Vietnamese Stories for Language Learners: Traditional Folktales in Vietnamese and English (MP3 Downloadable Audio Included)

193 Pages·2017·10.091 MB·

by  Tri C. Tran, Tram Le

VIETNAMESE
S T O R E S
FOR LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Traditional Folktales ỉn
Vietnamese and English
c.
Tri Tran Tram Le
TUTTLE
r
i
VIETNAM ESE
STO RIẼS
FOR LANGUAGE LEARNERS
c.
Tri Tran Tram Le
University of Caỉifornia, Irvine
TUTTLE
Publishing
Tokyo I Rutland, Vermont I Singapore
Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
www.tuttlepublishing.com
Copyright © 2017 by Tri c. Tran and Tram Le
Cover photo © Maxim Tupikov/Shutterstock
Audio recordings by Vanessa Hong-Van Nguyên and Zachary Ngoe Nguyên
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by
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Contents
Foreword...................................... . 7 12 The Story of Buffalo Man
and Chuc...............................56
1 The Magic Longbow............. . 8 Ngưu Lang Chức Nữ
Chuyện Cây Nỏ Thần 13 The Man with a Borrowed
Soul..........................................60
2 The Story of Chu Dong Tu... 12
Hồn Trương Ba, Da Hàng Thịt
Chừ Đồng Từ
14 The Legend of Ngu Hanh
3 The Beautiful Woman
Mountains..............................64
in the Painting....................... 16
Sự Tích Núi Ngũ Hành
Người Đẹp Trong Tranh
15 The Forever Indebted Lord
4 A Village of No Return......... 22
Chom......................................68
Từ Thức về Trần
Nợ Như Chúa Chổm
5 The Woman from
16 Teaching Your Husband
Nam Xuong............................ 26
a Lesson..................................74
Thiếu Phụ Nam Xương
Giết Chó Khuyên Chồng
6 The Love Story of
17 Paying Back what Is
Truông Chi............................. 32
Owed.................................. 78
Khối Tinh Trương Chi
Của Thiên Trà Địa
7 The Woman with
18 The Magic Bottle of Water... 84
a Cursed Life......................... 36
Lọ Nước Thần
Quan Ẵm Thị Kính
19 A Parents Love.......................90
8 Princess Lieu Hanh............... 40
Cha Mẹ Nuôi Con
Công Chúa Liễu Hạnh
20 Gratitude from an Animal. .. 94
9 Trang Bung Goes on
aMission.............................. 44 Cứu Vật, Vật Trả ơn
Trạng Bùng Đi Sứ 21 Indebted Love.......................100
Nợ Tình Chưa Trả
10 Yet Kieu -The Water Boy.... 48
Yết Kiêu 22 The Patriotic Songstress.... 104
11 The Bamboo Tree with Ả Đào Yêu Nước
a Hundred Nodes................. 52 23 The Earthen Phoenix..........108
Cấy Tre Trăm Đốt
Phượng Hoàng Đất
24 The Two Stone Dogs........... 114 34 The Crab Couple............. . 160
Hai Con Chó Đá Đôi Sam Khắng Khít
25 The Ant That Sued 35 Brotherly Love
the Yam................................ 118 Conquers All................... . 164
Cái Kiến Mày Kiện Củ Khoai Anh Em Nhà Họ Điền
26 The Fair Judge..................... 122 36 The River Kingdom
Phân Xừ Tài Tinh Princess........................... . . 168
Công Chúa Thuỷ Cung
27 The Entrapped Con Man ... 126
Đại Bợm Mắc Bẫy 37 The Quicksilver-Filled
Scale................................ .. 172
28 The Woman with Two
Cái Cân Thuỷ Ngân
Husbands............................ 130
Người Đàn Bà Hai Chồng 38 The Story of the
Narcissus......................... . . 176
29 The Wise Wife and Her
Hoa Thuỷ Tiên
Idiotic Husband................... 134
Vợ Khôn Chồng Dại 39 The Fable of the
Grasshopper..................... . . 180
30 The Story of the Brooms .. 140
Sự Tích Con Cào Cào
Sự Tích Cái Chổi
40 The Witnessing Termite.. .. 184
31 A Son Was Born beíore the
Con Mối Làm Chửng
Father................................ 144
Sinh Con Rồi Mới Sinh Cha
Vietnamese-English
32 The Three Heroes............. 148 Vocabulary....................... . . 190
Ba Chàng Tài Ba Idiomatic Expressions........... . . 214
33 A Faithful Love Story........ 154 Reíerences.............................. . . 219
Mối Tình Chung Thuỷ Audio Tracklist..................... . . 220
6
Foreword
The Vietnamese teach their children not only the language, but also the history and cul-
tural values of their people, using íolktales passed down from generation to generation.
Through this collection of short stories, it is our genuine hope that the reader will enjoy
a glimpse of Vietnamese life—both mystic and actual—in antiquity, from the time the
Earth was governed by supernatural povvers to the time society was under feudal rule.
We have scouted the archives for rare and seldom-told fables, wherein wondrous worlds
unfold, sharing hard-earned lessons, the origins of Vietnamese traditions, and universal
truths. As these tales have been passed down for centuries through the oral tradition,
cultural notes have been included for a full and thoughtful understanding of how the
characters’ natural and social environments caused them to behave and interact vvithin
the societal structures of their time.
More often than not, culture is a by-product of the acquisition of a new language.
At least, that is how most language classes and textbooks are structured. Ihis compila-
tion, on the other hand, attempts to enhance the reader’s language-learning experience
through the cultural context. In this mode, language is subtly imparted through the
immersion in descriptions of riveting events and traditional practices. This book is for
mid- to high-intermediate language learners. With English and Vietnamese versions
set side by side, the reader will be able to trace how each word or idiomatic phrase
is translated to retain the essence of the original text. Additionally, each story comes
with a glossary (broken down into parts of speech), which includes selected idiomatic
expressions. New vocabulary is oíten recycled to facilitate the reader’s learning process.
Cultural notes clariíy some details in the stories for better understanding, as well as
better appreciation of the texts. Finally, discussion questions create dialogue for critical
thinking, points of yiew, psychological and philosophical observations, etc.
This collection of foiklore was compiled in the spirit of an old Vietnamese saying “ổn
cố tri tân” (“Review old things to understand new ones”). It is the authors’ ambition that
it serves the readers’ language-learning goals and is passed down to future generations.
We sincerely hope that you can relate with some of its diverse characters and situations,
which celebrate the human condition in all its triumph and folly. Lets now turn the page
and begin our cultural and linguistic journey!
Tri c. Tran and Tram Le
University of California, Irvine
7
The Magic Longbow
Trong Thuy and Mỵ Chau
Love can become complicated when it involves the destiny oftwo nations. It is all
the more complicated when one person acts out of the expression of true love while
the other one acts out ofselfish gain. The story tells ofthe tragedy of a king whose
daughter connives with her husband, the son of a neighboring countrys king. The
latter, neighboring king has the wicked intention of using the young couple’s
marriage tofulfill his ambition oỷland conquest.
King An Duong Vuong ruled over the kingdom of Au Lac and had a daughter named
My Chau. The king gave orders for a citadel to be constructed to protect his territo-
ry. Strangely, as soon as a part of the íòrtress was constructed, that part collapsed. An
Duong Vuong gave oderings to ask the gods for help. Aíter several days and nights, a
gigantic golden turtle appeared. It was the god Kim Quy.
He said, “The íòrtress is collapsing because a demon is destroying it. I wiU help you
build a íortress that cannot be messed with anymore.”
From that moment on, they were able to build the strong íbrtress without hindrance.
Following Kim Quy’s instructions, the íòrtress was built in a unique spiral shape. The
people called it “Loa (old spiral) Citadel” because of this.
When the god bid farewell, the king respectíully asked, “Your holiness, the entire
kingdom of Au Lac is deeply indebted to you. Loa Citadel is very strong, but how do we
fight back if we are surrounded by invaders?”
Kim Quy removed one of his claws and gave it to the king saying, “I give you this
claw to make into a longbow. When you are in danger, say my name three times. I will
come to help you.”
When he hnished, the god disappeared into the ocean. The king commanded that
a longbow be íashioned from the claw. This magic longbow was marvelous—each pull
shot out thousands of arrows at the same time.
To the north of Au Lac was the country of Nam Viet where Trieu Da ruled. Trieu
Da had invaded Au Lac with his armies many times, but never successíully. With the
magical longbow, An Duong Vuongs army easily destroyed Nam Viets army. Knovving
that My Chau was looking for a husband, Trieu Da pretended to make peace with An
Duong Vuong, and asked for My Chaus hand in marriage to his son, Trong Thuy. An
Duong Vuong agreed to give away his daughter in order to strengthen the bond between
the tvvo countries. Trong Thuy went to Au Lac to live with his wife’s íamily in the palace.
Aíter living some time with My Chau, he began trying to inveigle iníòrmation from her.
He asked in íeigned innocence, “Au Lac’s army doesrít have very many weapons, so
how does it always manage to destroy the enemy’s innumerable íòrces?”
8
Chuyện Cây Nỏ Thân
Trọng Thuỷ Mỵ Châu
Tình yêu có thể trở thành phức tạp khi nó liên quan đến vận mệnh của hal quốc gia.
Lại càng phức tạp hơn nữa khi một bên có tình yêu thật sự, còn một bên chỉ vì một
mục đích nào khác. Câu chuyện kể vè thảm kịch của một nhà vua có cô con gái
thông đồng với chồng là con của một vì vua nước láng giềng có dă tâm dùng hôn
nhân của hai người trẻ tuổi để đạt được tham vọng xâm lăng của mình.
Vua An Dương Vương ở xứ Âu Lạc có người con gái tên Mỵ Châu. Nhà vua ban lệnh
xây thành luỹ kiên cố để bảo vệ bờ cõi. Có điều lạ là thành cứ xây lên đến đâu thì lại sụp
đổ đến đó. An Dương Vương lập đàn cầu xin Trời giúp đỡ. Sau mấy ngày đêm, có một
con rùa vàng khổng lồ hiện ra. Đó là thần Kim Quy. Thần bảo:
- Thành xây lên lại sụp xuống là vì có yêu quái phá phách. Ta sẽ giúp nhà vua xây
thành mà không bị quấy nhiễu nữa.
Từ lúc đó trở đi, thành được xây lên ngày càng kiên cố. Theo lời chỉ bảo của thần
Kim Quy, thành được xây theo hình trôn ốc. Người dân gọi đây là Loa thành vì hình dạng
độc đáo của nó. Khi thần Kim Quy từ biệt, nhà vua cung kính hỏi:
- Thưa Thần, toàn dân Âu Lạc hết lòng đội ơn Thần. Loa thành thật là kiên cố, song
nếu giặc bao vây thành thì láy gì mà chống cự?
Thần Kim Quy lấy một cái móng vuốt của mình, đưa cho nhà vua mà rằng:
- Ta tặng nhà vua cái móng này để chế thành cái nỏ. Khi lâm nguy, nhà vua hãy gọi
tên ta ba lần; ta sẽ đến giúp nhà vua.
Nói xong, Thần đi thẳng xuống biển rồi biến mất. Nhà vua truyền lệnh chế móng vuốt
thành nỏ. Nỏ thần thật kỳ diệu, mỗi lần bắn ra được hàng ngàn mũi tên cùng một lúc.
Phía bắc của Âu Lạc là nước Nam Việt do Triệu Đà cai trị. Đã nhiều lần Triệu Đà
đem quân xâm lấn Âu Lạc nhưng không thành. Từ lúc có nỏ thần, quân của An Dương
Vương lại càng dễ bề tiêu diệt quân Nam Việt. Biết Mỵ Châu đang kén chồng, Triệu Đà
vờ làm hoà rồi xin hỏi cưới công chúa cho con trai của mình là Trọng Thuỷ. An Dương
Vương thuận gả con mình, cốt để thắt chặt mối giao hảo giữa hai nước. Trọng Thuỷ
sang Âu Lạc, gởi rề tại hoàng cung, sống với Mỵ Châu được một thời gian, chàng bắt
đầu lân la dò hỏi tin tức. Chàng vờ như vô tình, hỏi Mỵ Châu:
- Vũ khí của quân Âu Lạc không lấy gì làm nhiều, cớ sao lúc nào cũng tiêu diệt được
vô số đối phương?
Mỵ Châu lúc này đã thật bụng yêu thương và tin tưởng chồng. Nàng thật tình kể hết
cho Trọng Thuỷ nghe đầu đuôi câu chuyện rồi lén vua cha đưa Trọng Thuỷ đến nơi dấu
nỏ thần. Trọng Thuỷ tìm cách đánh tráo nỏ giả để lấy nỏ thần. ít lâu sau, Trọng Thuỷ lấy
cớ nhớ nhà muốn về thăm quê hương. Chàng thủ thỉ với vợ:
9
By this time, My Chau truly loved and trusted her husband. She told him everything
from beginning to end, and even snuck him past her íather into the place vvhere they hid
the magic longbovv. Trong Thuy íòund a way to switch the magic longbow with a fake
one. Not too long afterwards, he made an excuse that he missed his family and vvanted
to visit his homeland.
He sweetly said to My Chau, “I have to go home to visit the King Father and Queen
Mother. If something unfortunate separates you and me, what should I do?”
My Chau gently replied, “I have a shirt made of precious goose íeathers. If anything
happens, I will leave a trail of íeathers. Just follow it to find me.”
Trong Thuy brought the magic longbow home as a present for his íather. Trieu Da
did not hesitate and immediately ordered his army to fight Au Lac. An Duong Vuong
was conhdent that his magic longbow was going to destroy the enemy íòrces as usual.
Of course, the fake longbow could not stop the enemy from rushing in like water from
a broken dam. Seeing that the situation was perilous, An Duong Vuong sprang onto his
horse with My Chau, and headed straight for the South. While he made his escape, the
king suddenly remembered Kim Quys words, so he loudly called out the gods name
three times.
Kim Quy appeared and iníòrmed the king, “Your enemy is none other than the one
sitting right behind you!”
An Duong Vuong suddenly understood what had happened. He unsheathed his
sword and beheaded My Chau. Later, Trong Thuy followed the goose feather markings
My Chau left behind, only to find his wife’s corpse. He hugged her and cried. Then he
jumped into a nearby well, killing himselí.
People say that My Chaus blood ran into the ocean, soaked into the mussels with
pearls in them, and dyed them crimson red. If you can find one of these pearls and wash
it with water from the well where Trong Thuy drowned, the pearl will suddenly become
brilliant and sparkle spectacularly.
Ỷ Ỷ Ỷ
Cultural Notes
1. As in some other Asian cultures, the turtle is one of the four holy animals in Viemam. The
other three are the dragon, the qilin and the phoenix.
2. Ít was customary that a married woman lived with her husbands family (to take care of the
whole íamily), in a practice called “làm dâu.” However, there were a number of married men
who lived with their wife’s íamily, as is the case in this story. This practice is called “gửi rể.”
Vocabulary and Expressions
NOUNS mối giao hảo good thành luỹ citadel and rampart
bờ cõi ỷrontier, territorỵ relationship tình hình situation
đối phương enemy, rival móng vuốt claw vũ khí weapon
hình trôn ốc spiralform mũi tên arrow vua cha the King Father
kẻ thù enemỵ nỏ thần magic longbow yêu quái demon
lông ngỗng goosefeather rùa vàng golden turtle
mẫu hậu the Queen Mother thần genie
10 The Magic Longbow