ANH VĂN THIẾU NHI – TRUYỆN CỔ TÍCH ANH NGỮ
( KO CÓ BẢN DỊCH) The Old Father

Once upon a time there was an old man. He had four sons. They
grew up, and the old man gave everthing he had to them. "I will
live with my children the rest of my days," he thought.

The oldest son said, "We must give our father food and clothes.
We must take care of him and make him happy."

At first the oldest son and his family took good care of the old
man. After some time passed the son did not want to keep his
old father in his house. He shouted at him. He stopped taking
good care of him.

Life got very bad for the old father. He went to his second son.
Life was no better there. Every time he ate, his son and his son's
wife were angry. The old man went to the next son. He went to
all four sons. Every son said, "We cannot keep you."

The old man didn't know where to go. The four sons decided to
send their father to a school in the next village. "At school he
will have a place to sit," they said. "And he can take somethind
to eat in his knapsack." The old man cried. He did not want to
go to school. He was too old.

His sons sent him away through the forest. On the way he met a
rich man riding in a carriage. The rich man asked him, "Where


The people of the village laughed at them. "You sent your father
to school," they said. "He learned something there. He learned to
fool you!"

The sons were very angry and sad. But what could they do?
Their father was already dead and burried.

Story of the rice cake - Bánh chưng bánh dầy

Emperor Hung-Vuong had many sons. Some pursued literary
careers. Others excelled in martial arts. The youngest prince
named Tiet - Lieu, however, loved neither. Instead, he and his
wife and their children chose the countryside where they farmed
the land.

One day, toward the end of the year, the emperor met with all
his sons. He told them whoever brought him the most special
and unusual food would be made the new emperor. Almost
immediately, the princes left for their homes and started looking
for the most delicious food to offer the emperor. Some went
hunting in the forests and brought home birds and animals
which they prepared into the most palatable dishes. Some others
sailed out to the open sea, trying to catch fish, lobsters and other
much loved sea food. Neither the rough sea nor the violent
weather could stop them from looking for the best gifts to please
the emperor.

In his search, Tiet-Lieu went back to the countryside. He saw
that the rice in his paddy fields was ripe and ready to be

The emperor then said that his youngest son's gifts were not
only the purest, but also the most meaningful because Tiet-Lieu
had used nothing except rice which was the basic foodstuff of
the people to make them. The emperor gave up the throne and
make Tiet-Lieu the new emperor. All the other princes bowed to
show respect and congratulated the new emperor.