Hmong People, Laos

The Three Sons (by Nuu Su Vang)

“A long time ago there was a king. So the king had three sons. One day the king told his sons to go work in China. Their father said, ”There are three ways to follow. You will see a peach tree and you will have to eat some peaches and then you can go on three roads.”

Then they went and saw the peach trees and they ate the peaches. Then they went on the road. The oldest brother went the first way, then the second older brother went the second way, and the youngest brother went the third way.

Day after day, the three brothers made lots of money. But, the youngest gave all the money to poor people. There was an old man and lady who gave a jar to the youngest brother. The two brothers were waiting by the peach tree for the youngest brother to come. Finally, the youngest brother got there and the youngest brother just had a jar. The two older brothers said, ”Where is the money?”

The youngest brother said, ”I gave it to the poor people.” But the two brothers were not happy. They were mad and then they left the youngest brother behind. He opened the jar. It was a miracle. It had lots of money in the jar and there was a beautiful woman in the jar and some cows, horses, chickens, pigs, and sheep in there, too. Then he closed the jar and walked home. He knocked on the door, but his dad did not open the door and let him come in because the two brothers had told their father that the youngest brother had given all the money to the poor people. So, the youngest brother went to the garden field and he opened the jar again. Then he fell asleep.

The next day the youngest brother woke up. There was a beautiful house. He was so happy. Then his dad went to the garden and saw the bright and beautiful house and went in the house. He saw his youngest son. He was so so proud of him. His youngest son told him to have dinner with him. The father went home. He did not tell his wife.

Then the two older brothers came along and they saw the beautiful girl. They were so jealous. They tried to kill the younger brother. They put some kind of drugs on the food. But, the younger brother knew there was something in there so he did not eat it. The father locked the two older brothers in a cage.

Then the next day, the youngest brother and the beautiful girl got married. They had everything they needed. They had lots of animals and money, a house and a good life. Then they began their life forever.”

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