Retelling the Tấm Cám story from Tấm's perspective

Prompt: Retell the Tấm Cám story from the perspective of the character Tấm

3 exemplary essays recounting the Tấm Cám story from Tấm's perspective
 

1. Retelling the Tấm Cám story from Tấm's perspective, sample 1:

Within the treasury of folk literature, there are many intriguing and captivating works, notably the fairy tale Tấm Cám. I am particularly impressed by the character Tấm and her extraordinary determination. To vividly depict the tumultuous life of this ill-fated girl, I will immerse myself in the character of Tấm.

Firstly—and perhaps the greatest misfortune—plunges me into the whirlpool of suffering caused by the wicked stepmother Cám. When I was 6 years old, my mother passed away. Shortly after, my father remarried, and not long after that, he succumbed to illness and passed away. I had to live with the wicked aunt and her daughter Cám, who was a year and a half younger than me. While Cám herself wasn't ugly, the wicked aunt was cruel. She forced me to work from early morning until late at night, subjecting me to daily beatings and torment. One day, the wicked aunt instructed Cám and me to catch shrimp. The one who caught the most would be rewarded with a red ribbon. Since I was accustomed to agricultural work, I easily filled my basket. Cám, however, struggled and didn't catch any. In the evening, as we were heading home, I noticed that Cám's basket was nearly empty, and I felt triumphant, silently laughing, thinking, 'Surely this time the red ribbon will be mine.' Cám, seeing my full basket, panicked and suggested that I wash my hair to avoid the wicked aunt's scolding. I believed her. When I went to wash, Cám dumped all her shrimp into my basket and ran away. Witnessing this, I burst into tears, unable to believe Cám could be so deceitful. Suddenly, a wisp of white smoke wafted by, and the Fairy appeared, telling me the small fish in the basket were magical, advising me to care for the fish with kindness and generosity.

In addition to the learned content, students should prepare for the upcoming lesson on Crafting Practical Lessons in Implicit and Metaphorical Figures of Speech to grasp the knowledge of their Grade 10 Literature.

In the Grade 10 Literature program, the section on Analyzing the poem 'Solitude' by Du Tu Le is an important topic for students to pay attention to and prepare for in advance.
 

2. Retell the story of Tấm Cám in the words of the character Tấm, version 2:

My name is Tấm. My mother passed away early, and my father, after about a year, remarried. My stepmother gave birth to a daughter named Cám. When I turned fifteen, my father passed away.

Having a strong aversion towards me, my stepmother pours all the responsibilities, big and small, on my shoulders. From herding cattle, planting rice, grinding wheat, to pounding rice... as soon as one task is done, she insists on immediately assigning another. Meanwhile, Cám enjoys carefree leisure. Taking advantage of her mother's favor, Cám often scolds and forces me to serve her. Alone and desolate, I bear the sorrow silently, shedding tears in secret.

One day, my stepmother declared, 'This morning, the two of you will go to the field to search for water chestnuts. Whoever fills their basket first will be rewarded with a handcrafted yoke!' Hearing her words, I silently rejoiced and vowed to exert all my effort to win the coveted prize that every girl dreams of.

Cám and I set out with our baskets. Undeterred by the hardships and filth, I waded into the fields, delved into the muddy ditches, while Cám idly dawdled. By the time the sun was high, my basket was nearly full. I washed my hands and feet with a cloth and sat on the bank to rest. Suddenly, Cám approached and said, 'Sister Tấm, your head is dirty. Let me brush it off for you, so you won't get scolded by our mother.' Believing her, I bent down to the pond and thoroughly cleaned my head.

Done with my task, I cheerfully asked, 'Cám, did you check if I'm clean?' No response. I looked around but couldn't find Cám anywhere, only my basket lying abandoned by the grassy verge. Upon inspection, the empty basket revealed Cám's deceit—she had tricked me to empty my water chestnut haul and brought it home ahead of me.

Furious and pitiful, I covered my face and wept. Suddenly, a warm, soothing voice echoed in my ears, asking, 'Why is the child crying?'. I looked up, and before me, a radiant halo revealed the presence of a Deity. I recounted the story, and the Deity kindly advised, 'Look closely in the basket; is there any fish left, dear child?' Following the Deity's guidance, I noticed a tiny fish nestled at the bottom of the basket. As instructed, I brought the little fish back, releasing it into the well, reducing its daily food gradually. Every feeding, I would chant the words taught by the Deity:

Fishy fishy swim along,
Rise to eat the golden rice and silver grain of our home,
Avoid the spoiled rice and flowery porridge of others.

The fish would bob up on the water's surface, nibbling on the grains I sprinkled. From that day on, the little fish and I became close friends. The fish grew visibly day by day.

Noticing my routine of fetching water from the well after the evening meal, my stepmother, in her cunning ways, sent Cám to spy on me. Cám hid behind the bushes, listened to me calling the fish, and memorized the chant. In the evening, my stepmother said to me:

- My child, the village has initiated a grazing ban. Tomorrow, when you take the buffalo to graze, make sure it's in a distant field; don't graze in our field, or the village will confiscate the buffalo.

I obeyed, taking the buffalo far to graze the next morning. At home, Cám mimicked my fish call. Hearing the correct tune, the little fish surfaced, only to be swiftly caught by my stepmother and turned into meat.

In the evening, I brought the buffalo back. As usual, after eating, I hid rice in the water-carrying barrel to feed the fish. I called and called, but there was no sign of the fish. Only a fresh red blood clot floated on the water's surface.

I burst into tears. The Deity appeared and asked, 'Why is my child crying?' I recounted the situation, and the Deity said, 'Your little fish has been eaten by someone. Quiet down, my child. Find and collect its bones, get four jars, bury them under the four corners of your bed.'

I searched every corner of the garden and courtyard but found nothing. Suddenly, a chicken exclaimed, 'A nugget for me to peck! Provide me with grain, and I'll dig up bones for you!' I threw a handful of grain to the chicken. It ran into the kitchen ashes and, after a while, found the fish bones. I picked them up and placed them in four small jars, burying them under the four corners of my bed, just as the Deity instructed.

As Tet approached, spring arrived, and the king held a festival for several days and nights. Young and old, men and women, eagerly went to see the festivities. Everyone dressed beautifully, flowing into the capital like a flowing river. My stepmother and Cám's mother also adorned themselves in new clothes, excitedly heading to the festival.

Seeing my desire to go, my stepmother scowled and grumbled. Without much thought, she took a handful of mixed rice and millet and said, 'Pick through this rice and millet before you go anywhere, and don't leave it unfinished. If I return, and there's no rice for dinner, I'll give you a beating!'

After saying that, Cám's mother and daughter went to the festival. I sat, picking for a while, but with so little progress, I wondered when I would finish. Knowing my stepmother's cruelty in not allowing me to go to the festival, I felt sorry for myself and burst into uncontrollable tears. The Deity appeared and asked, 'Why is my child crying?' I pointed to the basket of mixed rice and millet, recounting the situation. The Deity instructed me to place the basket in the middle of the yard and sent a flock of sparrows to help me pick. Worried about the sparrows eating the rice, the Deity taught me:

- Just tell them like this: 'Flutter down and pick for me. If a single grain goes missing, I'll strike you dead'. They won't touch anything of yours!

In an instant, the flock of sparrows picked the millet separately from the rice, without losing a single grain. But once they flew away, I suddenly realized I had no beautiful clothes to wear for the festival! Pitying myself, tears welled up again. The Deity instructed me to dig up the four jars containing the fish bones beneath the bed; it would be enough. I followed the Deity's guidance, and miraculously, extraordinary things happened: The first jar contained a brand-new set of clothes, a silk dress, a silk belt, and an embroidered scarf. The second jar held a pair of embroidered shoes, perfectly sized. The third jar had a small toy horse that, when placed on the ground, neighed loudly, as big as a real horse. The last jar contained a charming saddle.

Overjoyed, I expressed my gratitude to the Deity, then bathed and dressed in the beautiful attire, riding atop the toy horse. The horse galloped swiftly, and in no time, we reached the capital. As the horse leaped over a stream, I accidentally dropped one embroidered shoe into the water, unable to retrieve it. Upon arriving at the festival, I stopped the horse, carefully wrapping the remaining shoe with a cloth and squeezing into the bustling crowd.

When the royal golden palanquin arrived at the stream, the two leading elephants refused to move, planting their tusks into the ground and trumpeting loudly. Sensing something unusual, the king ordered soldiers to investigate. They found my embroidered shoe, quickly presenting it to the king. Holding up the shoe, the king admired it for a long time and praised, 'This embroidered shoe is exquisite! The one who wore this must be an extraordinary beauty!'

The king commanded all women and girls to try on the shoes, declaring that whoever fit them perfectly would become the queen. The festival became even more lively. Women crowded around to try on the shoes, but none fit. Cám's mother also joined in the attempt. When it was my turn to step forward, Cám whispered to her mother, but the wicked stepmother disbelieved, sneering: 'Impossible! A skinny one like her won't even attract a rooster, let alone a king!'

I was the last one to try. My foot slid perfectly into the shoe, just like a mold. I unwrapped the remaining shoe and walked in. The two shoes matched flawlessly. The attendants cheered, joyfully reporting to the king. Immediately, the king sent a procession of maidens to escort me to the palace. I ascended the carriage with a bewildered and resentful expression, reminiscent of Cám and her mother.

I lived a luxurious and happy life alongside the young king. On the anniversary of my father's death, I requested permission to help my stepmother and stepsister prepare offerings. Despite their jealousy, they concealed it well. Stepmother told me to climb a bridge and fetch a set for the ritual. As I ascended, she chopped down the bridge. I fell into the pond and drowned. Stepmother dressed Cám in my clothes, placed her in the palace, and lied to the king that I had unfortunately died, replacing me with my stepsister.

My soul transformed into a golden bird, roaming the royal garden. While Cám washed the king's clothes and hung them by the fence, I sang: 'Hang my husband's clothes, hang them on a pole, not on the fence, lest my husband's clothes tear!'. Then, I flew straight into the palace, perching by the window. The king, melancholic and grieving, perhaps missing his ill-fated wife, noticed me lingering. He said, 'Golden bird, are you my wife? Tuck into my sleeve!'. I playfully perched on his shoulder and nestled into the king's sleeve. A golden feather was crafted for me. The king spent every moment with me, paying no heed to Cám.

In the king's absence, Cám and her mother slaughtered me and threw my feathers into the garden. Discovering the loss of the golden bird, the king inquired, and Cám deceitfully framed me: 'I, craving bird meat, stole it and secretly killed it.' The king was furious but remained silent. The next day, two peach trees grew beautifully from the bird feathers. When the king strolled in the garden, the trees' branches and leaves formed a natural canopy, resembling two cages. The king, finding it amusing, ordered servants to hang a hammock between the trees and reclined, enjoying the cool breeze.

Cám once again informed her mother of the incident. During a stormy day, the wicked stepmother persuaded her to send workers to cut down the two peach trees, claiming it was to make frames for weaving clothes for the king. My spirit entered the frame, so whenever Cám sat down to weave, the frame emitted threatening sounds, chanting:

Creak and crack,
With your husband's picture on the back,
Poke his eyes out!

Startled, Cám confided in her mother, and the wicked stepmother advised her to burn the frame into ashes and scatter them far away. Cám followed the instructions, but from the ashes, a tall, lush silk-cotton tree sprouted. By the season's end, the tree bore numerous flowers, yielding only one precious fruit. My spirit found refuge within that fragrant golden silk-cotton fruit.

One day, an old lady selling water nearby passed by, catching a whiff of the delightful fragrance. She looked up, wrinkled her nose, and remarked:

- Thị, oh dear Thị, you've fallen for the old lady's charm. Let the old lady sniff, not eat.

The fruit Thị promptly fell. The delighted old lady took it home, cherishing it in her room and occasionally bringing it out to admire. Whenever the old lady went to the market or was away, I emerged from the fruit, tidying up the house, cooking soft rice and delicious soup for her.

Perplexed, the old lady deliberately sought the truth. Once, pretending to go to the market for a while, she returned unexpectedly. Finding me diligently doing household chores as usual, the old lady embraced me and tore apart the peel of the fruit Thị. Since then, she treated me like a daughter. I assisted her in wrapping cakes, boiling water, and preparing betel leaves for her to sell.

Not long after, one day a young man visited the drink stall. Seeing a few betel leaves with phoenix wings, he inquired who prepared them. The old lady responded that her daughter, I, did. Standing concealed behind the curtain, I overheard the story and recognized the king. The king pleaded with the old lady to present her daughter to him. As soon as I appeared, the king recognized me instantly, instructing the old lady to recount the situation and commanding his soldiers to bring me back to the palace on a palanquin.

Upon witnessing this, Mother and Cám were utterly terrified. Cám asked how I managed to be so beautiful, and I replied that if she wanted beauty, I could help. I ordered the soldiers to boil a pot of water and instructed Cám to stand over the pit. Reluctantly, Cám complied. The soldiers poured boiling water into the pit, causing Cám to shriek in pain. Seeing this horrifying sight, Dì Ghẻ also fell down dead. I lived peacefully and happily beside the king. Our marital bond grew even stronger, more profound than before.

3. Retell the Tấm Cám story in the words of the character Tấm, model 3:

Now, as the happiest queen in the palace, people still affectionately call me Tấm as they always have. Reflecting on the past fills me with a sense of awe. My life has been a rollercoaster, filled with ups and downs, mainly due to the constant mischief from the Cám family.

I still remember, on a day near Tet, the air was chilly. Little Cám, like a persistent mosquito, kept pestering her mother for a crimson scarf. I, too, dreamed of such an item, but would it ever come my way?

The old witch handed two baskets to us and said,
- You two go catch shrimp and crabs for food. Whoever catches more will be rewarded with a vibrant red scarf - She brandished the dazzling red scarf, blinding our eyes. Then, she called her daughter, speaking to her inaudibly.

At the village pond, I focused on catching and soon had a basket nearly full. Little Cám, fearing the cold, dipped herself in the water a bit and then sat on the shore shivering, watching me dive up and down. About to return, she said to me, 'Sister Tấm, your head is muddy, be careful not to bring it back, or Mom will scold.' When I lifted my head, Little Cám had turned completely red, leaving me with only shrimp and crabs in my basket. I sat there crying. The Bụt appeared and spoke to me about raising the remaining baby fish in the basket.

Every day, I secretly brought rice to the well for Bống with the song Bụt taught me, 'Bống bống bang bang, come up for golden rice and silver rice. Don't eat grain soup at other people's homes.' I sneaked out, feeling something ominous. In the evening, as I finished tying the buffalo pen, I brought rice for Bống. I sang with all my heart, but Bống was nowhere to be found, only a bloody lump surfaced. Oh, I cried like the pouring rain. The Bụt reappeared to comfort me, instructing me to find Bống's bones and put them in four jars buried at the four bedposts. With the help of a rooster, I followed Bụt's guidance correctly.

Suddenly, another spring arrived. The mother and daughter from Cám's house wore vibrant red scarves in their elegant attire to attend the festival. I hastily sewed a torn scarf to join, but the wicked aunt had placed a bucket full of rice and grains in front of me, saying sweetly,
- Pick the grains for me before you go and play.

Little Cám gave me a disdainful look, and both of them burst into laughter amid the cheerful crowd at the festival. Despite my efforts, I collected only a handful, and I burst into tears. The Bụt appeared and said: Dig up four jars, and you'll have beautiful clothes to wear to the festival, and leave the bucket of rice and grains for the sparrows to pick up.

I never expected to have such beautiful attire. In addition to the splendid clothes, there was a snow-white horse. As I set out, everyone marveled, mistaking me for the queen.

While crossing a small bridge, I dropped a shoe. The king's soldiers retrieved it, and the king was astonished by the peculiar shoe. He announced that whoever fit into the shoe would become his wife. Of course, I experienced that happiness. Oh, how blissful it was to go from a country girl to the queen.

Once again, the time came for me to return for my father's memorial. I personally picked betel leaves to decorate the ancestral altar. However, the wicked aunt chopped down the betel tree, and I fell into the pond. My soul transformed into a golden bird flying freely, strangely still alive within that tiny bird.

On that day, I flew back to the king's palace, witnessing Cám washing clothes for the King. I knew Cám had taken over the position of her sister as the Queen. I sang: 'Wash my husband's clothes, wash them clean; if not, I'll tear my face apart.

Hearing me, the King said, 'Golden bird, is it your wife sneaking into your sleeve?' I immediately flew into the king's embrace. From then on, I received the King's care. But one night, Cám cruelly reached into the cage, strangled me, ate my flesh, and tossed the feathers into the garden. Once again, I transformed into two flourishing cherry blossom trees. Every day, the King lay beneath the shade of my branches.

Knowing this, Cám ordered someone to cut down the trees and turned me into a weaving frame. Out of anger, every time it wove fabric, I gritted my teeth, 'Sharp and crisp, taking a husband, she gouges her eyes out.' This time, it burned me to ashes and dumped me by the roadside. The Bụt transformed me into a plum tree. When the plum blossoms bloomed, only a single fragrant fruit appeared. Bụt concealed me within.

When embodying a character, students will have the opportunity to explore and express the inner thoughts of that character vividly. This, in turn, brings clarity to the ideas and themes of the literary work. In line with the theme  Review of medieval Vietnamese literature, students should delve into other essays in Grade 10 Literature such as Essay on Tấm Cám or the section Summary of the story Tấm Cám to reinforce their knowledge of Grade 10 Literature.