The story of the ancient well that never runs dry.

(Baonghean)- Quynh Luu district currently has many ancient wells, such as Am well, Nghe well, Giua well (Quynh Hoa)...; Ngoa Truong well (Quynh Dien), Mat Phuong well (Quynh Phuong)... Particularly, Ong Cut well in hamlet 11, Quynh My commune, is only about 1 meter deep, located in a pine forest, and its water is always crystal clear and never dries up...

The ancient wells in Quynh Luu are all about 3-4 meters deep, with water levels higher than the surrounding fields, and are full of water year-round. However, Ong Cut's well is different; it's located in a pine forest, only about 1 meter deep, yet it always has an abundant supply of water, even during droughts.

The Ông Cụt well, also known locally as the "Basket Well," is shaped like a small pool of water, resembling a sunken "basket" nestled in the pine forest. While other ancient wells in the area are dug wells with blocks of mulberry wood at the bottom and green stones on top, the Ông Cụt well is simply a natural "basket of water."

The well is named Ông Cụt (meaning "Mr. Crippled") because, according to an ancient legend, in Phú Mỹ village (Quỳnh Hoa commune), there was a farmer couple named Nhữ who gave birth to a bundle containing a pair of snakes. The husband was very sad, but the wife advised him to keep whatever children heaven gave him. The two snakes grew very quickly and often followed their father.

Mr. Nguyen Dong Thanh, Hamlet 11, Quynh My Commune, Quynh Luu District,
by Ông Cụt's well

One time after the rain, the husband went to build an embankment to retain water, and two snakes followed him. They mischievously used their tails to poke holes in the embankment, allowing water from the upper fields to flow down to the lower fields, much to their amusement. Seeing the leak, the father took a shovel and repaired the embankment. They poked holes again, and he repaired it again without realizing it. One time, accidentally, the shovel blade severed the tail of one of the snakes. Angry at their father, the two snakes thought he had intentionally harmed them, so they conspired to lie in wait on the bamboo gate for his return so they could kill him. The father, realizing this, pleaded, "Because I was busy building the embankment to retain water, I unintentionally injured you. Please forgive me." The two snakes then left.

Later, the snake with its tail cut off was called "Ông Cụt" (Mr. Cut-tailed Snake) by the villagers, while the snake with its tail was called "Ông Dài" (Mr. Long). Because Ông Cụt lost his tail and bled profusely, he was very thirsty. When he passed through this area, he discovered a water source and pushed the water up to drink and heal his wounds for several days. Therefore, the pool of water became known as Ông Cụt's Well (Mr. Cut-tailed Well).

Someone who went into the forest found the well, and seeing the unusually clear and sweet water, told many others about it. Since then, the well has become a valuable asset for those who go into the forest. About a decade ago, many people who went into the forest to collect firewood would stop by Ông Cụt's well to ask for a drink of water. In years of drought, when the fields cracked and the deep wells, dozens of meters deep, dried up, hundreds of households in the Quỳnh Lưu countryside would turn to Ông Cụt's well for water for daily use.

According to Mr. Nguyen Dong Thanh (Hamlet 11, Quynh My Commune), the person most knowledgeable about the history of Ong Cut Well, "The legend of Ong Cut Well is still recorded in the genealogy of the Nhu family in Quynh Hoa Commune. We don't know exactly when the well was built, but it's certainly very old, as the Nhu family has existed for hundreds of years. The elders in the village still say that April 20th each year is the anniversary of Ong Cut's mother's death, so around this time, Ong Cut and Ong Dai return and warn the villagers with fierce storms…"

Currently, Ông Cụt well is located in Quỳnh Mỹ commune, at the border of three communes: Quỳnh Hoa, Quỳnh Mỹ, and Ngọc Sơn (these three communes were formerly part of Phú Mỹ village). Previously, in 1993, after the Decree on land and forest allocation was issued, households in Hamlet 11, Quỳnh Mỹ, pooled money to buy cement, sand, and stone to build a well for protection.

Once, puzzled that the shallow well never ran dry, a group of 5-7 people decided to try it themselves, each taking a bucket and continuously drawing water from it. The result was that the well remained at the same level.

Every month, on the 15th and 1st day of the lunar month, many people come to light incense, express their respect and gratitude to Ông Cụt, and pray for his blessings for peace and prosperity in their businesses… Mr. Thành added that on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month this year, nearly 500 people gathered to light incense at Ông Cụt's well, filling the entire hillside…

Ho Lai