World According to -tvu: Tu Quy Birds..Vietnamese Folklore

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl named U Tiem. The daughter of a mandarin, she was born to a rich family. She was always adorned with silver necklaces and bracelets to show her wealth and her family's power. Throughout the region, U Tiem was famous for singing. Her parents cherished her beautiful voice more than the song of the rare Can-In bird.

Many young suitors wanted to give her a don and sing together with her, but no one ever won U Tiem's heart because it belonged to a poor man named Khum Lo. Khum Lo lived in a small stilt house and was skillful at farming, hunting, and making don. He also play the flute oi angelically, which made U Tiem fall in love with him. Under the full moon, U Tiem hypnotically liste4nd to Khum Lo's flute as she waved or embroided. U Tiem san with him and accepted his don, but Khum Lo was poor in comparison with her family. They planned that after Khum Lo studies and earned money, they would get married. It might take some years, but she would wait. At home, U Tiem awaited her lover and missed him sorely.

One year later, U Tiem heard word that Hac Xam a rich and dishonest Mandarian had asked for her hand in marriage and her father had accepted. She asked her father to postpone the wedding because she was so young. That night, she shead tears on Khum Lo's shirt and flute. Two years later, Hac Xam asked U Tiem's hand once again. Though she wept bitterly, her father was too greedy to follow her wishes. U Tiem thought of her promise to Khum Lo and realized she had no choice. While everyone celbrated with a banquet, U Tiem ate ngon leaves to commit suicide.

At that moment, Khum Lo was on the way back to his village. He had studied and worked, as promised. His happiness made him feel like he was floating in clouds. But reaching home, when he found out that his lover had died, he died of grief.

Hac Xam was scornfully jealous. He had his servants put Khum Lo's body and U Tiem's body on opposite sides of a river. Two bamboo shoots grew from their graves and, reaching over the river, the tops of the bamboo trees intertwined. Angrily, Hac Xam chopped down the bamboo and used it to make cages. But the two cages rolled together and the smaller one got inside the bigger one. Insane with rage, Hac Xam burned the cages and threw away the ashes. Suddenly, two clouds of ash tunred into two dark grey birds. They were a male an female Tu Quy bird.

Every night, they called for each other, the male sang "kham", while the female sang "khac", echoing throughout the forest. When they found each other, it was day break.

Note; This taken from Vietnam Airline's Heritage magazine.
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl named U Tiem. The daughter of a mandarin, she was born to a rich family. She was always adorned with silver necklaces and bracelets to show her wealth and her family's power. Throughout the region, U Tiem was famous for singing. Her parents cherished her beautiful voice more than the song of the rare Can-In bird.

Many young suitors wanted to give her a don and sing together with her, but no one ever won U Tiem's heart because it belonged to a poor man named Khum Lo. Khum Lo lived in a small stilt house and was skillful at farming, hunting, and making don. He also play the flute oi angelically, which made U Tiem fall in love with him. Under the full moon, U Tiem hypnotically liste4nd to Khum Lo's flute as she waved or embroided. U Tiem san with him and accepted his don, but Khum Lo was poor in comparison with her family. They planned that after Khum Lo studies and earned money, they would get married. It might take some years, but she would wait. At home, U Tiem awaited her lover and missed him sorely.

One year later, U Tiem heard word that Hac Xam a rich and dishonest Mandarian had asked for her hand in marriage and her father had accepted. She asked her father to postpone the wedding because she was so young. That night, she shead tears on Khum Lo's shirt and flute. Two years later, Hac Xam asked U Tiem's hand once again. Though she wept bitterly, her father was too greedy to follow her wishes. U Tiem thought of her promise to Khum Lo and realized she had no choice. While everyone celbrated with a banquet, U Tiem ate ngon leaves to commit suicide.

At that moment, Khum Lo was on the way back to his village. He had studied and worked, as promised. His happiness made him feel like he was floating in clouds. But reaching home, when he found out that his lover had died, he died of grief.

Hac Xam was scornfully jealous. He had his servants put Khum Lo's body and U Tiem's body on opposite sides of a river. Two bamboo shoots grew from their graves and, reaching over the river, the tops of the bamboo trees intertwined. Angrily, Hac Xam chopped down the bamboo and used it to make cages. But the two cages rolled together and the smaller one got inside the bigger one. Insane with rage, Hac Xam burned the cages and threw away the ashes. Suddenly, two clouds of ash tunred into two dark grey birds. They were a male an female Tu Quy bird.

Every night, they called for each other, the male sang "kham", while the female sang "khac", echoing throughout the forest. When they found each other, it was day break.

Note; This taken from Vietnam Airline's Heritage magazine.