Buzz
Prompt: Imagine yourself as Mị Châu, narrating the tale of the Magic Crossbow and Trọng Thủy.
Response:
'Let me recount the tale of Mị Châu from days of yore,'
A heart misplaced atop the head,
The magic crossbow unwittingly handed to the enemy's grasp,
Thus the fate of the kingdom sinks into the depths of the sea.'
'It's a poem retelling the calamity of my life, passed down by later generations. I am Mị Châu, daughter of King An Dương Vương. He cherished me deeply, doting on his daughter. Yet, due to my own foolishness, I became the scapegoat of the entire nation, remembered as a valuable lesson for vigilance. The story revolves around a mystical treasure - the Magic Crossbow - and the man I loved, who trusted too easily, imparting a significant lesson in my life.
In that year, my father ordered the construction of Cổ Loa citadel, but it kept collapsing. In those challenging times, thankfully, with the intervention of the Golden Turtle Deity, my father managed to build a sturdy fortress with deep moats. The deity even provided my father with one of its own claws to make the magic crossbow. With that additional claw, the crossbow's power multiplied manifold, striking a hundred for every shot, capable of slaying thousands of enemy soldiers. My father entrusted the task of crafting the magic crossbow to a skilled and cunning man named Cao Lỗ. After Cao Lỗ meticulously finished crafting the crossbow, it became a precious treasure, always kept close to my father.
At that time, in the South Sea, there was a man named Triệu Đà who constantly sought to invade Âu Lạc. However, whenever his forces attacked, they were defeated by my father. Triệu Đà didn't give up; he sought a different approach. He reconciled with my father by offering his own son in marriage and scheming to steal my father's magic crossbow. During those peaceful days, Trọng Thủy met me and fell in love with me. I was then a young maiden, described by the people as a beautiful princess with eyes resembling those of a phoenix. Gradually, I also fell for Trọng Thủy. My father decided to consent to our marriage without any hesitation. Then he went to live together in the palace of Âu Lạc. One night, as we walked under the golden moonlight, he asked me a question: 'My dear, what secret does Âu Lạc hold that no one can conquer?' I honestly replied to him: 'There's nothing, my love. Âu Lạc has tall, impregnable walls and deep moats, plus the magic crossbow that shoots a hundred for every shot. No one can overcome that.'
Trọng Thủy hinted at wanting to see the treasure, and I willingly showed him the crossbow, revealing its secret and teaching him how to use it. He examined the crossbow meticulously, listened to my story, and then left it in its proper place.
Shortly after, he sought permission from my father to return to Nam Hải. He recounted everything to Triệu Đà, who then recreated an exact replica of the magic crossbow to swap with my father's authentic one. Upon returning to Âu Lạc, my father held a celebratory feast, during which he was made drunk by my husband and the switch of the crossbows occurred. The next day, I noticed my husband was quite restless, and when I asked him why, he replied: 'The king instructed me to return immediately to the North Sea, which is far away, my dear. Now, we must be apart, and I don't know when we'll meet again. If, God forbid, war breaks out, how will I find you?' My heart was heavy with sorrow, and I told him that I would scatter goose feathers from my cloak along the way, and he could follow those traces to find me.
Upon reaching Nam Hải, he immediately handed over the magic crossbow to his father, Triệu Đà, who swiftly sent troops to attack. My father, still relying on the magic crossbow, was caught off guard, only realizing that the crossbow was missing when the enemy reached the foot of the fortress. My father quickly mounted his horse and took me with him, with me foolishly scattering goose feathers along the way. Seeing the enemy still in pursuit, and with the mountainous road winding ahead, with no other option, my father prayed to the Golden Turtle Deity for help. The deity warned my father: 'The enemy is behind the king's back!'
My father realized, and I also awakened to my senses. I painfully realized my own foolishness and accepted my impending death. I deeply regretted, blaming myself immensely. I was the cause of the land's destruction and the loss of our home. I blamed Trọng Thủy for exploiting my trust, for deceiving me. Trọng Thủy loved me deeply, still he rode out to find me, seeing my lifeless body, he was overwhelmed with grief, crying out in despair. He buried my body within the fortress and then took his own life at the well where I used to bathe.
I also realized that both I and Trọng Thủy were victims of this war. From my story, it left behind a valuable lesson about vigilance. And I also want to convey one thing: Love and erase hatred.
An Dương Vương and Mị Châu – Trọng Thủy is a famous legend in Vietnamese mythology. Alongside the essay 'Imagine yourself as Mị Châu, narrating the tale of the Magic Crossbow and Trọng Thủy,' students and teachers can also refer to other sample essays such as Reflections on the legend of Mị Châu - Trọng Thủy, Thoughts on the legend of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thủy, Opinions on actions for Trọng Thủy to see Mị Châu's magic crossbow, Retelling the story of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu - Trọng Thủy in one's own words with a different ending, or even the sections on Composing the story of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu - Trọng Thủy with very specific guidance.
