The Tale of Kiều
by Nguyễn Du
Ch. 11: Kim's Uncle's Death
Translated by Vuong Thanh 

Chapter 11: Kim's Uncle's Death

As the silver moonlight turned pale along the roof eaves,
they heard someone urgently calling from outside the front gate.
She hurried back to her chamber,
while Kim rushed across the peach flower yard.
As soon the brushwood gate got opened,
a young family servant came in with a letter from home,
and brought news of Kim’s uncle’s death while living abroad.
Kim’s father bade him to go to Liao-Yang,
a distant land beyond the hills and valleys,
to bring back his uncle’s remains and help in the obsequies.

The news completely astounded Kim.
He quickly went to Kieu’s house,
to tell her in detail the entire story
of his uncle’s death, his duties in the family mourning,
and his feelings on being far away:
“We’ve only been a few times together.
Yet now, we have to part from each other.
No chance for us yet to tie the marriage silk threads,
but the moon that we exchanged our love oaths by,
will always be up there, watching us from the far sky.
When I’m thousands of leagues away,
each day without you will be like three winters!
Alas! When will the threads of my grief be unraveled!
Please do take precious care of yourself, my love!
So I, at the world’s ends, can be at ease.”

On hearing those words, her heartstrings entangled in knots.
Mood uncertain, she expressed her feelings and thoughts:
“The god of nuptials, why does he hate us so!
The joy of union not yet felt, the sorrow of parting already suffered.
Together, we made a sacred oath. Though my hair

will turn gray one day, my love for you will always stay.
It matters not if I have to wait months and years.

I only grieve for your journey’s hardships.
We had pledged to each other a unanimous heart.
This life, I will never play my lute abroad another man’s boat.
As long as mountains and rivers still exist,
come back, remembering her who’s with you today.”

Lingering hands in hands, not wanting to part
till the sun stood directly above the roof.
Each footstep taking them farther apart,
each farewell inciting streams of tears.

In haste, Kim saddled his horse and tied his bags.
They parted ways, with their grief split into half.
Feeling sad as he looked at the foreign landscape.
On the tree branches, many cuckoos gathered.
At the sky’s horizon, only some swallows.
Grief for him, who journeys through wind and rain.
Each day, longings of love weighed down the heart.
While she was still standing against the west porch,
her heartstrings twisted like entangled silk threads.
Through the window, she gazed at the mists and beyond.
She saw a washed-out flower; a willow gaunt and pale yellow.