The Gecko's tale

Everyone in Vietnam has heard the gecko's call but few remember how the tiny lizard got its voice.

Long ago, there lived a man named Gecko, who, together with his wife, survived by begging. They were a frugal pair and, despite their poverty, managed to put aside a tiny portion of the food or money they were given. Eventually, their savings added up and Gecko took great pleasure in courting his hidden nest-egg.

One evening, on his way home, Gecko saw two water buffaloes fighting: "This is a sign," he told his wife, "A terrible storm is approaching. Can't you feel it in your bones?" Following his hunch, Gecko took their savings and bought bags of rice.

Sure enough, a typhoon hit the next day. The river overflowed its banks and still the rain continued. Crops, livestock, houses and even a few unlucky villagers were swept away by the flood's fury. When the skies finally cleaned, the fields were in ruins; there would be no harvest that autumn.

The village, normally so prosperous, had a new resident: Hunger had moved in, and only Gecko welcomed his arrival. Finally, when the price of rice had climbed to ten times its usual value, he brought out his hidden bags of grain. "We are rich," he laughed, clapping his wife on the back. "I'll lend you money to rebuild your houses," he told his neighbours, and then proceeded to charge outrageous interest rates.

As Gecko's wealth increased, so did his greed. He opened a pawn shop, befriended pirates and thieves, and took to reselling stolen property.

After ten years Gecko's wealth was uncountable. The only thing that he lacked was respectability but this too could be bought. In exchange for chests full of jewels and ivory, the king offered Gecko a post as a minister. Gecko and his wife moved to the court, built their own immense palace and lived like royalty.

Gecko's life revolved around pleasure. At one of the many parties he attended, he met the queen's brother, a man named Vuong who was rumoured to be as rich as Gecko. The two wealthy men eyed each other warily: "I must buy whole warehouses of silk just to clothe my servants," Vuong sighed. "Well my servants eat as much rice as an entire province," said Gecko with a shrug.

"In my kitchen we use cinnamon bark instead of wood for the cooking fires," countered Vuong. And so it went on, with each of them trying to outdo the other.

"Enough," said a bystander. "We need proof. Why don't you both show us your properties? We will judge which is grander and the loser must give the richer man ten chests of gold and a basket of rubies."

Gecko and Vuong agreed. At home, they both set about preparing for the contest. Vuong directed his servants to sew mosquito nets from silk gauze; Gecko ordered curtains of the finest crepe silk; Vuong had his entire house roofed with glass; Gecko had his floor tiled with precious jade.

The judges toured the men's homes and were stunned. "How can we possibly decide?" they asked one another. But Gecko and Vuong waved their fears aside. "Whoever has the rarest and most valuable possessions will win," suggested Gecko, "Vuong, do you have any coral?"

Vuong ordered his servants to bring out a massive piece of coral. "Do you have a rhinoceros horn?" he asked Gecko. This went on for hours, until the judges' heads swam. Never had they seen such treasures: rare plants, mysterious creatures from under the sea, a magic horse that could run 1,000 miles in a single day...

"I have this chip of jade," said Gecko, "That cools me in summer and keeps me warm in winter. There is none like it."

Vuong frowned. His sister, the queen, also owned a magic jewel; perhaps he could borrow it. But one of his mandarin whispered into his ear. Vuong cleared his throat. "You have many luxurious possessions but your house still lacks many things," he told Gecko.
 

Gecko was annoyed. "How can you say that?" He stamped his foot imperiously: "I have everything. Show me one thing that I lack and I will give you all that I own."

So the stakes were increased, with each man wagering his entire property. The judges shook their heads in awe. "Now;" said Vuong, "Show me your clay cooking pot, one that is well-used and chipped."

Gecko stared in confusion. An old clay cooking pot? There was nothing luxurious about that! Even the poorest beggar in the countryside had one. He ordered his servants to find one and bring it to him immediately.

They searched the whole estate; there were bowls made of silver and gold, bowls carved from teak and sandalwood, even a bowl studded with diamonds, but no worn clay pot.

"How can this be?" thundered Gecko. He thought back to his former life, when he had rummaged through garbage piles to salvage the chipped clay pots discarded by his richer neighbours. "Where did those clay pots go?" he bullied his bewildered wife, who stood by, wringing her hands.

As agreed, Vuong took over Gecko's entire estate. "My jade floor tiles, my silk curtains, my mythical beasts and magical jewels!" wailed Gecko in despair. He was left with nothing but a small bamboo hut, where he sat, dwelling on his loss. For miles around people could hear him, sighing and clucking his tongue in vexation. Finally, regret froze his blood and he died.

After death, Gecko was transformed into the small1izard that bears his name. Still today you can hear him sighing and crying out in exasperation over his lost fortune.