Once upon a time, in a village lived a family, a father, a mom and two children, one son and one daughter. The son, House, is older than the daughter, Rice. He’s five years old and his sister’s three years old. When House was born, his father said to his mother that they had worked very hard but even a poor house they also didn’t have. Therefore, they named their son House with hoping that their son would have a house when he grow up.
When the daughter was born, one more time the husband turned to his wife with tears drops on his face.
“We have nothing to eat”, he said.
Then, because of that they named their daughter Rice.
Honestly, if I have to say, they were hard working people. The husband and his wife worked in their farm whole daytime and when the night came, he worked as a hunter. But, all of these things didn’t help them to have a house, have enough food to eat. Because, Lord ruled the area was greed and venomous person he had no heart. All most rice they got, they had to give Lord. All most beasts the husband caught, they had to give Lord and even fish the wife had fished they also gave Lord. What reamaining was very little, not enough for them. But, they couldn’t do any thing more. All things Lord said were orders and no one in the area dared to be against him. They sacredly bowed their heads and forced themselves to keep silent whenever Lord walked crossed them.
“We have House but we don’t have any house. We have rice but we don’t have a little rice”, said the husband while the wife was looking at their children who were crying because of hunger by the enormous eyes filling full of tears.
“I can’t stand up anymore. We can’t. We need to have a house for our children to hide from rains, cold winds, burning sun shines and we need to have food for our children to eat but – see – we seem have nothing”, added the husband.
Then, House’s body turned purple because of the cold and fainted because of hunger. The husband made the way to Lord to pray. He kneeled down front Lord.
“Please! Do me a favor, my lord”, prayed the husband, “Please! Give a little rice it’s nothing with you but it would save my chidren’s lives.”
Lord glowered at the husband and then he pointed at top of a tree and then pointed at ground.
“From a leaves on trees to pebbles on ground, all things in this area belong to me and YOU”, he shouted, “Who live in my area had better fell satisfied with things I give you”. “Get out my way”, added Lord.
The husband stepped aside leaving Lord the way. Lord rode his horse away for away but suddenly he stopped. An idea came to him. He thought: “He did dare to ask me for something so that he must dare to steal the things from me”. “I have to kill him”, muttered Lord. So that, Lord rode back following the way the husband now was on. He stabbed in the husband’s back and the he threw the husband’s body down a deep.
“God! Lord kills me”, there were the words the husband could scream as he was falling down.
Leaves started whispering: “Lord kills him.”
Mountains started muttered: “Lord kills him.”
Streams started murmured: “Lord kills him.”
Lord feared that his wife and children would hear the thing. He’s sure the thing would happen so he kept going to find the wife and the children. He would kill them.
That time, the wife and the children was on a mountain. They stayed under an ancient tree. The wife now was warming her children, House and Rice, in her chest but it didn’t help much. House turned purple because of cold while Rice turned fainted because of hunger.
“Don’t cry, my children”, the wife patted her children, “Your father is coming back”.
House and Rice stopped crying they slept but sometime they were woken up but louses’ bittings. The wife wanted her children to have peace sleeps. She insisted:
“Louses, please! Don’t bit my children.”
“Lord ordered us to come and suck your blood and your husband’s”, the louses answered her, “You are unbloodly. We go now”. The louses left but one. It turned back to see the wife. It felt pity for the wife.
“Pity you!”, said the louse, “I have to leave but I can’t. So pitiful! I think you should know the news”, the louse stopped for awhile then it started again, “Lord have killed your husband and now he was on the way to you and your children to complete his work, killing all of you. Hurry up! Hide yourselves before he come. He is coming -- Very close.”
Stars on sky dropped tears down around them while the sounds of horse’s steps more and more close. The wife brought House on her back and hugged Rice on her chest. She climbed ahead up the top of mountain. House and Rice woke up he asked his mother.
“Where are we going, mom? Where is father”, House asked.
“Mom, I’m hungry”, said Rice, “Where is my Dad?”
“Shhh! We have to go -- as high as we can. Lord is coming to kill us”, said the wife.
All of them kept silent but something now was annoying her. “Maybe, Lord can not touch his hand on us but how—how we can live without food?” she thought.
The louse seemed to understand her.
“Go”, said the louse, “few more steps we will arrive to Mr.Da’s cave. He had a basket with full of rice. We can ask him a half”.
They arrived to Mr.Da’s cave but the wife hesitated she didn’t dare to ask Mr.Da but Mr.Da seemed to know their current situation.
“Take it”, said Mr.Da, giving her a half of his rice, “Take it to feed your children”.
The wife still had not taken the rice, the sounds of horse steps were after them. Immediately, she ran without the rice. Mr.Da hurriedly ran after to give her that rice.
“Go! Go! Go!”, Mr.Da stopped.
The wife moved higher and higher she went cross mountains. Rocks and thorns cut her feet and made it bleed. She stopped to look back. Their place now was far away fields, their village. The sounds of horse’s steps had gone. It’s silent there.
“Far enough,” said the wife, “Lord will not able to come here.”
“His servants can”, snapped House.
“How’d you know?” she asked immediately.
“I have ever come here with Mr.Da and I see them”, answered House.
“We have to go – higher”, she said nervously. Then, she brought House and Rice, continuing going up.
“Let me down”, said House, “I can go myself.”
House ran ahead while his mother bringing his sister went after. They went up a higher place then stopped. From their place, now, looking down the edges of field were only as big as a thread.
“Do you know this place?” the wife turned to his son.
“I know”, he answered, “I did come here with Mr.Da finding rattans”.
“His servants can go here, can’t they?” she asked.
“Yes, they can”, he said.
“Go! We have to go to higher place”, she said tiredly.
“Let me down, mom. I can walk”, said Rice.
House held his sister’s hand and then they both ran ahead while their mother walked after them. Later, they all went up a very high mountain. That time, all they saw as they looked down was only white mist. Winds blew strongly that they had to cling the others to help themselves stand on ground.
“Do you know this mountain?” the wife asked her son.
“No, I don’t” House answered.
“Lord and his servants will not come here and they can’t kill us”, said the wife thoroughly.
Then, the children fell in sleep. Each of them lay on each her thigh. She fanned for the children. Though she had been at place Lord couldn’t find them but a thing still annoyed her.
“Lord can’t find but rice will fastly run out. I have to go and find a little for my children”, she thought. Then, she started singing that made House and Rice fastly fell in deep sleeps. When they went in deep sleeps, she stood up, put off her cloak then put it over House and Rice. Silently, she left while the louse that time was in her cloak it stayed with the children. She stepped, slowly but she stopped, turned back and looked at her children by enormous full of tear eyes. She stood still, couldn’t stop tears not to drop out from her eyes. the louse left the cloak. It moved up a branch which reached out near the wife’s ear.
“Go”, the louse said by her ear, “find something for them”.
She didn’t reply. Tears still dropped.
“Go! I will take care of them”, added the louse, “if you meet him, Lord. You must run into rattan forest. He will not able to catch up you if he rides”.
“He will not go over there, right?” she asked with a little nervous.
“He will not if he chase after you”, said the louse.
“But, if he go to here…” she said hesitatingly.
“Don’t worry! I’m here. Remember, uhu. I will protect them”, said the louse.
She wiped her face then went down. She was on the way to the village. Suddenly, sounds of horse’s steps broke the silent darkness. That was Lord. She turned panicked. Fear seemed to control her she run without thinking much. She leaded herself toward rattan forest. Lord caught her sight. He immediately rode after her. She burst into rattan bushes which prevented Lord and his horse to get in. Lord got down and chased after her but the rattans were very thorny. Thorns cut on Lord’s face, feet and arms. He felt hurt and turned back. His face, feet and arms are still bleeding. He roared, looking at the running wife. The wife kept running till she didn’t hear Lord roared but that was why she lost. Lord stood at edge of rattan forest for long time but the wife didn’t go back. He got on his horse again and rode. Blood, now, had dried it left blood lines his face, his body and made Lord look more much devilish.
House and Rice woke up. Their mother was not there. Rice cried.
“Howl up!” House said to Rice, “Mom will hear and go back”.
Then they both howled. The louse imitated the wife’s voice, howling.
“She hears us. She is coming”, they yelled happily.
House and Rice ate a little rice. They went toward the edge of cliff to wait their mother. But, when they looked down it made them dizzy. They turned back, lay down under an ancient tree, pulled the cloak over and slept. The louse still howled to ease them.
Lord now was rode around seeking the wife and children. He heard the howls and then he followed the howls. Early, the louse heard the sounds of Lord’s horse steps, it got down and moved toward the direction Lord was coming. Lord came and what he saw was a howling louse.
“Do you see them crossing here?” asked Lord.
Lord asked the louse three times but it didn’t answer. He turned angry. He caught the louse and intended to bit it.
“If you kill me, you can not be a person anymore”, cursed the louse.
He ignored it, still bit the louse and as soon as Lord changed. He changed into a devilish tiger. He, the tiger went toward forest. When he was on the way, he met a girl. He leaped up over her and then brought her away. They went to a cave in deep forest. The girl cried loudly, begging him. Of course, he planned to eat the girl but when he saw her, a nice face, starry eyes, beautiful skin, he changed his mind.
“I will not kill you but you have to my wife”, he threatened.
She didn’t answered but to cry louder. He stacked rocks, big rocks that she couldn’t move them a little, around her, preventing her not to escape out the cave.
From the time Lord turned into tiger villagers lived easier but it didn’t mean that they had gotten rid of him. He forced villagers to bring visceral of animal to him each day and of course only visceral of big animals, buffaloes, cows or big fat pig, could satisfy him. Villagers really hated him but they still scared him so each day they had to slaughter a beast and then brought the visceral to forest. They put the visceral on shore of a stream then left. They planned to kill him but still didn’t have that chance.
A month had passed from the day the wife left, the basket of rice had gone. The wife still didn’t come back. Rice cried.
“Don’t cry. We have to find mom”, said House.
Rice and House went. That afternoon they arrived to a stream. Rice cried she felt hungry. House also felt hungry but he didn’t cry.
“She’ll be back”, said House, easing his sister.
Ahead them something what looked like a set of liver. That was a set of pig liver villagers brought for Lord. Too hungry House intended to take that liver but he stopped. Something was coming. A terrible smell which made them fell nausea attacked their nostrils. House and Rice put their hands on their nose, hid themselves in bushes watching. A large devilish tiger emerged from the trees. It came to the liver and started eating. After finishing the liver, it stretched then vanished into forest. It needed a long time for the terrible smell to gone since the tiger vanished. House and Rice get out from their hidings. They found somewhere to rest. The next afternoon, House and Rice found the way to the shore. They hid themselves in bushes watching. Later, they saw an old man bring a set of liver and then laid it on exact the place they saw the set of pig liver the before day. The man looked around then went away. Late afternoon the tiger appeared and ate the liver then disappeared. The things happened the same what happened the before day. House and Rice went to the shore again on the next day. They hid themselves as usual then a woman appeared. A set of liver’s on her hand. The woman looked around then laid the liver on the shore then set off. House and Rice were in their hiding and watch whole the thing. As soon as the woman went away, House jumped out. Rice held him.
“Don’t. The tiger will kill you”, said Rice.
“It hasn’t come yet”, said House.
Very fast House ran toward which the liver on. He grabbed the liver and ran back. Rice now was out of the hiding.
“Hurry up! the tiger’s coming”, she squealed.
“Move! Hurry up!”, House grabbed Rice’s hand pulling her run with him. They both vanished in deep forest.
Mr.Da had taught House how to create fire from rock so House could easily grilled and enjoyed the fat liver.
The tiger went to the shore as usual but he didn’t see his meal. He roared loudly that made the best brave people were also frightened. Rice quivering she hugged his brother tightly.
“It’s coming. It will catch us”, said Rice nervously.
“Don’t worry”, said House, “It will not reach here”.
The tiger seek every inches around the place. There were the sounds of falling trees, rolling stones. Every inches of the place were disordered but the tiger couldn’t reach the place House and Rice were on. That made the tiger turned much angry he roared again, louder and more devilish then the first roar. Then, he left. He turned back his cave and continued roaring angrily. It made his wife scared. She hid herself in her room, covered her ears, trembling. The next day, he went to the shore earlier than usual. He hid himself to watch. That afternoon, a man came and laid a set of liver on the shore and as like the way he appeared he disappeared fastly. When the man left, a boy appeared, stole the liver then run away.
“Put it down”, roared the tiger, “If you want to keep your life”.
The tiger bared his fangs, chased after the boy, House. From distance he could see two children sit by a fire they were grilling his liver and eating happily. He leaped up, planning to kill the children but he couldn’t. Trees and rocks in that place prevented it to reach the children. He roared angrily then left. He got back his cave. His anger seemed not to mitigate. He roared and broke things around. His wife scared, burst into sobs.
“Two children who look like you dare to steal my meals. GO”, ordered the tiger, “Bring them to me”
“Go in forest you will find the fire where the children stay. Bring them to me”, added the tiger.
“How I can even you can’t Lord”, she said.
The tiger bared his fangs, gazed at his wife by blood eyes. He roared:
“If you don’t bring them to me, I will kill all villagers”.
What he said seemed to frighten her. Though she didn’t want, she had to. She set off. She both walked and cried on her way. She easily found the place House and Rice stayed. Meanwhile, House and Rice were lying by the fire. They were sleeping. She looked approached them, looked at their face that made her felt much more sorry to them. Her tears scattered down their face. House and Rice were woken up. Front their faces now was a girl with a beautiful face but sad.
“Who are you sister?” asked House, sitting up.
“Where’d you come from?” asked Rice, holding her hand.
She didn’t reply them, just cried. Rice hugged her while House approached holding her hand.
“Why’d you cry sister?” they asked.
“Please! Don’t ask me more”, she choked, “Go with me then you will know everything”.
“Go with you?” House repeated, “Where?”
“You will lead me to mom?” Rice asked.
Her face’s sad as their mother’s. Her voice’s warm as their mother’s. Rice agreed to go with her. House also agreed to go with her. But, she didn’t move her feet still stood on the place. Rice and House hurried her but she didn’t go. Tears dropped more.
“How can I bring them to Lord and see him kill them? I can’t”, she thought.
Then, she caught an idea. She asked them to hide themselves in her dress then all of them went to the cave.
“’D see them?” asked the tiger as he saw her come back.
“I see trees, see rocks and see the fire but I don’t see the children. The left”, she said.
The tiger roared up angrily. The forest trembled because of his roar. His wife felt scared while Rice hugged her brother House tightly.
“Why you look bigger?” he asked, gazing at her belly.
“I’m going to have a baby”, she said, “Prepare a room for me”.
“Go in your room, in this cave”, he said.
“You have to stack more rocks up”, she said.
He followed his wife, bringing more rocks and stack up on the rock wall around his wife’s room.
She went in her room then shut the rock door up. House and Rice got out her dress. They cried.
“Why’d you lie us?” they said, “You bring us to him and then he will kill us”.
She didn’t answered, bowed her head touching on House’s and Rice’s. She cried again. She talked them why she had to bring them to there.
“I don’t bring you here for him to kill you. I bring you here to hide you in here and we will find the chance to kill him”, she said.
“Have baby?” asked the tiger.
His wife still didn’t have time to answered, he had sniffed and discovered. He roared: “You gave birth to human?”
“How many?” he added.
“Yeah, two children”, she answered.
“Bring them out”, he said.
“Nooo! They are too young. They will die if they meet wind”, she said.
“I will go in”, he said.
“Don’t. They will die because of scare if they see you”, she said.
“How big are their livers?” he asked.
“Very little, just as big as a finger”, she said.
He licked his mouth then left. When he went away, she started telling House and Rice her story. House and Rice also told her their story. Rice hugged House. House hugged her and she hugged them. From the glittering eyes of tiger’s wife dropped down tears which fell on the little hands of House and Rice. Rice looked up, gazed at her.
“Where is mom sister?” she asked.
“You will find her soon. I also will get back home”, she said.
Then, tiger’s wife sneaked out. She picked fruit and brought back. She and the children ate the fruit then the children slept. She looked at the children. They both were good kids. She felt pity them. She cried. She sang lullaby to send them to sleep.
The next day,
“Do they grow up? Bring one to me, I will eat” asked the tiger.
“No, they don’t, still very little. They will not help your stomach much”, she said.
The next day, the tiger asked again and she answered him the same. He roared that made the cave trembled.
“You don’t lie me. I give you one more day.Tomorrow, if you don’t give me one, I will break in and eat all you”, he shouted.
Then he left, House, Rice and tiger’s wife hugged others they cried.
“Mom, where are you? Why do you don’t come back? Tiger is going to kill me”, cried Rice more loudly.
Meanwhile, the mother was in forest. She felt pain in her heart. She had found whole the forest but she couldn’t find her children. She cried. Her eyes had dried and turned blurred.
House swept tears. He said:
“Sister go to the shore where people lay liver for him. Cut a part of that liver and bring back. Tomorrow, give it to him and say that human liver is smaller than pig or buffalo liver”.
She went the shore, cut a part of liver then brought back.
“Hide some hard thorns in that. They will cut his stomach”, House said.
The next morning, the tiger went back. He roared: “Give me one”
“I did kill one”, she said, “This is its liver”, she showed the liver to the tiger.
He smiled that made his face turned more ugly and devilish. He praised her. Then, she gave him the part of liver.
“It’s not fresh”, he said.
“Yeah, people’s livers are not fresh as animal’s”, she said.
“Something stuck in it”, he said, doubting.
“Yeah,”, she said “people’s livers are not soft as others’ but they are better than others”.
After eating, his tongue bleed it was cut in two. His stomach got pained as though it was pricked by thousand of thorns. He roared. He asked his wife to go out and help him but she didn’t. She shut the door and blocked it carefully.
“You betray me”, he roared. The cave trembled. He hit strongly on rock wall by his head. The wall was broken and now he could see his wife was hugging the children. He tried to got in but he couldn’t he was stuck in the wall. His head was bleeding. It was broken when he hit the wall. Then he died because of bleeding.
“He died. We have to bury him”, said House.
They carried him out the cave. The strong smell emitted from him still attacked their nostrils. They dug a large deep hole by entrance of the cave. Throwing him in it, they buried him.
Rice brought her mother’s cloak out to dry it under sunlight. She remembered her mother she cried. House cried and then tiger’s wife also cried. House went in he took out a seed then planted it by the entrance.
“Seed quickly grow up and make us relieve”, said House.
The next morning, three of them went out the seed had grown up. Rice stopped crying and tiger’s felt better. At noon, they went out, the tree had been as high as tiger’s wife’s height. They all felt happy. Then afternoon when they saw it, it had reached on sky. Its branches spread out largely. House, Rice and tiger’s wife danced happily. Then on the next day in morning, the tree had born lot of fruits.
Tiger’wife picked three fruits. The fruits had good smell and sweet. They enjoyed them. Birds heard the tiger had died and now front the cave having a tree which bore sweet fruits. They flew to there to taste these fruits. Going first was a hummingbird. House and tiger’s wife were standing under the tree. They saw the hummingbird.
“Do you know where my mother is?” asked House.
“What does your mother look like?” said the hummingbird.
“Look like me”, said House.
“Don’t know”, said the hummingbird.
“You don’t know, you are not allowed to eat”, said House, expelling the hummingbird.
Coming after the hummingbird was a starling.
“Do you know where my mother is” asked House.
“What does she look like?” asked the starling.
“Like me”, said House.
“Duno”, said the starling, planing to eat fruit.
“You don know, you can’t eat”, said House, expelling the starling.
The starling just left, an eagle came. The eagle had red crest, golden beak, five-color feather around its neck. Its wings were very large that it left a shadow over whole the cave. The eagle landed on a big branch and started eating fruits.
“Do know where my mother is”, said House.
The eagle stopped eating, it looked at House and Rice for awhile then turned to tiger’s wife.
“I saw a woman who looked like you”, said the eagle, staring at House and Rice, “She have two children, one is House and the other is Rice. She is finding them but she don’t know go to where”.
“Yeah, it’s our mother. Where is she, eagle?” said House quickly.
“Far away from here”, said the eagle, “You have to pass three forest, four rives and seven mountain. Arriving to a shore where a ancient tree stood. Your mother used to come there and shower”.
“Can you help us go to there?”, they said.
“Yeah, after I fill full my stomach”, said the eagle.
“Hurry up, please!” begged the children.
When the eagle had eaten, it asked the children to mount on its back. Its feather was soft as cotton and warm as sun lights. House mounted fist then after him Rice. They turned back, looked down to see tiger’s wife who still stood front the entrance. Her face was sad as their mother.
“You both now can find your mom but”, she burst in sods “How I can find my home?”.
“Can you help her?” House asked the eagle.
“Go to the shore, find the rock road, follow it you will arrive to Mr.Da. he will help you”, said the eagle.
“How can I find him?” she said nervously.
“I will drop leaves on the way which lead to Mr. Da’s house”, said the eagle.
“After we find our mom, we will come to Mr.Da’s house to see you sister”, said the children.
“See you soon sister”, said Rice.
Tiger’s wife stood still, looked at the children. She nodded.
Rice held his mother’s cloak in a hand. The other held House’s hand. House grabbed some feather on eagle’s back neck.
The eagle stretched its wings. It sang then flew up sky. Tiger’s wife still stood there. She nodded as the children looked down back to see her.
House, Rice and the eagle vanished from tiger’s wife’sight. Sometime, the eagle dropped a leaf down. The eagle flew passed forest and pass mountain. It flew to a shore of river. House pulled its feathers.
“Is it here?” he asked.
“No, it isn’t”, said the eagle.
The eagle continued flying, passing forest and mountain. They arrived to a shore which stood many bushes.
“Is it here”, said House, pulling feathers.
“No, it isn’t. Where you mom stay standing a ancient tree”, said the eagle.
Rice nearly cried. She asked: “We will see mom?”
“Keep patient. You will see your mom soon”, said the eagle.
When they had passed three forests, four rivers and seven mountains, they came to a shore which had an ancient tree stood on. The eagle landed on. That time was midday.
“Your mother stayed here”, said the eagle.
House and Rice got down. They happily smiled.
“You are good guy eagle. Thank you” said House, hugging eagle’s neck.
“Where is she?” asked Rice, “How can we find her?”
“You climb up this tree then move to the branch which reaches out the river, stay there watching. Afternoon, people will go to there and wash. You watch if anyone who have face like you, she is your mom”, said the eagle, starting fluttering and it soared away left its singing echoed to them.
House helped his sister up. They found the way to have places on the branch which reached out the river. They looked down and saw their reflections. Their faces were same.
Afternoon, women went cross there. They stopped, waded the river to wash their face. House and Rice looked down they searched but no one there looked like them. Then, the crowd left and another crowd came but no one looked like them. Rice cried.
“Don’t cry sister. The eagle didn’t lie us”, said House.
The crowd left and others came. House and Rice kept looking down. Luckily, in the crowd they found out a woman who had face like them. And the woman also realized them. That was their mother. Then, tears from the woman’s eyes dropped and the children’s also because of happiness. Rice raised the cloak she waved it.
“Mom”, she yelled happily.
“Mom” House yelled after her.
The woman stretched her arms out. Her face was not sad anymore. Her eyes turned light and her voice was so warm.
“Come here, my son, my daughter.”
Rice and House ran toward her. They hugged her tightly.
“I went, find house for House, find rice for Rice but I lost, can’t get back again. Oh my poor kid! You must be miserable”, said the woman.
She combed House’s hair, swept Rice’s tears. Her voice was gentle and warm as tiger’s wife. Her hands were soft and warm caressing them. Then, House started talking what had happened after she left.
Lord had died and the tiger also died. They had house and also had rice. The children lay on their mother’s thighs. The mother started singing her voice was warm and gentle. The children fell in deep sleep. They all looked so happy.
The end.🎭🎭🎭
"Translator: Hung Nguyen"
Read more☪☪☪
List of Vietnamese fairy tales
When the daughter was born, one more time the husband turned to his wife with tears drops on his face.
“We have nothing to eat”, he said.
Then, because of that they named their daughter Rice.
Honestly, if I have to say, they were hard working people. The husband and his wife worked in their farm whole daytime and when the night came, he worked as a hunter. But, all of these things didn’t help them to have a house, have enough food to eat. Because, Lord ruled the area was greed and venomous person he had no heart. All most rice they got, they had to give Lord. All most beasts the husband caught, they had to give Lord and even fish the wife had fished they also gave Lord. What reamaining was very little, not enough for them. But, they couldn’t do any thing more. All things Lord said were orders and no one in the area dared to be against him. They sacredly bowed their heads and forced themselves to keep silent whenever Lord walked crossed them.
“We have House but we don’t have any house. We have rice but we don’t have a little rice”, said the husband while the wife was looking at their children who were crying because of hunger by the enormous eyes filling full of tears.
Then, House’s body turned purple because of the cold and fainted because of hunger. The husband made the way to Lord to pray. He kneeled down front Lord.
“Please! Do me a favor, my lord”, prayed the husband, “Please! Give a little rice it’s nothing with you but it would save my chidren’s lives.”
Lord glowered at the husband and then he pointed at top of a tree and then pointed at ground.
“From a leaves on trees to pebbles on ground, all things in this area belong to me and YOU”, he shouted, “Who live in my area had better fell satisfied with things I give you”. “Get out my way”, added Lord.
The husband stepped aside leaving Lord the way. Lord rode his horse away for away but suddenly he stopped. An idea came to him. He thought: “He did dare to ask me for something so that he must dare to steal the things from me”. “I have to kill him”, muttered Lord. So that, Lord rode back following the way the husband now was on. He stabbed in the husband’s back and the he threw the husband’s body down a deep.
“God! Lord kills me”, there were the words the husband could scream as he was falling down.
Leaves started whispering: “Lord kills him.”
Mountains started muttered: “Lord kills him.”
Streams started murmured: “Lord kills him.”
Lord feared that his wife and children would hear the thing. He’s sure the thing would happen so he kept going to find the wife and the children. He would kill them.
That time, the wife and the children was on a mountain. They stayed under an ancient tree. The wife now was warming her children, House and Rice, in her chest but it didn’t help much. House turned purple because of cold while Rice turned fainted because of hunger.
“Don’t cry, my children”, the wife patted her children, “Your father is coming back”.
House and Rice stopped crying they slept but sometime they were woken up but louses’ bittings. The wife wanted her children to have peace sleeps. She insisted:
“Louses, please! Don’t bit my children.”
“Lord ordered us to come and suck your blood and your husband’s”, the louses answered her, “You are unbloodly. We go now”. The louses left but one. It turned back to see the wife. It felt pity for the wife.
“Pity you!”, said the louse, “I have to leave but I can’t. So pitiful! I think you should know the news”, the louse stopped for awhile then it started again, “Lord have killed your husband and now he was on the way to you and your children to complete his work, killing all of you. Hurry up! Hide yourselves before he come. He is coming -- Very close.”
Stars on sky dropped tears down around them while the sounds of horse’s steps more and more close. The wife brought House on her back and hugged Rice on her chest. She climbed ahead up the top of mountain. House and Rice woke up he asked his mother.
“Where are we going, mom? Where is father”, House asked.
“Mom, I’m hungry”, said Rice, “Where is my Dad?”
“Shhh! We have to go -- as high as we can. Lord is coming to kill us”, said the wife.
All of them kept silent but something now was annoying her. “Maybe, Lord can not touch his hand on us but how—how we can live without food?” she thought.
The louse seemed to understand her.
“Go”, said the louse, “few more steps we will arrive to Mr.Da’s cave. He had a basket with full of rice. We can ask him a half”.
They arrived to Mr.Da’s cave but the wife hesitated she didn’t dare to ask Mr.Da but Mr.Da seemed to know their current situation.
“Take it”, said Mr.Da, giving her a half of his rice, “Take it to feed your children”.
The wife still had not taken the rice, the sounds of horse steps were after them. Immediately, she ran without the rice. Mr.Da hurriedly ran after to give her that rice.
“Go! Go! Go!”, Mr.Da stopped.
The wife moved higher and higher she went cross mountains. Rocks and thorns cut her feet and made it bleed. She stopped to look back. Their place now was far away fields, their village. The sounds of horse’s steps had gone. It’s silent there.
“Far enough,” said the wife, “Lord will not able to come here.”
“His servants can”, snapped House.
“How’d you know?” she asked immediately.
“I have ever come here with Mr.Da and I see them”, answered House.
“We have to go – higher”, she said nervously. Then, she brought House and Rice, continuing going up.
“Let me down”, said House, “I can go myself.”
House ran ahead while his mother bringing his sister went after. They went up a higher place then stopped. From their place, now, looking down the edges of field were only as big as a thread.
“Do you know this place?” the wife turned to his son.
“I know”, he answered, “I did come here with Mr.Da finding rattans”.
“His servants can go here, can’t they?” she asked.
“Yes, they can”, he said.
“Go! We have to go to higher place”, she said tiredly.
“Let me down, mom. I can walk”, said Rice.
House held his sister’s hand and then they both ran ahead while their mother walked after them. Later, they all went up a very high mountain. That time, all they saw as they looked down was only white mist. Winds blew strongly that they had to cling the others to help themselves stand on ground.
“Do you know this mountain?” the wife asked her son.
“No, I don’t” House answered.
“Lord and his servants will not come here and they can’t kill us”, said the wife thoroughly.
Then, the children fell in sleep. Each of them lay on each her thigh. She fanned for the children. Though she had been at place Lord couldn’t find them but a thing still annoyed her.
“Lord can’t find but rice will fastly run out. I have to go and find a little for my children”, she thought. Then, she started singing that made House and Rice fastly fell in deep sleeps. When they went in deep sleeps, she stood up, put off her cloak then put it over House and Rice. Silently, she left while the louse that time was in her cloak it stayed with the children. She stepped, slowly but she stopped, turned back and looked at her children by enormous full of tear eyes. She stood still, couldn’t stop tears not to drop out from her eyes. the louse left the cloak. It moved up a branch which reached out near the wife’s ear.
“Go”, the louse said by her ear, “find something for them”.
She didn’t reply. Tears still dropped.
“Go! I will take care of them”, added the louse, “if you meet him, Lord. You must run into rattan forest. He will not able to catch up you if he rides”.
“He will not go over there, right?” she asked with a little nervous.
“He will not if he chase after you”, said the louse.
“But, if he go to here…” she said hesitatingly.
“Don’t worry! I’m here. Remember, uhu. I will protect them”, said the louse.
She wiped her face then went down. She was on the way to the village. Suddenly, sounds of horse’s steps broke the silent darkness. That was Lord. She turned panicked. Fear seemed to control her she run without thinking much. She leaded herself toward rattan forest. Lord caught her sight. He immediately rode after her. She burst into rattan bushes which prevented Lord and his horse to get in. Lord got down and chased after her but the rattans were very thorny. Thorns cut on Lord’s face, feet and arms. He felt hurt and turned back. His face, feet and arms are still bleeding. He roared, looking at the running wife. The wife kept running till she didn’t hear Lord roared but that was why she lost. Lord stood at edge of rattan forest for long time but the wife didn’t go back. He got on his horse again and rode. Blood, now, had dried it left blood lines his face, his body and made Lord look more much devilish.
House and Rice woke up. Their mother was not there. Rice cried.
“Howl up!” House said to Rice, “Mom will hear and go back”.
Then they both howled. The louse imitated the wife’s voice, howling.
“She hears us. She is coming”, they yelled happily.
House and Rice ate a little rice. They went toward the edge of cliff to wait their mother. But, when they looked down it made them dizzy. They turned back, lay down under an ancient tree, pulled the cloak over and slept. The louse still howled to ease them.
Lord now was rode around seeking the wife and children. He heard the howls and then he followed the howls. Early, the louse heard the sounds of Lord’s horse steps, it got down and moved toward the direction Lord was coming. Lord came and what he saw was a howling louse.
“Do you see them crossing here?” asked Lord.
Lord asked the louse three times but it didn’t answer. He turned angry. He caught the louse and intended to bit it.
“If you kill me, you can not be a person anymore”, cursed the louse.
He ignored it, still bit the louse and as soon as Lord changed. He changed into a devilish tiger. He, the tiger went toward forest. When he was on the way, he met a girl. He leaped up over her and then brought her away. They went to a cave in deep forest. The girl cried loudly, begging him. Of course, he planned to eat the girl but when he saw her, a nice face, starry eyes, beautiful skin, he changed his mind.
“I will not kill you but you have to my wife”, he threatened.
She didn’t answered but to cry louder. He stacked rocks, big rocks that she couldn’t move them a little, around her, preventing her not to escape out the cave.
From the time Lord turned into tiger villagers lived easier but it didn’t mean that they had gotten rid of him. He forced villagers to bring visceral of animal to him each day and of course only visceral of big animals, buffaloes, cows or big fat pig, could satisfy him. Villagers really hated him but they still scared him so each day they had to slaughter a beast and then brought the visceral to forest. They put the visceral on shore of a stream then left. They planned to kill him but still didn’t have that chance.
A month had passed from the day the wife left, the basket of rice had gone. The wife still didn’t come back. Rice cried.
“Don’t cry. We have to find mom”, said House.
Rice and House went. That afternoon they arrived to a stream. Rice cried she felt hungry. House also felt hungry but he didn’t cry.
“She’ll be back”, said House, easing his sister.
Ahead them something what looked like a set of liver. That was a set of pig liver villagers brought for Lord. Too hungry House intended to take that liver but he stopped. Something was coming. A terrible smell which made them fell nausea attacked their nostrils. House and Rice put their hands on their nose, hid themselves in bushes watching. A large devilish tiger emerged from the trees. It came to the liver and started eating. After finishing the liver, it stretched then vanished into forest. It needed a long time for the terrible smell to gone since the tiger vanished. House and Rice get out from their hidings. They found somewhere to rest. The next afternoon, House and Rice found the way to the shore. They hid themselves in bushes watching. Later, they saw an old man bring a set of liver and then laid it on exact the place they saw the set of pig liver the before day. The man looked around then went away. Late afternoon the tiger appeared and ate the liver then disappeared. The things happened the same what happened the before day. House and Rice went to the shore again on the next day. They hid themselves as usual then a woman appeared. A set of liver’s on her hand. The woman looked around then laid the liver on the shore then set off. House and Rice were in their hiding and watch whole the thing. As soon as the woman went away, House jumped out. Rice held him.
“Don’t. The tiger will kill you”, said Rice.
“It hasn’t come yet”, said House.
Very fast House ran toward which the liver on. He grabbed the liver and ran back. Rice now was out of the hiding.
“Hurry up! the tiger’s coming”, she squealed.
“Move! Hurry up!”, House grabbed Rice’s hand pulling her run with him. They both vanished in deep forest.
Mr.Da had taught House how to create fire from rock so House could easily grilled and enjoyed the fat liver.
The tiger went to the shore as usual but he didn’t see his meal. He roared loudly that made the best brave people were also frightened. Rice quivering she hugged his brother tightly.
“It’s coming. It will catch us”, said Rice nervously.
“Don’t worry”, said House, “It will not reach here”.
The tiger seek every inches around the place. There were the sounds of falling trees, rolling stones. Every inches of the place were disordered but the tiger couldn’t reach the place House and Rice were on. That made the tiger turned much angry he roared again, louder and more devilish then the first roar. Then, he left. He turned back his cave and continued roaring angrily. It made his wife scared. She hid herself in her room, covered her ears, trembling. The next day, he went to the shore earlier than usual. He hid himself to watch. That afternoon, a man came and laid a set of liver on the shore and as like the way he appeared he disappeared fastly. When the man left, a boy appeared, stole the liver then run away.
“Put it down”, roared the tiger, “If you want to keep your life”.
The tiger bared his fangs, chased after the boy, House. From distance he could see two children sit by a fire they were grilling his liver and eating happily. He leaped up, planning to kill the children but he couldn’t. Trees and rocks in that place prevented it to reach the children. He roared angrily then left. He got back his cave. His anger seemed not to mitigate. He roared and broke things around. His wife scared, burst into sobs.
“Two children who look like you dare to steal my meals. GO”, ordered the tiger, “Bring them to me”
“Go in forest you will find the fire where the children stay. Bring them to me”, added the tiger.
“How I can even you can’t Lord”, she said.
The tiger bared his fangs, gazed at his wife by blood eyes. He roared:
“If you don’t bring them to me, I will kill all villagers”.
What he said seemed to frighten her. Though she didn’t want, she had to. She set off. She both walked and cried on her way. She easily found the place House and Rice stayed. Meanwhile, House and Rice were lying by the fire. They were sleeping. She looked approached them, looked at their face that made her felt much more sorry to them. Her tears scattered down their face. House and Rice were woken up. Front their faces now was a girl with a beautiful face but sad.
“Who are you sister?” asked House, sitting up.
“Where’d you come from?” asked Rice, holding her hand.
She didn’t reply them, just cried. Rice hugged her while House approached holding her hand.
“Why’d you cry sister?” they asked.
“Please! Don’t ask me more”, she choked, “Go with me then you will know everything”.
“Go with you?” House repeated, “Where?”
“You will lead me to mom?” Rice asked.
Her face’s sad as their mother’s. Her voice’s warm as their mother’s. Rice agreed to go with her. House also agreed to go with her. But, she didn’t move her feet still stood on the place. Rice and House hurried her but she didn’t go. Tears dropped more.
“How can I bring them to Lord and see him kill them? I can’t”, she thought.
Then, she caught an idea. She asked them to hide themselves in her dress then all of them went to the cave.
“’D see them?” asked the tiger as he saw her come back.
“I see trees, see rocks and see the fire but I don’t see the children. The left”, she said.
The tiger roared up angrily. The forest trembled because of his roar. His wife felt scared while Rice hugged her brother House tightly.
“Why you look bigger?” he asked, gazing at her belly.
“I’m going to have a baby”, she said, “Prepare a room for me”.
“Go in your room, in this cave”, he said.
“You have to stack more rocks up”, she said.
He followed his wife, bringing more rocks and stack up on the rock wall around his wife’s room.
She went in her room then shut the rock door up. House and Rice got out her dress. They cried.
“Why’d you lie us?” they said, “You bring us to him and then he will kill us”.
She didn’t answered, bowed her head touching on House’s and Rice’s. She cried again. She talked them why she had to bring them to there.
“I don’t bring you here for him to kill you. I bring you here to hide you in here and we will find the chance to kill him”, she said.
“Have baby?” asked the tiger.
His wife still didn’t have time to answered, he had sniffed and discovered. He roared: “You gave birth to human?”
“How many?” he added.
“Yeah, two children”, she answered.
“Bring them out”, he said.
“Nooo! They are too young. They will die if they meet wind”, she said.
“I will go in”, he said.
“Don’t. They will die because of scare if they see you”, she said.
“How big are their livers?” he asked.
“Very little, just as big as a finger”, she said.
He licked his mouth then left. When he went away, she started telling House and Rice her story. House and Rice also told her their story. Rice hugged House. House hugged her and she hugged them. From the glittering eyes of tiger’s wife dropped down tears which fell on the little hands of House and Rice. Rice looked up, gazed at her.
“Where is mom sister?” she asked.
“You will find her soon. I also will get back home”, she said.
Then, tiger’s wife sneaked out. She picked fruit and brought back. She and the children ate the fruit then the children slept. She looked at the children. They both were good kids. She felt pity them. She cried. She sang lullaby to send them to sleep.
The next day,
“Do they grow up? Bring one to me, I will eat” asked the tiger.
“No, they don’t, still very little. They will not help your stomach much”, she said.
The next day, the tiger asked again and she answered him the same. He roared that made the cave trembled.
“You don’t lie me. I give you one more day.Tomorrow, if you don’t give me one, I will break in and eat all you”, he shouted.
Then he left, House, Rice and tiger’s wife hugged others they cried.
“Mom, where are you? Why do you don’t come back? Tiger is going to kill me”, cried Rice more loudly.
Meanwhile, the mother was in forest. She felt pain in her heart. She had found whole the forest but she couldn’t find her children. She cried. Her eyes had dried and turned blurred.
House swept tears. He said:
“Sister go to the shore where people lay liver for him. Cut a part of that liver and bring back. Tomorrow, give it to him and say that human liver is smaller than pig or buffalo liver”.
She went the shore, cut a part of liver then brought back.
“Hide some hard thorns in that. They will cut his stomach”, House said.
The next morning, the tiger went back. He roared: “Give me one”
“I did kill one”, she said, “This is its liver”, she showed the liver to the tiger.
He smiled that made his face turned more ugly and devilish. He praised her. Then, she gave him the part of liver.
“It’s not fresh”, he said.
“Yeah, people’s livers are not fresh as animal’s”, she said.
“Something stuck in it”, he said, doubting.
“Yeah,”, she said “people’s livers are not soft as others’ but they are better than others”.
After eating, his tongue bleed it was cut in two. His stomach got pained as though it was pricked by thousand of thorns. He roared. He asked his wife to go out and help him but she didn’t. She shut the door and blocked it carefully.
“You betray me”, he roared. The cave trembled. He hit strongly on rock wall by his head. The wall was broken and now he could see his wife was hugging the children. He tried to got in but he couldn’t he was stuck in the wall. His head was bleeding. It was broken when he hit the wall. Then he died because of bleeding.
“He died. We have to bury him”, said House.
They carried him out the cave. The strong smell emitted from him still attacked their nostrils. They dug a large deep hole by entrance of the cave. Throwing him in it, they buried him.
Rice brought her mother’s cloak out to dry it under sunlight. She remembered her mother she cried. House cried and then tiger’s wife also cried. House went in he took out a seed then planted it by the entrance.
“Seed quickly grow up and make us relieve”, said House.
The next morning, three of them went out the seed had grown up. Rice stopped crying and tiger’s felt better. At noon, they went out, the tree had been as high as tiger’s wife’s height. They all felt happy. Then afternoon when they saw it, it had reached on sky. Its branches spread out largely. House, Rice and tiger’s wife danced happily. Then on the next day in morning, the tree had born lot of fruits.
Tiger’wife picked three fruits. The fruits had good smell and sweet. They enjoyed them. Birds heard the tiger had died and now front the cave having a tree which bore sweet fruits. They flew to there to taste these fruits. Going first was a hummingbird. House and tiger’s wife were standing under the tree. They saw the hummingbird.
“Do you know where my mother is?” asked House.
“What does your mother look like?” said the hummingbird.
“Look like me”, said House.
“Don’t know”, said the hummingbird.
“You don’t know, you are not allowed to eat”, said House, expelling the hummingbird.
Coming after the hummingbird was a starling.
“Do you know where my mother is” asked House.
“What does she look like?” asked the starling.
“Like me”, said House.
“Duno”, said the starling, planing to eat fruit.
“You don know, you can’t eat”, said House, expelling the starling.
The starling just left, an eagle came. The eagle had red crest, golden beak, five-color feather around its neck. Its wings were very large that it left a shadow over whole the cave. The eagle landed on a big branch and started eating fruits.
“Do know where my mother is”, said House.
The eagle stopped eating, it looked at House and Rice for awhile then turned to tiger’s wife.
“I saw a woman who looked like you”, said the eagle, staring at House and Rice, “She have two children, one is House and the other is Rice. She is finding them but she don’t know go to where”.
“Yeah, it’s our mother. Where is she, eagle?” said House quickly.
“Far away from here”, said the eagle, “You have to pass three forest, four rives and seven mountain. Arriving to a shore where a ancient tree stood. Your mother used to come there and shower”.
“Can you help us go to there?”, they said.
“Yeah, after I fill full my stomach”, said the eagle.
“Hurry up, please!” begged the children.
When the eagle had eaten, it asked the children to mount on its back. Its feather was soft as cotton and warm as sun lights. House mounted fist then after him Rice. They turned back, looked down to see tiger’s wife who still stood front the entrance. Her face was sad as their mother.
“You both now can find your mom but”, she burst in sods “How I can find my home?”.
“Can you help her?” House asked the eagle.
“Go to the shore, find the rock road, follow it you will arrive to Mr.Da. he will help you”, said the eagle.
“How can I find him?” she said nervously.
“I will drop leaves on the way which lead to Mr. Da’s house”, said the eagle.
“After we find our mom, we will come to Mr.Da’s house to see you sister”, said the children.
“See you soon sister”, said Rice.
Tiger’s wife stood still, looked at the children. She nodded.
Rice held his mother’s cloak in a hand. The other held House’s hand. House grabbed some feather on eagle’s back neck.
The eagle stretched its wings. It sang then flew up sky. Tiger’s wife still stood there. She nodded as the children looked down back to see her.
House, Rice and the eagle vanished from tiger’s wife’sight. Sometime, the eagle dropped a leaf down. The eagle flew passed forest and pass mountain. It flew to a shore of river. House pulled its feathers.
“Is it here?” he asked.
“No, it isn’t”, said the eagle.
The eagle continued flying, passing forest and mountain. They arrived to a shore which stood many bushes.
“Is it here”, said House, pulling feathers.
“No, it isn’t. Where you mom stay standing a ancient tree”, said the eagle.
Rice nearly cried. She asked: “We will see mom?”
“Keep patient. You will see your mom soon”, said the eagle.
When they had passed three forests, four rivers and seven mountains, they came to a shore which had an ancient tree stood on. The eagle landed on. That time was midday.
“Your mother stayed here”, said the eagle.
House and Rice got down. They happily smiled.
“You are good guy eagle. Thank you” said House, hugging eagle’s neck.
“Where is she?” asked Rice, “How can we find her?”
“You climb up this tree then move to the branch which reaches out the river, stay there watching. Afternoon, people will go to there and wash. You watch if anyone who have face like you, she is your mom”, said the eagle, starting fluttering and it soared away left its singing echoed to them.
House helped his sister up. They found the way to have places on the branch which reached out the river. They looked down and saw their reflections. Their faces were same.
Afternoon, women went cross there. They stopped, waded the river to wash their face. House and Rice looked down they searched but no one there looked like them. Then, the crowd left and another crowd came but no one looked like them. Rice cried.
“Don’t cry sister. The eagle didn’t lie us”, said House.
The crowd left and others came. House and Rice kept looking down. Luckily, in the crowd they found out a woman who had face like them. And the woman also realized them. That was their mother. Then, tears from the woman’s eyes dropped and the children’s also because of happiness. Rice raised the cloak she waved it.
“Mom”, she yelled happily.
“Mom” House yelled after her.
The woman stretched her arms out. Her face was not sad anymore. Her eyes turned light and her voice was so warm.
“Come here, my son, my daughter.”
Rice and House ran toward her. They hugged her tightly.
“I went, find house for House, find rice for Rice but I lost, can’t get back again. Oh my poor kid! You must be miserable”, said the woman.
She combed House’s hair, swept Rice’s tears. Her voice was gentle and warm as tiger’s wife. Her hands were soft and warm caressing them. Then, House started talking what had happened after she left.
Lord had died and the tiger also died. They had house and also had rice. The children lay on their mother’s thighs. The mother started singing her voice was warm and gentle. The children fell in deep sleep. They all looked so happy.
The end.🎭🎭🎭
"Translator: Hung Nguyen"
Read more☪☪☪
List of Vietnamese fairy tales
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