Top 7 Essays Retelling the Fairy Tale of Tam and Cam from Tam's Perspective (Literature 10)

In life, everyone experiences moments that shape them and leave unforgettable marks. I too have faced numerous challenges that I overcame, eventually leading to a fulfilling, happy life. Let me share with you the story of my life.

I was born into a humble farming family. Unfortunately, my mother passed away early, and I lived with my father. Soon after, he remarried, and I gained a younger sister named Cam. However, my father passed away shortly after, leaving me to live with my stepmother and sister. Sadly, they never treated me as part of the family, and I was subjected to harsh labor day in and day out without rest.

I recall a time when my stepmother challenged Cam and me to a contest to see who could catch the most fish and shrimp. The winner would receive a beautiful pink apron. I worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk, while Cam played around. In the end, she tricked me and filled her basket with all the fish and shrimp, leaving just a small fish behind. Heartbroken, I decided to release the fish into the well and care for it like a dear friend. Days passed, and one evening, I returned home to find the fish had not come up for food. Grieved, I was visited by the Buddha, who told me my fish had been killed. He instructed me to find its bones and bury them beneath my bed, which I did.

Later, the king held a festival, but my stepmother forbade me from attending, forcing me to separate rice and beans. Desperate, the Buddha appeared once again and helped me with the task. He also instructed me to unearth the fish bones, which transformed into a beautiful outfit. Thanking the Buddha, I attended the festival. On the way there, I lost my shoe, and the king, finding it, declared that whoever fit the shoe would become his bride. Since it was my shoe, no one else could wear it, not even Cam. The king soon found me, and I became his queen, living a blissful life at the palace.

During a visit to my father’s grave, Cam tricked me into climbing a tree to gather betel nuts, but while I was up there, she and her mother cut the tree’s base, causing me to fall into a pond and drown. They replaced me with Cam as the queen. But my story didn’t end there. With the Buddha’s help, I transformed into a golden bird, close to the king, only for Cam to kill the bird. I then became a tree, but Cam chopped me down, hoping to destroy me. I transformed again into a weaving loom, but she burned it and scattered the ashes. Finally, I turned into a loquat tree, where an old woman picked my fruit and took me in. I helped her with her chores and eventually became her daughter. One day, the king passed by and recognized the betel leaves I had wrapped, and he invited me back to the palace. Cam and her mother, seeing me more beautiful than before, were filled with fear and curiosity. I punished them justly for their evil deeds, and I now live happily with the king.

Although time has passed, this story remains a part of me, a life lesson I will never forget. It teaches me that cruelty towards others has its consequences, and we should always strive to keep a pure and kind heart.

I am Tam, the queen of a kingdom. On the day of my father’s death anniversary, I returned home to fulfill my filial duties, but little did I know, that day would mark the beginning of a series of life-altering events.

It was early in the morning when I arrived at my house. My stepmother and Cam greeted me unusually warmly. She asked me to climb the betel nut tree and pluck a bunch to offer to my father. I agreed and began climbing, remembering the days before I became queen when I used to climb the tree to gather betel nuts for sale. A flood of memories came rushing back.

I had been motherless since childhood, and not long after, my father remarried. Sadly, not long after, my father passed away. From then on, I lived with my stepmother and Cam, my half-sister. After my father’s death, I had to do all the household chores: tending to the buffalo in the fields at dawn, fetching water, cutting cassava, and collecting water lilies. Even at night, I had to grind rice and work until I could barely rest.

One day, my stepmother gave Cam and me each a basket, asking us to catch shrimp and prawns. Whoever caught the most would be rewarded with a beautiful red apron. I was used to catching crabs and snails, so it didn’t take long for me to fill my basket. But Cam, taking advantage of my busy work, secretly filled her basket with all the shrimp and prawns. When I realized, I could only sit and cry. The Buddha appeared and asked me what had happened. He then told me to look in my basket for anything else. To my surprise, there was a little goby fish left. I took it home, cared for it, but not long after, someone ate it. The Buddha appeared again and instructed me to find the fish’s bones and bury them at the four corners of my bed.

Not long after, the king held a festival. My stepmother and Cam didn’t want me to attend, so they mixed a mound of rice with beans and asked me to separate them. I cried, and the Buddha appeared again to help. He sent a flock of sparrows to assist me. But, thinking about how I had no clothes to wear, I cried even more. The Buddha told me to dig up four jars beneath my bed. To my astonishment, they contained beautiful clothes, embroidered shoes, a horse, and a saddle. I quickly changed and rode the horse to the festival. Unfortunately, I dropped one of my shoes along the way. I wrapped the remaining shoe in a cloth and continued on. To this day, I don’t know how the king found my shoe, but it was thanks to that shoe that I became his wife.

Suddenly, the betel nut tree shook violently, and I returned to reality. I asked my stepmother what had happened, and she claimed to be chasing ants away. I had barely begun to pluck the betel nuts when the tree fell. In that brief moment, before everything went black, I realized my stepmother had been plotting to harm me.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself transformed into a small golden bird. I flew back to the palace, eager to be near my husband. It turned out my stepmother and Cam had planned to replace me by getting rid of me. I perched on a tree and sang joyfully:

“Hang my husband’s clothes to dry on the line, not by the fence, lest they tear my husband’s shirt.”

Afterward, I searched for my husband. My sweet song drew him closer, and when he said, “Golden bird, golden bird, are you hiding in my sleeve?” I knew he still remembered me.

The king had a golden cage made for me, and we stayed close. But when Cam saw this, she took advantage of the king’s absence, killed me, and threw my feathers outside. Once again, the Buddha appeared, and now I understood that he had helped me become the golden bird, giving me a second chance at life. He turned me into two privet trees where my feathers lay. Soon, the trees grew tall and cast a cool shade. The king ordered his servants to set up a hammock beneath them.

Though I couldn’t speak in the form of the trees, I was content to be near him. But not long after, Cam took action again. One stormy night, she cut me into pieces and turned me into a loom. Enraged, I cursed as she used it: “Click clack, click clack, you’ve stolen my husband, and now I’ll gouge out your eyes!”

Terrified, Cam fled, but she used fire to destroy me once more, scattering my ashes far away from the palace.

However, fate wasn’t ready to separate my husband and me forever. From the ashes of my being grew a loquat tree. I became a single loquat on the tree, giving off a sweet fragrance. One day, a local woman smelled the scent, looked up, and said, “Loquat, oh loquat, fall into my basket; I will smell you but not eat you.” I knew then that I had found a truly good person. I allowed myself to fall into her basket, entrusting my fate to her, hoping this would be my final transformation.

I believe I made the right choice when I fell into the basket of the kind woman. Every day, she went to the market, and whenever she returned, I would emerge from the loquat shell to help her clean the house. I was happy to return to human form.

One day, as usual, the woman left, but today she suddenly returned early. She rushed to me and hugged me tightly, tearing the loquat shell apart. From then on, I lived with the woman, who treated me like her own daughter. Though I lived peacefully, I always missed my husband, so I made betel leaves shaped like a phoenix to remember him.

Finally, by fate’s grace, my husband passed by the woman’s shop, recognized the familiar shape of the betel leaf, and inquired about it. And so, my husband and I were reunited, and I could not have been happier.

After all the suffering, I now only wish to live the rest of my life peacefully and happily by his side. And I’ve come to understand that everything in this world is connected by cause and effect. Good deeds bring blessings, and evil deeds bring consequences.

My name is Tam, and I am the queen of a kingdom. I now live a blissful life with the king and our children. However, few people know that to reach this day, I had to endure countless hardships and pain. Let me share with you the story of my life.

When I was very young, my mother passed away. My father remarried and had a daughter, Cam, with my stepmother. My stepmother never seemed to like me, but out of respect for my father, she allowed me to live a relatively peaceful life. Soon after, my father passed away. With his death, my stepmother's hatred for me became apparent. She made me do all the heavy work at home, from tending the buffalo and cutting grass to grinding rice and pounding grains. Meanwhile, Cam, my half-sister, was pampered and never had to do any chores. I worked day and night, often exhausted, but never complained or resented her.

One day, my stepmother called Cam and me over, giving each of us a basket. She instructed us to go to the field and catch shrimp and fish. Whoever fills their basket first would receive a new red scarf as a reward. I was overjoyed, as it had been a long time since my father passed, and I hadn’t received a new piece of clothing. The clothes I wore were all old ones handed down by my stepmother. Excited by the prospect of a new scarf, I quickly filled my basket. Looking over at Cam, who was distracted by playing with flowers and chasing butterflies, I urged her to hurry up and catch some fish before it got dark. She ignored my advice and continued to play. When my basket was full, I sat down by the river to rest and prepare to go home. Suddenly, Cam called out to me, “Sister Tam, your head is dirty, dip it deeper in the water so our mother won’t scold you.” Trusting Cam’s words, I went down into the water to wash my hair.

When I came back up, Cam was gone. My basket was empty, lying abandoned by the edge of the field. It turned out that while I was washing my hair, Cam had emptied my basket and gone home. I was angry and heartbroken, crying as I sat by the water. Suddenly, I heard a warm voice: “Why are you crying?” Looking up, I saw Buddha’s kind face and gentle smile. I told him my story, and he asked me to check my basket. To my surprise, I found a small goby fish still inside. Buddha advised me to take it home and release it into the well, feeding it one bowl of rice each day. Whenever I fed the fish, I was to chant the following words:

“Bong bong bang bang, come eat the golden and silver rice from my house, don’t eat the poor rice and soup from others.”

I followed Buddha’s instructions, releasing the fish into the well and feeding it every day, hiding the rice and calling it as Buddha had told me. The goby grew bigger and stronger.

But my secret feeding of the fish soon raised my stepmother’s suspicion. That evening, she told me: “Tomorrow, go tend the buffalo at the far field, not near the village, or else the buffalo will be caught by the village guards.” I agreed without suspicion. The next morning, as I was leading the buffalo to the field, Cam mimicked my actions, calling the fish, and my stepmother, who was waiting in secret, caught the fish and killed it.

When I returned in the afternoon, as usual, I went to feed the fish, but when I called, there was no response. All I found was a pool of blood on the water’s surface. Realizing what had happened, I cried uncontrollably. Buddha appeared again and asked, “Why are you crying?” I told him what had occurred, and Buddha said, “The goby has been eaten, but don’t worry. Go find its bones and place them in four jars, bury them under the four corners of your bed.” Following Buddha’s guidance, I searched for the bones. A chicken offered to help, and in exchange for some rice, it dug up the bones. I placed the bones in the jars, buried them as instructed, and waited.

Not long after, the king announced a grand festival. People from all villages came to the capital in colorful attire. Cam and my stepmother also prepared their finest clothes for the occasion. I too longed to attend, but my stepmother gave me a task: to separate rice from husks before I could go to the festival. I worked tirelessly, but the task seemed endless, and I had barely made any progress. I cried, frustrated and despondent. At that moment, Buddha appeared and asked, “Why are you crying?” I showed him the basket filled with rice and husks, telling him of my plight. Buddha smiled and said, “Don’t worry. Place the basket in the middle of the yard, and I will send a flock of sparrows to help you.” Though hesitant, I did as he instructed. The sparrows arrived and quickly separated the rice and husks without making a mess. I was overjoyed but realized my worn clothes would prevent me from attending the festival. Buddha, seeing my concern, smiled and said, “Dig up the jars with the goby’s bones, and you will have everything you need for the festival.”

I dug up the jars and found a beautiful new outfit, a silk scarf, and a headscarf in the first jar. The second jar contained a pair of embroidered shoes that fit perfectly. In the third jar, there was a small horse, but as soon as I placed it on the ground, it transformed into a real horse. The fourth jar contained a delicate saddle. I quickly bathed, dressed in the new clothes, and mounted the horse. In a flash, I arrived at the capital. However, while crossing a river, I lost one of my shoes. The king’s procession soon arrived, and one of the soldiers found my shoe. The king, struck by its beauty, believed the owner must be an extraordinarily beautiful woman. He ordered a search for the woman whose foot fit the shoe. Many women tried, but none succeeded. When I arrived, Cam and my stepmother glared at me with envy. I silently tried on the shoe, and it fit perfectly. The soldiers cheered, and the king had me brought to the palace. I was filled with joy and disbelief as I stepped into my new life.

Despite the wealth and luxury of the palace, I never forgot my father’s death anniversary. I asked the king’s permission to return home and prepare a feast for my stepmother. I naively thought that now that I was queen, they would love me more, but they were filled with jealousy and hatred. My stepmother and Cam secretly plotted against me, unaware that I was already wise to their schemes. My stepmother instructed me to climb a tall tree to break off a cluster of betel nuts for my father’s offering. I agreed without hesitation, but when I reached the top, my stepmother cut down the tree. I fell, and before I knew it, I was dead.

After my death, Buddha transformed me into a golden bird. I returned to the capital, where I sang for the king, who had been longing for me. One day, as I perched on a branch, I sang a song about the king’s clothes, and the king recognized me. He immediately called for me, and I returned to the palace. Eventually, I revealed to the king the wicked deeds of my stepmother and Cam. In anger, the king ordered their execution, but I begged for their lives, not out of compassion, but because I believed in karma. I had once been their sister, and my stepmother had raised me. I asked the king to exile them instead.

Afterward, I heard that Cam, following advice from someone, poured boiling water over herself to regain her beauty but died in agony. My stepmother, upon hearing of Cam’s death, died from despair. Now, with my stepmother and Cam gone, I live happily with the king. Through my story, I want to remind you that kind-hearted people will be protected, while those who do evil will face their just punishment.

I am Tam, and my younger sister is Cam – a half-sister from my father's second marriage. My mother passed away early, and my father remarried, but not long after, he also passed away, leaving me to live with my stepmother and Cam. I wish to tell my story, about a life filled with hardships and challenges, so everyone can hear.

Though I am the older sibling, Cam was spoiled by our mother and never had to do any chores at home. I took on all the tasks, only seeing Cam do the smallest things when it was time to eat, all while grumbling. My stepmother often scolded me, taking out her anger or jealousy for no reason. Yet, I never complained.

One day, my stepmother asked Cam and me to go collect shrimp, promising that the one who caught the most would get a red silk scarf. I had never owned one before, and the idea of winning it excited me. While I worked hard catching shrimp, Cam would wander off to pick flowers or chase butterflies, but I kept my focus, thinking of the scarf. Near the end, I saw Cam claiming her head was dirty, and she went to wash it. Little did I know, she secretly poured all the shrimp from her basket and took the scarf for herself. I was devastated. Just as I was crying, an old man appeared and told me to check my basket for a fish, which I should take home and care for. I followed his advice and dropped the fish in a well, feeding it every day.

I spent my time tending to the cows, unaware of what Cam had done. When I returned to feed the fish, I found its body floating in the well, and I cried, both for the fish and for my sadness. The old man reappeared, instructing me to find the fish's bones and bury them at the four corners of the bed. I did as he said, not knowing what would come of it.

Excited for the festival day, I got dressed and prepared, even though my clothes were not as fine as others'. Cam, who was jealous of me, told our stepmother to find a way to keep me at home. She made me sort rice and husks, saying I couldn’t leave until I finished. I was overwhelmed, but once again, the old man sent sparrows to help me, and I was able to finish quickly. He then instructed me to dig up the bones from the four corners.

Grateful, I thanked the old man and got ready to go to the festival. While riding, I dropped one of my shoes in the water and couldn’t retrieve it. At the festival, the king’s elephant stopped, and they found my shoe, which led the king to decree that the woman whose foot fit the shoe would become his wife.

The crowd grew lively as women tried on the shoe, but none fit. When Cam tried to tell her mother, my stepmother dismissed it, mocking me. I quietly tried on the shoe, and it fit perfectly. I revealed the matching shoe and was celebrated by the crowd. The king had me brought to the palace and made me his queen.

Though I became queen, I had to return home to prepare offerings for my father’s death anniversary. My stepmother and Cam, envious of my fortune, conspired against me. My stepmother told me to climb a tall tree and pick fruit for the ceremony, but when I reached the top, she cut the tree down, causing me to fall and drown. She dressed Cam in my clothes and claimed that I had died, sending her in my place.

My soul transformed into a golden bird, and I hovered around the royal garden, hoping to comfort the king, who was often sorrowful. He soon noticed me and remarked, “Golden bird, golden bird, are you my wife, hiding in my sleeve?” I flew into his sleeve, and Cam, furious, reported to her mother. While the king was away, they killed me and discarded my feathers. The king was furious but said nothing.

The next day, my feathers turned into two beautiful trees in the royal garden. When the king walked by, they spread their branches like umbrellas to shield him from the sun. He ordered the trees to be cut down, and when they became a loom, I whispered to Cam, “The one who steals a husband shall lose her eyes.”

Alarmed, Cam told her mother, who ordered the loom to be burned. From the ashes, a sweet-smelling tree grew. A passing old woman took a sniff and said, “This fruit smells so nice, but I won’t eat it.” When she spoke kindly, I dropped from the tree. I secretly helped her with chores, cooking and cleaning. She was curious and eventually caught me in the act. I told her my story, and she embraced me, tearing open the fruit’s skin.

One day, the king visited the shop, and the old woman mentioned the beautiful betel leaves she had made. The king asked who had made them, and the old woman said it was her daughter. I overheard, and as soon as I stepped out, the king recognized me and had us brought to the palace. I was overwhelmed with happiness, knowing that love and destiny had brought us together despite everything.

Seeing me alive and more beautiful than before, Cam wondered how this happened. I told her to bathe in boiling water for beauty. Foolishly, she did so and died instantly. The stepmother, horrified, also died. From then on, I lived happily with the king, and no one could stand in the way of our love and life together.

Within the treasure trove of folklore, there are many fascinating, thrilling tales, but among them stands the story of Tam and Cam. I am especially moved by the character of Tam and her extraordinary resilience. To paint a vivid and honest picture of this unfortunate girl, I will place myself in Tam's shoes to recount her life full of trials and tribulations.

The first and greatest misfortune that led me into a whirlwind of sorrow came from Cam and her mother. When I was six, my mother passed away, and soon after, my father remarried. Unfortunately, my father also succumbed to illness, and I had to live with my stepmother and her daughter, Cam, who was a year and a half younger than me. Cam herself wasn't cruel, but my stepmother was harsh and mean-spirited. From dawn to dusk, I was forced to work tirelessly, living in constant fear of being scolded and beaten. There was one time when my stepmother told Cam and me to go catch shrimp, promising a red silk scarf for whoever caught the most. Since I was accustomed to outdoor work, I quickly filled my basket, while Cam idled away, catching nothing. When we were about to return, I noticed Cam’s basket was almost empty, and I thought, 'This time, the red scarf is definitely mine.' But then Cam noticed my full basket and panicked, asking me to wash my hair to avoid being scolded. I naively believed her. When I returned, I found that Cam had emptied my shrimp into her own basket and ran home, leaving me heartbroken. As I cried, an old man appeared and told me that the fish in my basket was a special one, a bống fish, and instructed me to care for it well.

On one occasion, my stepmother tricked me into going far away to tend the cattle, during which she killed the bống fish. I was devastated, but I buried its bones under my bed. Months later, the king held a grand festival, and from the items stored beneath my bed, I retrieved clothes and a carriage. After the festival, I tried on a shoe that fit perfectly, and the king invited me to the palace, making me his queen. Though I lived in luxury as queen, I never forgot my father's death anniversary. When I returned home, my stepmother, full of jealousy, had Cam take my place in the palace. My spirit turned into a golden bird and flew to the palace, but Cam and my stepmother killed the bird and threw its feathers outside. From those feathers, I transformed into a cassia tree, but when Cam chopped it down to make a loom, I cursed her, threatening to blind her. In retaliation, she and her mother burned the loom and scattered its ashes. I then became a loquat tree, bearing a single fruit. One day, a kind old woman came by, and knowing she was good-hearted, I dropped the fruit into her basket. When she went to the market, I secretly came out of the fruit's skin to help with household chores, and though it was like being a servant, I felt joy in helping her. Eventually, the old woman caught me, and I told her my story. She embraced me, tearing the fruit's skin open to set me free.

Finally, the fated day came when the king, visiting the market, saw the betel leaves I had made and demanded to meet me. Our reunion was emotional, and I soon returned to the palace with him. The actions of Cam and her mother were proof of their wickedness, and I finally tricked Cam into falling into a well and scalded her to death. Afterward, I made fish sauce for my stepmother, who, horrified by the truth, collapsed and died. With that, I lived happily ever after with the king in my royal life.

My name is Tam. My mother passed away early, and my father remained single for over a year before marrying a stepmother. The stepmother had a daughter named Cam. When I turned fifteen, my father also passed away.

My stepmother hated me deeply, so she would assign all the household chores to me. Tending cattle, planting rice, grinding rice, and pounding rice... as soon as one task was done, she would immediately have me do another; meanwhile, Cam played around. Taking advantage of her mother's position, Cam would often scold and order me around. I felt so alone and miserable, but I could only cry in silence.

One day, my stepmother said, "This morning, both of you go to the field to catch shrimp. Whoever fills their basket first will be rewarded with a red scarf!". I was thrilled by the idea and promised myself to try my best to win this precious prize that every girl would dream of.

Cam and I went with our baskets. I didn't mind the hard work or getting dirty, wading through the fields and streams, while Cam wandered aimlessly. By midday, my basket was nearly full. I washed my hands and feet briefly and sat down to rest. Suddenly, Cam came close and said, "Sister Tam, your head is dirty, you should dip deeper in the water, or Mother will scold you!". I believed her and dipped my head thoroughly in the pond.

Afterwards, I cheerfully asked, "Cam, can you check if I’m clean now?". But there was no answer. I looked around and saw no sign of Cam, just my basket lying abandoned on the grass. I opened it and found it empty. It turned out that Cam had tricked me and emptied my basket while I was washing my hair and had gone home ahead of me.

Furious and heartbroken, I cried uncontrollably. Suddenly, a warm voice spoke from beside me, "Why are you crying?". I looked up and saw Buddha, glowing with radiant light. I told him the whole story, and Buddha kindly advised, "Check your basket again, maybe there is still a fish inside!". I peered into the basket and found a tiny fish lying at the bottom. Following Buddha's instructions, I took the fish home and placed it in a well, feeding it a little rice every day. Each time I fed it, I would chant the words Buddha taught me:

The little fish, the little fish,

Come eat our golden rice and silver rice,

But don’t eat the cold rice or porridge of others.

The fish would rise to the surface and eat the rice I sprinkled. From that moment on, the fish and I became close friends, and it grew bigger every day.

Noticing that I often went to the well after meals to fetch water, my stepmother grew suspicious and sent Cam to spy on me. Cam hid behind some bushes, heard me calling the fish, and memorized the chant. She then went back and told her mother. That evening, my stepmother said:

- My dear, the village has started banning cattle grazing in the fields. Tomorrow, take the cattle to graze far away, don’t let them graze near our land, or the village will seize the cattle.

I agreed and took the cattle to graze far away the next morning. Meanwhile, Cam imitated me, calling the fish. When the fish surfaced, my stepmother caught it and killed it.

In the afternoon, I returned home with the cattle. As usual, after eating, I secretly carried rice to the well to feed the fish. I called and called, but the fish didn’t appear. All I saw was a lump of bright red blood floating on the water.

I burst into tears. Buddha appeared and asked, "Why are you crying?". I told him what happened, and Buddha said, "Your fish has been eaten. Don’t cry, go find its bones, place them in four jars, and bury them under the four corners of your bed."

I searched everywhere in the garden but couldn’t find anything. Suddenly, a rooster crowed, "Cluck, cluck! Give me some rice, and I’ll dig for the bones!". I threw a handful of rice, and the rooster ran to dig through the ashes in the stove. After a while, it found the fish’s bones. I placed the bones in four small jars and buried them under the four corners of my bed, just as Buddha instructed.

The New Year arrived, and the king held a grand festival for several days. Everyone, young and old, rich and poor, eagerly attended. Cam and my stepmother, too, prepared their finest clothes and eagerly went to the festival.

Seeing that I also wanted to go, my stepmother scowled and said, "You must finish picking this rice before you go anywhere. If I come home and find the rice hasn’t been done, I will punish you!"

After they left for the festival, I picked at the rice for a long time but barely made any progress. Impatient, I thought to myself, "At this rate, I’ll never finish in time!". Knowing that my stepmother was cruel and didn’t want me to go to the festival, I cried bitterly. Buddha appeared again and asked, "Why are you crying?". I pointed at the basket of mixed rice and rice grains and explained the situation. Buddha told me to place the basket in the middle of the yard, and he would send a flock of sparrows to help me sort the rice. I was worried the birds would eat some of the rice, but Buddha assured me that they wouldn’t. "Just tell them this: 'Pick for me, and if you eat any rice, I’ll punish you!'". The sparrows immediately swooped down, sorting the rice and rice grains perfectly, without eating a single grain.

Once they finished, I realized I had no clothes to wear to the festival! Feeling sad and discouraged, I started crying again. Buddha told me to dig up the jars containing the fish’s bones. When I did, something miraculous happened: The first jar contained a beautiful outfit with a silk dress, a red scarf, and a silk shawl. The second jar contained a pair of embroidered shoes, just my size. The third jar held a tiny horse, which grew to full size when placed on the ground. The fourth jar contained a beautiful saddle.

I was overjoyed and thanked Buddha, then bathed and dressed in the beautiful clothes. I mounted the horse, which galloped swiftly, and soon I arrived at the royal capital. As I rode through a stream, I lost one of my shoes, but didn’t have time to pick it up. At the festival, I stopped my horse, carefully wrapped the remaining shoe, and joined the crowd.

The king’s golden palanquin reached the river crossing, but the lead elephants suddenly refused to move, their tusks planted in the ground, trumpeting loudly. The king, sensing something unusual, ordered his soldiers to investigate. They found my embroidered shoe and presented it to the king. The king examined the shoe and exclaimed, "This shoe is beautiful! The person who wore this shoe must be incredibly beautiful!"

The king ordered that all the women and girls in the kingdom try on the shoe, and whoever it fit would become his bride. The festival grew even more lively as women eagerly lined up to try the shoe. Cam and my stepmother also joined in. When it was my turn, Cam recognized me and whispered to her mother, but my stepmother didn’t believe her and scoffed, "That’s just a simple girl, how could she fit the shoe?"

I was the last to try on the shoe. It fit me perfectly, and I took the other shoe and walked into the palace. The attendants cheered, and the king ordered a procession to take me to the palace. As I entered the palace, Cam and my stepmother were left stunned and furious.

I lived happily with the young king. On the anniversary of my father’s death, I asked permission to return home to help my stepmother and Cam prepare offerings for the ceremony. Seeing that I had become queen, they were jealous, but tried to hide it. My stepmother asked me to climb a palm tree to collect a bunch of fruit for the offering. As I reached the top, she cut the trunk, and I fell into the pond and drowned. My stepmother took my clothes and dressed Cam in them, then sent her to the palace, claiming I had tragically died and that Cam would replace me.

My soul transformed into a golden bird and hovered around the royal garden. Cam washed clothes for the king and hung them on the fence, while I sang, "Hang the clothes on the pole, not on the fence, or you’ll tear my husband’s clothes!". I flew into the palace and perched by the window. The king, who had been mourning the loss of his beloved wife, saw me and said, "Golden bird, golden bird, are you my wife? Come into my sleeve!". I affectionately landed on his shoulder and nestled into his sleeve. The king wrapped me in gold, and we spent our days together, while Cam was ignored.

One day, while the king was away, my stepmother and Cam killed me, throwing my golden feathers in the garden. When the king returned and asked about my disappearance, Cam lied, claiming she had eaten me. The king was furious but said nothing. The next day, two beautiful trees grew where my feathers had fallen. When the king walked in the garden, the trees spread their branches over him like two umbrellas. He ordered the servants to hang a hammock between the two trees, where he would rest in the afternoons.

Cam reported this to her mother. One day, during a storm, my stepmother ordered the trees to be cut down and turned into a loom to weave fabric for the king. My soul entered the loom, and whenever Cam sat down to weave, the loom would emit an ominous sound:

Click-clack, click-clack,

Stealing my husband,

Chipping my eyes out!

Cam was terrified and told her mother, who instructed to burn the loom to ashes and throw the remains away. Afterward, a sweet-smelling fruit tree grew where the loom had been. The tree bore only one fruit. Inside the fruit, my soul hid.

One day, a woman selling water passed by and smelled the fragrant fruit. She looked up and, after a moment, said, "The fruit fell to me! I’ll just sniff it, I won’t eat it!". The fruit fell into her hands. She took it home and kept it in her room, occasionally admiring it. Whenever the woman went to the market, I would come out of the fruit and clean the house, cook delicious meals for her.

The woman was curious and tried to uncover the secret. One day, pretending to go to the market, she came back early and caught me cleaning the house. Surprised, she hugged me and tore open the fruit. From that moment on, she treated me like her daughter. I helped her with all her tasks.

Not long after, a young man came to the shop. When he saw some pieces of areca nut, he asked who had prepared them. The woman replied that her daughter had done it. I stood behind a curtain, overhearing the conversation, and recognized him as the king. He asked the woman to introduce her daughter, and when I appeared, the king immediately recognized me. He ordered his servants to bring a palanquin and take me back to the palace.

Cam and my stepmother were horrified. Cam asked how I became so beautiful again, and I offered to help. I instructed the servants to boil a pot of hot water and told Cam to stand in a hole. Cam agreed. The servants poured the hot water into the hole, and Cam screamed in agony. My stepmother, seeing what had happened, collapsed and died. I was able to live peacefully and happily with the king. Our love grew even stronger.