There was a wealthy but deceitful landowner who used every trick in the book to exploit his servants and workers. He had a beautiful daughter, and Khoai, who had lived as a servant in the household since childhood, worked tirelessly.
Now in his late teens, Khoai was a diligent young man.
Fearing that Khoai might leave and he would lose a hardworking helper, the landowner called him one day and declared.
“If you stay in this household and work day and night, I will give you my daughter’s hand in marriage.”
Khoai believed the landowner and was overjoyed. He redoubled his efforts to win the landowner’s favour.
Three years passed. The daughter had now come of age. In the region, there lived a wealthy village chief who had set his sights on the daughter for his son.
The chief came to propose the marriage, and the landowner agreed, beginning preparations for the wedding.
When Khoai realised he had been deceived, he was furious and confronted the landowner. “You promised me your daughter,” he said. “Why are you breaking your word?”
The landowner did not appreciate being spoken to in this manner. He wanted to strike the young man, but upon closer inspection, he thought better of it. Instead, he said:
“My boy, you are mistaken! My daughter has come of age, and the wedding preparations I am making are indeed for you. However, if you wish for the wedding to take place, you must fulfil one condition. You must find a bamboo stalk with a hundred nodes and cut it into chopsticks for the wedding feast. Only then will I give you my daughter’s hand.”
Once again, Khoai believed him and set off into the forest to search for the hundred-node bamboo.
He searched for days, scouring the jungle from end to end, but to no avail. Desperate, he sat down in the jungle and wept.
Suddenly, he spotted an old man with white hair and rosy cheeks, radiating cheerfulness. The old man approached him and asked, “Why are you so sad, my son?”
Khoai told him his story. The old man said, “Go and cut a hundred bamboo stalks and bring them here.”
Khoai did as he was told and brought the bamboo to the old man. The old man then commanded, “Stick together! Stick together!”
At once, the bamboo stalks lying scattered on the ground joined together, forming a single bamboo stalk with a hundred nodes.
Khoai was overjoyed. He wanted to thank the old man, but the man had vanished. It was then that Khoai realised he had met Buddha. He set off to carry the bamboo back, but the stalk was too long to shoulder. It kept hitting trees as he walked. Frustrated, he sat down and wept once more. Immediately, the old man reappeared. Buddha asked, “Why are you crying?”
Khoai explained his predicament. Buddha pointed at the bamboo and said, “Come apart! Come apart!” At once, the bamboo split into a hundred separate stalks, and Buddha disappeared. Khoai tied the stalks together and made his way home.
When he arrived, he found the two families celebrating in the courtyard. The village chief’s family had come for the wedding. Furious, Khoai confronted the landowner, demanding an explanation. The landowner retorted, “I asked you to bring me a bamboo stalk with a hundred nodes, not a hundred bamboo stalks!”
The families continued their celebration, mocking Khoai and laughing at his naivety. Khoai told the landowner to come outside and inspect the bamboo and the courtyard. As the landowner approached the pile of bamboo, Khoai whispered, “Stick together! Stick together!”
At once, the bamboo stalks fused, and the landowner became stuck to the end of the stalk. He struggled to free himself, but to no avail. The future in-laws rushed to his aid. Khoai waited until the village chief touched the landowner, then said, “Stick together! Stick together!”
Immediately, the chief became stuck to the landowner. The same fate befell the chief’s son. The more they struggled, the more it hurt.
Now, both families were in a panic. No one dared to free the three men or mock Khoai. They lined up and begged Khoai to spare them.
Khoai made the landowner promise to give him his daughter’s hand, and the village chief had to swear not to seek revenge. Then Khoai said, “Come apart! Come apart!” and instantly, they were all freed.
The village chief and his entourage hastily left the festivities. Khoai took his seat as the groom, and the celebration continued!