The Tale of Lục Vân Tiên (傳蓼雲仙; Truyện Lục Vân Tiên) is a 19th-century Vietnamese-language epic poem written in vernacular Chữ Nôm script by the blind poet Nguyễn Đình Chiểu (1822–1888). The 2082-line (present version) work is one of the two most recognizable and influential epic poems in Vietnamese (the other being The Tale of Kiều by Nguyễn Du). Its reaffirmation of Vietnam's traditional moral virtues, at a time when Vietnamese society was facing the French invasion, had great popular appeal. Plot Perhaps the best English language summary of Lục Vân Tiên is one given by Professor John C. Schafer in his essay "Lục Vân Tiên: Its Relation to Prior Texts." Here is his summary: As the story opens, Lục Vân Tiên, the main character, says goodbye to his teacher at the Confucian school and sets off for the capital to take the examinations to become a mandarin. On the way he runs across some brigands who have kidnapped the beautiful Kiều Nguyệt Nga. Tiên rescues her and the gratitude she feels for him soon becomes mixed with love. To express her appreciation, she writes him a poem, but then they part. Nga returns to Hà Khê, where her father is an official, and draws a portrait of Tiên to help her remember her absent lover; Tiên continues on to the examination site. On the way he stops off at the home of Võ Thể Loan, a girl with whom his parents have arranged a marriage. After spending some time with Loan's parents, who seem pleased with the prospect of their daughter marrying the young talented scholar, he continues on his way. On his journey he meets three fellow examination candidates, one of whom turns out to be a loyal friend, two of whom become jealous and vindictive villains. Unfortunately, Tiên never gets to the examinations. When he is about to enter the exam, he hears that his mother has died and decides to return home immediately to go into mourning for her. During his return journey he becomes so sick and weak from weeping that he eventually goes blind. Wandering blind and unprotected around the countryside, he becomes an easy victim for deceitful fortune tellers, medicine men, and sorcerers who trick him out of his money. A villainous fellow examination candidate and his future in-laws treat him even more cruelly: The examination candidate, jealous of Tiên's superior talent, pushes