Top 10 Best Essays Recounting a Fairy Tale I Love (Literature 6)

Once upon a time, there was a king who wanted to find a talented person to help the country, so he sent an official to search everywhere. One day, the official came to a village and saw a father and son plowing the field. He approached them and asked the father: "Hey, old man! How many rows can your ox plow in a day?" The father didn’t know how to answer, but the boy, about seven or eight years old, boldly responded to the official's question by asking, "If you can answer how many steps your horse can take in a day, I’ll tell you how many rows my father’s ox can plow." The official was stunned and speechless. He thought to himself, 'This is the one!' He asked the father and son for their names and hometown, then hurried off on his horse.

One day, the king granted the boy’s village three baskets of sticky rice and three male oxen, ordering that they must breed them to produce nine oxen within a year, or else the whole village would be punished.

The villagers were worried. The boy asked his father to tell the villagers to slaughter two oxen and cook them with the rice for a feast. The remaining ox and rice were to be sold to cover the travel expenses for the father and son to go to the capital.

The villagers were skeptical and insisted on a written guarantee before allowing the slaughter. A few days later, the father and son set off for the capital. Upon arriving at the palace, the boy told his father to wait outside, then sneaked into the palace, pretending to cry loudly. The king ordered the guards to bring him in and asked, "Why are you crying, child?" The boy replied, "Your Majesty, my mother died early, and my father won’t marry again to have another child for me to play with, so I’m crying. I hope you will command my father to do so."

The king and his officials laughed. The king said, "If you want a sibling, your father must marry a wife, as he’s a male, he can’t give birth!" The boy, smiling, responded, "Then why did your Majesty issue a decree for our village to raise three male oxen to produce nine calves? Males can’t give birth!" The king laughed and said, "I was just testing you! So, didn’t your village eat the oxes together as a feast?" The boy said they did, since it was the king’s gift. The king just laughed.

Later, when the father and son were having a meal at a public inn, a royal messenger arrived with a sparrow, instructing the boy to prepare three dishes from it. The boy asked his father for a needle, gave it to the messenger, and said, "Please take this needle back to the king and ask him to forge it into a knife to cut the sparrow." Afterward, the king summoned the father and son and generously rewarded them.

At that time, a neighboring country plotted to invade. To test if our country had any talented individuals, they sent a messenger with a long snail shell, asking to thread a thin thread through the shell. The court officials pondered, trying various methods but failed. Eventually, the court sent the messenger to stay at an inn to buy time while searching for a solution.

One day, the boy was playing in the yard when he overheard the story. He quickly figured out how to solve the problem and told the official to thread the string through the snail's shell using the following rhyme:

"Tang ting tang! Tinh ting tang
Bait the ant’s waist to thread the string
On one side, use paper to cover
On the other, use grease to make the ants cross
Tang ting tang..."

The official happily returned to the court and performed the instructions. The string was easily threaded through the snail shell. The neighboring kingdom’s messenger was amazed by the solution. Later, the king made the boy the top scholar and invited him to the palace to study.

Once upon a time, in a small village, there were two brothers. Their parents passed away early, but they shared a deep love for each other, working together to earn a living. However, after marrying, the elder brother became lazy.

One day, the elder brother called his younger sibling to discuss how to divide their inheritance. He took all of the wealth, leaving only a small hut and a starfruit tree for his brother. The younger brother, with his wife, tended to the tree, and it grew lush. When the tree bore fruit, they planned to sell it at the market. But one day, just as the younger brother was about to climb the tree, he saw a large bird perched on a branch, eating the starfruit. The bird came every day for a month. Feeling desperate, the wife spoke to the bird:

- Bird! If you keep eating our starfruit, how will we survive?

The bird stopped eating and replied:

- For every fruit I eat, I will give you a lump of gold. Take a three-yard bag to hold it.

Afterward, the bird flew away. The couple decided to follow the bird's advice. The next morning, the bird returned, leading them to an island in the middle of the sea. The bird landed near a cave filled with gold and precious jewels. Feeling cautious, the younger brother only gathered a few jewels from the entrance and signaled the bird to return.

From then on, their lives flourished, and they built a large house near the hut and starfruit tree, helping the poor. Word spread, and the elder brother heard the story. Early one morning, he visited his brother's house and pretended to be interested in the story, asking for the hut and tree in exchange for a deal.

The elder brother moved his family to the younger brother's hut. Every day, the couple only ate and waited under the starfruit tree for the bird. When the fruit ripened, the bird returned. Upon seeing it, they both cried out in despair. The bird repeated the same words it had said to the younger brother. The elder brother told his wife to sew a bag three times the size of the original one, creating a large sack.

The next morning, the bird led the elder brother to the island. He was overwhelmed by the sight of the gold and jewels. Inside the cave, he became even more greedy, stuffing the bag to its limit.

As the elder brother climbed onto the bird's back, it struggled to lift off. The bag was so heavy that the bird flew slowly, still hovering over the sea. Weighed down and fighting against the wind, the bird grew weaker and its wings drooped. The heavy sack struck the bird's wing, causing it to lose control and plummet into the sea. The elder brother was swept away by the waves. The bird, though soaked, managed to regain strength and flew back to the mountains.

According to an old legend from the time of the sixth Hung King, in the village of Giong, there was an elderly couple renowned for their hard work, kindness, and virtuous life. Despite their age, they had no children. One day, the wife went to the fields and noticed a very large footprint. Curious, she stepped into it to measure how much smaller her foot was. When she returned home, she unexpectedly became pregnant, and after twelve months, she gave birth to a remarkably handsome boy. The couple was overjoyed. Strangely, however, the child, despite reaching the age of three, could neither speak nor laugh and would remain motionless wherever placed.

At that time, the An invaders came to attack the country. The situation was so dire that the king became fearful. He sent messengers to find a hero. When the messenger arrived at the village of Giong, the boy suddenly spoke, asking his mother to invite the messenger in. Upon the messenger’s arrival, the boy requested a metal horse, a metal whip, and a metal armor be prepared for him so he could defeat the invaders. The messenger was both surprised and pleased and hurried back to report to the king.

After meeting the messenger, the boy grew at an astonishing rate. No matter how much food he ate, he was never satisfied. The couple could not feed him, so they had to rely on the help of their neighbors, who gladly assisted, hoping the boy would be able to defeat the invaders.

At that time, the invaders reached the foot of Mount Chau. The situation was critical. Just then, the messenger arrived with the metal horse, whip, and armor. Suddenly, the boy sprang up, stretching his body into the form of a warrior. The warrior donned the armor, took the whip, and mounted the horse. The horse breathed fire, and the warrior urged it forward, charging straight into the invaders. The enemy was wiped out in waves. When the whip broke, the warrior used the nearby bamboo to strike the invaders. The enemy was defeated, and the remnants of the forces fled in panic.

The warrior, with his horse, ascended to the mountaintop, removed the armor, and then both he and his horse flew up to the sky. The king, remembering the boy’s deeds, named him Phu Dong Thien Vuong and ordered a temple to be built in his honor in his hometown.

Today, the temple still stands in the village of Phu Dong, also known as the village of Giong. People say that the bamboo groves in Gia Binh County turned golden after the horse’s fiery breath burned them. The tracks of the horse’s hooves have become a series of interconnected ponds. People also tell that the horse’s fiery roar caused the destruction of a village, which later became known as the Burning Village.

From a young age, we have all heard countless stories from our grandmothers and mothers about our glorious history and legendary tales. Perhaps everyone, at that time, carried within themselves a sense of pride and admiration for the heroes in our national legends. Saint Giong is one such hero, a figure of great valor.

During the reign of the sixth Hung King, in the village of Giong, there lived a hardworking couple with a reputation for being virtuous, yet they remained childless well into old age. One day, the wife went to the field and found a giant footprint, so she placed her foot in it to compare. When she returned home, she found she was pregnant and, after twelve months, gave birth to a handsome boy named Giong. Another strange thing was that at three years old, Giong still could not speak or smile; he would simply lie wherever placed, causing his parents both sorrow and worry.

At that time, the An invaders arrived, threatening the land and bringing suffering to the people. Seeing the enemy’s strength, the king sent messengers throughout the country to find a hero to save the nation. As the messenger passed through the village of Giong, he called out, “Whoever is brave and skilled, please come help the king save the country!” Giong, who had been lying in bed, suddenly spoke for the first time:

- Mother, please invite the messenger in.

Surprised and joyful, the mother hurriedly went to invite the messenger in. Giong then asked the messenger to tell the king to prepare a metal horse, a metal whip, and metal armor so that he could fight the invaders.

After the messenger returned, Giong ate with great appetite and grew rapidly. No matter how much food he consumed, he was never full, and his clothes seemed to tear as soon as they were sewn. His mother could no longer provide for him, so she sought help from neighbors. The community, excited by the boy’s potential to rid them of the invaders, eagerly assisted by cooking, sewing, and providing him with everything he needed.

One day, when the enemy reached the base of Mount Chau, the messenger arrived with the requested weapons. Giong immediately stood up and transformed into a warrior. Wearing the armor and holding the whip, he mounted the horse and charged into battle.

On the battlefield, Giong fought fiercely, cutting through the enemy like a hot knife through butter. When the whip broke, he quickly grabbed nearby bamboo to continue the fight. The invaders, terrified, fled, trampling over one another in their panic. After the battlefield was cleared of enemies, Giong mounted his horse and flew back to Mount Soc, removed his armor, bowed to his mother, and ascended to the heavens.

The king honored him with the title of Saint Giong, and the people built a temple to honor him, ensuring that his legacy would never be forgotten. Later generations would tell of how the fiery breath of the metal horse burned down a village, which then came to be known as the Village of Giong. The hoof prints of the horse, once left in the ground, have since become a series of interconnected ponds, serving as a lasting reminder of Saint Giong’s great victory.

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a couple who worked for a wealthy landowner. They were kind-hearted and hardworking, but they had no children.

One day, on a hot and sunny day, the wife went to the forest to gather firewood for her employer. She was extremely thirsty but could not find a stream. She noticed a coconut shell near a large tree, filled with rainwater, and drank from it. Upon returning home, she found out she was pregnant. Some time later, the husband passed away. She gave birth to a child who had no arms or legs and was as round as a coconut. Feeling sorrowful, she considered abandoning the child, but the baby spoke:

- Mother, I am a human being. Please don’t abandon me, it would be cruel!

Moved by the words, she decided to keep the child and named him Coconut Head. As he grew, Coconut Head remained the same, rolling around the house and unable to do any tasks. One day, his mother complained:

- At seven or eight years old, children are already herding cattle. But you can’t do anything.

Coconut Head replied to his mother:

- Herding cattle is something I can do. Please ask the landowner to let me tend the cattle.

Surprised, his mother still went to ask the landowner. The landowner was skeptical if Coconut Head could handle the task, but since feeding him cost little and he didn’t require much effort, he agreed. Coconut Head moved to the landowner’s house and proved to be an excellent cowherd. Whether it was sunny or rainy, the cattle were always well-fed. This pleased the landowner greatly.

During the harvest season, the household servants went to the fields. The landowner sent his three daughters to deliver food to Coconut Head. The two older sisters were disdainful, but the youngest treated him kindly. One day, as the youngest daughter brought food to him, she heard the sound of a flute. Curious, she crept closer and hid behind a bush to watch. She saw a handsome young man sitting on a hammock, playing the flute for the cows to graze. Suddenly, he vanished, and only Coconut Head remained. After several encounters like this, the youngest daughter realized that Coconut Head was not an ordinary human, and she grew fond of him, offering him gifts whenever she could.

At the end of the season, Coconut Head asked his mother to arrange a marriage proposal for him with the landowner’s daughter. His mother was shocked but, seeing how insistent he was, agreed and took a betel nut to the landowner’s house.

The landowner laughed mockingly:

- If you wish to marry my daughter, you must prepare a chest of gold, ten bolts of red silk, ten fat pigs, and ten barrels of rice wine.

Returning home, his mother relayed the landowner’s conditions, thinking that her son would abandon the idea. But to her surprise, Coconut Head replied that he would prepare everything. On the agreed day, she was astonished when the house was filled with the necessary items, along with ten beautiful maidens to help deliver them to the landowner. Seeing the gifts, the landowner had no choice but to relent:

- Let me first ask my daughter if any of them are willing to marry Coconut Head.

The landowner summoned his three daughters. The two older ones sneered and criticized, but the youngest hesitantly agreed. The landowner accepted the gifts and arranged for the marriage of his youngest daughter to Coconut Head.

On the wedding day, the house of Coconut Head hosted a grand feast. As the bride was being escorted, no one saw Coconut Head, only a handsome young man, tall and good-looking, accompanying the bride. Everyone was astonished and pleased, while the two older sisters were filled with jealousy.

The newlyweds lived happily ever after. Coconut Head studied diligently, became a top scholar, and was appointed as a royal envoy. Before leaving, he handed his wife a flint stone, a knife, and two eggs, telling her to always keep them with her in case of emergencies.

Envious of their younger sister's good fortune, the older sisters plotted against her. One day, when Coconut Head was away, they invited the youngest sister to go boating and then pushed her into the sea. She was swallowed by a giant fish. With the knife she carried, she killed the fish and escaped from its belly. The fish washed ashore on a deserted island, where she used the knife to spark a fire, roasted the fish for food, and made friends with two beautiful chickens that hatched from the eggs.

One day, a boat passed by the island. The rooster crowed loudly:

- Ò ó o… It’s the boat of the royal envoy, come to take my mistress home.

The royal envoy, upon hearing this, ordered his boat to approach. The couple was reunited, and they returned home without telling anyone. They held a feast to celebrate their return. The older sisters, eager to gossip, shared the story of their younger sister’s misfortune. When the feast ended, the envoy revealed his wife. The older sisters, ashamed, disappeared and never returned.

Once upon a time, a kind and hardworking farmer couple, in their fifties, had not yet had children. One sunny day, the wife went into the forest to gather firewood for their employer. Thirsty, she could not find a stream, but she saw a coconut shell near a tree filled with rainwater. She drank from it and, when returning home, discovered she was pregnant. Soon after, she gave birth to a child without arms or legs, round like a coconut but capable of speaking. She considered abandoning the child, but the baby spoke:

- Mother, I am your child! Please don’t abandon me!

Moved by love, the old woman decided to keep and raise the child. As Sọ Dừa grew, he asked his mother to let him tend cows at the rich man’s house. He was very skilled, and the cows were always well-fed. The rich man had three daughters who took turns bringing food to Sọ Dừa. The older two daughters were cruel and proud, but the youngest treated him kindly. One day, as usual, the youngest daughter went to deliver food to Sọ Dừa. From afar, she heard the sound of a flute. She hid behind a bush and saw a handsome young man sitting on a hammock, playing the flute for the cows. When he heard a noise, he vanished, and only Sọ Dừa was left. After several encounters like this, the girl realized that Sọ Dừa was no ordinary human and gradually fell in love with him, secretly bringing him delicious food.

At the end of the season, Sọ Dừa asked his mother to ask for the rich man’s daughter’s hand in marriage. The mother, seeing her son’s determination, went to the rich man. The rich man laughed and said:

- To marry my daughter, you must bring me one basket of gold, ten pieces of red silk, ten plump pigs, and ten jars of fine wine.

She returned home and told her son. Sọ Dừa reassured her not to worry. On the wedding day, Sọ Dừa prepared all the required gifts for his mother to bring to the rich man’s house. During the wedding procession, no one saw Sọ Dừa, but a handsome young man appeared next to the youngest daughter. Everyone was surprised and overjoyed, while the two older daughters felt regret and jealousy.

The couple lived happily. Sọ Dừa studied hard, passed the imperial exams, and was appointed by the king as an envoy. During this time, the two older sisters grew envious and plotted against their younger sister. They invited her to go boating, then pushed her into the water. She was swallowed by a giant fish. With a knife that Sọ Dừa had given her, the girl slit open the fish's belly, killing it, and washed up on an island. Using the tools given by Sọ Dừa, she survived on the deserted island.

One day, a boat passed by the island, and a rooster crowed loudly:

- Cock-a-doodle-doo... the ship carrying the scholar is coming to take my lady back.

Upon hearing this, the scholar’s boat approached. The couple reunited, joyfully and tearfully. They returned home, keeping their secret. The scholar hosted a feast for the villagers. The older sisters, hearing of the mishap, pretended to feel sorry. The scholar said nothing. After the feast, he introduced his wife. The two older sisters were so embarrassed they quietly left and never returned.

I have read many fascinating fairy tales, but the one that left the deepest impression on me is the story of the Hundred-Joint Bamboo Tree.

The tale is about a hardworking and honest farmer. He fell in love with the daughter of a wealthy man and worked tirelessly for him without expecting any pay. However, when the girl was about to marry, the wealthy man set an impossible task: to find a bamboo tree with a hundred joints. Despite knowing the difficulty, the farmer agreed to take on the challenge. After many days of hardship searching through bamboo forests, he couldn't find any bamboo tree with enough joints. Helpless and sorrowful, he sat on the ground and cried.

Seeing his plight, a Buddha appeared and inquired about his troubles. After understanding the situation, the Buddha told him to cut exactly one hundred bamboo joints and bring them back, and he would teach him a magical chant. Overjoyed, the farmer quickly set off to gather the bamboo. Once he had enough, the Buddha taught him the chants 'khắc nhập khắc nhập' and 'khắc xuất khắc xuất' to link the bamboo joints together. Ecstatic, the farmer thanked the Buddha and hurried home. Upon returning, he found the wealthy man was hosting a wedding for his daughter with another wealthy man. In his rage, the farmer recited the chant, binding the two men to the bamboo, unable to separate them. It was only when the wealthy man kept his promise that the farmer released them. After much struggle, the farmer finally married the woman he loved.

The story of the Hundred-Joint Bamboo Tree conveys the folk authors' dream of a fair society where the good and hardworking will eventually be rewarded with happiness, while the greedy will face their deserved punishment.

Since I was young, I have always heard fairy tales told by my grandmother and mother. Even now, I still love and cherish the story of 'Tam and Cam'.

The story is about two sisters, Tam and Cam. Their father passed away early, and Tam had to live with her stepmother. All the heavy tasks, from household chores to farming, were done by Tam alone.

One day, the stepmother gave each of the two sisters a basket and asked them to go to the field to catch shrimp and prawns, promising that:

- Whoever fills their basket first will be rewarded with a red silk belt.

Because Tam was used to catching crabs and snails, she quickly filled her basket with both fish and prawns. As for Cam, she played around and by the end of the day, had caught nothing. Cam then said to Tam:

- Sister Tam, oh sister Tam! Your head is muddy, go deeper to wash it, or mother will scold you when you get home.

Tam believed her and waded into the pond to wash herself. Taking advantage of the situation, Cam poured all of Tam's prawns into her own basket and hurried home to claim the reward. When Tam returned and saw her empty basket, fearing the punishment of her stepmother, she began to cry. The Buddha appeared and told her to look again in her basket, where she found a lone goby fish. The Buddha advised Tam to keep the fish and feed it, saying:

'Bong bong bang bang

Come eat the golden and silver rice at my house

Don’t eat the plain rice or porridge at someone else's house.'

From that day on, every meal, Tam would save a portion of rice. Cam found this strange and told her mother. The two of them secretly watched and discovered that Tam was raising a goby. Whenever Tam called, the fish would surface to eat the rice thrown into the water. Knowing this, the stepmother ordered Tam to herd cattle far from home the next day and cautioned her:

- My dear, the village has begun restricting cattle grazing. Tomorrow, go far to herd cattle, don’t go near home, or the village will confiscate the cows.

Without suspicion, Tam led the cattle far away the next morning. Meanwhile, Cam and her mother went to the well and mimicked Tam's words. The goby surfaced and they caught it, killing it for food.

Some time later, the king announced a grand festival lasting several days. People of all ages from nearby villages eagerly went to see it. Cam's mother bought fine clothes for them to attend. When Tam wished to go, the stepmother took a basket of rice and a basket of paddy and said:

- You must finish this rice before you go anywhere, or if you leave it unfinished, I will punish you when you come back.

After some time, the king ordered that all women should try on a pair of shoes. Whoever fit them would be chosen to be his wife. Cam tried the shoes on, but they didn’t fit. Seeing Tam from afar, Cam said to her mother:

- Mother, it seems that our sister Tam is going to try the shoes!

The stepmother scoffed, saying:

- The bell of the temple won’t help anyone, let alone a shard tossed aside.

But when Tam stepped into the shoe, it fit perfectly. She even took out another shoe identical to the first. Tam was then welcomed into the palace as the queen.

Although living in the palace, Tam never forgot the anniversary of her father's death. On that day, Cam and her mother plotted to harm Tam:

- You used to climb the betel nut tree, why not climb it again and pluck a bunch to offer to your father?

Tam obeyed, climbing the tree. As the tree shook, she called down:

- What are you doing at the root, stepmother?

- There are many ants at the root, I'm chasing them away so they don't sting you.

Before Tam could pluck any betel nuts, the tree fell, and she tumbled into the pond and died. The stepmother then sent Cam to the palace to take Tam's place.

One day, while Cam was washing the king's clothes by the well, a golden bird flew over and perched on a branch, singing:

- Hang the husband's shirt on the clothesline, don’t hang it on the fence, or it will tear the shirt.

Afterward, the bird flew into the palace, perched by the window, and sang joyfully. Wherever the king went, the bird followed. The king grew fond of the bird, neglecting his meals and rest. Cam told her mother, who suggested that they catch the bird, cook it, and lie to the king. Cam followed her mother's advice, caught the bird, cooked it, and discarded its feathers in the garden. The king noticed the bird’s disappearance and asked Cam about it. She replied:

- I was so eager for bird meat that I secretly killed it and ate it.

The king said nothing. Strangely, where the bird's feathers had fallen, a coral tree grew, its branches spreading wide and providing shade. The king ordered a hammock to be hung under the tree and would rest there every day. Cam was jealous and ordered the tree to be chopped down to make a loom. When the king asked, Cam lied:

- The tree fell during a storm. I ordered it to be cut down and made into a loom to weave clothes for you.

When the loom was finished, Cam sat down to weave, but suddenly heard a voice singing:

'Cót ca cót két

Steal your sister’s husband

And gouge out her eyes.'

Frightened, Cam ran home and told her mother. The stepmother advised her to burn the loom and scatter the ashes far away to ensure peace. Cam ordered that the loom be burned, and the ashes were scattered far from the palace.

Where the ashes had fallen, a tree grew, bearing only a single fruit. One day, an old woman passed by and, seeing the fruit, said:

- Oh fruit, fall into my bag. I will sniff it but not eat it.

As soon as she finished speaking, the fruit fell into her bag. Strange as it was, every time the old woman returned from the market, she found the house neat and clean with freshly prepared meals. She decided to watch closely and discovered a young woman emerging from the fruit. The old woman crept up and tore open the fruit's skin. From then on, Tam lived with the old woman. One day, when the king passed by and saw a piece of areca leaf shaped like Tam's, he stopped and asked the old woman. Tam and the king were reunited.

Later, when Cam saw her sister return, more beautiful than ever, and the king's growing affection for her, she asked:

- Sister Tam, how did you become so beautiful?

Tam did not answer, instead asking:

- Do you want to be beautiful? I can help you.

Cam agreed, and Tam instructed her to dig a deep hole and climb into it. Cam, without hesitation, did so and perished in the hole.

Through the story of 'Tam and Cam', the people of Vietnam convey their desire for justice, where good triumphs over evil. The kind-hearted Tam finally found happiness with the king, while the wicked Cam and her mother were punished.

Long ago, in Cao Bình district, there was an elderly couple who had no children. Seeing their kindness, the Jade Emperor sent his son to be born as their child. The boy, however, was orphaned at a young age, and his mother passed away soon after. He lived alone under a banyan tree, with only an axe left by his father as a legacy. People called him Thạch Sanh. As he grew older, the Jade Emperor sent angels to teach him martial arts.

Seeing Thạch Sanh's strength, Lí Thông befriended him, and they became brothers. Thạch Sanh lived with Lí Thông's family. At that time, a terrifying monster demanded a human sacrifice from the village every year. This year, it was Lí Thông's turn. He waited until Thạch Sanh went out to gather wood, then set up a feast and told him:

- Tonight, it's your turn to watch the temple. Please take my place for one night and return by morning.

Without suspicion, Thạch Sanh agreed. In the middle of the night, while sleeping, a monster attacked him. He fought the creature and, after a fierce struggle, split it in two with his axe. Thạch Sanh took its head home. When Lí Thông and his mother saw him, they were terrified. After hearing Thạch Sanh's story, Lí Thông said:

- That monster was the king's pet, and killing it is a crime. You must flee before dawn.

Without hesitation, Thạch Sanh left. Taking the head of the monster, Lí Thông presented it to the king, who praised him and awarded him a reward.

Meanwhile, the princess was of marriageable age and was abducted by a giant eagle on the day her suitors gathered. Thạch Sanh shot the eagle with his bow and tracked its blood to its lair. Lí Thông was sent by the king to find the princess. Thạch Sanh shared the eagle's lair with him. They went together to rescue the princess. Once at the lair, Thạch Sanh asked to go in first. He fought the eagle and saved the princess, but Lí Thông ordered his men to block the entrance with large stones, trapping Thạch Sanh inside.

Realizing he had been tricked, Thạch Sanh searched for an escape route. At the end of the cave, he found a young man locked in an iron cage. Thạch Sanh freed him with his bow and arrow, and the man turned out to be the king of the Water Realm's son. He invited Thạch Sanh to his underwater palace, where he was treated well and then returned home. Before leaving, the Water King gave him a magical musical instrument.

Thạch Sanh returned but was persecuted by the vengeful spirits of the eagle and the monster. He was imprisoned. After the princess was rescued, she became mute and unable to laugh. The court doctors could not help. In prison, Thạch Sanh played the instrument given to him by the Water King to express his grievances. When the princess heard the music, she suddenly regained her voice and laughter. The king, surprised, summoned Thạch Sanh, and he explained everything. Lí Thông was punished, and Thạch Sanh was rewarded by the king, who arranged his marriage to the princess.

At the wedding, other princes who had been rejected by the princess came with armies to attack. Thạch Sanh played his instrument, and the sound of the music made the soldiers of eighteen nations surrender. Thạch Sanh had them prepare a feast, and when the soldiers ate, they could not finish the food. Eventually, they returned to their own countries. Later, when the king had no sons, he passed the throne to Thạch Sanh.

Once upon a time, in a village, there lived a poor couple who worked for a wealthy family. Despite their hardworking and kind nature, they had no children, even though they were both over fifty years old.

One day, the wife went to the forest to collect firewood for her employer. It was a hot day, and she was very thirsty but couldn’t find any water. She noticed a coconut shell under a large tree, filled with rainwater, and she drank from it. When she returned home, she realized she was carrying a child.

After a while, the child was born. He had no arms or legs and was as round as a coconut. The wife considered abandoning him, but the baby spoke:

- Mother, I am a person. Please don't throw me away, it's cruel!

Moved by his words, she decided to keep and raise him, naming him Coconut Skull.

As he grew, Coconut Skull remained much the same, rolling around the house and unable to do anything.

One day, his mother lamented:

- Children at seven or eight years old can already herd cattle. But you can’t do anything.

Upon hearing this, Coconut Skull replied:

- What’s so difficult about herding cattle? I can do that. Mother, please ask the wealthy man to let me herd his cattle.

Reluctantly, his mother went to ask, but the wealthy man hesitated, unsure whether Coconut Skull could manage the task. However, considering the minimal cost of feeding him, he agreed.

Coconut Skull proved to be very good at herding the cattle. All the cows were well-fed and fat. The wealthy man was pleased. As harvest time approached, his servants had to go to the fields to work. The three daughters of the wealthy man took turns bringing food to Coconut Skull, but the two older sisters were always rude, while the youngest sister treated him kindly.

One day, the youngest daughter went to deliver the meal. As she reached the base of a hill, she heard the sound of a flute. Curious, she crept closer and saw a handsome young man sitting on a hammock, playing the flute for the cows. When he noticed her, he vanished, and all that remained was Coconut Skull rolling on the ground. After several such encounters, the youngest daughter realized that Coconut Skull was not an ordinary person and began to fall in love with him.

At the end of the season, Coconut Skull asked his mother to approach the wealthy man to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. His mother was surprised, but seeing his persistence, she agreed to prepare the dowry and went to speak with the wealthy man. After hearing the request, the wealthy man was dismissive.

- If you want to marry my daughter, you must bring a full chest of gold dust, ten silk scarves, ten plump pigs, and ten jars of wine.

The mother returned home, telling Coconut Skull what the wealthy man had demanded. She thought he would give up, but to her surprise, he asked her to gather everything as required. On the agreed-upon day, she was astonished to find that all the items had been gathered, and even ten beautiful women were sent to carry the dowry to the wealthy man’s house. The wealthy man, seeing the extravagant offerings, called his daughters to see if any of them would agree to marry Coconut Skull. The two older daughters scoffed at the idea, but the youngest one accepted, and so the marriage was arranged.

On the wedding day, a grand feast was held at Coconut Skull’s house. When it was time for the bride to be taken to the groom’s house, no one could find Coconut Skull. Suddenly, a handsome young man appeared with the youngest daughter of the wealthy man. Everyone was overjoyed, except for the two older sisters who were filled with jealousy.

Coconut Skull and his wife lived happily together. He diligently studied, and before long, he became the top scholar of the land, sent by the king on a diplomatic mission. Before leaving, he gave his wife a flint stone, a knife, and two eggs, instructing her to always keep them on her person in case of emergency.

Meanwhile, the two jealous older sisters plotted against their younger sibling. They invited her to join them in a boat trip, only to throw her into the water. A giant fish swallowed her whole. With the knife, the youngest sister killed the fish, and its carcass floated to a distant island. She carved her way out of the fish and used the flint to start a fire. She roasted the fish and lived off it, keeping the two eggs close by. One day, the eggs hatched into two chickens that kept her company.

One day, a boat passed by. The rooster crowed three times:

- Ó… ó… o… It’s the boat of the top scholar coming to take my wife back!

Overjoyed, Coconut Skull and his wife were reunited and celebrated with another grand feast. However, the top scholar kept his wife’s return a secret.

Meanwhile, the older sisters, unaware of the reunion, were secretly pleased, thinking they would soon take her place. They took turns lamenting her fate. After the feast, the top scholar summoned his wife, leaving the older sisters embarrassed and hiding away.