Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh
A Vietnamese folk tale of courage and cleverness: the Mountain Spirit and the Water Spirit both seek the princess's hand — and their rivalry explains the yearly floods.
Long ago, during the reign of the eighteenth Hung King, there was a gentle princess named My Nuong. She was beautiful, kind, and deeply loved by her father. The king wished to find a worthy husband for his daughter.
My Nuong loved nature. She enjoyed caring for flowers, listening to the birds sing, and walking through the gardens. Everyone admired her gentle heart and graceful manners.
One day, two young men came to ask for My Nuong's hand in marriage. The first was Son Tinh, the Mountain Spirit of Tan Vien Mountain, who could make mountains rise with magical power. The second was Thuy Tinh, the Spirit of Water, who could call the wind and bring the rain.
Both Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh were talented and powerful. The Hung King found it very difficult to choose between them, so he thought carefully and decided on a fair test.
The king said, “Tomorrow morning, whoever brings the wedding gifts first will marry My Nuong.” Both Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh agreed to the challenge.
The gifts were extraordinary: one hundred trays of sticky rice, one hundred square rice cakes, a pair of nine-tusked elephants, a pair of nine-spurred roosters, and a pair of red-maned horses.
Early the next morning, Son Tinh arrived first, bringing every gift the king had asked for. True to his promise, the king agreed that Son Tinh would marry My Nuong.
A joyful wedding was held. Son Tinh and My Nuong stood side by side as the people cheered, and the happy procession set off toward the mountains of Tan Vien.
Thuy Tinh arrived too late and found that My Nuong was already gone. Filled with anger, he called fierce winds and pouring rain, and the waters rose higher and higher, flooding the fields and homes of Phong Chau.
Son Tinh was not afraid. Using his magical power, he lifted the hills and mountains higher and built strong barriers to hold back the floodwaters. As the water rose, the mountains rose even higher.
The struggle continued for many days. Thuy Tinh kept sending more water, while Son Tinh kept raising the mountains to protect the people. At last, Thuy Tinh grew tired and was forced to retreat.
From that time on, Thuy Tinh has never forgotten his anger. Every year he sends rain and floods once again, but Son Tinh always stands firm and protects the land and its people. This is the ancient Vietnamese explanation for the floods that return with each rainy season.
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