This is a story of a cricket who, together with his friends, travels throughout the world. On their journey, the group meets many dangers and hardships, but their difficulties only deepen their feelings of brotherhood. Along the way, the travelers meet new friends who share the same sense of purpose and a strong belief in a better future.
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Chapter I
An independent life since early childhood; a prank that costed dearly
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Chapter II
I started on my adventurous journey: I got a hard lesson form a longhorn beetle
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Chapter III
I recovered my freedom and helped redress a grievance; I revisited my beloved mother
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Chapter IV
My brothers failed me, but I found a new friend
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Chapter V
The hazards of navigation; The kingdom of the frogs; How we managed to escape
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Chapter VI
How I overpowered the giant mantis and became the canton chief
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Chapter VII
The frustration of the longhorn beetle; Why I resume my journey
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Chapter VIII
I became a prisoner of the kingsfisher; I met my brother again
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Chapter IX
The war with the ants; What angry young girls were capable of; Peace at last
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Chapter X
The last line of my diary
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Foreword
Diary of a Cricket is a novel by Tô Hoài. It was first published in 1941 in Hanoi. Over the course of half a century, the work has been reprinted many times, delighting many generations of readers.
Readers of the story will gain insight in to characters’ love of nature and country. The author wants to share with the readers a childhood world in which the beauties of his native land are encountered and become unforgettable memories.
Diary of a Cricket has been translated into many languages and published in numerous countries. In Vietnam, its successful English version has been reprinted several times. To help English-speaking readers to better understand the story, the original translator tried to make the story clearer by enriching it with more details. So, in this English book, readers will find many differences from the original version.
The Author
Tô Hoài was one of the Vietnam's greatest writers in the 20th century. Some of his works have been translated into foreign languages. He won the Ho Chi Minh Prize for Literature in 1996.
Tô Hoài is well-known for several works, including Diary of a Cricket in 1941, Hunting Mice in 1942, Poor Family in 1944, Stories of the Northwestern Region in 1953, and Three Others in 2006.
Illustrator: Tạ Huy Long
Translator: Đặng Thế Bính