Grandpa said that practitioners of magic are basically divided into two main categories. People who practice white magic are called đạo sĩ, which would be like a wizard or a shaman who uses magic with good intentions and for helping others. People who practice dark magic are called phu thuy, which would be translated to wicked/dark witch and warlock, those who use magic for evil.
My grandfather had a family friend who Dad called Uncle Tu. Uncle Tu's mother was a very skilled dark witch, but for some reason she happened to save my great-grandmother's life. And for that, Grandpa owed a debt to their family.
When my dad was a child, Uncle Tu suffered a very bad curse that was bringing him close to the brink of death. (Perhaps he was getting the bad karma and repaying debts for his mother's evil doing?). He came to Grandpa to beg for his life. The curse had physically manifested as an extremely painful swelling of Uncle Tu's stomach. Uncle Tu looked as if his innards would come exploding out. It was a horrific sight.
"Brother Tu, it is your time to go. However, your mother once saved my mother, and I do owe you a debt. I will repay that debt by bringing you back. But, that means that I must forfeit ten years of my own life." Grandpa explained. The universe must always be in balance.
"If I save you, you will live out the rest of your life as a beggar. Are you sure you want to become a beggar? Or would you rather just die now?" Grandpa asked.
"I'd rather live! Please, just save me!" cried Uncle Tu.
"Okay then, we will proceed."
The ceremony lasted three days and three nights. Dad, being the son of a shaman, always required extra protection. His sisters were usually fine, but for some reason, it was the son of the family that was most vulnerable to spiritual danger. Dad was a kid, and all he wanted to do was go hang out with his friends. He would cry and make a fuss when he was forced to stay home in a protected room.
"But why do I have to stay in? It's movie night at my friend's house! There's Wild Wild West and Star Trek! I don't want to miss it! Please, why can't I go?" Dad whined.
"Son, this battle is going to be a big one. It's going to be dangerous for you, and if they find you and get you, I might not be able to save you or bring you back. It could be fatal" said Grandpa. I'm still trying to figure out what he meant by this. Was Dad in danger because Grandpa would be too pre-occupied to rescue him from any potential harm? Or was Dad in danger because the ceremony would anger the spiritual world and they would seek vengeance on the shaman by harming his son?
"Just let Uncle Tu die then! If you don't save him, then I won't have to stay home!" Dad brilliantly devised.
The ceremony room was lit with 190 candles. The room was their living room, but contained many altars and doubled as a temple. It was in this room that Grandpa would be calling upon Buddhist Gods, Goddesses, and his spirit generals for assistance. Grandpa changed into all-white shaman attire, and Dad knew this meant serious business.
The last day of the ceremony arrived. "Take the boy into the room!" Grandpa commanded. Dad was ushered into his protective room. A protection ward was placed upon the door. It was two rectangular pieces of holy yellow paper, with charms that were written vertically in Chinese characters. The charm paper was pasted on the door in the form of an "X". This meant nothing gets in, and nothing gets out.
Dad was upset and bored in his room. He peered out the window. It was a sunny, humid day with clear skies. Then, the strangest thing happened. The wind started blowing at mighty speeds and twisted around the house. He thought they would be swallowed up by this tornado. Dad got very frightened, he knew that things were getting real out there. To make matters even worse, he could hear Uncle Tu screaming in agony. Dad cowered in his room in fright.
After it was all over, Dad approached Grandpa to figure out what went down.
"Dad, what happened out here? Why was there so much screaming? It really scared me!"
"I had to send my generals in him to retrieve the demon that was cursing him."
"Whoa, you ripped the demon out of his belly?!" Dad asked excitedly. "Did you see the demon's face?! What did it look like?!" Dad whispered.
"Why do you always ask such silly questions?!" Grandpa scolded.
Some time after, Uncle Tu and Grandpa fought in the Vietnam War. Grandpa passed away during one of the battles he was leading. Uncle Tu was very nice to Dad, always bringing back American treats for him. After we lost the War, Uncle Tu ended up losing everything and became a beggar. He also developed leprosy and his hands became deformed as a result. One day he came back to visit Dad. Dad took a look at Uncle Tu and noticed the holes in his hands.
"Uncle Tu! What happened to you?!" Dad cried.
"Your father already told me this would be my fate if I chose to live. I was too afraid to die at the time, so this is what I must live with" he solemnly responded.
This is a classic story of be careful of what you wish for. Sometimes, out of fear or selfishness, people aren't cautious about what they ask for, causing pain to themselves and others. Uncle Tu should have died that day, and he could have avoided a decade of suffering as a beggar. That means that Grandpa would have survived the War, and been able to grace his family and his community for another ten years. I shouldn't dwell on what could have happened, though, because things happen the way they do for a reason. And the amazing thing? Grandpa knew he was going to die during that battle! But that's a story for another time.
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