Buffalo Boy (Mùa len trâu)

I have always lived in Ca Mau, with the dry and flooding seasons.

From the time before independence,

I only remember the flooding seasons.

The water would cover the land, rotting everything:

the grass and the houses, the buffaloes and the men.

Of the dry season, I only recall the earth's smell,

the smell of mould that rose up after each flood.

I knew that one day...

- Grandpa! - Come and see!

...I would tell you, Lam, my granddaughter,

the tale of the floods, the men and their buffaloes.

THE BUFFALO BOY

We only owned two buffaloes.

The land belonged to the owners.

Without our buffaloes, we couldn't pay our taxes and debts,

or even eat.

Kim, you've forgotten your lunch.

Thanks, Dad.

I was 15 under French rule.

My father was sick.

The water returned, rotting the grass.

The buffaloes were hungry.

Do we take your buffaloes?

How much do you want?

For you, ten a head.

Ten?

Kien wanted half that just the other day.

It's 15 for the others. Take it or leave it!

It's raining again.

May it rain forever!

This year, God plays fair and respects the seasons.

Any more rain and we'll have to move to the roof!

The rice jars are floating around the house,

haven't you noticed?

Don't blame God!

After the drought, the floods. That's how it is.

You'll see, we'll lose our two buffaloes.

We should have let the herders take them.

How would we have paid?

We're already up to our necks in debt.

Kim can go to work for Huong Ca and he'll advance us the money.

Kim refuses to work for Huong Ca.

Besides, last year, we managed to keep our buffaloes here.

You're talking rubbish. What if our buffaloes die?

Who can tell what God's plans are?

There's no more grass. What do we do, Dad?

Have you looked near the Soc Xoai pagoda?

Yes. lt's all gone.

Even there, there's nothing left.

But the bonze promised me some!

He threw me out!

Our buffaloes work hard for us and we can't even feed them!

- We have to send them away. - How can we afford it?

We should have sent them when the rains started.

Kim can go!

Who'll go fishing?

I will.

You're in no fit state!

God and Buddha will help us this year.

Do you want to go?

Yes, Dad.

Take good care of our buffaloes.

Be sure not to stray.

I'll bring the buffaloes back healthy.

Find the best grass.

The bad kinds of grass weaken them.

Yes, yes.

Tell Lap we'll pay him 10 baskets of rice.

Lap goes to Mount Ba-The first.

Take all the short cuts. You'll catch up by tomorrow.

The God of the Waters will protect you.

Don't forget to pray each time you pass a temple.

Yes, Dad.

Take my new mat to sleep on.

It's Kim's chance to learn a trade.

A trade, buffalo herding? They're all crooks!

I don't like the idea.

Herding animals day and night, in water, without food or sleep...

You know, you learn something else as well.

You've never set foot on Mount Ba-The.

Kim will be seeing it soon.

So what?

It's an incredibly beautiful place,

where the buffaloes watch the clouds as they graze,

rubbing against the pillars of the temple of Kings and Lords.

From Ba-The to the Seven Mountains,

the herd of buffaloes spreads out majestically.

Elephants travel in herds of twenty

and tigers in twos or threes...

Everyone has seen that.

But when several hundred buffaloes travel together,

they darken the landscape.

lt looks like the time of the universe's creation.

Even the bonzes who have withdrawn to the mountains

to flee the world

come out to gaze on the black and violent herd of buffaloes!

Are you asleep?

Are you listening?

You're not answering... You're asleep, then?

l heard you.

You hear with your ears, not with your mouth!

Oh, you were listening! So where had l got to?

You'd got to:

"The buffaloes move, the bonzes watch them..."

Yes, that's it...

There are no mosquitoes there, just fresh and fragrant grass.

The wild animals stay away or kneel down before the buffaloes.

Where's Ba-The?

Is there any grass there?

I know you're hungry. We'll join the others tomorrow.

There are a lot of them but, if you always stay together,

they'll never dare to bother you.

It's time to sleep now.

- Let him go. - Why, Dad?

He could be the Prince of the Waters out for a walk!

They're coming. Don't worry, I'll handle this.

Get out of the way.

I want to come with you.

Who are you? Where are you going alone?

I'm Kim, from Hon Soc.

We were at your place two days ago!

Please. My two buffaloes are dying of hunger.

Ask Lap, our chief.

Sir, will you accept me?

I'm Dinh's son...

He changed his mind? Got money?

We'll pay you with rice.

No way! This game's not for you!

Father will pay double.

What a joke. Get lost!

I'll help you. And I won't ask to be paid.

Your old man thinks I'm mad?

I'm a very good cook. For pity's sake, Mr Lap!

Sau is sick, he can't go on.

We need to replace him.

Careful. I don't trust his old man.

I'll see to it.

Hurry it up! We need to find good grass for the animals.

They can't go on much longer.

Kid, it's okay. You can come with us! You hear me?

- Forget it. - Why? Are you mad or what?

If you change your mind, find me!

You're very hungry, l know.

Too many stones. They can't go on.

Pain in the ass!

We're stopping for the night!

I know how much you're suffering.

Look after these buffaloes. Go between Thanh and Quang.

We'll leave before dawn.

My buffaloes are starving. Will there be more grass tomorrow?.

There's a big hill there covered with grass.

I need to check first.

When will we get there?

Your buffaloes aren't alone!

Kien's gang has taken all the grass!

The fuckers!

Go and get Det, quickly!

One of the buffaloes is dying.

You know what to do, right? Prepare the ceremony!

Get them to the island!

- Come and help me. - You're killing it?

Is it your first time?

You can help me to skin it.

What for?

To prove we didn't sell it.

Alive, you were might itself!

Dead, you possess divine powers! Seers and Gods, protect us!

- Chief! - What is it?

He was tied up in a tree!

Kien's gang wants to slow us down.

Put those torches out!

Fuck! How many of them?

Ten. They've taken all the grass from these islands.

Bastards! What does Kien want?

- 200. - We asked him for less last year.

Shut it!

l know another place full of grass.

We'll leave at dawn.

Here, we risk being attacked.

Quang and Kim will have to keep watch.

You're too young to herd buffaloes.

It was my father who sent me. How about you?

I ran away.

My old man was always drunk.

He'd beat my mother for her money.

She's very sick.

I have to find money fast.

Do you want to make a lot?

I have a great plan.

We'll share the profits...

Chief!

Quang has taken two buffaloes and rice!

Bastard! Wait till I get my hands on him!

We're leaving! This way!

The Seven Mountains are that way!

No one will find us this way.

Lap!

How's business?

Is Kien's gang around?

- They came by yesterday. - Heading where?