The mountain and forest in an autumn evening amidst nature’s magnificence evokes memories of the places of yore in the traveler’s heart. The sound of the forest stream resonating from afar resembles the enchanting sound of music, creating more yearning for the homeland.
“In the brocade forest, autumn poses, delicate wings of silky gold O my heart, stirred you not with the Đà River waves With eyes forlorn toward the mountainous tribe Poetry composed on a blade of grass in the wild. Evening rain’s quiet echo on the brook From a village afar, melodious mountain music Mist envelops frontier roads The melancholic voice of farewell, hushed tears falling. Clouds drifting over a distant islet and silvery summit In stilt houses, yearning abounds. With lightened traces of elegant footprints Has the color of your indigo dress faded as well? Whirling fire radiates the light of golden dreams Rosy cheeks reflect the forest’s essence. Fingers perfumed with wild grass scent Delicate clouds lovingly caress fine tresses. The indigenous young woman’s embroidered skirt Native fabric lined with flowers and cloud hues Tender gazes imbued with tribal affection Dreams take flight in the bonfire’s ascending smoke. The ambrosia’s sweet taste ever invigorating Making one light-headed without even imbibing. Primitive pan-pipe resonates through the night The lone stream is overcome with sadness Misty smoke in the shadow of forlorn mountains At night’s end, an anguished heart amidst the sonance of waterfalls A mystical song awakes the mountain deity Immersed in the ancient sound of the somber flame Rains wailing over the reeds, across the alpine pass, Winds whistling through rock hollows, and stream waters follow. Breathtaking is the foliage’s aroma With a touch of sorrow comes the end of a long dream Highland maiden’s dress a mystifying green Jungle eyes mirrored in the blue stream A lost muntjac howls atop the peak From the sky and sea, nostalgia spreads suddenly! Charmed by the gibbon’s ever grievous sound Among mountain birds, muntjacs call their herd. Her face, flowers of the forest, rain during one’s slumber How I love her hair, flowing like the clouds.”
A song that has dwelled in people’s hearts like a timeless folk melody, “O Cuội” remains deep in the memory of all Aulacese (Vietnamese) children. The luminous beauty of the moon kindles in little ones the innocent dream of visiting a magical world during the full moon. “Heaven bestows on the 15th day of the eighth month a truly big bright moon Children who like to laugh and want to go to the moon can ask God to lend a ladder.”
“In the ivory moon there’s a grand banyan tree and old Cuội holding on to his dream (holding on to his dream). Be still and listen to me, O Cuội: “Why do you stay up in the moon for so long?” In the ivory moon there’s a grand banyan tree and old Cuội holding on to his dream (holding on to his dream). The wind is not home The wind soars in thousands of directions On and on it goes without stopping In the sky of our country (in the sky of our country.) Be still to listen to the moon and wind telling each other Where is your homeland, O sister? The wind is not home The wind soars in thousands of directions On and on it goes without stopping In the sky of our country (in the sky of our country.)
There’s a cricket singing all night long His song’s a gift, thus he’s raggedy poor (thus he’s raggedy poor.) Rewarding the cricket’s crooning from the heart Heaven sends the stars shining on thousands of places There’s a cricket singing all night long His song’s a gift, thus he’s raggedy poor (thus he’s raggedy poor.)
Light falls on the hill, light climbs on the tree The light’s legs are tired, so it sits down here (it sits down here.) Together watching the light smiling happily Let’s have fun, sisters and brothers Light falls on the hill, light climbs on the tree The light’s legs are tired, so it sits down here (it sits down here.)
Children who like to laugh and want to go to the moon can ask God to lend a ladder. (to lend a ladder) Heaven bestows on the 15th day of the eighth month a truly big bright moon Children who like to laugh and want to go to the moon can ask God to lend a ladder. (to lend a ladder)”
“That good? Is it truly good, or do you just want to raise my ego so that you can laugh. Huh? Really good? (Very good!) As long as it’s lively, it’s good, huh? Doesn’t matter what.”
Paradise is a place of peace and happiness; it is a celestial realm where the melodious sound of the flute that transcends worldly ties is heard and allows us to listen to the story of the heart from time immemorial.
“Spring’s tenderly glide on new verdant grass In the woods, a couple of fairies play the flutes Solitude echoes in the sound of music Melancholy permeates in this remote wild…
Lovely fairies by the stream’s source, tresses flowing Spruce trees whisper on the lone hillock Behind the mountain pass, rosy clouds hang still Trees bask in sunlight, as afternoon’s reluctant to leave
In the cerulean sky high above, lo! Two white cranes fly back to paradise Two white cranes fly back to paradise Soaring high, reaching the farthest clouds With the birds, the flute sound ascends Then descends to the stream near the enchanting fairies Soaring high, reaching the farthest clouds Lingering close, resonating by lush green trees Soothing as a sweet amour Charming as a fay dancing in the air Gentle zephyr in the celestial land The grief of fairy Ngọc Chân carried to a distant shore...”
Love is the sustenance of all existence. When love comes, the world shines with faith and vibrancy. One’s heart is like a flower blossoming, with laughter reverberating. But when love is absent, the heart withers, being left with despair. Only with the touch of true love will one’s soul rediscover the everlasting spring of youth and joy again.
“The pleasure of love lasts just for a while The grief of love endures forever The joys of love are just a moment long The pain of love endures the whole life long.”
