The Story of Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh

Long ago, when the world was still young and the gods walked among mortals, there lived a great king named Hung Vuong XVIII who ruled over the ancient land of Van Lang, which is now known as Vietnam. The king had a daughter of extraordinary beauty named Princess My Nuong, whose grace and wisdom were renowned throughout the kingdom.

As the princess reached the age of marriage, her father proclaimed that only a suitor with divine powers would be worthy of her hand. The announcement spread far and wide, reaching the ears of many supernatural beings, but two powerful gods stepped forward to compete for her love.

The first was Son Tinh, the Mountain God, who commanded all the mountains, forests, and highland regions. He was strong and steadfast, with the power to move mountains and create valleys with a gesture of his hand. His domain was filled with lush forests, fertile soil, and protective peaks that sheltered the people from harm.

The second was Thuy Tinh, the Water God, who ruled over all rivers, seas, and waterways. He was fluid and dynamic, with the ability to summon raging floods and gentle rains alike. His realm encompassed the vast rivers that nourished the land and the mighty ocean that connected distant shores.

Both gods were magnificent in their own right, and King Hung Vuong found it impossible to choose between them. After much deliberation, he devised a test that would determine the worthier suitor. He announced that whichever god could bring him the most impressive wedding gifts by dawn the next day would win his daughter’s hand in marriage.

Son Tinh, drawing upon his dominion over the earth, gathered the finest treasures from his mountain realm. He brought elephants with tusks of pure ivory, rhinoceros with horns of precious horn, birds with the most melodious songs, and rare medicinal herbs that could cure any ailment. His gifts represented the bounty and stability of the land.

Thuy Tinh, harnessing the power of all waters, collected the ocean’s most precious offerings. He brought pearls the size of eggs, coral formations of breathtaking beauty, rare fish with scales that shimmered like jewels, and seashells that sang with the voice of the sea. His gifts embodied the mystery and richness of the aquatic world.

When dawn broke, both gods presented their magnificent gifts simultaneously. The king and his court marveled at the splendor before them, unable to declare a clear winner. However, Son Tinh had arrived just moments before Thuy Tinh, and by the king’s decree, this made him the victor.

Princess My Nuong, who had observed both suitors carefully, found herself drawn to Son Tinh’s steady strength and the life-giving nature of his mountain domain. She accepted his proposal with grace, and they were wed in a ceremony that shook the very foundations of heaven and earth.

But Thuy Tinh’s heart burned with jealousy and rage at his defeat. Unable to accept that he had lost the princess to his rival, he gathered all the waters under his command – rivers, streams, seas, and rain clouds – and launched a furious assault on Son Tinh’s mountain kingdom.

Massive floods surged across the land as Thuy Tinh sought to reach the mountain palace where Son Tinh had taken his bride. The waters rose higher and higher, threatening to engulf everything in their path. Villages were submerged, fields were flooded, and the people fled to higher ground in terror.

Son Tinh, determined to protect his wife and the innocent people below, summoned all his power to defend his realm. He raised his mountains even higher, creating towering peaks that pierced the clouds. He reinforced his hills and commanded the forests to hold fast against the rushing waters.

The battle between the two gods raged for days and nights. Thuy Tinh’s floods crashed against Son Tinh’s mountains with tremendous force, but the Mountain God’s domain stood firm. Every wave that Thuy Tinh sent was absorbed by the earth or turned back by the unyielding stone.

As the conflict continued, the wise elders of the land realized that this battle would never end as long as both gods remained locked in their eternal rivalry. They prayed to the Jade Emperor in heaven, asking for intervention to save the people from this divine war.

The Jade Emperor, seeing the destruction caused by the gods’ conflict, declared that their battle must follow the natural order. He decreed that Thuy Tinh could challenge Son Tinh’s domain only during certain times of the year – the rainy season – when the waters naturally rise and the rains fall heavily.

From that day forward, every year during the rainy season, Thuy Tinh gathers his strength and sends storms, floods, and torrential rains against Son Tinh’s mountains. The Water God’s anger manifests as typhoons and monsoons that batter the land, seeking to claim what he believes is rightfully his.

But Son Tinh, ever faithful to his bride and his duty to protect the people, stands firm against every assault. His mountains channel the floods into safe courses, his forests absorb the excess rain, and his steadfast presence provides shelter for all who seek refuge on higher ground.

The people of Vietnam learned to understand this eternal cycle. During the dry season, when Son Tinh’s influence is strongest, they plant their crops and build their homes. When the rainy season approaches and Thuy Tinh’s power grows, they prepare for storms and floods, knowing that the Mountain God will ultimately protect them.

Princess My Nuong, now the Queen of the Mountains, watches over her husband’s realm with loving care. She is said to appear in the morning mist that crowns the mountain peaks, and her gentle presence brings peace to those who live under Son Tinh’s protection.

The eternal struggle between Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh continues to this day, explaining the natural cycle of dry and wet seasons in Vietnam. The story reminds us that even in conflict, there can be balance, and that the forces of nature, though sometimes fierce, are part of a greater harmony that sustains all life.

When Vietnamese people see storm clouds gathering over the mountains, they remember this ancient tale and know that Son Tinh is preparing to defend his realm once again. And when the storms pass and the sun shines through the mists on the mountain peaks, they know that love and steadfastness have triumphed once more over jealousy and rage.

Thus ends the tale of Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh, a story that lives on in the hearts of the Vietnamese people and in the very landscape of their beautiful country, where mountains and waters continue their eternal dance of conflict and harmony.