Mai An Tiêm and the Watermelon - Vietnamese

This is a story about a kind man named Mai An Tiêm. The sun was warm on his face as a little boat went up and down on the big, sparkly sea. Mai An Tiêm and his family were going to a new home, a sandy island just for them. It was a very quiet place. They could hear the swoosh-swoosh of the waves and the chirp-chirp of the birds. A wonderful adventure was about to begin. This is the story of Mai An Tiêm and the Watermelon.

One sunny morning, Mai An Tiêm saw a big bird flying in the sky. The bird dropped something small and black onto the sand. They were seeds. Little black seeds. He wondered what would grow from them. He carefully picked them up. He dug a little hole in the warm sand and put the seeds inside. Every day, he gave them a little bit of water and watched. Soon, tiny green sprouts poked out of the sand. They grew and grew into long, curly vines. The vines crawled all over the beach. Then, big, round, green balls started to grow on the vines. They got bigger and bigger and bigger in the warm sun.

Mai An Tiêm picked the biggest, greenest ball. He tapped it. Tap, tap, tap. It made a funny sound. When he opened it up, what a surprise. Inside it was bright red. It smelled so sweet, like candy. He took a big bite. It was so yummy and juicy. It was the best treat he had ever tasted. He called it a watermelon. Mai An Tiêm and his family had so much yummy watermelon to eat. He even shared the fruit with friendly sailors who passed by. They loved it too. The good king heard about the wonderful fruit and was so proud. Mai An Tiêm's story shows that even a tiny seed can grow into something amazing when you give it care. And that is why we share sweet watermelons today, remembering how a little work can make something wonderful.