Top 7 essays analyzing the role of magical elements in the story 'Tấm Cám' (Grade 10)

Every folk tale from the past always captivates and excites us. It is not only about characters like Tấm, Sọ Dừa, or Lang Liêu, but also the appearances of characters like ông Bụt, bà Tiên, gods, and supernatural forces that always help the good and the virtuous. These magical elements cannot be absent in folk tales as they represent the aspirations of the people, their hopes that good will triumph over evil, and that justice will prevail for the working class. This is especially true in the folk tale 'Tấm Cám'. Folk tales are the products of the people's imagination, encapsulating their grand desires in times when reality could not meet these hopes. These stories reflect the society's reality and class struggles, often resolving conflicts and contradictions that could not be settled in real life. And so, these conflicts were woven into stories, where the folk authors solved the issues through magical elements. In the case of 'Tấm Cám', the conflict clearly revolves around the struggle between good and evil, with Tấm symbolizing goodness, and her adversary, Cám and her mother, representing evil. The conflict intensifies as Tấm is repeatedly harmed by Cám’s family. In the beginning, the conflict takes place within the family, with the stepmother and stepsister harassing Tấm. Every time Tấm suffers, ông Bụt appears to help, granting Tấm new gifts. When Cám tricks Tấm into losing her shrimp basket and red scarf, ông Bụt gives her a fish for companionship. Later, when the fish is killed, ông Bụt transforms its bones into beautiful clothes and shoes for Tấm to attend the festival. Throughout the tale, supernatural beings constantly assist humans during moments of difficulty, solving conflicts that humans cannot resolve. These beings appear at just the right time to intervene, their actions seemingly boundless and their powers capable of achieving the impossible. Thanks to ông Bụt’s help, Tấm eventually becomes a queen, escaping her previous life of poverty. Her happiness is also due to ông Bụt’s intervention, who helps her escape from her wicked stepmother. The magical elements, especially the appearance of ông Bụt, reflect the people’s dreams of happiness, wealth, equality, and escape from the exploitation of the poor but hardworking and kind-hearted people. ông Bụt embodies a supernatural force, granting people their dreams. This element also serves as a tool to portray the people’s hopes in the face of a grim reality. As the story progresses, we see more magical interventions when Tấm, now a queen, faces jealousy from Cám’s family, who again tries to harm her. However, Tấm’s death and reincarnation in various forms—whether as a gold bird, a tree, a loom, or a fruit—show the fierce resistance against evil. Each transformation strengthens her, and with each rebirth, she grows stronger, more resilient, and more determined to fight back. Eventually, the forces of evil must submit, while the forces of good achieve lasting happiness. Tấm’s victory, though aided by magical elements, underscores the people’s longing for justice and their belief that good will ultimately triumph over evil, no matter the struggle. The magical elements in 'Tấm Cám' resolve conflicts that reality could not, such as the struggles between different social classes and the eternal battle between good and evil. Thanks to these elements, the story of 'Tấm Cám' allows the working people to express their dreams and beliefs in a better world. Without these magical elements, the tale would merely be a story of reality, unable to capture the imagination of the people or give them a voice. Therefore, the magical elements in folk tales, particularly in 'Tấm Cám', fulfill a vital mission: they convey the aspirations of the working people for a fairer and more humane society.

Like many other fairy tales, Tấm Cám is built upon a foundation of mystical elements. Let's delve into the magical world of this fairy tale to uncover its profound meaning and also unravel the mysteries that have puzzled us since our childhood.

Travel back in time to the ancient tales that have captivated our hearts since our youth. Surely, during our childhood, we wondered how Tấm could have emerged from a ripe fruit? These fantastical details seemed like magic, enchanting the innocent minds of children. As with all fairy tales, Tấm Cám is also woven from various thrilling elements. Let's dive deeper into the magical world of this story to fully grasp its significance and to solve the puzzles that have been with us since we were young.

Fairy tales are a type of folklore, products of the collective imagination of the people. When people face the hardships of life, they turn to dreams and desires as a way out, and thus fairy tales were born. Created in a time when social classes had emerged, fairy tales mainly reflect social struggles, highlighting the conflicts between the oppressed and the oppressors. The magical elements of fairy tales are an essential tool for resolving these conflicts.

Returning to the story of Tấm Cám, we see that the magical elements appear naturally, as an indispensable part of the tale. In reading fairy tales, we always encounter the figures of the fairy godmother or the guardian spirits—divine, supernatural forces that bring mystery, wonder, and drive the story forward. These figures are often kind-hearted and compassionate, like a father or mother, except they possess infinite powers, capable of granting fortunes that normal parents may not always bestow upon their children. In Tấm Cám, the fairy godfather intervenes in the life of Tấm, who is mistreated by her stepmother, by providing her with beautiful clothes to attend the royal ball, allowing her to marry the prince and escape her miserable life.

The magical gifts given to Tấm by the fairy godfather deserve particular attention, especially the magical shoes. These tiny, enchanting shoes became the catalyst for the union between the beautiful young woman and the king. The shoes became the symbol of their love and happiness, lifting Tấm from a life of toil and hardship. Without these magical shoes, Tấm might have remained a laborer, endlessly working for the wicked stepmother. The presence of these magical elements embodies the hopes and desires of the people—dreams of escaping oppression and achieving a life of happiness, equality, and prosperity. Thus, these magical elements reflect human aspirations in the face of an inescapable reality, where one can only channel their hopes and desires through dreams.

But the magic doesn't stop there—the story continues with even more bizarre events. After Tấm is killed by Cám's treachery, she mysteriously transforms into a beautiful golden bird, then a boxwood tree, a weaving loom, and finally, a quince fruit. Through these transformations, the folk author doesn't simply express the idea of reincarnation or life's cyclical nature, as per religious idealism. What the folk author intends to highlight is Tấm's fierce resistance to evil, injustice, and suffering. Refusing to succumb to cruelty and injustice, Tấm rises again, stronger each time, until she finally triumphs—though with the aid of the magical elements. This resistance symbolizes the class struggle between the oppressed and the oppressor. Once again, magical elements serve to express the people's desire to overcome evil, injustice, and oppression. They bring the tale to a happy conclusion, fitting with the traditional humanitarian spirit of our nation.

Therefore, the supernatural elements in fairy tales act as a necessary artistic technique that complements the romantic content of the story. The folk author and their audience allow their imaginations to soar, not because they truly believe—at least not entirely—that these events are real, but because these magical occurrences are essential to resolving issues that real life, in the old society, could not fully address, like the people's dreams and desires. Upon closer inspection, the magical elements in fairy tales are not merely products of superstition, but rather a necessary tool for the folk author to guide the plot according to their wishes. Thanks to this, Tấm Cám can convey the hopes and dreams, the philosophical views on life and the natural law of karma passed down from generations of our ancestors.

I believe that without these magical elements, fairy tales would lose their essence. They would become a barren land where the roots of life could not take hold and nourish the imagination. If we listened to fairy tales without believing, without being moved by the marvelous events, and without allowing our hearts and minds to soar with the extraordinary moments, we wouldn't fully appreciate the meaning of the story.

As children, we were all fascinated by fairy tales—stories like Thạch Sanh, The Hundred-Jointed Bamboo Tree, The Frog Sued the Sky, and many more. Surely, during that time, many of us wondered how Tấm from the story Tấm Cám could emerge from a quince fruit and why the fairy godfather appeared?

Like all other fairy tales, Tấm Cám is built from many intriguing and mysterious elements. Some may even say that these elements represent the human desire for things that seem impossible to achieve.

Fairy tales are a genre of folk literature, crafted and refined from the imaginations of the people. They emerged in times when people were trapped in the harsh realities of life, yearning for something greater. This is why fairy tales often reflect social struggles and class conflicts, particularly between the oppressors and the oppressed. Sadly, these conflicts could not be resolved in reality but found their resolution in the oral traditions passed down, where magical elements played a key role in resolving them.

The magical elements in Tấm Cám appear almost as a necessity, given the clear conflict between good and evil. In this story, Tấm represents goodness—she is kind, diligent, and sincere—while Cám and her mother embody evil. Tấm is repeatedly harmed by Cám, escalating the conflict. In the beginning, the conflicts are simple—between a stepmother and a stepdaughter, or stepsisters—essentially domestic strife. Luckily, Tấm is not alone, as the fairy godfather appears each time she is bullied, offering comfort and help when Tấm is at her lowest.

When Cám deceives Tấm and takes away her basket of shrimp and red scarf, the fairy godfather provides her with a fish for companionship. But even when Cám kills the fish, the fairy godfather appears again, turning the fish's bones into clothes and shoes for Tấm so she can attend the ball. With this help, Tấm finds the chance to become a queen and escape her previous life of hardship, experiencing happiness with the king.

The presence of magical elements in the story represents the aspirations and dreams of the people. In the face of harsh realities, they could do little except invest their hopes in dreams. These supernatural forces always appear at the right moment to resolve human conflicts that have yet to be settled. This reflects the desire to escape a life of oppression, to achieve happiness, prosperity, and equality.

The story of Tấm Cám doesn't stop there, but adds even more strange and magical events. After Tấm becomes queen, driven by envy, Cám causes her death. However, in a twist, Tấm transforms into a beautiful golden bird that follows the king, then into a boxwood tree, a weaving loom, and finally into a quince fruit. These four transformations symbolize Tấm's relentless resistance to evil and injustice. She refuses to submit to the cruelty and inequality, rising up each time and ultimately triumphing—with the help of the fairy godfather. This resistance can be seen as a class struggle between the oppressed and the oppressors.

Thus, magical elements once again highlight the dreams and aspirations of the people. They contribute to the happy ending of the story, aligning with the traditional humanitarian spirit of our people. It can be said that the magical elements are indispensable in Vietnamese fairy tales, even if the events are not real. These magical events represent the desires and dreams of the working people, offering solutions to problems that the harsh realities of their time could not resolve.

Some may argue that magical elements are products of superstition, but in fact, they are essential tools for folk authors to shape the plot as they wish, allowing them to convey various messages within the story of Tấm Cám. These magical elements are simply the expression of human desires, a philosophical outlook on life, and the ancient law of karma passed down through generations.

What if these magical elements were absent from the fairy tales? Vietnamese fairy tales would likely lose their creative spark, and the folk authors would struggle to express their dreams and aspirations. If we read a fairy tale without feeling moved, without letting our imagination and emotions soar with the fantastical events, then we would miss the true meaning of the story.

"Tấm Cám" is one of the most prominent fairy tales in Vietnamese folklore. It stands out because it clearly represents the key characteristics of fairy tales. Compared to animal fables and everyday life tales, the fairy tale genre features distinct qualities: reflecting the dreams, aspirations, and ideals of society through the inevitable triumph of goodness and beauty; the magical elements, which are an essential part of the plot, make the story compelling, and the ending is typically positive, bringing joy, optimism, and fulfilling the people's desires.

As children, we were all likely told countless fairy tales by our grandparents or mothers. Even if we heard the same story many times or could recite the words by heart, no one ever grew tired of listening to it. I believe the attraction in these stories lies in the presence of magical forces (the supernatural elements), a prominent feature of fairy tales. What child wouldn't feel excitement and suspense when figures like fairies, wizards, witches, ogres, magical creatures, or enchanted objects appear in the story?

According to Associate Professor Nguyen Bich Ha, magical forces or magical elements are the result of imaginative and fantastical creations by the people. These magical forces can be divided into three categories: characters, objects, and living creatures. In "Tấm Cám," there are numerous magical elements, such as the fairy godfather (a character), the magical clothes, the silk scarf, the magical robe, the shoes, the saddle, and the loom (objects), as well as the fish, sparrows, horse, golden oriole, the plum tree, and the persimmon tree (living creatures). Some of these elements inherently possess supernatural power, while others display their magical abilities through transformation. Importantly, these magical elements and transformations do not appear randomly or merely to enhance the story’s appeal. They serve specific functions, contributing to the development of the plot and helping express the story’s theme.

In "Tấm Cám," we see that in the early stages of the story, Tấm suffers constant oppression and mistreatment from Cám and her mother. Whenever she is wronged, Tấm can only cry. And each time she cries, the fairy godfather appears to comfort and assist her. When Cám tricks Tấm into filling her basket with shrimp and fish, the fairy godfather appears and points out that there is a fish in the basket, advising her to keep it. After Bống is killed, Tấm cries, and the fairy godfather shows her how to bury Bống's bones in a jar beneath the bed. When Tấm is kept from attending the festival and forced to pick rice mixed with dirt, the fairy godfather sends sparrows to help her, instructing her to dig up four jars to retrieve clothes and a horse for the festival. The fairy godfather’s timely interventions always free Tấm from life's obstacles and challenges. Without him, could Tấm have overcome all the misfortunes caused by Cám and her mother?

Besides the fairy godfather’s presence, the story also features many magical transformations. Initially, the fish bones buried in the jars at the four corners of the bed transform into beautiful clothes, a beautiful horse, and a beautiful saddle. This can be seen as a gift from the fairy godfather to Tấm, enabling her to attend the king’s festival and have a chance to become the queen. Following the story, we continue to witness five miraculous transformations of Tấm. On the anniversary of her father's death, Tấm goes home and is tricked by her stepmother into climbing a betel nut tree. Meanwhile, the stepmother cuts down the tree. Tấm dies and turns into a golden oriole. The oriole is caught by Cám and her mother, who prepare to eat it, discarding its feathers in the yard. The feathers transform into two plum trees. The stepmother cuts down the trees and uses the wood to make a loom. Later, the loom is burned, and its ashes are thrown into the street far from the royal palace. From the ashes, a persimmon tree grows, bearing a single fruit. From that fruit, Tấm reappears, even more beautiful than before. If this were not a fairy tale, and if it were not a story deeply influenced by Buddhist philosophy like "Tấm Cám," we would never have witnessed such marvelous transformations. Tấm’s five transformations are five ways the folk author exposes the brutality of Cám and her mother. However, these transformations also reflect Tấm’s strong will to live and her relentless fighting spirit. The more Tấm is oppressed, the more resilient she becomes. In these five transformations, the magical figure (the fairy godfather) does not appear. Thus, we can affirm that these transformations represent Tấm’s own struggle for survival. And if we observe closely, we’ll notice that Tấm always chooses to transform into beautiful, beneficial creatures. The golden oriole is a bird with a beautiful song, the plum tree has lush leaves, the loom weaves fabric, and the persimmon tree produces fragrant fruit. This shows that no matter which form she takes, Tấm always strives to live a virtuous and helpful life.

The magical elements in the story first add a fairy-tale flavor to the narrative. The charm of "Tấm Cám" and most fairy tales lies in these magical elements. Of course, these supernatural features do not just add compelling power to the story; they also serve as an artistic means of reflecting the dreams and aspirations of the working people. This is the second key characteristic of fairy tales.

The creators of folklore, and fairy tales in particular, were common people, often struggling with hardship. In feudal society, they endured constant oppression, injustice, and unreasonable exploitation by the ruling class. From family conflicts (stepmother vs. stepchild, mother-in-law vs. daughter-in-law) to social conflicts (rich vs. poor, good vs. evil), these issues were difficult to resolve. The virtuous people could only create stories, songs, and dances, embedding in them their burning desire for justice and the triumph of righteousness over wrong. In "Tấm Cám," the conflict between Tấm and Cám’s family is initially a domestic dispute between a stepmother and her stepdaughter. But it also represents a societal conflict between good and evil. The battle between good and evil is one that is unbalanced. Initially, good is weak and isolated. Therefore, the folk creators always turn to magical forces to help the good overcome evil and punish wrongdoers.

Tấm, as the representative of righteousness, deserves to live happily. She is hardworking, kind, filial, and beautiful, and she is always assisted by the fairy godfather. She deserves to become the queen. The position of queen is both a dream and a reward given to Tấm by the working people. The five times Tấm is harmed also mark five times she fights back, exposing the cruelty of Cám and her mother and demanding her right to life. Through these magical transformations, the people convey their hope for a fair and happy life. Tấm’s victory over the wicked schemes of Cám and her mother represents the triumph of righteousness and justice over evil and social injustice. This is the eternal dream and desire the people have embedded in the fairy tale of "Tấm Cám."

One reason children love fairy tales is the happy ending each story brings. In the tale of "Thạch Sanh," Thạch Sanh marries the princess, while Lí Thông and his mother are struck by lightning and transformed into dung beetles. In "The Sweet Lime Tree," the greedy elder brother falls into the East Sea, while the selfless younger brother lives happily with his wife and children, enjoying life with neighbors. A happy ending is the third feature of fairy tales. Naturally, "Tấm Cám" also has such an ending. Tấm is restored to human form, more beautiful than ever. More importantly, she is reunited with her beloved husband, the king. After much hardship and sorrow, Tấm finally achieves the happiness she deserves. Cám and her mother, who have wronged Tấm, are justly punished. Cám is scalded to death by Tấm, and the stepmother dies in shock. Evil must ultimately be punished.

Thus, through the fairy tale "Tấm Cám," we can clearly recognize the defining features of magical fairy tales, as well as the folk genre of fairy tales in general. From this, we can easily identify these characteristics in any fairy tale, especially magical ones.

The traditional Vietnamese fairy tales have always captivated readers, making them feel excited and enthralled. These stories feature not only characters like Tấm, Sọ Dừa, and Lang Liêu but also magical beings such as the Buddha, fairies, and deities. These supernatural forces are always there to help good-hearted people. The magical element is essential in fairy tales because it represents the people's aspirations, hopes, and dreams that are often beyond their reach, especially in the story of 'Tấm Cám.'

Fairy tales can simply be understood as folk works, born out of the imagination of our ancestors. These stories encapsulate the great desires and hopes of past generations, when reality failed to meet people's expectations. The creation of these fairy tales likely emerged as a way to reflect societal realities and class struggles. Every detail in these stories portrays conflicts between different social classes, conflicts that could not be resolved in the real world but could be expressed through these stories passed down from generation to generation. In these stories, the folk authors solved these conflicts with the help of magical elements.

'Tấm Cám' could not be without the magical elements, as they drive the plot forward. In every fairy tale, we cannot avoid the presence of the Buddha or fairies, these supernatural beings that bring mystery and wonder, helping the story evolve. These characters often embody kindness and generosity, like a father or mother figure, except that they possess infinite powers, capable of providing all the blessings that ordinary parents could not. In 'Tấm Cám', the Buddha appears at the time when Tấm is oppressed by her stepmother and helps her receive beautiful clothes to attend the royal festival, leading to her marriage to the prince, rescuing her from her life of hardship.

One of the most noteworthy magical elements in the story is the magical shoes. These small, exquisite shoes became a symbol of destiny, for it was through them that the beautiful young girl Tấm met and married the king. The shoes bridged their love and happiness, and if not for the magical shoes given by the Buddha, Tấm would have remained a poor girl, endlessly laboring for her cruel stepmother. The presence of this magical element reflects the people's desire to escape their hardships and oppression and to achieve a life of happiness and equality. Thus, the magical element represents the hope of breaking free from an oppressive, hopeless reality, where all one can do is dream and yearn for something better.

Magical elements continue to appear throughout the story, helping it unfold with fascinating and strange details. When Tấm is killed by Cám, she magically transforms into a beautiful golden bird, then a tree, a loom, and finally a fruit. These four transformations are not merely about the cycle of life, as the religious view of reincarnation suggests. Instead, the folk author uses these transformations to emphasize Tấm's resilient resistance. She refuses to succumb to evil, injustice, and oppression, fighting back at all costs. In the end, she triumphs, although her victory is facilitated by magical elements. This resistance mirrors the class struggle between the oppressed and the oppressor. Therefore, once again, the magical elements symbolize the people's desire for justice and their dream of overcoming evil and injustice. This ultimately leads to a happy ending for the story, in line with our nation's traditional humanistic values.

Another special magical detail is the betel leaf that Tấm carefully wrapped, which served as a signal for the king to find her. The betel leaf guided Tấm back to a life of happiness and wealth with the young king, a life she truly deserved.

From the magical elements in the fairy tale 'Tấm Cám', we see that these elements represent the peak of the people's hopes and aspirations. They give birth to dazzling magical details and vivid images in the fairy tale. Though fantastical and unrealistic, these elements offer people a firm belief that one day their dreams will become a reality. The profound humanistic and artistic values of fairy tales are largely created by these unique magical elements.

Take a journey back in time aboard the time-traveling boat to the ancient tales and fairy tales that have captivated our hearts since our youth. Surely, in our childhood, we once wondered how Tấm could have emerged from the fruit? These mysterious and fascinating plot twists acted like a magical spell on our innocent, young minds. Like many other fairy tales, 'Tấm Cám' is constructed with many intriguing and mystical elements. Let’s delve into the magical world of this tale to fully appreciate its significant meaning and also to decode the curiosity we had in our youth.

Fairy tales are a type of folk narrative, born from the imagination of the people. When faced with the limitations of reality, people turn to their dreams and aspirations, and from these dreams, fairy tales were born. These stories were created during a time when social classes emerged, and they mainly reflect the social struggles and class conflicts, especially the conflict between the oppressors and the oppressed. As an indispensable element in fairy tales, the magical element helps resolve these conflicts.

Returning to the story of Tấm Cám, we see that the magical elements appear as an unavoidable necessity. In fairy tales, the images of the fairy godfather or fairy godmother are ever-present—supernatural beings who bring mystery, wonder, and drive the plot forward. The fairy godfather and fairy godmother are often kind and benevolent, like parents, but they possess infinite powers, able to provide the good fortune that ordinary parents cannot always bring to their children. In Tấm Cám, the fairy godfather appeared in the midst of Tấm's miserable life, being tormented by her stepmother. Thanks to him, Tấm was given beautiful clothes to attend the royal ball and marry the prince, escaping her life of hardship. The magical gift the fairy godfather gives Tấm in this story deserves special attention: the magical slippers.

These small, delicate, and magical slippers became the tool that brought the young woman and the prince together. The slippers became the symbol of the couple's fateful meeting, and it brought happiness and liberation to Tấm’s once sorrowful life. Without the enchanted slippers from the fairy godfather, Tấm would have remained the girl trapped in the cruel labor of her wicked stepmother. This magical element symbolizes the aspirations of the people—hoping for an escape from a life of suffering, oppression, and exploitation, dreaming of a happy, prosperous, and equal life. Therefore, the magical element serves as a representation of the human desire for an escape from a dead-end reality. In such a situation, all that remains is to place one’s hopes and dreams in the realm of magic and wishful thinking.

And the story doesn’t stop there; it continues to unfold with more strange and magical elements. Tấm, after being harmed and killed by Cám, mysteriously transforms into a beautiful golden bird, then into a dyeing tree, a weaving loom, and finally, into the fruit. These four transformations are not simply a portrayal of reincarnation as understood by religious idealism, but the important message the folk author conveys is Tấm’s determined resistance. Refusing to yield to evil, corruption, and injustice, Tấm fought back with all her might and eventually triumphed, even though her victory was aided by the magical elements. This resistance is, in fact, a class struggle between the oppressed and the oppressors. Once again, the magical elements help manifest the dreams and hopes of the working people, symbolizing the desire to overcome evil, injustice, and oppression. This leads to the fairytale’s happy ending, which aligns with the traditional humanitarian spirit of our people.

Thus, the supernatural element is a narrative technique intimately tied to the romantic content of the story. The folk author and their audience allow their imaginations to soar with the magical events in the story—not because they genuinely believe, or at least not entirely, that these events are real, but because these events are necessary to resolve issues that the realities of society could not completely address, fulfilling the aspirations of the people. Upon closer inspection, the magical element in fairy tales is not mainly a product of superstitious minds, but a necessary aspect that allows the folk author to shape the plot to their will. Thanks to this, 'Tấm Cám' effectively conveys all the messages the folk author wanted to share: the aspirations and dreams, and a philosophical view of life and the universe with the age-old law of cause and effect passed down from our ancestors.

It is my belief that without these magical elements, what would fairy tales become? Perhaps they would turn into barren lands, where the tree of life could not take root and nourish its branches as it does now. And if we listen to a fairy tale and do not believe in, or resonate with, the miraculous events within, unable to let our imaginations and emotions soar with these fantastical occurrences—especially the far-fetched ones—we cannot fully appreciate the meaning of the tale.

The captivating magic of fairy tales lies in their fantastical, surreal elements. In the story of Tấm Cám, magical details continuously appear at crucial moments related to the fate of the orphaned, virtuous, and beautiful girl.

It begins with the small fish that remains in Tấm's basket after all the shrimp have been taken by her sly, deceitful sister, Cám, in a plot to steal the promised reward of a red scarf from their mother (Tấm’s stepmother). All of Tấm's hard work and effort are instantly stolen from her. How could she not feel anger and sadness? When Tấm discovers the fish, she joyfully releases it into the well, secretly feeding it rice every day in her water-carrying basket. From that moment on, it becomes her only companion, sharing her joys and sorrows. The fish grows not just from the rice, but from Tấm's loving song: 'Bống bống bang bang, come eat the gold and silver rice in our house. Don’t eat the stale rice and thin porridge in someone else’s house.' The brief moments with the fish soothe her loneliness. Little did Tấm know that this tiny fish would lead to strange turning points in her life.

Suspecting and spying on Tấm, Cám and her mother discover what Tấm has been doing and even memorize her song. The wicked stepmother sweetly tells Tấm: 'Child, remember to graze cows far from the village, don’t graze them near the village or the cows will be stolen.' Naively trusting, Tấm obeys her stepmother’s advice. Immediately, the evil duo carries out their cruel plot: they kill the fish and eat it. When Tấm returns in the evening, bringing rice to the well, she calls out but sees no sign of the fish. Instead, a red blood clot floats on the surface of the water, a curse of sorts. Losing her beloved friend, Tấm bursts into tears. She falls back into a state of despair and isolation. At that moment, Bụt appears, glowing in a halo, and gently asks, 'Why are you crying? Tell me your troubles.' Tấm sobs and recounts the whole story. After listening, Bụt tells her to find the bones of the fish, place them in four jars, and bury them under each of the four bedposts.

In fairy tales, characters like the Fairy and the Buddha represent the dream of justice and righteousness, imagined vividly by the ancients. The Fairy and Buddha often appear in desperate circumstances when the weak are driven into a corner. Their magical powers resolve everything: the evil are punished, and the good are rewarded with happiness and prosperity.

Tấm, diligent and humble, is shown mercy by Bụt, who orders a chicken to dig through the ash and search for the fish’s bones. The talking chicken is a magical detail: 'Cluck, cluck, give me some rice, I’ll dig up the bones for you.' Bụt also commands a flock of sparrows to help Tấm separate the rice from the grain, thwarting the stepmother’s plan to prevent Tấm from attending the spring festival. Tấm feels sorrowful as she lacks a beautiful dress to wear to the festival. Bụt tells her to dig up four jars buried under the four bedposts, and she will have everything she needs. Sure enough! Tấm not only has a beautiful dress but also a pair of exquisite embroidered slippers. In an instant, the poor orphan girl is transformed into a charming and radiant young lady.

It seems as if fate was at work, for thanks to the lost embroidered slippers she dropped while fleeing in panic, Tấm is able to have her foot tested with the shoe, and the king chooses her as his queen. The royal title is the ultimate reward for Tấm, representing the peak of the hopes and dreams of the people. However, keeping such happiness is not easy. Evil does not relent. The wicked stepmother and her daughter do not leave Tấm in peace. They continue plotting to harm her and steal the royal title.

They invite Tấm to their home to attend a memorial for her father. Being a filial child, Tấm agrees, even though she is now the queen. The stepmother asks Tấm to climb a tree to gather areca nuts for the offering. Tấm does so, but the stepmother cuts the tree at its base, sending it into the pond to drown Tấm. Tấm asks why, and the stepmother lies, claiming she was merely trying to chase away ants. Tấm, ever trusting, believes her. Her innocence leads to her betrayal. Despite this, her restless spirit does not forgive the ungrateful ones. Tấm repeatedly transforms into a golden bird, into two cassia trees, so she can stay close to the king and expose the true nature of Cám and her mother’s deceitful, greedy, and cruel ways. These transformations, filled with the surreal, carry a deep, realistic meaning: they symbolize the ongoing struggle of good against evil, fighting to protect truth and righteousness in ancient feudal society.

Finally, Tấm transforms from dust into the only fragrant golden fruit on a tree by the roadside. A passing old woman, seeing the fruit, prays aloud: 'Oh, fruit, fall for me. I will only smell you, not eat you.' The fruit drops down, and the old woman cherishes it dearly! Every day, the fairy steps out from the fruit, silently preparing hot and delicious meals for the old woman. This fairy is Tấm. Tấm repays the old woman’s kindness by being a devoted daughter to her, much like a caring child would.

What’s even more magical is that a betel nut tray, skillfully prepared by Tấm, becomes the signal for the king to find her. The tray leads Tấm back to a life of happiness and wealth, which she rightly deserves, by the side of the young king.

Clearly, the highest aspirations and dreams of the working people gave birth to the magical elements and enchanting images in fairy tales. Though these events are fantastical and surreal, people still believe, wholeheartedly, that one day their dreams will come true. The human and cultural values, along with the artistic excellence of these fairy tales, are largely shaped by the unique elements mentioned above.