Portraying the role of Sister Dau recounting the excerpt of 'The Water Is Breaking the Bank'

Prompt: You are tasked with portraying Sister Dau recounting the excerpt 'The Water Is Breaking the Bank' by writer Ngo Tat To.

Acting as Sister Dau recounting the excerpt 'The Water Is Breaking the Bank'
 

I. Outline Acting as Sister Dau recounting the excerpt 'The Water Is Breaking the Bank'

1. Introduction:

- Introducing the current family situation: belonging to the same impoverished class

2. Body:

- My family was originally poor, now having to pay taxes of just three silver coins burdens my family.
- Due to the inability to pay tribute, my husband was taken away, beaten.

3. Conclusion:

- I helped my husband sit up, cleaned up the bowls of porridge, comforted our two young children.
- Who knows what our life as a couple will be like in the future...

II. Sample essay Acting as Sister Dau recounting the excerpt 'The Water Is Breaking the Bank'

Out at the edge of the village, the sound of the bell echoes, while inside, I turn, sighing quietly. Why so stifled, so troubled? The cries, the screams echo in my head, making it impossible for me to close my eyes. Little Tieu is nursing, startled awake by my movement, crying out. Wretched for this woman's life! If my family wasn't in the same lowly status as this village, we wouldn't be in such a plight!

The thing is, for the past few days, it's the day for tax collection by the court, soldiers, officials gather at the village court, demanding three silver coins per head for tax. If unable to pay, the officials send soldiers to take the person to the court, beating them until they have the money. Oh, the misery of a poor life like my family's, where could we find the money to pay the court now? I run everywhere, worrying about money, while my sick husband lies at home. Despite that, those soldiers took my husband to the court, beating him until he died and came back to life. Seeing my husband curled up at the village court, I didn't know what to do to meet that tax. Now with nothing left to sell at home, only one way remains, if there's still a person, there's still hope, I thought and then returned home. Giving the little one a last meal, watching my seven-year-old daughter already worrying about the family, struggling with every small potato, I felt my heart tighten, tears flowing, but what to do now? I grit my teeth, selling it to work for Mr. Nghi Que at the edge of the village just to have enough money to pay the tax for my husband. Who knows, maybe in the future, heaven will allow my husband and I to redeem our daughter?

Thinking that was the end of it, but the next day, the officials sent soldiers to tell me that my house still owed another tax for my deceased brother-in-law. Oh God, how cruel can it get! He passed away last year and yet they still demand tax? However, who dares to speak up to the officials? But with my household already struggling with one tax, how can we bear another? And so, I reluctantly went to plead with the officials, hoping they would consider, but I was driven away.

Restless and unable to sleep, I hear the bustling outside the gate, dogs barking throughout the village. I rush out to see them carrying my husband on their back and dumping him by the corner of the house. Seeing my husband limp like a dead man, I weakly call out, 'hey there,' but he doesn't stir. I'm distressed, outraged, bewildered, wondering if my husband has stopped breathing. Bacs Ly, Bac Ca gather around, calling his name and massaging him, luckily after a while, my husband opens his eyes. Thankful heavens spared my family, letting my husband live. He must be starving, not having eaten anything since yesterday, and being beaten to the brink of death like that! But with nothing but a few scattered potatoes, I intended to give them to my husband when thankfully, the neighbor brought me a bowl of rice:

- Here, sister, take this and cook him some porridge! Since yesterday, he hasn't had anything to eat, how can someone like him eat potatoes?
I look at her, moved, trembling, I take the bowl of rice:
- I'm grateful for this kindness, but I don't know when I can repay you ...
- Just focus on getting him better, what gratitude?
Saying that, she walks back home, I quickly cook the rice into thin porridge and bring it up to my poor husband.
I lift the pot, bring it into the middle of the house, pour out the broken bowls, and fan them to cool.

The sun has risen beyond the bamboo, the sounds of prisoners and drums vie for attention, another suffocating day in this small village. The sound of footsteps, cries, and barking echo throughout the streets, alleys. The sound of footsteps pounding on the ground, the old lady neighbor stands in the courtyard calling out:
- Is he better now?
- Thank you, ma'am. My husband is better than last night, but still weak and tired!
- Hey, don't let him run off again, otherwise, someone will come to collect taxes, if there's no one, they'll be caught, beaten, then it's misery. Someone already so weak, how can they withstand a beating?
- Yes, ma'am, I was going to do as you taught. After my husband finishes the porridge, I'll urge him to go right away, hasn't had anything to eat since yesterday?
- Yeah, hurry up, don't let them come now!

Saying that, she hurries back home with a face that's both worried and pondering. Dần - the second son has quickly scooped up a steaming bowl of porridge. He sips and blows on it. I quietly bring the bowl of porridge closer to my husband:
- Teacher, try to eat this porridge to ease your pain!

Having said that, I picked up our little one, cradling her in my arms and placed her next to my husband, unsure if he could eat. He awkwardly sat up, stretched, yawned, and sluggishly reached for the bowl lying on the ground, groaning softly before looking up. Just as he brought the bowl of porridge to his mouth, footsteps clamored into the yard. Then, the sound of reprimands, the head of the village's household stormed into our house. Dần panicked, dropped the bowl of porridge, and hid behind me, while little Tieu cried out in distress. I handed the baby to Dần, then stood up.

One hand wielding a whip, the other a ruler, one hand holding a rope, the head of the village slammed the whip on the ground, shouting:
- You there, I thought you were dead last night? Still sitting there? Where's the tax? Hand it over to me now!
The hoarse, weak voice of a smoker echoed, making my husband tremble. Yes, he was someone with authority, no wonder he wasn't afraid. My husband quickly put the bowl of porridge down, weakly collapsing onto the straw mat.
- Hey, he's about to suffer again like last night!
They spoke to each other with mocking tones like that!
Then he pointed straight at me, yelling:
- You there, have you paid the tax by tomorrow afternoon? You tell the head, he'll go to the court and inform the officials, as for me, I don't have the authority to let you delay any longer!
I trembled looking at them, my house didn't even have rice, where to find money to pay the officials. I softly, cautiously clasped my hands, saying to them:
- Gentlemen, my family is poor, and adding another tax to my husband's burden caused the delay, but I dare not delay the state's tax. Do you have any mercy, can you ask the head to allow my husband to pay later ...

Before I could finish, the head of the village glared at me:
- You, are you pleading with your father? How dare you open your mouth to ask the officials to delay the tax?
- Sir, my family would never neglect, it's just that we're too poor, there's nothing left, even if you beat or scold us, we'll endure, hoping you have mercy on our family's situation!
I said with a tearful voice. Indeed, my house had nothing left, this dilapidated hut couldn't even shield my mother and children from the sun and rain, where to find money to pay the state. However, the state's money couldn't be delayed forever. Lost in thought, the head's voice suddenly interrupted:
- If he doesn't move his whole family now, I won't just curse him! Without much talk, he grabbed my husband by the collar, dragged him out to the court!

He shouted at the head of the household. However, that person hesitated, as if he didn't know what to do with my poor, weak husband. He stood there, looking at the head, then at me, then at my husband. Seeing that, the head of the household hurriedly grabbed a piece of rope, rushed to the straw mat.
I quickly released my two children, ran over to hold his hand:
- Please, my lord, my husband just woke up, hasn't eaten anything, have mercy on us ...
- This mercy here, this forgiveness for you!
He raised his foot and kicked the two bowls straight at my chest. The two kicks made my face darken, my chest hurt so much I couldn't breathe, yet somehow I stood up, ran back to confront that cruel person holding the whip;
- My husband is sick, you're not allowed to take him away!

Another slap landed fiercely on my right cheek, stinging and reddening it. Enraged, I clenched my jaw tightly, grabbed the collar of the drug-addicted scoundrel. How could the strength of that addict compare to that of a woman like me? I pushed his head out the door, yet his mouth continued to spew nonsense, demanding to tie up my husband and me.

The head of the village seemed surprised by my sudden action, standing still like a wooden statue, only now regaining his senses, angrily approaching to strike me. I didn't allow him to have his way, grabbing a stick, struggling to wrestle it from his grip. Then the stick flew out, I don't know when, I just knew my hand was grappling with the henchman of the official. But in the end, I grabbed his hair, dragged him to the door, and kicked him in the back, making him yelp and fall to the ground.
With determination, I stood firm at the door and shouted:
- Whoever dares to tie my husband, I'll show you what I'm capable of!
My husband panicked, hurriedly pleading:
- Please don't do this! If you do, they'll arrest and imprison you!
- I'd rather sit in jail than let them continue to abuse us like this! I can't bear it...

The two lackeys, with pale faces, scrambled to their feet, stumbling over each other as they ran out into the street. They ran but still had the audacity to turn back and shout at me:
- You wait, woman, you'll regret this!
With that, they hurriedly left my house. What a cowardly bunch, only daring to bully the poor!

I hurried back into the house, helped my husband sit up, leaning against the wall. I handed him the unfinished bowl of porridge again. The bowls in the middle of the house were knocked over, broken, Dần stood holding his sister, crying loudly. I gently hugged my child, carried little Tieu, then sat back next to my husband watching him eat. I don't know when we'll escape from this situation, don't know when we'll be free from this tax burden. I sit and gaze into the distance... Outside, the dogs bark again, the cries echo, sounding truly despairing...