Mrs. Indigent was not an outsider but a native. Her husband served in the Colonial Army in France. She had three children, twelve grandchildren, and three daughters-in-law. Thoan, one of her grandchildren, was a playmate of mine from the time when we bathed together naked, before we knew what embarrassment was.
      According to people in the village, Mrs Indigent was being punished by the river spirit. When young, she had bathed in the river during her period; drops of foul blood from her vagina had dripped into the river as the river spirit was throwing a feast. Humiliated in front of his guests, officials, generals, and subjects, the river spirit cursed: I'll punish her entire family; she alone will survive, to mourn her relatives. This punishment was truly horrible (only someone very powerful could carry it out). Not satisfied, the river spirit also brought animosity to the two villages by the river (as I've said above).

  - Tran Ngoc Tuan

The Literary Review: An International Journal of Contemporary Writing has been published quarterly by Fairleigh Dickinson University since 1957. Its many special issues have introduced new fiction, poetry, and essays from many nations, regions, or languages to English readers. Issues focus on such topics as contemporary fiction in Portugese, Iranian exiles, new Irish writing, North African authors, and Philippine fiction and poetry. Works from issues devoted to writing in English have won awards and been reprinted in many collections.