At an earlier time, there was a king named Pakrontakpak reigning in Korsampi Kingdom. He had a wife named Kesar Mealea Devy, but had no children. In this kingdom, there also lived a husband and a wife who were millionaires. Later his wife delivered a baby boy. Amazingly, on the first day of his birth, the baby boy was able to eat a ladleful of food; the second day, two ladleful’s and one month, thirty ladleful’s. Soon, the stingy millionaires were frantic with worry for fear that they would at a future time become poor. "Our son is a very unfortunate baby," the husband talked to his wife, "if we still continue to raise him, our wealth will be lost because of him." Therefore, the husband and wife decided to abandon him at a crematorium.
At midnight, there was a monk who lived in the pagoda where the crematorium located had a strange dream. He dreamt of having a white baby elephant accompanied by a big crowd of folks and dignitaries walking into his pagoda. Waking up, he went to crematorium, and then he saw the baby crying. He right away carried the baby in his arms and brought him to stay in his monastery. Next morning, he went to collect food from a royal family. The king offered auspicious food to the monk. The monk then said to the king, "I found a baby boy in the crematorium, my majesty! Not knowing who abandoned him." Then the king had a wet nurse fetch the baby to take care of. The monk named the baby Chao Soben Komar - a kid as dreamt.
When Chao Soben Komar was about 7 years old, the monk got him back from the royal family and ordained him a novice so that he could study Tripitaka, the ideological foundation in Buddhism. Not long, because he was intelligent and had good memory, novice, Soben, knew everything in the Tripitaka. When the novice was at the age of 20, the monk went to the king and said, "Novice Soben was old enough to become a Bhikkhu- high class monk, so we needed robes and other materials to ordain him as a Bhikkhu. Having had enough materials, the king had them taken to the monk in the pagoda. Novice Monk Soben, having been ordained as Bhikkhu, was very famous, for he was a supporter of the Tripitaka, a well-versed preacher who was able to interpret Buddhist Discipline in great detail-and he would always go to get food from royal families.
5 years later, one day Bhikkhu Soben had a strange dream. He dreamt about his body being at the top of Himalayas Mount; he could catch the sun and held it in his right palm and the moon in his left palm, and crowded people came to pay their respect before him. In the morning, Bhikkhu Soben went to his higher monk and told him about his dream last night. "Bhikkhu Soben is going to become a famous and powerful king," thought the higher monk. Then the monk went to the royal family for food and right away told the king about Soben's dream.
Then the king invited a prophet and asked him about that dream. "My majesty!Soben will have great power," predicted the prophet, "and became an independent king." After listening to the prophecy, the king thought that, "Bhikkhu Soben is going to seize the throne, so I have to ruin him beforehand." The king ordered his royal soldiers to arrest Bhikkhu Soben and kept him in jail.
One day the king had a visit along the river with his concubines, royal officials and soldiers. The king ordered fishermen to lay the fishing nets around the river before he went down to swim with his concubines. After the king walked upland, the fishermen picked up the fishing nets, in which a garland of flowers was found. They took the garland to the king. Then the king asked who had made this garland, but found no one. The king thought this garland must belong to a fortunate young lady because it was beautifully arranged. So, the king ordered his royal soldiers and hunters to look for her on the upper river in order to marry her.
The servants of the king and his hunters went back and forth unceasingly along the river for ages, but found her nowhere. They finally arrived at a mango tree near the riverbank, where White Monkey King and his countless companies had lived. "Where are you from? Why are you here? And what do you want?” Asked White Monkey King, seeing the royal servants and hunters resting near the base of mango tree. They replied, "We have been ordered by our king to seek for a lady of five beauties- hair, lips, teeth, skin and age? Have you heard about her?" "As far as I know, at the upper part of this river, there lived a daughter ofa king named Botom Kessora, who is the most beautiful of all in the world. She lives in a 7–storeyed castle, strictly guarded by soldiers and is the daughter of King Kormoleakreach and Queen Botomvatey Devy, reigning in Chentak Borei, Kingdom of Cambodia. A king brought her some presents for engagement to her, but her father has refused to marry her to anyone." A hunter added, "How can we reach that kingdom?" "You will find it difficult, far and dangerous to take the road," answered White Monkey King, "while taking the waterway is much easier."
At midnight, there was a monk who lived in the pagoda where the crematorium located had a strange dream. He dreamt of having a white baby elephant accompanied by a big crowd of folks and dignitaries walking into his pagoda. Waking up, he went to crematorium, and then he saw the baby crying. He right away carried the baby in his arms and brought him to stay in his monastery. Next morning, he went to collect food from a royal family. The king offered auspicious food to the monk. The monk then said to the king, "I found a baby boy in the crematorium, my majesty! Not knowing who abandoned him." Then the king had a wet nurse fetch the baby to take care of. The monk named the baby Chao Soben Komar - a kid as dreamt.
When Chao Soben Komar was about 7 years old, the monk got him back from the royal family and ordained him a novice so that he could study Tripitaka, the ideological foundation in Buddhism. Not long, because he was intelligent and had good memory, novice, Soben, knew everything in the Tripitaka. When the novice was at the age of 20, the monk went to the king and said, "Novice Soben was old enough to become a Bhikkhu- high class monk, so we needed robes and other materials to ordain him as a Bhikkhu. Having had enough materials, the king had them taken to the monk in the pagoda. Novice Monk Soben, having been ordained as Bhikkhu, was very famous, for he was a supporter of the Tripitaka, a well-versed preacher who was able to interpret Buddhist Discipline in great detail-and he would always go to get food from royal families.
5 years later, one day Bhikkhu Soben had a strange dream. He dreamt about his body being at the top of Himalayas Mount; he could catch the sun and held it in his right palm and the moon in his left palm, and crowded people came to pay their respect before him. In the morning, Bhikkhu Soben went to his higher monk and told him about his dream last night. "Bhikkhu Soben is going to become a famous and powerful king," thought the higher monk. Then the monk went to the royal family for food and right away told the king about Soben's dream.
Then the king invited a prophet and asked him about that dream. "My majesty!Soben will have great power," predicted the prophet, "and became an independent king." After listening to the prophecy, the king thought that, "Bhikkhu Soben is going to seize the throne, so I have to ruin him beforehand." The king ordered his royal soldiers to arrest Bhikkhu Soben and kept him in jail.
One day the king had a visit along the river with his concubines, royal officials and soldiers. The king ordered fishermen to lay the fishing nets around the river before he went down to swim with his concubines. After the king walked upland, the fishermen picked up the fishing nets, in which a garland of flowers was found. They took the garland to the king. Then the king asked who had made this garland, but found no one. The king thought this garland must belong to a fortunate young lady because it was beautifully arranged. So, the king ordered his royal soldiers and hunters to look for her on the upper river in order to marry her.
The servants of the king and his hunters went back and forth unceasingly along the river for ages, but found her nowhere. They finally arrived at a mango tree near the riverbank, where White Monkey King and his countless companies had lived. "Where are you from? Why are you here? And what do you want?” Asked White Monkey King, seeing the royal servants and hunters resting near the base of mango tree. They replied, "We have been ordered by our king to seek for a lady of five beauties- hair, lips, teeth, skin and age? Have you heard about her?" "As far as I know, at the upper part of this river, there lived a daughter ofa king named Botom Kessora, who is the most beautiful of all in the world. She lives in a 7–storeyed castle, strictly guarded by soldiers and is the daughter of King Kormoleakreach and Queen Botomvatey Devy, reigning in Chentak Borei, Kingdom of Cambodia. A king brought her some presents for engagement to her, but her father has refused to marry her to anyone." A hunter added, "How can we reach that kingdom?" "You will find it difficult, far and dangerous to take the road," answered White Monkey King, "while taking the waterway is much easier."
Gaining the information from White Monkey King, the royal servants and hunters right away returned to their kingdom to tell the king. The king then ordered his servants to prepare seven big junks, each of which carried 500 soldiers, including weapons and other supplies, leaving for the ocean. The journey took three months to reach Chentak Borei, Kingdom of Cambodia. By the way, there were thousand soldiers of 101 kings who had desired to marry the princess too arriving earlier. They had been aware that there were junks of a king who also wished to get engaged to the princess coming, so they were not happy. They waged a battle against soldiers who were approaching. Unluckily, the soldiers in the seven junks could not defeat 10 I soldiers, and they had to get back to their kingdom and told their king about their failure. The king, longing for the princess, was so sad that he could not eat but lay motionless in his bed. "If you really want to have her, order Pundit Soben to be responsible for it, since he had been famous for his deep wisdom, so he must be able to get her for you," said the Queen, seeing her husband was very sad.
Having listened to the suggestion, the king got his servant to release Chao Sob en from the jail. The king apologized to Soben for his punishment that he had imposed by believing the malignity of others. Now the king was aware that he was innocent. He comforted Soben, explaining several reasons and gave Soben jewelry and an auspicious food. "Pundit Soben!" Said the king, "At Chentak Borei, Kingdom of Cambodia, there is the most beautiful princess without peer, go with our soldiers by the junks to Chentak Borei and do whatever to get her to me; in return, I will give you as much wealth as you want." Soben, getting the gifts from the king, left for the pagoda to say goodbye to his priests. The priests wished him good luck to fulfill the duty.
Chao Soben, with the priests' blessings, went down to the junk with soldiers. "Soldiers! After Soben took the prince to the junk, you all kill him by dropping him into the ocean. Then you can brought the princess to me," the king whispered to the soldiers before the departure. The royal soldiers, with loyalty, kept the order. When Soben's junk was at the harbor of Chentak Borei, the people in the junk announced that, "Our junk was coming to sell products; Please! Everyone, come and see our products. And if there are products that you all can sell to us, we’ll buy them too." This made Soben's junk be able to land at the harbor without any troubles. Chao Soben got the soldiers to wait in the junk: not allowing them to go on land. Chao Soben walked toward a crowd and heard villagers saying that the Princess Botom Kessora was going to take a stroll in the park in the next seven days.
"How can I meet her, since there has been a strict guard?" thought Chao Soben. Then Soben, in a rush, went to the park along the riverbank and suddenly came across White Money King, who came to talk with Soben politely. Looking at his behavior and attitude, Sob en found that the monkey dependable, so he asked for help from White Monkey King in order to find ways to meet the princess. A few days after his staying with White Monkey King, Soben knew that the princess was going to see the landscape in the park tomorrow morning.
Next morning Soben went earlier to the park in hiding. Upon the march's arrival in the compound of the park, the ladies-in-waiting, the princess's servants, were having a great time: happily and noisily, some sang a song, and others danced. However, the princess, with a cheerful, charming smile, merely looked at them; she did not join them. Her perfect politeness was an excellent match with her outstanding beauty. Soben, when seeing the princess, felt deeply in love with her, but was not able to fully understand the princess's feeling. "May dryads help me and let only the princess see me," Soben prayed to the deity of the woods. Soon Sob en turned up in front of the princess.
No sooner did the princess see Soben than she excitedly fell in love with him, which she had never had this feeling before. The love of this young man and lady happened under the influence of their previous deed-- that is, in their previous lives, they had lived together as a family. The princess was genuinely fond of the young man, but did not know how clever he was; and therefore, she posed some enigma to trial his wisdom. Nonverbally, Soben showed the princess that he understood all her questions. At noon the march of the princess returned to her castle.
At the shelter of White Monkey King, Soben was asked about his meeting with the princess. Soben told the White Monkey King about his love relationship with the princess through the third question she posed. King White Monkey asked Sob en to answer this question. Soben explained, "When the princess was looking at me, she picked up a lotus to kiss and put her arms around it. This meant that she expressed love to me. Her raising the lotus and moving it around her head seven times meant that she stayed in a 7-storey castle. The fact that she kissed the lotus and put it on an old lady's thighs meant that through that old lady I could meet her in the castle." White Monkey King said, "It may be like that; go to meet her and let me know if you come across any obstacle. I will support you as much as I can."
Next morning Soben said goodbye to White Monkey King and then continued his journey to Chentak Borei kingdom. Upon arriving there, he went to ask an old lady for a few-day stay. The old lady agreed and got servants to prepare food and bed for Soben. The old lady asked Soben about his background and the main purpose for which he was coming. Soben told the old lady everything even the fact that he had met the princess in the park. The old lady, the matchmaker, who had already understood the princess, agreed to help Soben. The young man could meet the princess in her castle as what he needed. The unmarried couple had an unforgettable sweet love relationship with each other. "My dear, I have to leave here by the junk at this midnight; go away with me?" Soben persuaded. The princess hesitated for fear that her father would be profoundly sad when he was separated from his daughter. But since she cared about her future, she agreed to go with her unmarried husband. She collected some valuable things in a bag and leftwith her husband that night.
That night, when Soben and the princess were at the junk, there suddenly came a royal guard to welcome her. This rapid emerge made the princess slip her bag into the water. Seeing this, Soben dived into the water for the bag. All the treacherous royal servants took the princess into the junk and hurriedly raised the anchor and set sail to take the princess to King Parontak Pak. "My husband is not yet here; don’t leave," begged the princess. But no one listen to her request. Swimming to the surface of the water, it has been silent. He did not see his junk. Knowing that he was cheated, Soben cried bitterly for his dearest princess, who must be weeping and wailing because of this separation.
When Soben got off the worry; he went to meet White Monkey King. "Why do you still come back here?" White Monkey King asked. Sob en told his stories to White Monkey King in details. "Buddy, don't worry; I can help you," said White Monkey King to console Soben. White Monkey King gave a boat to Soben and said: "Row the boat northeast, then you will arrive at an island called Udompor. There you will see a big Udompor tree bearing red fruits. And there is also a swine (Pig) living on this island. This swine has a crystal ball in his mouth and would always go to the tree to eat the fruit. No matter what you do, you have to get this crystal ball. Then take your journey southwest; you will arrive at a kingdom known as Doandoek Kingdom. Going ahead, you will reach another kingdom called Kumpheak Kingdom.
Leaving this kingdom, you will reach Pheritaklak Kingdom and later Asepaktalak Kingdom. All of those kingdoms own a lot of magic things. Guy! Do whatever you can to have them before you resume your journey to Korsampi Kingdom. Then you will take the throne as a famous and glorious independent king."
Soben, soon after paying his thankfulness to White Monkey King, got onto the boat which carried lots of fruits, the food for his journey, and rowed away. Upon arriving at Udompor Island, Soben did as White Monkey King had told him. He climbed up the tree and hid himself on the fork branch waiting to see the swine. Soon the swine, carrying in its mouth a crystal ball, emerged walking on the sea surface, landing on the island and spitting the crystal ball by the base of the Udompor tree. The swine browsed fruits until it was full. Then it lay down and slept near the crystal ball. Thinking that the swine was in a deep sleep, Soben carefully came down to grasp the crystal ball. With the ball, Soben felt so strange and his body was as light as rain; he could leap high very easily, even up to the top of the tree. When the swine woke up and discovered that its crystal ball was lost, it was absolutely furious. It banged its head badly against the base of the tree and then passed away.
Soben walked on water as quickly as a wink. He spent 30 Youches (one Youch is roughly equivalent to 16 kilometer) traveling to Doandoek Kingdom. At that time, the folks were very amazed to see a man who could walk on water surface. It was so great that this news was known to the king, who ruled the kingdom. The king invited Soben to have an audience with him. Soben paying his salutation to the king, the king asked, "Gentleman! What power enables you to walk on water?" Soben replied, "It is from the power of this crystal ball, My Majesty!" The king, then, longed for the crystal ball. "I was wondering if we could exchange my magic wand with your crystal ball?" requested the king. "What can your magic wand do?" Soben asked. The king explained, "This wand is very powerful. If you are attacked by an enemy, just point it at your enemy, he or she will die suddenly." Soben replied, "My majesty! I'm afraid that I can't exchange them here because I am alone. But if only you and I go into the forest the exchange can be possible." Really eager to get the crystal ball, the king agreed to go into the woods and handed his wand to Soben. "Gentleman, give your crystal ball to me!" requested the king. Soben replied, "My majesty! I cannot give you my crystal ball." The king said, "If not, return the magic wand to me!" Pundit Soben answered, "Please go back to your palace. If you coerce me, I'll point this wand at you."
The king of Doandoek Kingdom got neither the crystal ball nor his magic wand. He was very regretful that he returned to his palace with nothing. As for Pundit Soben, he left the forest and took his journey for another 30 Youches. Then he reached the kingdom of Kumpheak. He had shown himself off by walking on a river. All the folks, seeing his performance, were very surprised. This news came to the ear of the king of Kumpheak Kingdom. One day, with a clay pot in his hand, the King went to Kongkea River and asked Pundit Soben about the fact that he could walk on water. Pundit Sob en showed his brilliant crystal ball. No sooner did the king see it than he was very satisfied with it. The king suggested Pundit Soben on exchanging the crystal ball with his magic clay pot.
Pundit Soben asked the king about the power of the magic clay pot. "This magic pot is very powerful. If you need food, you merely lean this pot, and then food will come out as you wish. If an enemy is attacking you, simply turn upside down; then, it causes flood, killing them all," the king told. Pundit Soben replied, "My majesty! If you need my crystal ball, only you go into the forest will I exchange it with your pot?" Due to his strong desire for the crystal ball, the king went into the forest alone. Upon arriving in the quiet forest, Pundit Soben used the same trick and gained the clay pot from the king.
Soben, having had the magic clay pot in his hand, continued journey. Traveling for 30 Youches, he arrived at Pheritaklak Kingdom. In this kingdom, there was a magic drum. One side of the drum, when beaten, could defeat enemy, while beating the other side could make up a lot of things as needed. Soben used the same trick to have the drum. After getting the drum, Soben traveled ahead until he arrived at Asepaktalak Kingdom. In this kingdom there was a magic sword which was able to cut everything. Soben employed the same deception to successfully gain that magic sword from the king in that kingdom. Traveling for the other 30 Youches, Soben arrived at Korsampi Kingdom, so he came around his pagoda to pay respect to Master and Buddhist priest.
Back to Princess Botumkesora, it took her for three months to arrive at Korsampi Kingdom. Royal guards were accompanying her when she was getting out of the junk. Botumkesora asked one guard, "Where is my husband?" "Soben, your husband, will come on the next junk; please, Princess, go into the royal palace," replied the guard. She, then, was quite relieved, believing what the guard had told her. The royal guard took Botumkesora to see the king who quickly fell in love with her as soon as he saw her beauty. At that time, she repeated her question, "Where is my husband?" The guard told, "This king is your husband." The princess was aware that she was cheated, so she was very sad and sorrowful. She wailed and wept recounting her stories of separation from her parents and her beloved husband. Seeing this, the king came to console her, but she attached such a strong antipathy that she swore bad words, which made the king dare not approach her.
At that time, there was a royal guard who departed his junk the last of all. When he arrived back in his kingdom, he paid a short visit on the pagoda where Sob en had stayed in and was visiting too. There the guard saw Soben playing chess in the monastery. He asked, "Pundit Soben! When did you arrive here?" "I arrived here two or three days ago," replied the Pundit Soben. "How did you come here?" added the guard. "I arrived here on foot," replied Soben. Having heard this, the royal guard was very complimentary to the power of Soben. He asked, "You arrived here before me; have you had an audience with the king yet?" Soben replied, "I don't know who the king is." After hearing this, the royal guard went to inform the king about that. The king then ordered his royal guards to get Soben to have an audience with him. Soben replied, "I have an audience with the king who possesses qualifications as a king only; I would not have an audience with any king who doesn't have these qualifications.
Please go and inform your king about that." The royal guards told the king what Soben had said. The king was so furious that he ordered his soldiers to arrest Soben. The soldiers surrounded the pagoda. Seeing this, Soben raised his magic wand and pointed it at those soldiers, so they fell down widely like banana trees battered by a storm.
Only one commanding officer was alive and went to tell the king about this. The king was absolutely furious and rallied around troops from the four directions and led them by himself. Soben, knowing that the king led an enormous fighting troops aimed at killing him, beat the drum to conjure a magnificent castle gleaming with lights and with massive walls around it. The king ordered the troops to drive elephants forward in order to destroy the surrounding wall, but did not have success. Not admitting the failure, the king ordered his troops to climb up the wall at once. Soben stood on the highest floor of the castle; he saw crowd of royal troops climbing up the conjured wall on the four directions. This could not make Soben frightened; rather, he ordered the ladies to excellently play music and dance.
"Let's catch Soben and brutally slaughter him as feed for crows and vultures," said the king to his royal troops. Seeing this, Soben pointed his magic wand at the four-division troops causing them one by one fall down on the ground unconsciously, building up on one another like ants climbing up the wall were being burned down and fell, except for the king, the troop commander and the Brahman priest, who were driving their elephant. They are so scared that they could almost fall off the elephant's back, and therefore they put their palms together and raised them up to beg Sob en for their lives. This made Sob en feel pity for them. "My majesty, I don't kill you," Soben said, and then returned to stay in his conjured castle. At that time, the king and Soben swore to stop fighting against each other.
The king said: Pundit Soben, Botomkesara was missing you so much that she was wailing and weeping in the royal palace. She is not happy for me. If you agree not to kill me, and bring all of my troops back to life, I will marry Botomkesara to you and put you on my throne to be the king of Korsampi Kingdom. Soben respectfully obeyed the king's order. The four-division troops and animals were brought back to their lives. The king ordered the royal servants to march in procession to invite Botomkesara to the conjured castle. Seeing her husband, the princess was extremely happy and went to hug him with great excitement and surprise. Then the king agreed to hold the coronation of Pundit Soben, called King Soben Reach, and Queen Botomkesara.
Back to Chentak Borei, Kingdom of Cambodia, having known that the princess was not in her bed chamber, everyone was filled with panic. The king ordered his royal servants to search for the princess in every junk of 101 kings, but to no avail. It was said that the prince must have been abducted by the merchants of the seven junks. The king got many junks to trade in lots of kingdoms in search of his daughter. One of the junks reached Korsampi Kingdom and they heard that there was a king and a queen, named Botomkesara, the princess ofChentak Borei kingdom, newly coming to the throne in this kingdom. Discovering that it was clearly true, the royal servants and the merchant managed to wrap up presents of valuable jewelry to ask for an audience with the Queen in order to see her. Seeing the princess personally, they turned back and informed the king of Chentak Borei about his daughter. Anyway, Queen Botomkesara also told her husband about that.
King Soben Reach sent his parent-in-laws a royal message saying: I, King Soben Reach, would fully express my respect to you, my parent-in-laws. I would like to apologize most sincerely to you for our eloping without informing you. This is a big mistake. May you, father, forgive us. Having read this, the king ofChentak Borei was absolutely angry, so he intended to lead the troops to fight against King Soben Reach. But the servants and merchants told him that, "My majesty! Don't fight against that king. Neither human beings nor deities will win against him, since King Soben Reach has lots of magic weapons like crystal ball, magic wand, magic pot, magic drum and magic sword, which are all the most powerful weapons. "Realizing about this, King Komolreach wouldn't dare fight against King Soben Reach. Since then, a good relationship existed between the two kingdoms.
Several months later, Botomkesara fell pregnant. The time of delivering baby was forthcoming; she wanted to give birth in her royal family, so she told her husband about her purpose. King Soben Reach decided to accompany his wife too, but he did not want to take waterway. He wanted his four-division troops to escort him and his wife along the road, so he wielded his magic sword to clear forest for the way. The magic sword was drawn and flew to do its task - clearing the forest, leveling the hill or mountain, filling holes and ponds with earth, making a smooth road from Korsampi kingdom to Chentak Borei After a smooth wide road was built, the magic sword flew back into its scabbard.
ing Soben Reach made a royal announcement to his people that they could sell things along the new road to Chentak Borei kingdom as they wanted. The journey was made with a big procession. The troops were safe and sound because they had enough food and water. The magic pot made auspicious food, while the magic drum built nice camps and shelters.
King Komolreach and his wife had a great pleasure; they ordered the royal servants to organize a big party to welcome their son-in-laws and daughter. Then King Komolreach traditionally held a coronation ceremony for King Soben to rule Chentak Borei Kingdom since then. By the way, Princess Botomkesara delivered a baby boy. As soon as the baby was born, he was wrapped up with hide of lion. This made his relatives name him "Singhanorak Komar" .When the little boy could walk, Botomkessara delivered another baby boy named "Konhak Komar." As for King Soben Reach, he provided support for White Monkey King and his retinues everything and then he returned to Korsampi Kingdom.
- The End -
Having listened to the suggestion, the king got his servant to release Chao Sob en from the jail. The king apologized to Soben for his punishment that he had imposed by believing the malignity of others. Now the king was aware that he was innocent. He comforted Soben, explaining several reasons and gave Soben jewelry and an auspicious food. "Pundit Soben!" Said the king, "At Chentak Borei, Kingdom of Cambodia, there is the most beautiful princess without peer, go with our soldiers by the junks to Chentak Borei and do whatever to get her to me; in return, I will give you as much wealth as you want." Soben, getting the gifts from the king, left for the pagoda to say goodbye to his priests. The priests wished him good luck to fulfill the duty.
Chao Soben, with the priests' blessings, went down to the junk with soldiers. "Soldiers! After Soben took the prince to the junk, you all kill him by dropping him into the ocean. Then you can brought the princess to me," the king whispered to the soldiers before the departure. The royal soldiers, with loyalty, kept the order. When Soben's junk was at the harbor of Chentak Borei, the people in the junk announced that, "Our junk was coming to sell products; Please! Everyone, come and see our products. And if there are products that you all can sell to us, we’ll buy them too." This made Soben's junk be able to land at the harbor without any troubles. Chao Soben got the soldiers to wait in the junk: not allowing them to go on land. Chao Soben walked toward a crowd and heard villagers saying that the Princess Botom Kessora was going to take a stroll in the park in the next seven days.
"How can I meet her, since there has been a strict guard?" thought Chao Soben. Then Soben, in a rush, went to the park along the riverbank and suddenly came across White Money King, who came to talk with Soben politely. Looking at his behavior and attitude, Sob en found that the monkey dependable, so he asked for help from White Monkey King in order to find ways to meet the princess. A few days after his staying with White Monkey King, Soben knew that the princess was going to see the landscape in the park tomorrow morning.
Next morning Soben went earlier to the park in hiding. Upon the march's arrival in the compound of the park, the ladies-in-waiting, the princess's servants, were having a great time: happily and noisily, some sang a song, and others danced. However, the princess, with a cheerful, charming smile, merely looked at them; she did not join them. Her perfect politeness was an excellent match with her outstanding beauty. Soben, when seeing the princess, felt deeply in love with her, but was not able to fully understand the princess's feeling. "May dryads help me and let only the princess see me," Soben prayed to the deity of the woods. Soon Sob en turned up in front of the princess.
No sooner did the princess see Soben than she excitedly fell in love with him, which she had never had this feeling before. The love of this young man and lady happened under the influence of their previous deed-- that is, in their previous lives, they had lived together as a family. The princess was genuinely fond of the young man, but did not know how clever he was; and therefore, she posed some enigma to trial his wisdom. Nonverbally, Soben showed the princess that he understood all her questions. At noon the march of the princess returned to her castle.
At the shelter of White Monkey King, Soben was asked about his meeting with the princess. Soben told the White Monkey King about his love relationship with the princess through the third question she posed. King White Monkey asked Sob en to answer this question. Soben explained, "When the princess was looking at me, she picked up a lotus to kiss and put her arms around it. This meant that she expressed love to me. Her raising the lotus and moving it around her head seven times meant that she stayed in a 7-storey castle. The fact that she kissed the lotus and put it on an old lady's thighs meant that through that old lady I could meet her in the castle." White Monkey King said, "It may be like that; go to meet her and let me know if you come across any obstacle. I will support you as much as I can."
Next morning Soben said goodbye to White Monkey King and then continued his journey to Chentak Borei kingdom. Upon arriving there, he went to ask an old lady for a few-day stay. The old lady agreed and got servants to prepare food and bed for Soben. The old lady asked Soben about his background and the main purpose for which he was coming. Soben told the old lady everything even the fact that he had met the princess in the park. The old lady, the matchmaker, who had already understood the princess, agreed to help Soben. The young man could meet the princess in her castle as what he needed. The unmarried couple had an unforgettable sweet love relationship with each other. "My dear, I have to leave here by the junk at this midnight; go away with me?" Soben persuaded. The princess hesitated for fear that her father would be profoundly sad when he was separated from his daughter. But since she cared about her future, she agreed to go with her unmarried husband. She collected some valuable things in a bag and leftwith her husband that night.
That night, when Soben and the princess were at the junk, there suddenly came a royal guard to welcome her. This rapid emerge made the princess slip her bag into the water. Seeing this, Soben dived into the water for the bag. All the treacherous royal servants took the princess into the junk and hurriedly raised the anchor and set sail to take the princess to King Parontak Pak. "My husband is not yet here; don’t leave," begged the princess. But no one listen to her request. Swimming to the surface of the water, it has been silent. He did not see his junk. Knowing that he was cheated, Soben cried bitterly for his dearest princess, who must be weeping and wailing because of this separation.
When Soben got off the worry; he went to meet White Monkey King. "Why do you still come back here?" White Monkey King asked. Sob en told his stories to White Monkey King in details. "Buddy, don't worry; I can help you," said White Monkey King to console Soben. White Monkey King gave a boat to Soben and said: "Row the boat northeast, then you will arrive at an island called Udompor. There you will see a big Udompor tree bearing red fruits. And there is also a swine (Pig) living on this island. This swine has a crystal ball in his mouth and would always go to the tree to eat the fruit. No matter what you do, you have to get this crystal ball. Then take your journey southwest; you will arrive at a kingdom known as Doandoek Kingdom. Going ahead, you will reach another kingdom called Kumpheak Kingdom.
Leaving this kingdom, you will reach Pheritaklak Kingdom and later Asepaktalak Kingdom. All of those kingdoms own a lot of magic things. Guy! Do whatever you can to have them before you resume your journey to Korsampi Kingdom. Then you will take the throne as a famous and glorious independent king."
Soben, soon after paying his thankfulness to White Monkey King, got onto the boat which carried lots of fruits, the food for his journey, and rowed away. Upon arriving at Udompor Island, Soben did as White Monkey King had told him. He climbed up the tree and hid himself on the fork branch waiting to see the swine. Soon the swine, carrying in its mouth a crystal ball, emerged walking on the sea surface, landing on the island and spitting the crystal ball by the base of the Udompor tree. The swine browsed fruits until it was full. Then it lay down and slept near the crystal ball. Thinking that the swine was in a deep sleep, Soben carefully came down to grasp the crystal ball. With the ball, Soben felt so strange and his body was as light as rain; he could leap high very easily, even up to the top of the tree. When the swine woke up and discovered that its crystal ball was lost, it was absolutely furious. It banged its head badly against the base of the tree and then passed away.
Soben walked on water as quickly as a wink. He spent 30 Youches (one Youch is roughly equivalent to 16 kilometer) traveling to Doandoek Kingdom. At that time, the folks were very amazed to see a man who could walk on water surface. It was so great that this news was known to the king, who ruled the kingdom. The king invited Soben to have an audience with him. Soben paying his salutation to the king, the king asked, "Gentleman! What power enables you to walk on water?" Soben replied, "It is from the power of this crystal ball, My Majesty!" The king, then, longed for the crystal ball. "I was wondering if we could exchange my magic wand with your crystal ball?" requested the king. "What can your magic wand do?" Soben asked. The king explained, "This wand is very powerful. If you are attacked by an enemy, just point it at your enemy, he or she will die suddenly." Soben replied, "My majesty! I'm afraid that I can't exchange them here because I am alone. But if only you and I go into the forest the exchange can be possible." Really eager to get the crystal ball, the king agreed to go into the woods and handed his wand to Soben. "Gentleman, give your crystal ball to me!" requested the king. Soben replied, "My majesty! I cannot give you my crystal ball." The king said, "If not, return the magic wand to me!" Pundit Soben answered, "Please go back to your palace. If you coerce me, I'll point this wand at you."
The king of Doandoek Kingdom got neither the crystal ball nor his magic wand. He was very regretful that he returned to his palace with nothing. As for Pundit Soben, he left the forest and took his journey for another 30 Youches. Then he reached the kingdom of Kumpheak. He had shown himself off by walking on a river. All the folks, seeing his performance, were very surprised. This news came to the ear of the king of Kumpheak Kingdom. One day, with a clay pot in his hand, the King went to Kongkea River and asked Pundit Soben about the fact that he could walk on water. Pundit Sob en showed his brilliant crystal ball. No sooner did the king see it than he was very satisfied with it. The king suggested Pundit Soben on exchanging the crystal ball with his magic clay pot.
Pundit Soben asked the king about the power of the magic clay pot. "This magic pot is very powerful. If you need food, you merely lean this pot, and then food will come out as you wish. If an enemy is attacking you, simply turn upside down; then, it causes flood, killing them all," the king told. Pundit Soben replied, "My majesty! If you need my crystal ball, only you go into the forest will I exchange it with your pot?" Due to his strong desire for the crystal ball, the king went into the forest alone. Upon arriving in the quiet forest, Pundit Soben used the same trick and gained the clay pot from the king.
Soben, having had the magic clay pot in his hand, continued journey. Traveling for 30 Youches, he arrived at Pheritaklak Kingdom. In this kingdom, there was a magic drum. One side of the drum, when beaten, could defeat enemy, while beating the other side could make up a lot of things as needed. Soben used the same trick to have the drum. After getting the drum, Soben traveled ahead until he arrived at Asepaktalak Kingdom. In this kingdom there was a magic sword which was able to cut everything. Soben employed the same deception to successfully gain that magic sword from the king in that kingdom. Traveling for the other 30 Youches, Soben arrived at Korsampi Kingdom, so he came around his pagoda to pay respect to Master and Buddhist priest.
Back to Princess Botumkesora, it took her for three months to arrive at Korsampi Kingdom. Royal guards were accompanying her when she was getting out of the junk. Botumkesora asked one guard, "Where is my husband?" "Soben, your husband, will come on the next junk; please, Princess, go into the royal palace," replied the guard. She, then, was quite relieved, believing what the guard had told her. The royal guard took Botumkesora to see the king who quickly fell in love with her as soon as he saw her beauty. At that time, she repeated her question, "Where is my husband?" The guard told, "This king is your husband." The princess was aware that she was cheated, so she was very sad and sorrowful. She wailed and wept recounting her stories of separation from her parents and her beloved husband. Seeing this, the king came to console her, but she attached such a strong antipathy that she swore bad words, which made the king dare not approach her.
At that time, there was a royal guard who departed his junk the last of all. When he arrived back in his kingdom, he paid a short visit on the pagoda where Sob en had stayed in and was visiting too. There the guard saw Soben playing chess in the monastery. He asked, "Pundit Soben! When did you arrive here?" "I arrived here two or three days ago," replied the Pundit Soben. "How did you come here?" added the guard. "I arrived here on foot," replied Soben. Having heard this, the royal guard was very complimentary to the power of Soben. He asked, "You arrived here before me; have you had an audience with the king yet?" Soben replied, "I don't know who the king is." After hearing this, the royal guard went to inform the king about that. The king then ordered his royal guards to get Soben to have an audience with him. Soben replied, "I have an audience with the king who possesses qualifications as a king only; I would not have an audience with any king who doesn't have these qualifications.
Please go and inform your king about that." The royal guards told the king what Soben had said. The king was so furious that he ordered his soldiers to arrest Soben. The soldiers surrounded the pagoda. Seeing this, Soben raised his magic wand and pointed it at those soldiers, so they fell down widely like banana trees battered by a storm.
Only one commanding officer was alive and went to tell the king about this. The king was absolutely furious and rallied around troops from the four directions and led them by himself. Soben, knowing that the king led an enormous fighting troops aimed at killing him, beat the drum to conjure a magnificent castle gleaming with lights and with massive walls around it. The king ordered the troops to drive elephants forward in order to destroy the surrounding wall, but did not have success. Not admitting the failure, the king ordered his troops to climb up the wall at once. Soben stood on the highest floor of the castle; he saw crowd of royal troops climbing up the conjured wall on the four directions. This could not make Soben frightened; rather, he ordered the ladies to excellently play music and dance.
"Let's catch Soben and brutally slaughter him as feed for crows and vultures," said the king to his royal troops. Seeing this, Soben pointed his magic wand at the four-division troops causing them one by one fall down on the ground unconsciously, building up on one another like ants climbing up the wall were being burned down and fell, except for the king, the troop commander and the Brahman priest, who were driving their elephant. They are so scared that they could almost fall off the elephant's back, and therefore they put their palms together and raised them up to beg Sob en for their lives. This made Sob en feel pity for them. "My majesty, I don't kill you," Soben said, and then returned to stay in his conjured castle. At that time, the king and Soben swore to stop fighting against each other.
The king said: Pundit Soben, Botomkesara was missing you so much that she was wailing and weeping in the royal palace. She is not happy for me. If you agree not to kill me, and bring all of my troops back to life, I will marry Botomkesara to you and put you on my throne to be the king of Korsampi Kingdom. Soben respectfully obeyed the king's order. The four-division troops and animals were brought back to their lives. The king ordered the royal servants to march in procession to invite Botomkesara to the conjured castle. Seeing her husband, the princess was extremely happy and went to hug him with great excitement and surprise. Then the king agreed to hold the coronation of Pundit Soben, called King Soben Reach, and Queen Botomkesara.
Back to Chentak Borei, Kingdom of Cambodia, having known that the princess was not in her bed chamber, everyone was filled with panic. The king ordered his royal servants to search for the princess in every junk of 101 kings, but to no avail. It was said that the prince must have been abducted by the merchants of the seven junks. The king got many junks to trade in lots of kingdoms in search of his daughter. One of the junks reached Korsampi Kingdom and they heard that there was a king and a queen, named Botomkesara, the princess ofChentak Borei kingdom, newly coming to the throne in this kingdom. Discovering that it was clearly true, the royal servants and the merchant managed to wrap up presents of valuable jewelry to ask for an audience with the Queen in order to see her. Seeing the princess personally, they turned back and informed the king of Chentak Borei about his daughter. Anyway, Queen Botomkesara also told her husband about that.
King Soben Reach sent his parent-in-laws a royal message saying: I, King Soben Reach, would fully express my respect to you, my parent-in-laws. I would like to apologize most sincerely to you for our eloping without informing you. This is a big mistake. May you, father, forgive us. Having read this, the king ofChentak Borei was absolutely angry, so he intended to lead the troops to fight against King Soben Reach. But the servants and merchants told him that, "My majesty! Don't fight against that king. Neither human beings nor deities will win against him, since King Soben Reach has lots of magic weapons like crystal ball, magic wand, magic pot, magic drum and magic sword, which are all the most powerful weapons. "Realizing about this, King Komolreach wouldn't dare fight against King Soben Reach. Since then, a good relationship existed between the two kingdoms.
Several months later, Botomkesara fell pregnant. The time of delivering baby was forthcoming; she wanted to give birth in her royal family, so she told her husband about her purpose. King Soben Reach decided to accompany his wife too, but he did not want to take waterway. He wanted his four-division troops to escort him and his wife along the road, so he wielded his magic sword to clear forest for the way. The magic sword was drawn and flew to do its task - clearing the forest, leveling the hill or mountain, filling holes and ponds with earth, making a smooth road from Korsampi kingdom to Chentak Borei After a smooth wide road was built, the magic sword flew back into its scabbard.
ing Soben Reach made a royal announcement to his people that they could sell things along the new road to Chentak Borei kingdom as they wanted. The journey was made with a big procession. The troops were safe and sound because they had enough food and water. The magic pot made auspicious food, while the magic drum built nice camps and shelters.
King Komolreach and his wife had a great pleasure; they ordered the royal servants to organize a big party to welcome their son-in-laws and daughter. Then King Komolreach traditionally held a coronation ceremony for King Soben to rule Chentak Borei Kingdom since then. By the way, Princess Botomkesara delivered a baby boy. As soon as the baby was born, he was wrapped up with hide of lion. This made his relatives name him "Singhanorak Komar" .When the little boy could walk, Botomkessara delivered another baby boy named "Konhak Komar." As for King Soben Reach, he provided support for White Monkey King and his retinues everything and then he returned to Korsampi Kingdom.
- The End -
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