Page 46 of A Banh Mi for Two
I marvel at the sight, eyes glued to the towering space.
Lan chuckles, her laugh vibrating through my skin as she squeezes my hand. “Are you excited?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? But I’m more excited to know the physics behind water puppetry. How long are they holding their breath for?”
Lan winks. “That’s a secret. It’s what makes this magical.”
According to the pamphlet, the play for tonight is the fairy tale of the Dragon King and the Fairy Princess. The lights dim behind us, and we can hear the sound of water splashing. At once, the rhythmic sounds of cymbals, gongs, bamboo flutes, and monochords rip through the hall as fire flares from behind the curtains, announcing the start of the performance. Lan cracks a smile and plants a kiss on my cheek.
A voice booms from behind the curtains, making me jump in my seat. Beside me, Lan stifles a laugh.
“Welcome to the Golden Dragon Puppet Theater. Tonight’s story is about the start of our country, and the birth of our people,” the voice announces.
Puppets float from behind the silk curtains to the front of the pool in a single-file line, smoke swirling around them while the cymbals and gongs only speed up their rhythms. I notice the tallest water puppet, which is dressed in silky pink robes with a golden halo.
“That one reminds me of you,” I whisper to Lan. “Look, it’s wearing a braid just like you!”
“The short one in orange looks like you.” She laughs in my ear, sending shivers up my spine again. “It’s so little.”
“That’s so rude. But since it’s from you, I’ll take it.”
As the applause dies down, the narrator starts the story.
This tale follows the story of Âu Co and L?c Long Quân, the Fairy Princess and the Dragon King.
Âu Co, a kind and beautiful fairy, was traveling one day when a crane appeared in front of her by the roadside, bleeding and injured.
“Help me,” it cried.
Âu Co, overwhelmed with hurt for the poor creature, nursed it under her care. “Friend, please stay strong,” she whispered. Together, Âu Co and the crane spent five days and five nights together under the sun, the moon, and the stars. They watched flowers grow and rain fall from the sky. They danced through the rice fields. Once the crane was all better, it bade farewell to Âu Co.
“Goodbye, my friend.” The crane thanked Âu Co. “Thank you for your kindness. Heaven blesses you.”
A few days later, as Âu Co continued her journey, she encountered a giant water beast. Frightened, she tried turning into a bird to fly away, but the beast caught her before she could.
“Please, let me go!”
Her cries reached the heavens, and the crane she’d saved appeared just in time. This time, it wasn’t just a crane—it was the mighty Dragon God. The Dragon called upon the sea and, with his magic, saved Âu Co.
“My friend, you came for me! Thank you.” Âu Co was happy to see her friend, and once she was healed, the two reunited with a long embrace. But to Âu Co’s surprise, the body of the Dragon God melted and revealed a handsome young man.
“Âu Co, I am L?c Long Quân, God of Dragons and the Sea, and I wish for your hand in marriage.
So with the blessing of the Dragon Goddess of the Sea and Sky and the Fairy King, Âu Co and L?c Long Quân’s love created the beautiful country of Vi?t Nam. Together, they bore one hundred eggs from which hatched one hundred humans—the first humans of the kingdom of L?c Vi?t.
“Eggs?” I whisper to Lan, earning side eyes from the people around us. “Like, chicken eggs?”
She quirks an eyebrow. “What do you have against eggs?”
“Nothing. Love them in my food. Just can’t imagine humans coming out of them.”
She laughs, and someone nearby shushes us. “It’s a fairy tale.”
“So, you’re saying it’s a happy ending?”
It’s Lan’s turn to shush me. “I’m not saying anything. Just watch.”
After a hundred years of living together on land with Âu Co, the Dragon King yearned for the sea. And so, he told his wife that he must leave.
