1. Example Essay 4
I am Lê Lợi, the leader of the Lam Son army. I carry the weight of the suffering, loss, and sacrifices that our people endured when the Minh invaders attacked our land. Witnessing such devastation, my heart aches deeply.
I gathered brave and skilled warriors, both wise and strong, to serve the cause of resistance. Many warriors from all corners of the country were eager to join the Lam Son army, ready to give their all for the nation's cause. In the early days of the war, our forces suffered defeat after defeat due to our smaller numbers, lack of combat experience, and the significant disparity in strength, equipment, and weapons compared to the enemy.
Worried about the country's safety, I tirelessly searched for a quick and efficient way to defeat the enemy with minimal loss of life. One day, a brave warrior named Lê Thận arrived at our camp, volunteering to join the Lam Son army. Lê Thận, a strong man with a deep sense of patriotism and commitment to the cause, shared with me the story of a mysterious sword he had caught in his net three times during a fishing trip. He believed it was a divine gift. Intrigued, I asked him to show me the sword.
When we arrived at Lê Thận's home, I lifted the sword and it suddenly glowed brightly, revealing the words "Thuận Thiên" engraved on the blade. Realizing it was a divine sword, I, along with Lê Thận, decided to use it in battle. One day, as we passed through a forest, I discovered a sword hilt on a tree. Remembering the sword back at home, I attached it to the hilt, and to my astonishment, it fit perfectly. I used this sword to defeat our enemies, striking down the invaders wherever we encountered them. Before long, the Lam Son army had completely defeated the Minh invaders, driving them back to their homeland.
Once peace was restored, the people honored me as their king. During a visit to the Tả Vọng Lake, a giant Golden Turtle appeared before me. The turtle rose from the water and spoke: "Your Majesty, please return the sword to Long Quân." At that moment, the sword I had been carrying vibrated in my hand. I removed it from its scabbard and raised it high. The turtle immediately opened its mouth, seized the sword, and dove back into the water. I knew then that this was a gift from Long Quân, who had lent it to me for the war. As a result, I renamed Tả Vọng Lake to Hoan Kiem Lake, meaning the Lake of the Returned Sword.

2. Example Essay 1
During the time when the Minh invaders controlled our land, they treated our people as if they were worthless, committing countless acts of cruelty. Our people harbored deep hatred towards them. At that time, the Lam Son army rose up to resist them. Though we were weak and our forces were still small, we suffered many defeats. Witnessing this, Long Quân decided to lend our army a divine sword to aid in the fight against the enemy.
In Thanh Hoá, there lived a man named Lê Thận, who made his living as a fisherman. One evening, as he cast his net in a quiet bay as usual, he thought he had caught a large fish. However, when he reached into the net, he only found a metal sword. He quickly tossed it back into the water and cast his net again in another spot.
The second time he pulled up his net, the sword was there again. The third time, the same thing happened. Curious about this strange occurrence, Lê Thận took the sword and placed it near a fire. To his surprise, he realized it was a sword and exclaimed: "Ha ha! A sword!"
Lê Thận later joined the Lam Son army. He was intelligent, brave, and fearless, and I admired him greatly. One day, a few of us went to his hut. Inside the dark, dilapidated shelter, the sword suddenly glowed brightly in the corner. I was astonished and took the sword, discovering the words 'Thuận Thiên' engraved on it. However, we did not yet know its true significance.
One day, while retreating from the enemy, we stumbled upon an old banyan tree, where a glint caught my eye. Climbing the tree, I found a sword hilt encrusted with jewels. Remembering the sword Lê Thận had, I took the hilt and returned home.
A few days later, I gathered the army and shared the story of the sword hilt. When we joined the sword with the hilt, it fit perfectly. Lê Thận took up the sword and said: "This is a sign from heaven, entrusting this weapon to us to accomplish great things. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the nation and fulfill our duty with this divine sword!" From then on, the morale of our army soared. With the divine sword in hand, we defeated the enemy wherever we went. The sound of our victories echoed across the land. We no longer hid but actively pursued the enemy. We no longer endured hardship, for we had gained enough supplies for our army. The divine sword cleared our path, allowing us to drive the invaders out of our country. After we had driven them away, I was crowned king. The following year, on a beautiful morning, I went on a boat ride around Tả Vọng Lake with my entourage. It was then that the Golden Turtle, sent by Long Quân, appeared to reclaim the divine sword.
As our boat sailed into the middle of the lake, a large turtle rose from the water. Following my orders, we slowed the boat. Standing at the side, I noticed the sword at my side suddenly began to move. The Golden Turtle, fearless of humans, approached the boat, lifted its head, and spoke: "Your Majesty, please return the sword to Long Quân."
I raised the sword toward the turtle. In a flash, the turtle opened its mouth, snatched the sword, and sank back into the water. The sword and the turtle disappeared beneath the water, though people later claimed they saw a faint glimmer at the lake's bottom.
From then on, I renamed Tả Vọng Lake to Hoan Kiem Lake, or the Lake of the Returned Sword. The people also began calling it Hoan Kiem Lake, in honor of the legend.

3. Example Essay 2
I am Lê Lợi, the leader of the Lam Son army. In a time when the nation was torn apart by turmoil and the Minh invaders caused suffering among the people, I rose to lead those with shared ideals and a deep desire to fight back against the Minh, to secure independence for our people, and to bring peace and prosperity to the land. My army gathered many impoverished peasants from across various regions, swelling our ranks. However, despite our large force, we were vastly outmatched in terms of weaponry and resources compared to the powerful Minh invaders. Moved by the noble cause of our struggle, and understanding the dire circumstances we faced, Long Quân, the Dragon King, lent me the divine sword that became a vital tool in our eventual victory.
Born in Thanh Hóa, a region rich in patriotic tradition and fierce resistance against foreign invaders, I grew up with the spirit of a hero coursing through my veins. My era was one of great upheaval, with the brutal Minh forces seeking to conquer our land, oppress our people, and impose their will. Meanwhile, the feeble court was too weak and indecisive to act, leaving the people to suffer in greater misery and hardship.
Unable to stand by as our country fell to the enemy, and unwilling to live as slaves, I called upon my fellow countrymen to rise up and resist. Following a series of speeches and calls to action, my followers grew in number, and I formed the Lam Son army, named after a heroic region in Thanh Hóa. Our forces were filled with determination and the righteous spirit of justice, but the disparity in strength, weapons, and resources between us and the Minh was immense.
In the early days, we faced countless challenges. The Minh army launched continuous attacks, causing many of our comrades to fall. Despite the heartache, we could not abandon our noble cause. One day, during a brutal ambush, a few of us sought refuge in a small hut deep in the forest, escaping the clutches of the enemy. After finding safety, I sought out and thanked the owner of the hut, a man named Lê Thận.
While speaking with him, I noticed a strange, shining light. To my astonishment, it came from a sword blade, gleaming brilliantly. Though I had seen many fine swords, I had never encountered one so sharp and luminous, with the words 'Thuận Thiên' engraved on it. Intrigued, I asked Lê Thận about the sword, and he shared the story of how he had found it. One morning, while fishing, he had pulled up what he initially thought was a rusty piece of metal, but when he cast it back into the water, it kept reappearing. Eventually, he realized it was a precious sword and kept it safe in his home.
This sword, a remarkable symbol of destiny, sparked my excitement, and even more so when Lê Thận joined our ranks, eager to fight against the Minh oppressors. His courage and loyalty were invaluable to our cause. Later, during another ambush, I found myself in a forest once again, and from a tree, a strange light caught my eye. As I approached, I discovered a jeweled sword hilt. I immediately thought that this hilt must match the blade Lê Thận had found. To my joy, they fit together perfectly, forming a complete and powerful sword.
Lê Thận then presented the sword to me, saying it was heaven's will that I should receive it to accomplish a great mission. I accepted the sword without hesitation, and from that moment, our army achieved victory after victory, defeating the Minh forces and forcing them to retreat.
Once our country was free from invaders, I became king. One day, while sailing on Tả Vọng Lake with my officials, a giant turtle appeared, unafraid of humans. It swam toward the boat and demanded the return of the sword. I then realized that the divine sword given to me by Long Quân was to be returned, as my mission had been completed. I respectfully offered the sword to the Golden Turtle, and after it disappeared beneath the waters, I renamed the lake from Tả Vọng to Hoàn Kiếm, or the Lake of the Returned Sword, in honor of Long Quân’s grace.

4. Reference Article 3
During the time when the people of Đại Việt were oppressed by the Minh invaders, my Lam Sơn army rose up against them. However, at the beginning, our forces were still weak, and we suffered repeated defeats. Seeing this, the Dragon King decided to lend me a divine sword to aid in the fight.
At that time, in Thanh Hóa, there was a fisherman named Lê Thận. One night, while casting his net in a remote area, he felt a heavy pull. Thinking he had caught a large fish, he reached in, only to find a piece of metal. He discarded it into the water and cast his net elsewhere.
The second time he pulled up the net, it was heavy again. To his surprise, the same metal piece was caught. He threw it back into the water. On the third pull, the same metal piece returned. Intrigued, Lê Thận examined it closely and exclaimed, "Ha ha! A sword blade!"
Later, Lê Thận joined our army, fighting valiantly on the front lines against the invaders. One day, I visited his home with a few of my officers. In the dark of his house, the metal piece from the river suddenly shone brightly. Curious, I approached it, picked it up, and noticed the engraving of the words "Thuận Thiên" on the blade. Yet, none of us realized its true significance.
One day, while fleeing from the enemy, I found myself in a forest, and from a tree I noticed a strange glow. Upon climbing the tree, I discovered a jeweled sword hilt. Remembering the sword blade at Lê Thận's home, I took the hilt and fastened it to my side.
Three days later, I reunited with my comrades, including Lê Thận. When I matched the blade to the hilt, it fit perfectly. I told everyone the story, and everyone rejoiced. Lê Thận raised the sword and said to me, "This is the will of the gods, entrusted to you for your great mission. We pledge our lives and this divine sword to repay the land!"
From that moment, the morale of our army soared. The divine sword led us to victory after victory, driving the Minh forces out of our land. Soon, our fame spread, and we no longer hid in the forest. Instead, we boldly pursued the enemy, and we were no longer short of food, as we had captured the enemy's supplies. The sword opened the path for us, and we swept through the land until no enemy remained.
One year after driving the Minh out, I had become king. One day, while sailing on the royal dragon boat on Tả Vọng Lake, Long Quân sent a golden turtle to reclaim the divine sword. As my boat reached the center of the lake, a large turtle surfaced, its head and shell rising from the water. I ordered the boat to slow down. As I stood on the boat, I noticed the sword at my side moving on its own. The golden turtle approached, unafraid, and spoke:
- Your Majesty, return the sword to Long Quân!
Understanding its message, I immediately drew the sword from its sheath. In an instant, the sword vanished as the turtle grabbed it with its mouth. When the sword and turtle disappeared beneath the water, I saw a faint glow lingering below the surface.
As the royal boats reached us, I informed my officials:
- Long Quân lent us the divine sword to defeat the Minh invaders. Now that the country is at peace, the god has sent the turtle to take it back.
Since that day, we have called this lake Hồ Gươm, or the Lake of the Returned Sword.

