The Tale of Kiều
by Nguyễn Du
Ch. 4: Kiều Met Đạm Tiên in Her Dream
Translated by Vuong Thanh 

Chapter 4: Kiều Met Đạm Tiên in Her Dream 

When Kiều returned home to her maiden chamber,

the sun had set behind the mount’n, the town’s dusk gongs

had sounded. The slanted moon peeps through the window.

Golden moonlight rippled on the water.

The terrace filled with the trees’ shadows.

Camellia flowers leaned towards the neighbor’s house.

The dewdrops hung heavily on the swaying branches.

Alone by herself, gazing at the moon,

Kiều’s heart’s filled with recent events and faraway anxieties:

“If a person’s life has such an ending,

a lavish city life is but a life wasted.

Whence he came and to what end that we should meet each other?

In this life, will there be some chance for us to be together?”

With a heart full of hundreds of threads of feelings,

Kiều composed a beautiful poem to express her state of being.

As the waning moon showed its slanted shape through the curtain,

leaning against the sill, Kiều fell into a slumber.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, appeared a young and beautiful maiden.

She looked quite graceful with striking elegance.

Her face veiled in mist, her skin white like snow.
Small golden lotus feet seemed to glide on the ground.

Sometimes coming closer, sometimes moving farther away…

In joyful surprise, Kiều welcomed her:

“Coming from the fairyland, which astray path leads you here?”

She replied: “Those of the same temperament and situation

We had met just earlier today, have you already forgotten?

My poor abode is westward of your house.

Above it is a bridge, with water flowing underneath.

My deep thanks for your sympathetic heart.

And for your beautiful verses like gold and pearls.

I told our league’s chief about you.

He told me your name’s also in the ‘Heartbreaking Destiny’ list.

It’s predestined that we should meet.
We are people of the same league, of the same boat!
Here’s ten new poetry themes that’s just posted.
Fairy verses will need your skill with the flower pen.”

Looking over the themes, Kieu consented.

Her fairy hand danced rapidly over the paper,

completing the ten poems in a flash.
After reading the poems, the girl silently praised:
“A beautiful heart with extraordinary poetic skill.
If these poems are in the ‘Heartbreaking Destiny’ book,
she will win the first-prize trophy, yielding to none.”

At the doorway, the girl had turned to leave,
but Kiều still tried to keep her to stay for more heart-to-heart.
When the wind from somewhere suddenly blew on the curtain,
Kiều woke up and realized she was in a dream.

Looking about for the girl but she’s neither here nor there.

Although her fragrance still seemed to linger in the air.

All alone, reflecting on this and that in the late night,
she thought of her distant future and became terrified!

A leaf swept by the wind, a flower drifting in the water.

“Would that be my fate in this life?”, she kept mulling over.

Endless waves of innermost feelings swamp her heart.

As she reflected on life’s paths, she started to sob.

Her crying reached her mother’s chamber.

Who woke up and asked, “What’s the matter?

Why are you still up at night,

and your flower face wet with tears?”

Kiều replied: “Your little daughter

hasn’t yet repaid filial duties to Father and Mother.

This afternoon, we visited Dam Tien’s grave.

Then tonight, I saw her in a dream.

Mother, what’s the ‘Heartbreaking Destiny’ book about?

And those sad themes she gave me to compose poems for.

Based on what happened in the dream,

I think my future will be nothing but dismal.”

Mother taught, “What groundless, absurd dreams!

Why because of nothing put worries and distress into your heart.”

Kiều listened to her mother’s counsel and stopped grieving.

Hardly had sorrow left, she began to think of love.

Outside the window, orioles were gently chirping.

On the side wall, the catkin flew over to neighbor’s house.

The moon casted its slanted shadow on the veranda.

All by herself with inmost thoughts abound, she felt so alone.