1. The Legend of the White Chrysanthemum
Once upon a time, in a quiet village with very few homes, there lived a mother and her daughter. The father had passed away early, leaving them alone in a small, dilapidated hut. They worked tirelessly to earn a living. One day, the mother fell ill from exhaustion and called her daughter to bring a doctor. As the daughter hurried to find help, she met an elderly man who revealed himself to be a doctor and agreed to help. The doctor instructed her to find a white flower near an old tree. The girl, braving the cold, found the flower and returned home. Upon bringing it to the doctor, he revealed that the number of petals on the flower represented the number of days her mother had left to live. With quick thinking, the girl transformed the flower, increasing the petals infinitely. When she returned, the doctor announced that her mother was healed. From that day on, the white chrysanthemum became a symbol of filial piety and love for one's parents.
The Legend of the White Chrysanthemum
The Legend of the White Chrysanthemum2. The Gold for Starfruit
Once upon a time, there were two brothers who lost their parents early. When the elder brother married, he didn't want to live with his younger brother anymore, so he took all the property, leaving only a small hut and a starfruit tree for his brother. Despite this, the younger brother didn't complain and worked hard, tending to the starfruit tree while doing various jobs to survive. That year, the starfruit tree bore an extraordinary amount of fruit, and the younger brother was excited to sell it for rice. One day, a Phoenix bird came and ate the starfruit. The younger brother chased it away, asking for compensation in return. The bird offered him a golden nugget in exchange for each fruit it ate. The younger brother agreed, and after receiving the gold, he became wealthy. Hearing about his success, the elder brother visited and exchanged his land and property for the starfruit tree. The next year, when the tree bore fruit again, the elder brother greedily tried to take as much gold as he could, disobeying the bird’s warning to lighten his load. Eventually, the Phoenix bird grew angry and dropped him into the sea.
The Gold for Starfruit3. The Legend of Betel and Areca Nut
Once upon a time, there were two brothers named Tan and Lang, who were so alike in appearance that even their family often mistook them for one another.
Their father, the tallest man in the region, had been honored by King Hung with a royal title. After his passing, the family took the name 'Cao' in his honor.
When the brothers grew up, their parents passed away one after the other. They were so attached that they couldn’t bear to be apart. Before passing, their father entrusted Tan to a priest named Luu. But Lang insisted on staying with Tan, so he also joined him at Luu’s house. Luu had a daughter of the same age.
One day, the priest’s daughter devised a way to distinguish the brothers. During a meal, she served only one bowl of porridge with two chopsticks. From behind a screen, she observed one brother offering the food to the other, and from this, she figured out who was the elder.
This marked the beginning of a deep love between Tan and the priest’s daughter. The priest agreed to marry his daughter to Tan, and after their wedding, the couple moved into a new house, with Lang staying with them.
After marriage, Tan still cared for Lang but became more focused on his wife. Lang, who had been doted on by Tan, now felt lonely and resentful. One day, after a long day working together, they returned home. Tan’s wife mistakenly embraced Lang, which led to an awkward situation when Tan entered. Lang realized that Tan was becoming distant, and the jealousy stirred within Tan made him more indifferent to his brother.
Filled with frustration, Lang left early one morning, walking for days until he reached the edge of a river. Overcome with grief, Lang sat by the riverbank, weeping until he turned into stone.
Tan, realizing his brother’s disappearance, searched for him and finally found him as a stone. Tan wept by the stone until he too turned into a tree, growing straight toward the sky. Tan’s wife also searched for him, and upon reaching the river, she sat beside the tree, weeping until she transformed into a vine that wrapped around the tree.
When no one returned, the priest and his wife asked the villagers to search. The three figures—Tan as a tree, Lang as stone, and the wife as a vine—were honored in a temple nearby. Over time, during a great drought, the trees near the temple remained green while all other plants withered, a phenomenon that impressed even the King.
The king, intrigued, ordered the trees to be examined. After tasting the leaves and fruits, it was revealed that they were not only unique but also symbolized the love and devotion of the brothers and wife. The king then decreed that betel, areca nut, and lime be essential for marriages, to forever commemorate enduring love. This is why betel chewing became a custom among the Vietnamese people.
The Legend of Betel and Areca Nut
The Legend of Betel and Areca Nut4. The Legend of the Cicada
Once in a village, there were two brothers who lost their parents at a young age. The younger brother was small, so all the work fell to the elder brother, who took care of everything despite their poverty. The elder brother always treated his younger sibling with love and kindness, often giving him the better portions of food, including the middle parts of the fish they caught. Over time, however, the younger brother grew suspicious of his sibling's kindness and wondered whether his brother truly cared for him. One day, as they were gathering roots in the forest, the elder brother fell into a narrow hole. He begged his younger brother for help, but the younger brother, remembering his suspicions, mocked him instead. He ran home to eat the fish parts he had never tasted before, only to find that they were dry and inedible. Realizing his brother's true love for him too late, the younger brother hurried back to rescue him, but it was too late. The elder brother had died. The younger brother, filled with regret and sorrow, cried for months until he died as well. He transformed into a cicada, forever calling out to his lost brother with his mournful song.
The Legend of the Cicada
The Legend of the Cicada5. The Dutiful Youngest Child
Once upon a time, in a certain family, there were three brothers. The two older brothers were lazy, selfish, and greedy, while the youngest was hardworking, honest, and filial. The older brothers pushed all the difficult chores onto the youngest, but when it came to delicious food or beautiful clothes, they fought to take everything for themselves. However, the youngest never complained, always staying cheerful and patient with them. One day, their father fell seriously ill, and the youngest son stayed by his side day and night, taking care of him. Meanwhile, the older brothers continued to play and waste time. As the father’s condition worsened, the doctor warned them that the illness was incurable. In a panic, the youngest son asked if there was no way to save his father. The doctor told him there was a chance, but it would be difficult. The only cure was a rare herb found on Truc Linh Mountain, but the journey to find it was treacherous. The father, hearing this, promised that whoever brought back the medicine would inherit his entire fortune. The older brothers, eager to claim the inheritance, immediately volunteered to go. They set out the next morning, but when they reached a deep river, they were terrified by the shaky rope bridge crossing it. They hesitated and argued about who should cross first, until an old man carrying firewood appeared. The brothers rudely refused to help him, and in the end, they failed to cross and returned empty-handed. Meanwhile, the youngest son, determined to find the herb, said goodbye to his father and brothers and set off. He met the same old man at the river and kindly offered to carry the firewood for him. The old man gratefully accepted, and after crossing the bridge easily, he asked where the young man was going. The young man explained that he was searching for the herb to cure his father, and the old man directed him along the path to Truc Linh Mountain. After following the old man’s instructions, the youngest son finally reached the temple at the mountain's peak. The monk at the temple, impressed by his filial piety, gave him the herb and instructed him to brew it with pomelo flowers and give it to his father. On his way back, the young man found that the dangerous river and rope bridge had disappeared, and a smooth path appeared before him. He quickly returned home to find his older brothers waiting to take the medicine to their father. However, when they tried to use the herb, it made their father ill, and only when the youngest son prepared the medicine as instructed did the father recover. A few days later, the father summoned all three sons and announced that he would leave his wealth to the youngest for his devotion. The youngest son, overjoyed that his father was well again, humbly asked for the wealth to be shared equally among all three brothers. The father, touched by his kindness, agreed. The two older brothers, deeply regretful of their actions, vowed to change their ways and no longer be greedy or lazy.
The Dutiful Youngest Child6. The Legend of the Mother
Long ago, when the first Mother was being created on Earth, the Creator worked tirelessly for six days, forgetting to eat and sleep, yet still not finishing the task. Seeing this, a god asked: "Why are you spending so much time on this creation?" The Creator replied: "This is an incredibly complex creation with over two hundred interchangeable and durable parts, but it is not a lifeless object. This creation can live on water and leftover food, but it has the strength to embrace many children at once. Its kiss can heal all wounds, from scraped knees to a broken heart. Moreover, I plan to give this creation six pairs of hands." The god was shocked: "Six pairs of hands? That’s impossible!" The Creator responded: "That's still not enough. If it had three pairs of eyes, it wouldn't be sufficient." The god replied, "But you would violate your own human standards if you did that." The Creator sighed and nodded: "That’s true. This creation is my most cherished one among all I’ve created, so I’ve given it the utmost care. It has a pair of eyes that can see through closed doors and know what children are doing. A second pair of eyes at the back of its head to see what others think is impossible to know. And a third pair on the forehead to understand the souls of misguided children. This third pair of eyes tells those children that their Mother understands, loves them, and is always ready to forgive their mistakes, even without speaking." The god touched the creation and exclaimed: "Why is it so soft?" The Creator replied: "You don’t understand. This creation is incredibly strong. You can’t imagine the pain it will endure and the tasks it must complete in its life." The god seemed to realize something and touched the Mother being created by the Creator. "Oh, it seems like you dropped something here." "No, those are tears," the Creator sighed. The god asked, "Why tears?" The Creator responded, "To express joy, sorrow, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride—things that every mother will experience in her life."
The Legend of the Mother7. The Legend of the Father
When the Creator began to shape the first father on Earth, He prepared a very tall frame. A goddess passed by and questioned: "Why is the father so tall? If he plays ball with the children, he will have to kneel, and if he wants to kiss his children, he will have to bend over. How inconvenient!" The Creator pondered for a moment and nodded: "You are right. But if I make the father the same height as the children, who will the children look up to as a role model?"
When the goddess saw the Creator shaping the father's large, rough hands, she shook her head sadly: "Do you realize what you're doing? Big hands are clumsy. With those hands, the father would struggle to pin a diaper, button up his son's shirt, or tie a bow for his daughter. These hands can't even remove splinters from the soft skin of the child." The Creator smiled and replied: "But these large, strong hands will guide the children through all storms until they grow up." The goddess looked on as the Creator shaped broad, muscular shoulders for the father. "Why such a waste?" she wondered. The Creator answered, "Where would the father carry his child if he were smaller? Where would the child rest his head when he falls asleep after a late night at the circus? More importantly, these shoulders will bear the weight of the family."
The Creator worked through the night, completing the first father. He made him quiet, but every word he spoke was decisive. Though the father's eyes saw everything in the world, they remained calm and understanding. Finally, when the work was almost finished, the Creator added a few tears to the father's eyes. After a moment of thought, He wiped them away. As a result, people rarely saw the rare tears of the father, but they could feel and guess that he was crying.
Once the work was done, the Creator turned to the goddess and said, "You see, the father is just as lovable as the mother whom I devoted so much effort to create."
The Legend of the Father
The Legend of the Father8. The Story of the Bundle of Sticks
Long ago, in a village, there lived a very wealthy man. He had many children, and because of their father’s wealth, they lived lives full of material comforts. However, as is often the case, having more brought out greed and selfishness. The children, spoiled by their fortune, fought and competed with one another over their possessions. As they grew older, each of the five children had become rich on their own, but they continued to harbor envy and jealousy toward each other. Their father, seeing his children’s discord, was deeply saddened. He tried to advise them, but no matter how hard he tried, their rivalry could not be stopped. This constant conflict caused the father great pain, and he soon fell ill. After a while, he realized that he didn’t have much time left and called his children to his bedside, asking his servants to bring two bundles of sticks. The children, confused, watched as their father took one bundle and handed each of them a single stick, saying:
- Children, break these sticks one by one for me.
Each child quickly snapped the sticks in half with ease. The father said nothing and let them wait in silence. After a moment, he handed the entire bundle to his eldest son and gently said:
- You were able to break a single stick effortlessly. Now, I want you all to take turns trying to break this entire bundle.
The eldest son tried with all his might to break the bundle, his face turning red with effort, but the sticks remained intact. When he gave up, the father asked the second son to try, and so on, until the youngest son failed as well. At last, the father spoke softly:
- Do you see now the strength in unity? If you continue to quarrel and divide yourselves, you will be as weak as a single stick, easily broken by any force. But if you stand together, as this bundle of sticks, no strength can break you.
The children, deeply moved, understood their father’s lesson. They wept with regret for their selfish behavior and promised to love and support each other from then on. After their father passed away, the children followed his teachings. They worked together harmoniously, and their family prospered, becoming even more successful in their business than ever before.
Lesson: Unity is strength. Like a bundle of sticks, individual pieces can easily be broken, but together, they cannot. Family members must support and care for one another to overcome life’s challenges.
The Story of the Bundle of SticksOnce upon a time, there was a boy named Tich Chu. His parents passed away when he was young, so he lived with his grandmother. Every day, she worked tirelessly to earn money to support him, and whatever delicious food she had, she saved it for him. At night, when Tich Chu slept, she stayed up to fan him. Seeing her love for him, someone said to her, 'Your love for Tich Chu is greater than the sky, broader than the ocean. When he grows up, he will never forget your kindness.' However, as he grew older, Tich Chu did not show any affection for his grandmother. While she worked hard and lived modestly, Tich Chu spent his time playing. Due to her hard work and poor diet, the grandmother fell ill. One day, when she had a high fever and was very thirsty, she called out, 'Tich Chu, please bring me some water. My throat is dry!' She called once, twice, and three times, but Tich Chu did not respond. Eventually, Tich Chu, feeling hungry, returned home to find his grandmother had turned into a bird and was flying away. In panic, he called out, 'Grandmother, where are you going? Stay with me! I’ll bring you some water!' The bird replied, 'Cuckoo...Cuckoo...It’s too late, my dear. I am so thirsty that I have turned into a bird to fly away in search of water. I’m leaving and I won’t be coming back.' Tich Chu chased after the bird, following it to a stream. He called out, 'Grandmother, come back! I’ll fetch water for you, I will help you. I will never make you sad again!' But the bird answered, 'Cuckoo...Cuckoo...It’s too late, my dear. I cannot return.' Hearing this, Tich Chu cried and regretted his actions. At that moment, a fairy appeared and told him, 'If you want your grandmother to become human again, you must go to the Fairy Stream to fetch water for her to drink. It’s a long journey, are you willing to go?' Overjoyed, Tich Chu immediately asked for directions to the Fairy Stream and set off without hesitation. After many days and nights of traveling through dangers, Tich Chu finally returned with the water. His grandmother drank the water and turned back into a human, and they lived together happily ever after.
The Story of Tich Chu
The Story of Tich Chu
10. The Legend of the Milk-Apple Tree
Once upon a time, there was a boy who was pampered by his mother, making him mischievous and playful. One day, after being scolded, he angrily ran away. His mother, worried and unaware of his whereabouts, waited every day at the doorstep. Time passed, but he still didn’t return. Exhausted from worry and grief, she collapsed. After some time, feeling hungry, cold, and bullied by older kids, the boy remembered his mother. He thought, 'When I was hungry, she always fed me; when I was bullied, she stood up for me. I should return to her.' So, he found his way back home. The surroundings were the same, but his mother was nowhere to be seen. He called out in a hoarse voice, 'Mother, where have you gone? I’m so hungry!' He collapsed and cried while holding a tree in the garden. Suddenly, the tree shook, and small flower buds bloomed, pure white like clouds. The flowers withered, and fruit grew quickly, smooth and shiny. The tree bent its branches, and a large fruit fell into the boy's hand. He bit into it, but it was too bitter. Another fruit fell. He peeled it, but the seed inside was too hard. The third fruit fell. As he gently squeezed it, the skin softened, and a small crack appeared. A stream of white milk flowed out, sweet and fragrant, just like his mother's milk. The boy drank the milk, and the tree whispered, 'Only after trying the fruit three times can you truly appreciate its sweetness. Only when you grow up will you understand your mother’s love.' The boy burst into tears, realizing his mother was gone. He looked up at the leaves, one side green and shiny, the other side red as if his mother’s eyes were waiting for him. He hugged the tree, rough like his mother’s hardworking hands. His tears fell to the ground, and the tree embraced him with its branches, swaying like his mother’s tender care. The boy shared his story of regret with others. The delicious fruit from his garden became loved by all, and people planted it everywhere, naming it the Milk-Apple Tree.
The Legend of the Milk-Apple Tree
The Legend of the Milk-Apple Tree
Buzz
