The Golden Star Fruit Tree (Ăn Khế Trả Vàng) - Vietnam Mon Pays Natal

French version

Vietnamnese version

The golden star fruit tree

Once upon a time there were two brothers who divided an inheritance at the death of their parents. The elder, greedy and stingy, took all the wealth and left to his younger brother and his wife only a dilapidated hut and and a star fruit tree with juicy but stunted fruits. But the two younger spouses hardly complained and were contented with this meager share. They took care of their star fruit tree and watered it in such a way that the tree took back it vigor and bore lots of fruits. When the star fruits began to ripe, a extraordinarily large raven came every morning to eat them. No matter what they did, it was impossible for the couple to chase the bird away. Chargined, the wife lamented:  » Poor us. As poor as we are, the only thing we count much on was what that star fruit tree brings us; now look, this bird ravaged it all. We will probably know starvation ». Miracle! The raven upon hearing those lamentations, perched down and replied in a human voice:  » Star fruits I eat, with gold I pay, be ready with a three-foot bag and follow me to get it ».

Afraid the woman ran in the hut to look for her husband. They discussed and decided to sew the bag according to the indicated size, waiting for the return of the bird. A few days later, the bird came back, ate all the star fruits then got down from the tree to invite the husband to take a seat on its back with the bag. Then they disappeared together in the horizon. Frightened, the younger brother closed his eyes. The bird took him very far before landing on a deserted island, full of precious stones. He was free to take whatever he could.

He filled the bag and the raven took him back to his home. From then on, the couple knew opulence, lived in luxury places. They often gave help to the poor. On the occasion of the commemoration of his parents’ death, the couple invited the elder brother to come over. Full of despise of his younger brother, the elder look for a pretext to decline and aksed that the younger carpet the road with mats and adorn the gate with gold if he wanted to receive him. Respectful of his elder brother, the younger complied with the latter’s wish. The elder brother and his wife were surprised to see the younger couple’s opulence and wealth. Curious, the elder skillfully tried to penetrate the mystery. His younger brother, honest and frank, did not hesitate to tell him the story of the giant raven that took him to look for gold.

The elder couple proposed an exchange of their fortune for only the hut and the star fruit tree. The younger agreed. One day, the raven came back to eat the star fruits and gave the same recommendation: a three-foot bag to go looking for gold. The elder greedy and curious, brought with him two big six-foot bags and when on the spot, filled them with gold. On the way back, burdened by the overweight of of the two bags, the raven who could not hold any longer, swayed and sent the elder to the sea where he drowned. The elder was the object of much despise when people knew about his greed and stinginess. God always helps good people and always punishes naughty people.

The golden star fruit tree