Brief Description
A Taste of Earth is a retelling of twelve traditional stories of Vietnam, including its creation myth. In sharing these legends of his homeland, Thich Nhat Hanh provides a rich introduction to the mythical elements of Vietnamese culture.
"...evokes a vision/feeling of the deeper meaning of heartache and loss, violence and hatred, upheaval, friendship, and love in all its forms."--Inquiring Mind Journal
Sample Chapter
Long ago, when earth and sky were still covered in darkness, a great bird with wings like curtains of night, came to rest on the cold earth. She sat for millions of years without stirring, until at last, she laid two enormous eggs. One was red, the other ivory. Powerful gusts of wind from her majestic wings shook heaven and earth as she flew back into the deep reaches of space.
Thousands of years later, the red egg began to glow. Bright light poured from the egg, chasing away the dense fog which had covered the mountains and filled the valleys for so long. The ivory egg began to radiate a soft and gentle light. The ivory egg trembled, then cracked open. The shell burst into many fine pieces and an enormous, graceful swan emerged. As she flew into the sky, tender light streamed from her body down onto the earth.
With a thunderous clap, the red egg cracked, freeing a fiery golden crow whose brilliant light dazzled sky and earth. Each bird followed a course of its own as it circled the earth. Soft, cool light streamed gently down from the wild swan. The golden crow's fiery wings hurled sparks of bright fire into space as it cried like thunder. The sparks remained suspended in the heavens, twinkling like diamonds.
For millions of years, cold darkness had reigned. Now these wondrous birds brought the comfort of light.
The crow's red hot shell exploded into flames which burned for seven years. Boulders melted into fine sand, creating a vast desert. Steam rose from the seas and formed a blanket of clouds which shielded the earth from the crow's fiercest rays. The heavens reeled in the rich aroma which rose from the newly warmed earth.
Light shone all the way to 36th heaven, home of the goddesses. The youngest and loveliest goddess, named Au Co, pulled back a curtain of cloud and saw the rosy earth below, encircled by a halo of light. "Come, my sisters," she cried, "let us change ourselves into white Lac birds to fly down and explore this new planet!"
Without hesitation, the goddesses transformed themselves into snow-white birds and flew down to the rosy earth. It was truly a wonderful discovery. As Lac birds they flew over the emerald sea, surprised to see their own reflections dancing in the water. The warm light of the golden crow was delightful. They leisurely skimmed over the pink mountains and came to rest on a hillside covered with soil as fine as powder.
When the first bird touched the ground, she folded her wings and returned to her goddess form. The other goddesses followed her example. Never had the earth hosted so delightful an event! The goddesses laughed and sang, as hand in hand, they strolled up and down the pink slopes. The earth beneath their feet was as soft as cotton balls. When they reached a broad meadow, they began to dance. It was the first time dancing had ever occurred on earth. Indeed, before that moment, such dancing had only been known in 36th heaven. After a time, the youngest and loveliest goddess, Au Co, broke away from her sisters and knelt down to examine the fragrant earth more closely. She scooped up a small handful. How soft it was and how good it smelled! The other goddesses paused from their dancing, as well, to scoop up handfuls of the pink earth.
Suddenly Au Co was seized with a sensation she had never felt before. She wondered if the earth tasted as good as it smelled. She lifted her hand to her mouth.
Another goddess shouted, "Au Co! Don't do that!"
But it was too late. Au Co had already swallowed a tiny handful of the sweet earth. The goddess who had shouted broke away from the others and ran towards Au Co. She grabbed the young goddess by the hand.
"Au Co, you foolish one! I'm afraid what you have done can never be repaired. Our realm is the realm of forms and not the realm of desires."
Frightened, the other goddesses quickly brushed all particles of pink earth from their delicate hands. They gathered around Au Co.
"What should we do now?" asked one.
"Let's leave at once and not mention our outing to anyone," suggested another.
They noticed with alarm that it was growing dark. The golden crow had almost disappeared behind the mountains and the light was fading with him.
"We must return before the golden crow disappears!" cried one goddess. She bent over slightly and turned again into a snow-white Lac bird. The others did the same. As they flew into the sky their wings seemed to wave regretful farewells to the lovely earth.
Light disappeared with the golden crow but it wasn't long before the wild swan returned. Her cool and gentle light was a refreshing change from the bright and sometimes burning rays of the golden crow. The first day on earth had just ended. It lasted as long as seven years is to us. Now the first night was just beginning. It was a pleasant and mild night, illuminated by the swan's tender light.
Beneath that light, one snow-white Lac bird flew frantically back and forth, unable to join her sisters. Her wings were too heavy, and no matter how hard she tried, she could fly no higher. Because she tasted the new earth, Au Co lost her magical flying powers and could no longer return to 36th heaven. Frightened and alone, she sank back down to earth. She resumed her goddess form and leaned against a boulder to weep.
Throughout the night, her tears became a long river that wound down to the seashore where it emptied into the sea. Beneath the waves, multitudes of small creatures -- shrimp, crabs, fish and oysters -- tasted the new current of water perfumed with fragrant earth. They shared their discovery with the son of the Sea Dragon Emperor who turned himself into a small fish to follow the sweet current upstream in search of its source. Although he swam swiftly, the first night on earth ended before he reached shore. Au Co's painful first night on earth was over -- a night equal to seven years of our time.
When Dragon Prince lifted his head above the water, he could see the golden crow. The sparkling sea rivalled his father's emerald palace below. Lapping waves spewed foam as white as snow. The prince leaped into the air. How soft, clear and immense the sky was -- round and blue like the sea itself. He could see the pale outlines of mountains and hills shimmering in the distance. Everything was similar to the landscape beneath the sea, yet here the world seemed more expansive, more light and clear.
He jumped onto shore and turned himself into a handsome young man with broad forehead, long legs, and eyes that shone like stars. As he strolled along the shore, he admired the beauty all around him. He gazed at the rocky cliffs rising out of the sea ending in lofty peaks. Intent to find the river's source, he turned to follow it inland. The more he walked, the more he marvelled. Bright patches of moss draped the riverbanks. Tiny gold and purple flowers blossomed among green carpets of grass. Beneath the ocean there were many kinds of strange and lovely seaweeds, corals, grasses and flowers, but he had never seen such delicate shapes and colors as these. He guessed that the sweet water of the river was to thank, for no grass or flowers grew beyond the river's reach.
This was the second day on earth.
A band of butterflies suddenly appeared. At first Dragon Prince mistook them for flowers. He had never seen such fragile creatures. They were as light as air, sporting sunlight on their wings as they fluttered among the flowers. No doubt, he mused, they thought the flowers were the same creatures as themselves.
Dragon Prince climbed the mountain slope down which the river flowed. Its waters bubbled and gushed, caressing the mossy rocks along the banks. Bushes sprang up among the fresh grasses. Then he came to an abrupt halt. Before him was a sight unlike anything he had ever encountered.
Leaning against a moss-covered boulder was a young woman. Though her face was turned towards the rock, he could tell she was weeping. Unclad by any clothes, she was more beautiful than any living creature he had ever seen. She was like a newly blossomed flower. Her pale arms were folded beneath her forehead. Her long, lustrous black hair curled and flowed with the river currents. It was Au Co, forced to remain in the lower world because she had tasted the fragrant earth. She had wept since nightfall, a span of more than ten years to us.
Dragon Prince did not take another step forward. He stood spellbound. He spoke,
Sun shining brightly
Sky and sea both blue
Butterflies flutter
By a river so new
Where have you come from?
Why weep you alone?
Startled by the sea prince's voice, she stopped crying and looked up. Her eyes opened wide in surprise when she beheld the noble young man. She sat up and wiped her eyes with a lock of hair. Looking straight into his eyes, she answered him:
Bright golden crow
Fragrant new earth
As white Lac birds
We flew below.
A taste of new earth
No longer can I fly
My sisters departed
I wait alone and cry.
Lost in a strange land
My tears become a river.
Au Co explained all that had happened from the moment she pulled back the curtain of cloud to the moment she could no longer fly and was forced to return to earth. Dragon Prince sat down beside her and told her about his own life beneath the sea where his father reigned. His voice was warm and kind and whenever he mentioned the golden crow, the blue sky or the fragrant hills, his eyes sparkled. Together they looked up at the blue sky and down at the green grasses which covered the riverbanks. Dragon Prince tried to console Au Co by telling her that her sisters would surely return that day or the next, as soon as they found a way to take her back home. They spoke for a long time. The sea prince's joy was so infectious that Au Co was soon talking and laughing as though no misfortune had befallen her.
Holding hands, they strolled down the mountain. Suddenly the sea prince grew alarmed. The river had almost completely drained into the sea. The grasses and flowers at their feet were withering. There were no more butterflies in sight. The golden crow poised above their heads and their shadows shortened. It was the noon hour and the crow's rays were fierce and burning.
Dragon Prince said, "The earth is only green and beautiful when nourished by the sweet water of your tears. There are no trees and flowers growing by the seawater. It seems land plants cannot thrive on seawater. Let me make some rain from the remaining tears in order to replenish the river."
Au Co did not know what rain was. Before she could ask, the prince climbed down to a tiny stream of water still trickling through the white sands about to empty into the sea. He scooped some water up in his hands and took three sips. When he returned to where she stood, he said, "Sit down over there. I will moisten the earth with this sweet and wondrous water. Do not cry out until you see the rain. Look out over the ocean. If you see anything strange, do not be afraid. Although you are a goddess and I am a dragon, there is nothing to fear between us."
He quickly ran back to the sea. Au Co watched as he joined his palms together like a lotus bud. He dove into the water and quickly disappeared from sight. Within moments black clouds tumbled forth from a churning sea. They piled higher and higher until the blue sky was obscured. They were quite unlike the serene white clouds that drifted in the heavens Au Co knew. The golden crow's light grew fainter until Au Co could barely see what was happening. Suddenly, thunder bellowed from the depths of the sea and a golden dragon, hundreds of feet long, burst from the waves. Its marvelous long body twisted gracefully before it disappeared into the black clouds.
Lightening flashed across the black sky and there was a deafening crash.
Frightened, Au Co stood up, but she was unable to see anything. Then all at once, she felt a pleasant sensation on her skin, something at once wet, ticklish, delicate and refreshing. Thousands of tiny drops fell onto her body. Rain! Dragon Prince had made rain!
The steady pitter-patter was like the sound of singing. It reminded Au Co of the sea prince's warm and reassuring voice. She lifted her arms to welcome the refreshing drops and then offered her hair and shoulders, all her body, to the soothing rains. Beneath her feet, young grasses sprang up and the river was soon replenished.
The rain lasted a long while. When nearly all the clouds were gone and bright sunlight streamed forth again, the golden dragon gazed down at the earth. Many new rivers and streams had appeared. Not only did grass grow fresh and green along the riverbanks but it now covered the hills, mountains, and fields. Flowers -- violet, gold, pink, and white ones -- dotted the landscape. The face of the earth glistened in unimaginable beauty. Yet what was even more miraculous to the sea prince as he gazed down from the last clouds was that the outline of the rivers took the very shape of Au Co herself -- her long legs stretching to the sea, her hair flowing over all the hills and mountains. Her image was forever imprinted on the green fields of the fresh and lovely earth. Au Co, so beautiful and full of vitality, was herself the fertile heart of the earth.
The golden dragon flew back down to earth, turning again into a handsome young man with broad forehead, long legs, and eyes that shone like stars. In his hand he held a white lotus. He was anxious to see the young goddess again. Indeed, he had fallen in love with her the moment he saw her. And as for Au Co, she, too, awaited the sea prince's return. His voice, as gentle as the early morning sunlight, had warmed her heart.