1. Reference Essay 4

2. Reference Essay 5

3. Reference Essay 6
I am Dăm Săn, the chief of a village. One day, while I was away, Mtao Mxây seized the opportunity to steal my wife, Hơ Nhị. Upon hearing the news, I rushed back to Mtao Mxây's house to challenge him and reclaim my wife.
Mtao Mxây's house was enormous. The porch had a crescent moon shape, and the staircase was carved into the shape of a bird. The steps were wide enough to fit many people without feeling cramped.
I called out loudly, placing my hand to my mouth:
- Hey, come down! I challenge your house to a duel!
Mtao Mxây taunted me:
- I won't come down, Dăm Săn! My hands are busy holding your wife.
This infuriated me even more:
- If you don't come down, I'll split your porch in half, chop your stairs, and burn down your house!
Mtao Mxây, clearly frightened, appeared wearing his armor. His sword gleamed like a rainbow, and at first glance, he looked as fierce as a god. He wore a striped loincloth and a long-sleeved shirt, stepping hesitantly toward me.
I allowed him to perform his shield dance first. However, he firmly refused:
- I am like a village rooster with newly sprouted feathers, or a wild rooster that’s never been stepped on but already broken.
I insisted he go first:
- You should dance first!
Finally, he reluctantly began his shield dance. The sound of his shield clattered like a dry gourd. He continued to dance, while I stood still, watching. I mocked him:
- You dance alone, clattering like a dried gourd. Who taught you this? Are you just playing?
Mtao Mxây proudly answered:
- Who did I learn from? From my uncle, from my father, and from the Dragon God himself.
I taunted back:
- Really? I have no uncle to learn from, no father to teach me! Let’s see what you can do now!
He replied:
- Don’t you know I’m a general, used to conquering lands, capturing prisoners, and destroying everything in my path?
I responded boldly:
- Then watch me!
I shook my shield and leapt forward, rushing over hills and bamboo groves. I sped from east to west, while Mtao Mxây struggled, stumbling as he ran from the west to the east. He struck with his sword, but only hit a tethered cow.
I laughed and mocked him:
- Why strike the cow’s tether? What about my foot, huh?
Mtao Mxây asked Hơ Nhị to give him a betel leaf, but I snatched it away. After chewing it, my strength increased tenfold. I resumed my shield dance, the winds howling like a storm. My spear aimed at Mtao Mxây’s leg, but to my surprise, it did not wound him.
Feeling fatigued, I rested and dreamed that the heavens revealed the way to defeat him. Suddenly awake, I grabbed a worn pestle and threw it, striking him on the ear. His armor shattered, and Mtao Mxây, terrified, fled. I pursued him relentlessly. Eventually, he fell to the ground, pleading for mercy:
- Dăm Săn! Let me offer a cow as a tribute, and I’ll give you an elephant as well.
I was unrelenting and replied:
- Why offer me a cow to pray for my fortune? You’ve already stolen my wife and struck me in the leg!
With that, I pierced him with my spear and decapitated him. I displayed his head on the street. I persuaded his followers to join me, and to celebrate my victory in rescuing Hơ Nhị, I threw a grand feast. Chiefs from all over came to join the celebration, and the festivities lasted throughout the dry season.

4. Reference Essay 8

5. Reference Article 1
For many years, Mtao Mxây, the wealthy chieftain, had gained fame throughout this majestic highland region. He, feeling powerful, took advantage of my absence and sent his servants to abduct my beloved wife, Hơ Nhị.
When I heard the news, I quickly strapped my knife to my waist and set out to find him. Mtao Mxây's house was enormous, with a crescent moon-shaped porch, and stairs carved to resemble a bird, wide enough to accommodate many people without feeling cramped.
I called loudly, 'Mtao Mxây, come down here! I challenge you to a duel with knives!' He responded from inside, 'I won’t come down. My hands are busy holding our second wife up here.'
Furious, I yelled, 'You won’t come down? I’ll split your porch in half, I’ll chop your stairs into firewood, and I’ll burn your house to the ground!' Upon hearing this, Mtao Mxây hesitantly came out, but he made me promise not to strike him while he descended. I mocked him, saying I wouldn’t even bother stabbing the cows in his stable.
The villagers gathered to watch, and Mtao Mxây had no choice but to face me. He wore a shield as round as an owl's head, and his sword shimmered in a rainbow of colors. He looked fearsome like a god of war, wearing a striped loincloth and a thick buttoned robe. He moved slowly, carefully, and hesitated at every step, surrounded by a cloud of onlookers.
I challenged him again, 'You go first!' He replied, 'No, you should go first. I’m like a chicken just beginning to stretch its wings, like a wild bird learning to fly. If anyone steps on me, I’ll break.' I pressed him again, and reluctantly, Mtao Mxây began to shake his shield. The sound it made was like the dry rattle of a gourd. I stood still and sneered, 'You dance alone, making that pathetic sound. Who taught you these moves? Are you just playing around?'
Mtao Mxây replied, 'I learn from those who taught me. From my uncles, I learned; from the dragon gods, I learned.' I taunted, 'Is that so? I had no uncles to learn from, nor did I have any gods to teach me. It's just you and me now, show me what you’ve got!' He boldly retorted, 'Don’t you know I am a general, accustomed to conquering lands, taking prisoners, and trampling kingdoms?' I pointed at him and said, 'Then watch me!' and swung my shield. I moved swiftly, scaling a hill with a single leap. With another surge, I crossed a bamboo thicket, speeding east and west as Mtao Mxây staggered between the fields. He swung his sword, but only struck the wooden post used to tether cows. I mocked him again, 'Why strike the cow's post? What are you trying to hit?'
As time passed, Mtao Mxây began to tire and asked Hơ Nhị to toss him some betel nut for strength. I snatched it from her hand and chewed it myself, instantly gaining new power. I told him, 'Now that you’ve had your rest, it’s time for me to chase you!' He fled, and I pursued, twirling my shield. The wind roared like a storm above me. As I danced low, the winds surged like a tornado, knocking down huts and uprooting trees. The sound of my shield was like thunder, and the ground trembled as I ran, the mountains cracking and the hills uprooting. My spear, charged with the spirits of my ancestors, flew toward Mtao Mxây’s leg. But to my surprise, his leg remained unharmed, my spear bouncing off his armor.
Exhausted, I stumbled and fell asleep, dreaming of the heavens. In my dream, I cried, 'Oh no, why can’t I penetrate his armor?' The heavenly voice responded, 'Take a worn hammer and throw it at his ear.' I woke up suddenly, grabbed a hammer, and hurled it at his ear. Immediately, his armor shattered, and he began to flee. He darted around the pigpen, but I destroyed it. He ran around the cattle pen, and I demolished it as well. Finally, too exhausted to continue, he collapsed on the ground.
Desperately, he begged, 'Spare me, and I will offer you a cow for blessings and a mighty elephant!' But my anger had not subsided, and I coldly replied, 'Why offer a cow to appease me? You’ve stolen my wife, and wounded me with your sword!'
With that, I pierced his chest with my spear and severed his head, displaying it in the streets as a warning. I asked his followers if they would join me, and they agreed. I cried out, 'All my servants, follow me now!' The crowd followed me, a procession as large as a swarm of ants.
From that day forward, I became the wealthiest and most powerful chieftain. I held a grand feast with the villagers, celebrating my victory and rejoicing throughout the dry season. The festivities continued until the wine was gone and the cups were empty, and the guests slowly began to depart.

6. Reference Article 2
For a long time, Mtao Mxây had been known as a wealthy chieftain. He took advantage of my absence to plot the abduction of my wife, Hơ Nhị. When I received the news, I hurriedly returned to Mtao Mxây's house to reclaim my wife.
The house of Mtao Mxây had a crescent-shaped front porch and a staircase carved to resemble a bird. The home of this rich chieftain looked magnificent. I shouted loudly:
- Hey, come down here! I challenge your house to a duel!
Upon hearing this, Mtao Mxây casually responded:
- I won’t come down, my dear! My hands are still busy holding my wife.
I was enraged:
- You won’t come down? Then I’ll split your porch in half, chop your stairs to make firewood, and burn your house to the ground.
At this point, Mtao Mxây must have been frightened, so he came out. He was round like an owl’s head, and his sword shimmered like a rainbow. He looked as fierce as a god. He wore a striped loincloth and a long-sleeved tunic, stepping out of the house with a worried expression.
I allowed him to swing his shield first, but he refused:
- I’m like a young village chicken, with just newly sprouted wings, like a wild chicken with just new feathers, no one has stepped on me yet or I’d break a wing.
But I insisted, so he had no choice but to start. His shield made a rattling sound like dry gourd. He swung it while I remained still. I mocked him:
- You’re swinging alone, making that rattling sound like a dry gourd. Who taught you to swing like that? Are you just playing around, dear?
Despite this, Mtao Mxây boasted:
- Who did I learn from? I learned from my uncle, from my cousin, and from the Dragon God.
I continued to taunt him, urging him to show me his shield skills. Though Mtao Mxây was angry, he replied:
- Don’t you know I’m a general who’s used to conquering lands, capturing prisoners, and crushing the earth beneath my feet?
As I watched him swing his shield, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I swung my own shield. Each time I moved forward, Mtao Mxây recoiled in fear, running from the west field to the east field. He swung his sword at me, but it only barely grazed a wooden post.
I taunted him once more:
- Why are you chopping the wooden post? What are you trying to do with my legs?
At that point, he asked my wife to throw him some betel nuts, attempting to provoke me. But I caught the betel nut and ate it, which increased my strength. I continued to swing my shield vigorously. I threw my magical spear at Mtao Mxây’s thigh, hitting him but not piercing the armor. My attempts to stab him failed to harm him.
By now, I was exhausted. I fell asleep and dreamt that the gods had given me a way to defeat Mtao Mxây. I woke up and followed their advice, throwing a worn-out pestle at his ear. His armor fell off with a loud crash. Mtao Mxây, terrified, fled. I chased him until he stumbled and fell to the ground, begging for mercy:
- Please, spare me! Let me offer a cow to you as a peace offering! I will also give you an elephant.
I paid no attention to his pleas, as his crime of stealing my wife was unforgivable:
- How can you still offer a cow after stealing my wife and injuring me?
Saying that, I struck him with my sword, severing his head and displaying it in the street. Then, I persuaded Mtao Mxây’s servants to follow me. To celebrate my victory and the rescue of Hơ Nhị, I held a feast for the whole village, with chieftains from far and wide joining in the festivities, which lasted throughout the dry season.

7. Reference Article 3
I am Dăm Săn, the chieftain of a village. One day, while I was away, Mtao Mxây, another chieftain, took advantage of my absence to abduct my wife, Hơ Nhị. As soon as I heard the news, I quickly armed myself and set out to find him. Mtao Mxây's house was enormous. The front porch was shaped like a crescent moon, and the staircase resembled a bird. The stairs were so wide that people could move up and down without any trouble.
I raised my hand and shouted:
- Hey, come down here! I challenge you to a duel!
Mtao Mxây responded provocatively:
- I won’t come down, my dear! My hands are busy holding my wife right now.
I was furious:
- You refuse to come down? Then I will split your porch in half, chop your stairs into firewood, and burn your house down!
Mtao Mxây emerged from his house, looking round like an owl. His sword shimmered like a rainbow. He wore a striped loincloth and a long-sleeved tunic, his face full of concern.
I allowed him to swing his shield first:
- You go first, my dear!
But he said:
- No, you go first, my dear. I’m like a young village chicken with newly sprouted wings, or like a wild chicken with just a few feathers—no one has stepped on me yet, or my wings would break.
I insisted:
- No, you go first!
Reluctantly, Mtao Mxây started swinging his shield. It made a rattling sound like a dry gourd. He kept swinging, while I remained still. I mocked him:
- You’re swinging alone, making that sound like a dry gourd. Who taught you that? Are you just playing around, my dear?
Despite this, Mtao Mxây boasted:
- Who did I learn from? I learned from my uncle, my cousin, and the Dragon God.
I retorted:
- Oh, I don’t have a cousin or an uncle to learn from! It’s just the two of us here—show me what you’ve got!
Though he was angry, Mtao Mxây said:
- Don’t you know that I’m a general used to conquering lands, capturing prisoners, and crushing the earth beneath my feet?
I replied:
- Then watch me!
I swung my shield with all my might. One movement sent me over a hill, and another took me through a bamboo forest. I ran fast from the East to the West, while Mtao Mxây stumbled along, running from the west field to the east field. He swung his sword, but it only struck a wooden post.
I mocked him once more:
- Why are you chopping the wooden post? What do you plan to do with my legs?
Furious, Mtao Mxây ordered Hơ Nhị to throw him some betel nuts to provoke me. I caught the betel nut and ate it, gaining incredible strength. I continued swinging my shield with even more intensity. The wind howled like a storm as I spun higher, and like a whirlwind as I swung lower. I threw my magical spear at his thigh, but it didn’t pierce his armor.
At this point, I was exhausted. I fell asleep and dreamt that the gods had given me a way to defeat Mtao Mxây. I woke up and followed their guidance, throwing a worn-out pestle at his ear. His armor fell off with a loud crash. Terrified, Mtao Mxây fled, but I chased him relentlessly. He eventually stumbled and fell to the ground, begging for mercy:
- Please, spare me! Let me offer a cow to you as a peace offering! I will even give you an elephant.
I paid no attention to his pleas. His crime of stealing my wife was unforgivable:
- How can you still offer a cow after stealing my wife and injuring me?
With that, I struck him with my sword, severing his head and displaying it in the street as a warning. I convinced Mtao Mxây’s servants to follow me, and we returned to my village to celebrate with a feast. Chieftains from all over came to join the celebration, which lasted until the end of the dry season. As the night wore on, the guests left one by one, their cups empty and the festivities over.

