Huynh Quang Nhuong

Nhuong is the author of the autobiography, and the primary person through which the reader experiences the events of the book. Nhuong was born in 1946 to a rice farmer, and from a very early age he helped his father grow and harvest rice. Living in the highlands, the family had to use water buffalo to till the soil during rainy season, and Nhuong got very attached to one of the family's water buffalo named Tank. Nhuong and Tank were nearly inseparable, and Nhuong rode Tank everywhere.

Nhuong had a child's naiveté as well as exuberance. He very much enjoyed hunting for birds' eggs with his brother, hunting for golden eels with the help of Tank, or raiding otters' parties. In several instances, Nhuong revealed himself to be a smart and resourceful boy. In the case of the golden eels, he harnessed Tank's power to more easily...