Once upon a time, in a peaceful village, there lived a humble woodcutter named Cuội. Every day, he ventured deep into the forest to gather firewood and earn his livelihood. One fateful day, while wandering through the woods, Cuội stumbled upon a tiger’s den. To protect himself, he quickly killed the cubs inside. But just as he was about to flee, the mother tiger returned. Enraged by the loss of her cubs, she let out a terrifying roar that echoed through the forest. In fear, Cuội scrambled up a nearby tree to hide.
On his way back, Cuội saw an old man lying lifeless on the roadside. Hoping the miracle could work again, he chewed some of the banyan leaves and placed them into the man’s mouth. To his joy, the old man was revived. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the man warned Cuội, “Never water the tree with dirty water, or it will fly away and never return.” Cuội took the advice to heart and carefully planted the tree in his garden, using only clean water to nourish it.
With this extraordinary tree, Cuội became known for performing miracles. He used its magical leaves to save countless lives. He even revived a dog that had drowned. One day, he saved a young woman from the brink of death. They fell in love and soon married, beginning a new life filled with hope. However, Cuội’s fame began to spread, drawing attention from people with dark intentions.
While Cuội was away one day, a group of thieves invaded his home. They murdered his wife and cruelly removed her internal organs. Devastated, Cuội tried to bring her back using the banyan leaves, but nothing worked without her organs. In an act of incredible loyalty, his dog offered its own internal organs to save her. Cuội replaced the missing parts, and miraculously, his wife was revived. The faithful dog, filled with clay to replace its missing organs, also returned to life.
Sadly, Cuội’s wife began to suffer from forgetfulness. Cuội repeatedly warned her, “If you need to pee, go toward the West, not the East, or the tree will fly away.” But one day, in a moment of forgetfulness, she watered the banyan tree with dirty water. Instantly, the tree began to shake, its roots tore from the ground, and it started ascending into the sky. Cuội rushed out and grabbed onto the tree’s roots, holding on with all his might. But it was too late. The tree soared into the heavens, carrying Cuội with it.
Ever since that day, when people look up at the moon, they say they can see the shadow of a man sitting under a banyan tree. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the story of Cuội is remembered and retold, accompanied by the familiar song:
“Cuội sits under the banyan tree,
Calling out for his father, while the cows graze on rice.”
This timeless legend is more than just a folktale. It teaches us about love, responsibility, loyalty, and the consequences of neglect. Cuội’s story is a gentle reminder that even small actions, like forgetting a simple instruction, can have lasting effects. The banyan tree on the moon remains a symbol of Vietnamese tradition, mystery, and the enduring bond between human beings and nature.