One day, Cuoi traveled to Muong Vang. After a long walk, he stopped to rest beside a large, quiet lake. In the middle of the water, a flock of wild ducks swam freely. Cuoi counted them one by one. There were so many that he eventually lost track. While he was watching the ducks, the sound of horse bells suddenly rang behind him. Startled, Cuoi turned around and saw a proud local lord sitting high on a red horse. The lord glared at him and shouted, “What are you doing here? Move aside. Do you not know who owns this land?”
Cuoi quickly came up with an idea. He bowed politely and said, “Sir, I am just tending my ducks. I did not realize this lake belongs to you.” He pointed toward the wild ducks swimming in the distance. The ducks were everywhere, diving, splashing, and flapping their wings. Seeing such a large flock, the greedy lord’s eyes lit up. He immediately demanded, “Sell me all your ducks.”
Cuoi knew the lord was used to bullying others and taking things without paying. He decided to teach him a lesson. Acting frightened, he replied, “I cannot sell them, sir. These ducks are my only means of survival. Without them, how will I live? I can offer you a couple of ducks to enjoy with wine, but not the whole flock.” The lord refused to listen. He insisted on buying the entire flock again and again. When Cuoi continued to decline, the lord finally threatened him.
“Everything here is mine. The fields, the water, the land. If you do not sell them to me, I will take the ducks anyway.”
Cuoi had no choice but to pretend to give in. He agreed to “sell” the flock of wild ducks for ten silver coins. When he received the money, he looked sorrowful and warned the lord, “My ducks are loyal to me. Do not herd them right away. If you chase them now, they will scatter. Wait until they have eaten their fill. Then you can bring them home.” With that, Cuoi politely said goodbye and continued his journey.
The greedy lord stayed behind, proudly admiring what he believed was now his flock. When the sun dipped behind the mountains and he assumed the ducks had finished eating, he happily rowed a boat toward them. But the moment he approached, something unexpected happened. The entire flock spread their wings and soared high into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.
Only then did the foolish and greedy lord realize he had been tricked. Furious and embarrassed, he rushed ashore to look for Cuoi, but Cuoi was already far away. No matter how hard the lord searched, Cuoi was nowhere to be found.