Contes

French version

Once upon a time in a faraway region of Vietnam, there was a young, brave and generous farmer of the name Ngọc Tâm. He had a wife of the name Nhan Diệp She was gracious and charming. Contrary to her husband who was thrifty and hard working, she was lazy and loved luxury. In spite of that, Ngoc Tâm loved his wife and forgave her for anything. Unfortunately, this union lasted only for a short time because his wife died brutally on a beautiful morning. Sinking into distress, Ngọc Tâm did not want to stay away from the corpse of his wife and opposed to her burial. After having sold all his assets, he embarked in a sampan with the casket and drifted with the current without having in mind any precise destination. One day, his sampan took him to the foot of a green and scented hill. Landing on ground, he discovered a landscape imprinted with the beauty of rare flowers and trees bearing varied fruits. During the time he continued his exploration, he suddenly met an old man with his long hair as white as his goatie beard.

From the old man emanated a great serenity and a surprising compassion, which allowed him to understand he had in front of him a God of Places. He threw himself down to the old man’s feet, then implore him to give back life to his wife. Feeling sorry for him, the God said: « I am going to grant your wish because your love and grief are sincere. But could you not regret it later on! ». Then he asked the peasant to open the casket, and cut the end of his finger and let three drops of blood fall on the body of his wife Nhan Diep. Right away, the latter opened her eyes as if she got out of a long lethargy.

Her forces returned very fast. Before leaving, the God told the woman: « Don’t forget your duties of a wife. Think of the love your husband brought to you and of his devotion. Be happy both of you. »

Hurrying to go back home, the peasant Ngọc Tâm tried to row days and nights. One evening, he had to land to buy groceries. During his absence, a big boat of a wealthy merchant drew up alonside his.

Hurrying to go back home, the peasant Ngọc Tâm tried to row days and nights. One evening, he had to land to buy groceries. During his absence, a big boat of a wealthy merchant drew up alonside his.

Caught by the beauty of Nhan Diệp, the merchant got into a conversation with her, ended up seducing her and taking her with him to a new destination. Upon his return, furious Ngọc Tâm decided to launch himself into the pursuit of the rich merchant. He succeeded in finding the latter after long months of search. He found his wife and proposed her to go back to him. Used to easy life, the latter refused to the proposal. Right then, the peasant recovered from his craze and told his wife:  » You are free to leave me. But you have to give back my three drops of blood that I poured on your body to revive you ».

Happy for getting rid of her stupid husband at a good deal, Nhan Diệp hurried to prick her finger. But at the time the blood began to flow, she tumbled down dead. This frivolous and light-hearted woman could not be resigned to leave this world definitively. She came back by transforming herself into a minuscule insect relentlessly pursuing Ngọc Tâm to steal from him the three drops of blood that brought her to human life.

This tiny creature is known later as the mosquito.

English version

Il était une fois dans une région lointaine du Viêt-Nam un jeune paysan, brave et généreux de nom Ngọc Tâm. Il avait une femme de nom « Nhan Diệp ». Celle-ci était gracieuse et charmante. Contrairement à son mari qui était économe et laborieux, elle était paresseuse et aimait bien le luxe. Malgré cela, Ngọc Tâm aimait toujours  sa femme et lui pardonnait tout. Malheureusement, cette union ne fut que de courte durée car sa femme mourut brutalement un beau matin. Sombrant dans la détresse, Ngọc Tâm ne voulut pas se séparer du corps de sa femme et s’opposa à son ensevelissement. Après avoir vendu ses biens, il s’embarqua dans un sampan avec le cercueil et erra au gré du courant, n’ayant en tête aucune destination précise.

Un jour, son sampan l’amena au pied d’une colline verdoyante et parfumée. Descendu sur terre, il découvrit un paysage empreint de beauté avec des fleurs rares, des arbres chargés des fruits variés. Au moment où il continua son exploration, il rencontra soudain un vieillard aux longs cheveux blancs tout comme sa barbiche. Il se dégagea du vieil homme une grande sérénité et une miséricorde étonnante, ce qui lui permit de comprendre qu’il avait devant lui un génie des Lieux. Il se jeta à ses pieds, puis il l’implora de rendre la vie à sa femme.

Pris de pitié pour lui, le génie lui dit:  » Je vais exaucer tes vœux car ton amour et ta douleur sont sincères. Mais puissiez-vous ne pas trop le regretter plus tard ! ». Puis il demanda au paysan d’ouvrir le cercueil, de se couper le bout du doigt et de laisser tomber trois gouttes de sang sur le corps de sa femme Nhan Diệp. Aussitôt, celle-ci ouvrit les yeux comme si elle sortait d’une longue léthargie.

Ses forces revinrent très vite. Avant la séparation, le Génie s’adressa à sa femme: « N’oubliez pas vos devoirs d’épouse. Pensez à l’amour que votre époux vous porte et à son dévouement. Soyez heureux tous les deux. » Pressé de rentrer chez lui, le paysan Ngọc Tâm essaya de ramer des jours et des nuits. Un soir, il dut débarquer pour acheter des provisions. Durant son absence, le grand bateau d’un riche commerçant vint se placer à côté du sien. Séduit par la beauté de Nhan Diệp, le marchand engagea la conversation avec elle, finit par la séduire et l’emmena avec lui vers une nouvelle destination.

A son retour, Ngọc Tâm, furieux décida de se lancer à la poursuite du riche marchand. Il parvint à retrouver ce dernier après de longs mois de recherche. Il retrouva sa femme et proposa à cette dernière de le rejoindre. Habituée à la vie facile, celle-ci refusa cette proposition. Du coup le paysan fut guéri de son amour et dit à sa femme: << Tu es libre de me quitter. Mais tu dois me rendre les trois gouttes de sang que j’ai versées sur ton corps pour te ranimer >>.
Heureuse de se débarrasser à si bon compte de son stupide mari, Nhan Diệp s’empressa de se piquer le doigt. Mais au moment où le sang commença à couler, elle s’écroula morte. Cette femme frivole et légère ne put pas se résigner à quitter définitivement ce monde. Elle y revint en se transformant en moustique  (con muỗi) poursuivant sans relâche Ngọc Tâm pour lui voler les trois gouttes de sang permettant de la ramener à la vie humaine.

Cette bestiole est connue plus tard sous le nom de moustique. 

English version

Comme les Européens, les Vietnamiens ont aussi la fête des Mères. C’est la fête du Vu Lan au 15è jour du 7ème mois lunaire.
Il était une fois une dame méchante au nom de Thanh Ðề. Elle était impitoyable envers les pauvres et surtout envers les mendiants. Elle ne faisait jamais aumône et chassait tout mendiant qui se présentait au portail de sa maison. Elle n’hésitait pas à piétiner des grains de riz, recueillis par les pauvres paysans s’échinant à longueur d’année sur leurs terres. Elle se moquait des bonzes et des bonzesses en cherchant à rompre leur quiétude. Elle blasphémait Bouddha, méprisait les esprits et offrait à la pagode des victuailles de jeûne auxquelles elle avait mêlé des aliments carnés.
Malgré les conseils de son fils Mục Kiền Liên qui fut un bonze de haute vertu, elle ne l’écoutait guère. A sa mort, elle rejoignit le Royaume des Morts et dut payer ses fautes commises dans le monde des vivants: s’asseoir sur un lit à clous, porter sur la tête un seau rempli de sang, rester affamée et assoiffée car tout aliment qu’on lui mettait dans sa bouche se fondait en sang et se muait en flamme.

Lễ Vu Lan

Mục Kiền Liên, une fois l’illumination atteinte, put descendre dans le Royaume des Morts pour voir sa mère. Il fut témoin des châtiments qu’elle encourut. Il ne put rien pour changer le cours justicier du décret céleste et ne put pas non plus se substituer à sa mère. Il fut obligé d’aller voir Bouddha et demanda grâce à ce dernier. Celui-ci lui ordonna d’organiser au 15ème jour du 7ème mois lunaire, la cérémonie de Vu Lan, au cours de laquelle il pourrait solliciter la remise de peine pour sa mère avec les prières et l’aumône.

De retour sur terre, Mục Kiền Liên, le jour venu, dressa un autel en hommage à Bouddha tout en faisant aumône et cérémonie bien austère et fervente. Thanh Ðề, dans le Royaume des Morts, prit conscience de la souffrance comme elle fut sensible à la faim et à la soif. Les difficultés qu’elle rencontrait l’amenaient à se départir au fur et à mesure de sa nature méchante et à connaître le remords. La piété de Mục Kiền Liên remua la porte du Ciel. Le père céleste réexamina le cas de Thanh Ðề, constata qu’elle avait pu se repentir et l’acquitta. Il fut permis à Mục Kiền Liên de descendre dans l’enfer ramener sa mère à la vie.

Depuis lors, Thanh Ðề, de tout cœur, honora Bouddha, respecta les bonzes, secourut les pauvres.  En s’inspirant de cet exemple, les enfants pieux, selon la coutume vietnamienne, au 15ème jour du 7ème mois lunaire, érigent un autel à la mémoire des défunts et font aumône aux pauvres.

French version

Long time ago, there was a couple who lived in perfect happiness. They just had a baby when the war broke out. The husband was drafted and sent to combat at the frontiers. Days and nights, his wife was waiting for the return of her husband by pulling all her energy in the presence of her child. The child grew and began to speak. On an evening, a violent storm broke out. The thunder was rumbling so deafeningly shaking windows and doors. Seized by panic, the child started screaming. To calm him, his mother told him his father was there to protect him. She had the idea of showing her shadow on the wall and told him: « Don’t be afraid, your father is there. » The child look at the shadow and said to it: « Good evening, Daddy ». Reassured, the child went to sleep. From that day on, the child had the habit of claiming his father and said « Good evening » to him before going to bed, which required the woman to lean every night before the lamp to create her shadow.

Finally the war ended. The husband came home. The man discovered with tenderness and emotion the child he had left when he was still a baby. Instead of hugging his father, the child pushed him out with virulence: « Leave me alone, you’re not my father. My Dad only comes at night ». The husband, overwhelmed with grief and hurt in his pride, thought that his wife deceived him for another man and decided not to inquire further. From then on he kept a very frigid and distant attitude without taking care of either the child or his wife who continued to show him their love. The misunderstanding incited the man to depart one day without leaving any address.

Time passed, the worried wife asked herself questions on the attitude of her husband and continued to wait for his return. Unfortunately, sorrow and despair took over the young woman on a beautiful day. She decided to put an end to her days by drowning herself in the river after having entrusted her child to the care of his kins.

Having learned of the death of his wife and taken by remorse, the man went back home. In the evening, when he lit the lamp, his son happy to see his shadow appear on the wall, yelled: There, my Daddy ». The man then knew his terrible misunderstanding. The next day, he took his son to the riverside to implore forgiveness from his wife. The man promised to himself to stay single until the end of his life to take care of the child and that no other women would replace her in his heart.

Thiếu phụ Nam Xương

Version vietnamienne

Autrefois, il y avait un couple vivant dans un bonheur parfait. Il venait d’avoir un bébé lorsque la guerre éclata contre le Champa. Le mari fût enrôlé et envoyé combattre aux frontières. Jour et nuit, elle attendait le retour de son mari en puisant toute sa force dans l’occupation  de son enfant. Celui-ci grandissait et commençait à parler. Un soir, un violent orage éclata. Le tonnerre était tellement assourdissant et faisait trembler les fenêtres et les portes. Pris de panique, l’enfant se mit à hurler. Pour le calmer, sa mère lui dit que son père était là et le protégeait. Elle eut l’idée de montrer son ombre sur le mur en lui disant: « N’aie pas peur, voilà ton père ». L’enfant regarda l’ombre et lui dit  » Bonsoir, papa ». Rassuré, l’enfant s’endormit. Depuis ce jour, l’enfant eut l’habitude de réclamer son père et de dire à ce dernier  » Bonsoir  » avant son coucher, ce qui obligea la femme à se pencher tous les soirs devant la lampe pour créer son ombre.

La guerre se termina enfin. Le mari revint à la maison. L’homme découvrit avec tendresse et émotion l’enfant qu’il avait quitté quand il était encore bébé. Au lieu d’embrasser son père, l’enfant le repoussa avec virulence: « Laissez-moi tranquille, vous n’êtes pas mon père. Celui-ci ne vient que la nuit. Le mari, assommé de douleur et blessé dans son amour propre, crut que sa femme le trompait avec un autre homme et décida de ne pas l’interroger. Il se montra dès lors très froid et distant sans se préoccuper ni de l’enfant ni de sa femme qui continuait à lui témoigner son amour. L’incompréhension incita l’homme à s’en aller un beau jour sans laisser aucune adresse.

Les jours passèrent, la femme inquiète, se posait des questions sur l’attitude de son mari et continuait à attendre son retour. Malheureusement, la tristesse et le désespoir s’emparèrent un beau jour de cette jeune femme. Elle décida de mettre fin à ses jours en se noyant dans la rivière après avoir confié son enfant à ses proches.

Ayant appris la mort de sa femme et pris de remords, l’homme revint à la maison. Le soir, lorsqu’il alluma la lampe, son fils content de voir apparaître son ombre sur le mur, s’écria: « Voilà mon papa ». L’homme comprit alors sa terrible méprise. Le lendemain, il emmena son fils au bord de la rivière pour implorer le pardon de sa femme. L’homme lui promit de rester seul jusqu’à la fin de sa vie pour s’occuper de l’enfant et qu’aucune autre femme ne la remplacerait dans son cœur. 

Cette histoire est le seizième conte du vaste recueil de légendes merveilleuses de l’écrivain Nguyễn Dữ qui vécut au XVIème siècle dans une période assez troublée de l’histoire du Vietnam. C’est l’histoire de la femme connue sous le nom de Vũ Nương vivant à Nam Xư ơng dans la province de Hà Nam au nord du Vietnam.

Nguời thiếu phụ Nam Xương

Ngày xưa, có một cặp vợ chồng sống trong hạnh phúc viên mãn. Họ mới  vừa có một đứa con sinh ra khi chiến tranh bùng nổ với Chiêm Thành. Người chồng  phải nhập ngũ và được gửi đi chiến đấu ở nơi biên thùy. Ngày đêm, người vợ chờ đợi sự trở về của chồng, dốc hết sức lực  nuôi con. Cháu bé nầy đã lớn dần và bắt đầu biết nói. Một buổi tối, một cơn giông  tố dữ dội đã xảy ra. Sấm sét vang lên ầm ỹ chói tai và làm cho các cửa sổ và cửa nhà rung chuyển. Hoảng sợ, đứa trẻ bắt đầu la hét. Để trấn an con, người mẹ mới bảo con rằng cha của nó đã có ở đó và bảo vệ nó. Nàng  có ý tưởng chỉ bóng của mình lên tường nói: « Đừng sợ, bố của con đây ». Đứa trẻ nhìn vào cái bóng và nói « Chào bố ». Yên tâm, đứa trẻ ngủ thiếp đi. Kể từ ngày đó, đứa trẻ có thói quen đòi bố và nói  « Chào bố » trước khi đi ngủ, việc này buộc người phụ nữ phải nghiêng mình trước ngọn đèn mỗi tối để tạo bóng của mình cho con.

Cuộc chiến cuối cùng cũng được kết thúc. Người chồng trở về. Anh nầy  khám phá ra con và xúc động với sự dịu dàng mà anh ta đã bỏ ra đi khi nó còn bé. Thay vì ôm cha, đứa trẻ đẩy anh ra một cách mãnh liệt: « Để con yên, bố không phải là bố của con. Người này chỉ đến với con vào buổi tối. Người chồng choáng váng đau đớn và tổn thương ở bản thân, tưởng vợ lừa dối mình với một người đàn ông khác và nhất quyết không hỏi han về chuyện nầy. Từ đó  anh ta rất cư xử lạnh lùng, xa cách không lo lắng cho vợ con mặc dù nàng vẫn tiếp tục thể hiện tình yêu của mình với chồng. Sự  hiểu lầm nầy khiến anh ra đi một hôm  mà không để lại địa chỉ nào cả.

Ngày tháng trôi qua, người phụ nữ lo lắng thắc mắc về thái độ của chồng và tiếp tục chờ ngày trở về của chồng. Thật không may, nỗi buồn và tuyệt vọng đã đến với người phụ nữ trẻ này một hôm. Nàng quyết định tự kết liễu đời mình bằng cách trầm mình xuống sông sau khi giao con cho người thân giữ dùm.

Sau khi biết tin vợ qua đời và cảm thấy hối hận, người đàn ông này đã trở về nhà. Buổi tối lại, khi anh thắp đèn lên, cậu con trai vui mừng kêu lên khi thấy bóng của anh hiện lên trên tường: “Bố ơi, con đây rồi”. Người đàn ông sau đó mới hiểu ra sự sai lầm khủng khiếp của mình. Ngày hôm sau, anh ta đưa con trai ra bờ sông để cầu xin vợ tha thứ. Anh ta hứa sẽ ở một mình đến cuối đời để chăm sóc con và sẽ không có người phụ nữ nào khác thay thế nàng trong trái tim của anh ta.

Chuyện người con gái Nam Xương nầy nằm trong thiên thứ 16 của tác phẩm Truyền kì mạn lục, được sáng tác bởi nhà văn Nguyễn Dữ sống ở thế kỷ 16 trong thời kỳ khó khăn của đất nước. Chuyện kể về cuộc đời của nhân vật Vũ Nương. Vũ Nương tên thật là Vũ Thị Thiết, quê ở Nam Xương, tỉnh Hà Nam, miền bắc  Việt Nam.

French version

This mountain, known as  » Núi Vọng Phu » (The Mountain of the Woman who is waiting for her husband) is located not far from Lạng Sơn, quite close to the Sino-Vietnamese border. At the top of the mountain is a rock bearing the shape of a standing woman holding her child in her arms. This resemblance is striking when the sun sets on the horizon. The tale of this mountain is so touching it becomes thus one of the legends preferred by Vietnamese and gives so much inspiration to Vietnamese poets, in particular composer Lê Thương through his three songs Hòn Vọng Phu I, II and III presented here in format mp3.

Long time ago, in a village on the highland region, lived two orphans, one was a young man about twenty years old, the other was his seven years old sister. Because they were alone in this world, they were all one for the other. On a beautiful day, a traveling astrologer told the young man when he consulted him on their future:

<< If I’m not mistaken, you will fatally marry your sister with all your days and hours of your births. Nothing could turn the course of your destiny >>.
Tormented by this terrible prediction, he decided to kill his sister on a beautiful morning when he suggested to take her to the forest to cut wood. Taking advantage of his sister’s inattention, he felled her with a stroke of ax and fled. He decided to change his name and resettled in Lang Son. Many years went by. On a beautiful day he married a merchant’s daughter who gave him a son and made him happy.

On a beautiful morning, he found his wife sitting in the back yard drying her long black hair under the sunshine. At the time when she glided the comb on her hair that she lifted with her other hand, he discovered a long scar above the back of her neck. Surprised, he asked her for its cause. Hesitating, she began to tell the story crying:

<< I am only the adoptive daughter of the merchant. Orphaned, I lived with my brother who, fifteen years ago for unknown reasons, injured me with a blow of an ax and abandoned me in the forest. I was rescued by the robbers who sold me to this merchant who had just lost his daughter and who was sorry for my situation. I don’t know what happened to my brother and it is hard for me to explain his insensitive act. However we love each other so much.>>

The husband overcame his emotion and asked his wife for information concerning her father’s and brother’s names and her native village. Taken by remorse while keeping for himself the frightening secret, he was ashamed and horrified himself. He tries to stay away from his wife and his son by taking advantage of the military draft to enroll in the army and hoping to find the delivery on the battleground.

From the day of his departure, in ignorance of the truth, his wife waited for him with patience and resignation. Every evening, she took her son in her arms and climbed up the mountain looking out for the return of her husband. She made the same gesture for entire years.

On a beautiful day, reaching the top of the mountain, exhausted and stayed standing, her eyes fixed to the horizon, she was changed into rock and immobile in her eternal wait.