The Story of TU-THUC – The Land of Bliss – Section 2
Hits: 1079
LAN BACH LE THAI 1
Yet one day, he felt home-sick, and expressed his desir to go back to his native village, just for a short visit. GIANG HUONG tried to prevent him from leaving, but he kept of being sad and would not enjoy sweet music or the soft golden moonlight, or any other celestial pleasure.
The Fairy-Queen, who was consulted, said,
« So he wishes to go back to the world of toil and sadness down below. Then his wish should be granted, for what is the good of keeping him here, his heart still laden with earthly remembrance ? »
GIANG HUONG burst into tears, and the separation was painful. TU-THUC was asked to shut his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he realized he was on earth again, in a strange place. He asked the way for his own village, and the people answered he was already in it. Yet, he did not seem to recognize it. Instead of a muddy bank, and a boat taking passengers to the neighbouring village, he saw a new bridge with a lot of people he never met before, going to and fro. A prosperous market place arose at the place of a green field and a marshy meadow.
« Either I am misled or else I have lost my mind », said TU-THUC. « Oh dear, what can it be ? what can it be ? »
He turned back, perfectly convinced this was not his own village. On the way he met an old man.
« Excuse me, venerable grandfather,» he said to the old man, « my name is Tu-Thuc, and I am looking for my native village. Would you be kind enough to show me the way to it? »
« Tu-Thuc ? Tu-Thuc ? » the old man seemed to search hard in his mind. « I have heard that one of my ancestors, the Chief of the Tien-Du district, was named Tu-Thuc. But he resigned from his office about a hundred years ago, set off for an unknown destination and never came back. It was towards the end of the Tran dynasty and we are now under the fourth king of the Le dynasty. »
TU-THUC gave an account of his miraculous experience, reckoned and realized he had stayed in the Land of Bliss for just a hundred days.
« I have heard that in the Land of Bliss a day is as long as a year on earth. Then you are my most venerable ancestor Tu-Thuc. Please let me show you your old abode. »
He led him to a desolate place, where there was nothing to be seen but an old, wretched, dilapidated hut.
TU-THUC was so unhappy and disappointed, for all the people he knew were now dead, and the young generation had new ways and manners which completely bewildered him.
So he set out again in sfearch for the fairyland and went into the blue forests, but whether he had found it again or got himself lost in the mountains, nobody knew.
… be continue in Section 2 …
NOTES:
1 : R.W. PARKES’ Foreword introduces LE THAI BACH LAN and her short-stories books: “Mrs. Bach Lan has assembled an interesting selection of Vietnamese legends for which I am glad to write a brief foreword. These tales, well and simply translated by the author, have considerable charm, derived in no small part from the sense they convey of familiar human situations clothed in exotic dress. Here, in tropical settings, we have faithful lovers, jealous wives, unkind stepmothers, the stuff of which so many Western folk stories are made. One story indeed is Cinderella over again. I trust that this little book will find many readers and stimulate friendly interest in a country whose present-day problems are regrettably better known than her past culture. Saigon, 26th February 1958.”
2 : … updating…
BAN TU THU
07 /2020
NOTES:
◊ Contents and images – Source: Vietnamese Legends – Mrs. LT. BACH LAN. Kim Lai An Quan Publishers, Saigon 1958.
◊ Featured sepiaized images has been set by Ban Tu Thu – thanhdiavietnamhoc.com.
SEE ALSO:
◊ Vietnamese version (vi-VersiGoo): DO QUYEN – Câu chuyen ve TINH BAN.