together with the arrows. The war was so violent. The God’s soldiers were killed a lot because of amulets. The God realized that he couldn’t win so he made fog covered all boats. After fog dissolved, five boats of the God had appeared. At last, the boat had arrived the broken part.
The God had not given up, he tried to ruined the riverside. As the Duke had just repaired, the God made giant fish hit to the riverside. Further, he also transformed in to a colossal carp, showed up from the water and only waved the tail once that made effort of people be ruined. The Duke didn’t give up he called people in surroundings came to help. Like the last time, the riverside was ruined.
People advised the Duke to come and to apologize. He said: “Yesterday, I wasn’t polite with you.  Today, I come here to pray for your forgiveness. I will come back to receive your punishment after I have done. Hope you can let me finish.”
The dyke was repaired so fast and bigger twice than previous dyke. It only took a short time to finish. The Duke led the boat came front the temple and shouted:
“God of river, I don’t fear you I only pretend to be polite. Now, the dyke had done then ten of you also don’t touch a hair on my head.”
The God was so angry that he made violent waves in the night so the dyke was broken another time. The next day, when the Duke was reported that the dyke was broken he said angrily:
“You give me no choice that I must attack you, God of river.”
He forced greatest divers to dive into the water. They let him know that had a chasm under the broken- part which was place the God lived. The Duke forced his soldier piled around the chasm. In a side, he built some lime kilns and made his soldiers to collect limestone. They fired so many limestone and stuck them highly like a hill. In other side, they stuck bricks, stones. That was also high as a hill. When everything was ready, the Duke led his soldier threw bricks, stones and limestone from two side down the chasm. The limestone made water boil furiously. Servants of the God couldn’t run away. They were killed, floated on the water. Of course, he that time repaired the dyke was easy.
About the God, he saved his life. He hated the Duke furiously, planned to kill him. a month later, the God made magic which made the Duke was sick. The King forced many doctor to come and cured him but none could treat the strange disease. His health was getting worse then he died.
The Duke had a sister who was King’s wife. After he died, his spirit came to her dream and let her know:
“I was harmed by the God of water. I couldn’t forgive. Sister, prepare for me boats, horses and weapon. I have to revenge”
When the Queen had prepared all things he needed, she said: “Although you win or lose, please let me know, brother.”
When he had things he needed. He grouped up soldiers’ soul and started a war. Front people’ eyes were a chaotic sight. Waves moved madly that made water shot into every direction. A large area of white sponge appeared on the river. Fish and shrimps grouped up and ran from side to side.
A short time later, the water was silent. Many fish and shrimps were killed they floated on the water. The dyke had never been broken. Few days, the Duke said to his sister that he had won in her dream. The temple didn’t have supernatural power as previous time
The end.🎭🎭🎭
"Translated by Hung Nguyen"

Read more☪☪☪

List of Vietnamese fairy tales

Comments