Long ago, a severe drought plagued the world, lasting for years with no rain. Rivers ran dry, trees wilted, the earth cracked open, and both humans and animals endured great suffering from thirst. In the midst of this disaster, a small but brave creature, the Toad, decided to take action. Determined to end the misery, he resolved to journey to Heaven and ask the Jade Emperor, the ruler of the skies, to bring rain to the parched world.
Toad Gathers His Team
On his journey to Heaven, Toad met other suffering creatures: Crab, Bear, Tiger, Bee, and Fox. When he shared his plan to confront the Jade Emperor, they all agreed to join him.
When they finally reached the gates of Heaven, they spotted a massive drum sitting at the entrance. Knowing they would need a strategy to face the powerful gods, Toad quickly assigned roles:
• Crab hid inside a nearby water jar.
• Bee hid behind the door.
• Fox, Bear, and Tiger hid behind some trees, ready to attack when signaled.
With the plan set, Toad climbed onto the drum and struck it loudly three times, demanding an audience with the Jade Emperor.
When they finally reached the gates of Heaven, they spotted a massive drum sitting at the entrance. Knowing they would need a strategy to face the powerful gods, Toad quickly assigned roles:
• Crab hid inside a nearby water jar.
• Bee hid behind the door.
• Fox, Bear, and Tiger hid behind some trees, ready to attack when signaled.
With the plan set, Toad climbed onto the drum and struck it loudly three times, demanding an audience with the Jade Emperor.
The Battle with Heaven
The booming drum angered the Jade Emperor, who sent Thunder God (Thiên Lôi) to investigate. When Thunder God reported that only a tiny toad was making all the noise, the Jade Emperor became furious and ordered Heavenly Chicken to attack Toad.
As Heavenly Chicken charged, Toad gritted his teeth as a secret signal. At once, Fox leapt from hiding, grabbed Heavenly Chicken by the neck, and dragged him away.
Outraged, the Jade Emperor sent Heavenly Dog next. Again, Toad signaled by gritting his teeth. This time, Bear emerged and struck the dog down with a mighty blow.
Growing desperate, the Jade Emperor sent Thunder God himself with his lightning hammer. But as soon as Thunder God stepped outside, Bee swarmed from behind the door and stung him viciously. Screaming in pain, Thunder God dove into the water jar to hide—only to have Crab pinch him hard.
Before Thunder God could escape, Tiger pounced from the shadows, delivering a final devastating attack.
The Jade Emperor Surrenders
Seeing his warriors defeated one after another, the Jade Emperor had no choice but to negotiate. He summoned Toad and asked what he wanted.
Toad respectfully bowed and said,
"Great Jade Emperor, the mortal world has been suffering from drought for years. Crops are dying, rivers are dry, and all creatures are desperate. I humbly ask you to send rain to save the earth."
Moved by Toad’s courage and persistence, the Jade Emperor turned to the Rain God and declared,
"From now on, whenever you hear the Toad grit his teeth, you must immediately send rain to the earth."
The Rain God bowed and agreed, and Toad and his companions returned joyfully to the mortal world.
The Lesson of the Brave Toad
From that day on, people noticed: when a toad croaks and grits its teeth, rain often follows. In Vietnamese folklore, there’s even a saying:
"The Toad is Uncle of Heaven;
Whoever harms him will be punished by the sky."
This ancient tale teaches us that no matter how small or powerless we may seem, courage, intelligence, and unity can overcome even the greatest challenges.