Water puppet show: The Legend of Yet Kieu

A scene from the water puppet show "Legend of Yet Kieu"

In May 2025, at the water puppet stage inside the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum (2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), the Southern Arts Theatre will present 21 performances of the water puppet play "Legend of Yet Kieu" (Artistic direction: Meritorious Artist Le Ich Dien, scriptwriter: Master Thanh Hiep, director: Master Tran Duoc, music : Meritorious Artist Nguyen Quang Hung, puppet design and creation: artists Hoang Duy Dong - Van Trien). The play features performances by actors: Thanh Doan, Van Lai, Van Luan, Thanh Phuong, Phu Cuong, Thanh Binh, Trung Hieu, Thanh Phuong, Hoai Nam, Le Trang, Chi Cuong…

The legend of Yet Kieu recounts the story of Yet Kieu, a talented general of Hung Dao King Tran Quoc Tuan, who helped the Tran dynasty fight against the Yuan-Mongol army in the 13th century. His real name was Pham Huu The, and he was from Ha Bi village, Yet Kieu commune, Gia Loc district, now Hai Duong province. According to legend, he used his excellent swimming and diving skills to approach and sink many enemy warships, causing heavy losses to the Yuan-Mongol army…

The water puppet show opens with a lively and bustling festival scene in Ha Bi commune. The traditional festival is filled with many activities: dragon dance, lion dance, drumming, boat racing, swimming and diving competitions, etc. During the festival, the handsome and strong young man Pham Huu The quickly wins the swimming and diving competition. To contribute his skills to society, Pham Huu The agrees to teach swimming and diving to many people, especially children... Word spreads that Pham Huu The's talent and strength spread far and wide, and the Tran dynasty sent people to the village to recruit him to fight the enemy and protect the country.

Faced with the Mongol invasion of our country, both by land and sea, Pham Huu The - Yet Kieu advised King Tran Nhan Tong and General Tran Hung Dao, expressing his desire to personally undertake the task of sinking the Mongol warships to create favorable conditions for our army to attack the enemy. This talented and intelligent young man used his excellent swimming and diving skills to bypass the enemy's guards, approach, and sink their warships. In one night, he sank 30 enemy ships, each with about 20 holes. As he sank each hole, he used rolled-up rags to seal them, tying the rags together with a string. Near dawn, having sunk the desired number of ships, Yet Kieu pulled the string, allowing the rag knots to float out of the ships, causing dozens of enemy vessels to sink. Having completed his mission, he calmly swam back to safety.

Having rendered many great services, Pham Huu The was granted the title "First Commander-in-Chief of the Tran Dynasty's Navy, Marquis" by the king. He was known by the people and the Tran dynasty's king and officials as Yet Kieu (named after a large fish species in ancient times).

THUY BINH

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/vo-roi-nuoc-huyen-su-yet-kieu-post793688.html