Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ - Vietnamese

My name is Âu Cơ, and I was born of the high mountains, a fairy whose home was among the clouds and ancient forests. The air I breathed was crisp with the scent of pine and damp earth, and my companions were the nimble deer and the soaring eagles. For years, my world was one of serene, mist-shrouded peaks and winding, mossy trails, a place of quiet strength and enduring stone. But a restlessness stirred in my heart, a calling to see the lands that stretched out below, where the emerald green earth met the endless sapphire water. I felt a profound curiosity, an insistent pull toward the unknown world of mortals. I knew my destiny was not just to remain a spirit of the mountains, but to connect with the world beyond and the people who inhabited it. This is the story of how my journey led to the birth of a nation. It is the cherished myth of Lạc Long Quân and me, Âu Cơ.

Descending from my mountain home like a river finding its path, I ventured into the Lĩnh Nam region, a land vibrant with life but also troubled by shadows. The fields were fertile and the people were kind, but they lived in fear of vicious monsters that stalked the forests and waters. It was there, while I was using my knowledge of herbs and nature to heal the sick, that I met him. He was Lạc Long Quân, Lord of the Dragons, a being of immense power who rose from the depths of the Eastern Sea. Where I was of the unmoving, steadfast mountains, he was of the powerful, ever-changing ocean. He moved with the grace of a tidal wave and fought with the fury of a hurricane, driving away the dark creatures that plagued the land. “Who are you, spirit of the highlands, who tends to my people with such care?” he asked, his voice like the deep rumble of the ocean floor. “I am Âu Cơ,” I replied. “And who are you, who commands the sea to protect this land?” We were drawn to each other, two spirits from opposite worlds finding a perfect, harmonious balance. Our love was as natural as the rivers that flow from the mountains to the sea. We decided to build a life together, and for a time, I followed him to his shimmering palace under the waves. But a mountain fairy cannot live forever in the sea, and I grew pale and weak. Seeing this, he lovingly brought me back to the land, to a grand palace he built for us at the foot of the mountains, a place where our two worlds could meet.

Our union was blessed in a way no one could have imagined. I did not give birth to children one by one, but to a single, beautiful sac that held one hundred precious eggs. From these eggs hatched one hundred strong, intelligent, and handsome sons—the first of the Bách Việt people. We loved them with all our hearts, watching them grow with the strength of the mountains and the spirit of the sea. But as they grew, we realized our fundamental differences remained. Lạc Long Quân grew homesick for his watery kingdom, his spirit longing for the salt spray and the ocean currents. I, in turn, yearned for the high peaks of my birth, for the crisp air and the solid ground beneath my feet. “My love,” he said one evening, his heart heavy, “I cannot thrive so far from the water. It is my essence.” I understood completely. “And I,” I confessed, “wither without my mountains.” With immense sorrow, we made a promise for the future of our children and our people. He would take fifty of our sons and return to the sea, teaching them how to fish, navigate the waters, and protect the coastlines. I would take the other fifty sons into the highlands, teaching them to cultivate the land, raise animals, and build a society in the mountains. We promised that no matter the distance, we would always come to each other's aid if there was ever a threat.

Our parting was not an end, but a beginning. It was a sacrifice made from love, a wise plan to ensure the prosperity of our lineage. Our children spread across the land, from the highest mountains to the longest shores, founding the nation of Vietnam. This is why, even today, the Vietnamese people proudly call themselves ‘con Rồng, cháu Tiên’—Children of the Dragon, Grandchildren of the Fairy. Our story is a powerful reminder that they are a people born of two great forces: the steadfast strength of the mountains and the boundless power of the sea. It teaches them about unity in diversity, about the sacred bond that connects all Vietnamese people, no matter where they live. This myth lives on in art, in poetry, and in the hearts of the people, a timeless tale of love, sacrifice, and the beautiful origin of a nation.