“A very humble wise medicine man lived in a village. Every day he was in search of healing herbs and plants for the sick. One day he found the sacred plant Tiên Thảo Linh Chi, who gives eternal youth and beauty. Villagers hearkened them and asked the medicine man’s permission for the use of the plant. But the wise man did not consent. As more and more people afflicted him, he disappeared into the mountains. Many years later, exactly at the end of the year, a monster appeared out of the sea, the village was destroyed and many people killed. As the medicine man heard the news, he returned back to the village to help the residents. With great courage he lured the monster from the sea to the mountains, where he had discovered the sacred plant. After the monster had eaten the plant, it turned into a very nice, tame, luck-bringing animal and followed the medicine man. The animal was given the name Lân (not to be confused with my foster daughter Lan = orchid, because the animal resembles a dragon, Lân the term is translated into German as a dragon). The people in the village were very grateful and honored the courageous man as god of the earth. Always at the beginning of a new year he came with his animal in the villages, to bless people with good luck and energy to expel demons and evil spirits, so that all people could live in contentment. ” This legend is enacted every year at the New Year in a very often been led dance. First, the “Dragon” (Lân) appears, dancing wildly, scares people and makes a wild untamed animal dar. After a while the medicine man comes and tries to entice the animal behind him. At a certain point are leaves or flowers that are eaten for climax of the dance of the wild animal. Then the animal is tame and follows the earth god obedient. Best regards Cathrin Cathrin’s Blog: Zwischen Traditionen und Moderne