Long ago, during the reign of the sixth Hùng King, an elderly couple lived in the peaceful village of Gióng. Known for their kindness and good deeds, they had no children despite their age and yearned for a son to bring comfort in their old age. One day, while working in the fields, the wife stumbled upon a massive footprint. Out of curiosity, she placed her foot inside it, and to her amazement, she became pregnant. Twelve months later, she gave birth to a healthy and handsome baby boy. Though overjoyed, the couple noticed something peculiar: by the time he was three years old, their son could not walk, talk, or even smile. He simply lay wherever he was placed.
During this time, the kingdom faced a dire threat from the powerful Ân army. Deeply troubled, the king sent messengers throughout the land, seeking a hero to save the kingdom. When the messenger’s call echoed through the village, the boy suddenly spoke for the first time. He asked his mother to invite the messenger into their home and instructed him to tell the king to prepare a steel horse, a steel whip, and steel armor. Shocked yet hopeful, the messenger relayed the boy's message to the king. Without hesitation, the king ordered blacksmiths to work day and night crafting the requested items.
From that moment on, the boy began to grow at an extraordinary rate. His appetite was insatiable, and his clothes could not keep up with his rapid growth. The couple struggled to provide for him, relying on the support of kind-hearted neighbors. The entire village believed in the boy's destiny to defeat the invaders and restore peace.
The Battle Against the Ân Army
As the Ân army approached the foot of Trâu Mountain, panic spread among the people. At this critical moment, the king’s messenger arrived with the steel horse, whip, and armor. The boy immediately transformed into a towering warrior. Dressed in steel armor, wielding the steel whip, and mounted on the steel horse, he became an unstoppable force. With a strike of the whip, the horse neighed fiercely, breathing out flames that scorched the land.
The heroic boy charged into battle, scattering the enemy with fiery blasts and powerful strikes. When his whip broke, he grabbed bamboo branches from the roadside, using them as weapons. Terrified by his might, the Ân soldiers fled in chaos. The boy pursued them to the foot of Sóc Sơn Mountain, where he removed his armor, rode his horse, and ascended into the sky.
Legacy of Saint Gióng
In honor of his bravery, the king named him Phù Đổng Thiên Vương (The Heavenly King of Phù Đổng) and built a temple in his hometown. To this day, the temple of Phù Đổng Thiên Vương stands proudly, and every April, the village celebrates the Gióng Festival. According to local legend, the bamboo groves in Gia Bình, where the steel horse once breathed fire, have turned a golden hue, and the footprints of the horse remain as a series of ponds. The once-scorched village is now known as the 'Burned Village.'
The legend of Saint Gióng is a timeless symbol of courage, strength, and selflessness. It remains a cherished part of Vietnamese culture and history, inspiring generations with the heroic tale of a young boy who became a legend.
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