FLYING SWAN

Once upon a time, there lived a King named Atith Vongsa - the superior King to other 101 kings-and her Queen named Pimpea, along with his other 6 thousand concubines, ruling in the capital city of Tep Borey. All of his 6,000 concubines didn't even bear a child for him.

Fearing that the nation could disappear, the King's prominent servant commented the King that, "Your Majesty, you're the King of the Nation. I fear that our Nation might vanish when you pass away as we don't have any king to succeed." The King commanded Queen Pimpca to organize flowers in honor of gods and asked them for a male infant. The Queen followed his royal command. With her powerful rite, Indra's palace was shaken; he used his divine eyes to witness the event. He then in canted magical words so that Buddha could be reincarnated as a male baby of Queen Pimpea.

After the ten-month pregnancy passed, a golden-skinned prince was born. He was named "Prince Sovann Kumar" by the palace's Brahmans. When he was at the age of 16, his father ordered that daughters of the 101 kings be convened for Prince Kumar's selection as his princess. The prince was not contended with the girls and told his father that he would seek his life partner himself.

During the period of time, there were two craftsmen - one of whom specialized in constructing temples and decorations and the other in inventing such animals as Garuda and peacock that could be used as a vehicle. The King ordered the two craftsmen to build a flying swan as his vehicle. Upon completion of the assigned works by the craftsmen, the King traveled by the swan to various areas including Himalaya forest.

Prince Kumar was keen to learn science of magic. He then asked for permission from his father who agreed with and offered him the flying swan. He sat on the flying swat to take view of forests for 3 weeks before descending in the Kingdom of Banhchal. He parked the swan at a large tree and took rest at a house of the Kingdom's Brahman priest. It was not too long that he could proficiently master the science of magic. The priest offered the prince as his god son and always got him to meet the King of Banhchal every day.

The King of Banchal had a 16-year-old daughter named Botum Kesor, who was the Kingdom's most beautiful girL One day, she saw Prince Kumar walking near her palace-she fell in love with him immediately, She felt anxious and sad, failing to sleep as normally did, One of her female servants asked her, and she replied, "I love Prince Sovann Kumar very dearly," She suggested that the female servant tell Prince Sovann Kumar. The ' servant accordingly told Prince Sovann Kumar who promised that he would move to meet the princess during the night. During the nighttime, Prince Sovann Kumar rode his flying swan to Princess Botum Kesor's palace. He had visited the princess every night until she became pregnant.

Being informed that she was pregnant, the King of Banchal used a trick so as to get Sovann Kumar arrested and killed. Prince Kumar knew the trick and cheated his murderers to get him to the tree base where he parked his flying swan. He then managed to ride the means to Botum Kesor's palace and got her on it. They both rode the flying swan over the palace of the King, sending a message from the sky before their leaving to the capital city of Tep Borey.

GHOST ON LARGE BANANA TREE

There is an old saying that the ancient Cambodian people had belief and often old their descendants not to grow Check Chvea (a kind of Large Banana Tree) adjacent to the end pieces of house roofs because it was believed that this might bring bad luck to the house owner. This belief was derived from the following story:

Long, long time ago, there lived a poor family who were farmers. One day during a drought, there was no water or rain for farming. The man, then, decided to leave his wife to work as laborer in a far-away village.

After the husband left, there was an epidemic of cholera in the village where his wife lived. This outbreak made the villagers very frightened. At the beginning, only small animals were infected with the disease, but later on, it spread out to the big animals and then to human beings, killing a series of them. No ' one was able to help other ones.

Each house was so quiet. In the night, only the sound of dogs howling was heard and the gentle light of kerosene lamps was seen in sparse places, causing everyone to have goose dimples on their skin, just to think of it. In some villages where the disease had not yet been spread to people and animals, the villagers n those remote areas were scared to earn their living as usual. They were very upset and quiet, only whispered to the each other, not dared to talk loudly or to think of where the incident happened.

One day while the disease was spreading out fiercely, there was a generous person coming to invite a Buddhist monk to recite a protective prayer at his home. When it was the time to take the monks, he came to get a senior monk and two ordinary monks.

When the monks arrived at his home, there were many guests. The three monks were invited to come onto the house and sat on good seats, and then they were traditionally offered drinks, tea, sugars and cigarettes. After that, the people did recitation as a respect for the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) and then it was the monks' turn to recite a protective prayer. But the layman said, 'Would you please not recite Dharma of Karanei to frighten the spiritual evil; rather, skip to recite the Dharma of Viropake right away in order to save time?' The monks started to recite the protective prayer from the beginning, as requested by the layman, skipping the Dhamla of Karanei and moving to Dharma of Viropake.

Suddenly the monks noticed that all generous people were pleased and laughed happily. "They have asked us not to recite Dharma of Karanei and requested us to move right to Dharma of Viropake, but why they turned laughing, it is very odds" doubted the senior monk on the first seat. He was very ashamed and worried that he would be criticized of this mistake, so he went back to Dhanna of Karanei.

No sooner had the monks recited few words than all the generous people suddenly left one by one until the place was empty. Then the candle flame went out immediately. The house where the monks were staying became the thickest dense of bamboo, whereas the cigarettes, tea, and sugar turned out to be charcoal, sand and chopped wood. At that moment, the monks realized that the ghosts had transformed themselves as humans to invite them. Until the laymen and laywomen at the pagoda knew this, the three monks had 110 food to cat for nearly three days.

THE KENG KANG SNAKE

Long time ago, there was a man with his wife named NEANG NY and a daughter named NEANG ETH. The name was a beads trader. At that time, there were no other snakes, except for KENG KANG SNAKE (a kind of black and white snake).

One day, the villagers gathered to dig bamboo shoots and NEANG NY did go with her daughter either.

Reach in a Jungle, NEANG NY came across a bamboo shoot III a bamboo bush. She immediately dug the bamboo shoot. Incidentally, while she was digging the bamboo shoot, her digging hoe slipped from its handle and fell into a hole with no appearance. NEANG NY tried to look into the hole for her digging hoe and saw KENG KANG SNAKE nearby. She then said to the snake, "Huh, KENG KANG SNAKE! May you pass me the digging hoe?" The KENG KANG SNAKE replied, "If you agree to be my wife, I will help to pass your digging hoe back".

Due to her fool, NEANG NY incidentally answered, "OK, I agree to be your wife and this evening I will order my daughter-ETH to call you in". Soon after promising, both NEANG NY and her daughter returned home.

At dusk, NEANG NY ordered her daughter to call KENG KANG SNAKE in due time. NEANG ETH reached to the top of hole and called loudly, "KENG KANG SNAKE NEANG NY calls you". The snake heard and crawled toward NEANG NY with great anxiety. After seeing the giant snake, NEANG ETH was quickly dying running away.

When the KENG KANG Snake arrived, Neang Ny told, “Presently, my husband is not here, he went to trade beads. He would come back once for every two or three year”. The KENG KANG snake slept with with Neang Ny until the dawn, before leaving, Neang Ny commanded, “You can come here unless my daughter goes to invite you. But when my husband is here, I will not order Neang Eth to call you”.

The KENG KANG SNAKE slept with NEANG NY until the dawn while NEANG ETH was very frightened and slept alone nearby the house.

Actually, NEANG NY always ordered her daughter to call the KENG KANG SNAIK every day. Although NEANG ETH was very scared of snake, she still committed with her mother order but she did feel angry with her mother having love affairs with the snake.

Every evening, NEANG ETH went to the hole and called, "KENG KANG SNAKE, NEANG NY calls you". The snake crawled up and replied, "ETH! Isn't your father there? Or, he will kill me". "My father went to trade the beads and came back home for every two or three years, he did not come yet", ETH added.

The KENG KANG SNAKE came again and again, NEANG NY got pregnant Everyday NEANG NY was worried because when he.!; husband came he would kill her.

Her husband came and saw her with pregnancy, he secretly asked the daughter, "ETH huh! Why is the matter with your mother's stomach?". The daughter responded, "Pa! Mother has fallen in love with The KENG KANG SNAKE and she orders me to call the snake in every day".

The father heard that and told the daughter, "This evening you have to call the snake normally and don't let your mother know this. OK?"

In dusk NEANG ETH walked forward the hole and called, "KENG KANG SNAKE, NEANG NY calls you." The snake replied, "ETH! IfI go, your father will cut my head." NEANG ETH responded, "My father went to trade the beads and came back home every two or three years, he did not come yet".

The KENG KANG SNAKE heard and crawled happily since it thought that NEANG NY's husband did not come yet.

For NEANG NY's husband, he was standing nearby the door and ready with a knife in his hand. Soon after the KENG KANG SNAKE was crawling into the house, the man did not hesitate to chop the KENG KANG SNAKE into three pieces.

Due to being in love affairs with other wife, the husband killed the KENG KANG SNAKE cruelly and the snake died bitterly.

After that, the NEAG NY's husband took the tail of the snake hung on a jujube tree and dried the head on shelve while the body was taken to make food without letting NEANG NY know.

NEANG NY's husband quickly cleaned the blood stained on the TlCTO and everywhere. At a meal time, NEANG NY asked her daughter loudly, "ETH, ha! What a nice smell of the meal is". ETH replied, "Yes, Mum pork soup."

With her hunger, NEANG NY ate with her family. At that time, there was a crow on jujube tree near tail of the snake said, "KALOV KALOV KHLEM KHLORM, eating your own lover's meat..."

Neang Ny heard that and turned and saw the tail of snake on the branch of jujube tree and the head of snake on the shelve. Since she felt pity to the KENG KANG SNAKE, her tear fell on her cheek and she just whimpered because her husband was next to her.

Then her husband ask her, "Why are you whimpering?". "The rice is hot, so is the soup thus, making me teat”, she stifled.

Neang NY’s husband realized that his wife did get pregnant with the KEN KANG SNAKE and he was very embarrassed. When the delivery wad due, he persuaded his wife to visit a jungle near the pond far from the village.

NEANG NY did not know the killing plan of her husband. She thought that her husband did love her. She therefore followed him. They stopped and relaxed under a tree. It was a good chance for NEANG NY's husband. He pushed NEANG NY a tree trunk with hanger.

NEANG NY slid and her stomach broke. Immediately, there were huge numbers of snake crawled from her stomach. Some crawled into the jungle; pond and several were cut cruelly by her husband. Therefore, there are many species of snake on our planet up to now.

- THE END -

THE HARE AND THE SNAIL

It is narrated that once upon a day there was a hare coming to drink water in a pond. While he was drinking, he saw a snail floating himself on the surface of water. This made the hare feel such an intense hatred towards the snail that he moved to drink at another place nearby.

The snail, seeing such sickening behavior of the rabbit, said to him, "Hey, Brother Hare! Have you gained permission for a drink here?" "This pond's got no owner," the hare replied tersely in an irritating manner, "so I don't have to ask for permission from anyone." "We've been looking after this pond for ages." said the snail, "ask us if you'd like a drink."

This word made the hare so angry that he scornfully mocked at the snail aloud. "Snail!" said the hare, "you've been neither far in a paddy field nor a farm; your mouth is the only way to make a move, and you've been familiar merely with the space on the surface of water; how come you would dare boast that you are the pond owner.""You're right - I am legless, and unlike you, I know neither the faraway paddy field nor farm. But if you want to make a bet with me, let's run in a race; I am not afraid of you."

Hearing that he was challenged by the snail, the hare was much angrier. "I should not let the snail boast about that." Thought the hare, "Every one knows that I've got great intelligence and I am the quickest and fastest runner.""I feel no fear for you." Said the hare, "see you here tomorrow for a race; we are going to run three laps around this pond. If I lose the race, I'll quit drinking water from the pond, but if you lose, leave this pond." Then, the hare left home.

Speaking about the snail, after the hare had left, he gathered together all other snails in the pond for a plan. "Tomorrow morning we have to station our buddies around the edge of the pond." One snail talked to them, "If the hare shout out, "Hey, Snail!" loudly, then the snail who is ahead of the hare has to shout Kuk".

Next morning the hare arrived at the pond. He saw the snail waiting for him at a pond edge where they both had arranged to meet. Then, the hare and the snail started the race. As soon as he raced one lap around the pond, the hare called out to the snail. "Hey, Snail!" shouted the hare. "The snail in front of the hare answered "Kuk". Having heard the snail shouting ahead of him, the hare ran at his best, since he believed that the snail was truly ahead of him. After the second lap, the hare called out to him again. Then the snail ahead of the hare shouted, "Kuk!" again. The hare had not realized that it was the snail's trick; he thought that the snail ran faster than he did. He then tried all his energy and efforts to run for the last lap.

After running three complete laps around the pond, the hare was every disappointed because the snail had been waiting for him at the starting point. The hare conceded that he lost the race and felt embarrassed for himself from the fact that he was the loser in the running race with the snail. He left the pond and was fiercely committed not to drink water in the pond forever.

Since then, it has been observed that hares have stopped drinking water in ponds and never drunk water at all. Snails, on the other hand, have lived peacefully in ponds forever.

- THE END -

THE HERMIT WHO REVIVES THE TIGER

As a story has it: There is a lone tiger sleeping at the entrance of a snake’s home, and was killed by the snake. On that day, a hermit came across the dead tiger, feeling pity with the animal; he used the magic spells to revive the tiger.

Back to its feet, the tiger said: “I am having a sound sleep in my forest home why did you awake me? I will eat you”, “You slept over the hole of a snake which killed you. I revived you so you should be grateful to me, rather than killing me”, explained the hermit. The old man was very angry and started arguments with the tiger. They did not see eye to eye, and decided to bring the case to the wolf. The wolf said to himself: “the wolf then ruled that the hermit had to offer himself to the tiger to eat, the wolf’s judgment was partial.

The hermit is not satisfactory, and the ruckus went on again. They two brought the case to the cow, which thought that if he ruled against the tiger, he would be killed by the tiger. So the cow ruled that the tiger could eat the hermit. The decision by the cow is regarded as partial. The hermit was not happy with the hjudgment, and he again complained to the monkey. They monkey said to himself: “There was once a man falling into the water well. My dad helped the man to climb the tree to avoid the danger. But he was a bad man. He killed my dad”. The monkey then decided to let the tiger have the hermit as food. The monkey acted out of his anger.

The hermit was not happy with the judgment. He made complaints with the vulture. The bird said himself: “Every day I’ve got the kill left over from the tiger. If I rule against him, I will anger him. So I will no longer be able to have the kill left over from the tiger”. The vulture then decided to allow the tiger eat the hermit. The vulture’s ruling is described as greedy.

Disagreeing, the hermit turned to the forest divinity for help. The divinity said to him: “All human souls, who roam the forest, always reply on the shade of the trees. But they always pick the branches, the leaves, strip the barks off and cut down the trunk”. With this idea the hermit decided to rule in favor of the tiger, allowing the animal to eat the hermit. The forest divinity’s judgment is described as ignorant and dishonest.

The hermit did not accept the fuling. He brought the tiger to a meeting with the rabbit. “The tiger slept at the entracnce of the snake’s hole. And he was killed by the snake. I helped revive him, thinking that he would be grateful to me. But he now wants to eat me instead. Please help to judge this case”, the hermit recount the ncident. And the tiger also gave his account, saying: “I was having a sound sleep in the forest, and this hermit just woke me up. So I must bite him. The hermit did not agree, and took me to the wolf, which allowed me to eat the man. He still did not agree, and we went to the cow for judgement. The cow gave the same ruling. Again the hermit rejected the decision, and complained to the monkey, which ruled in favor of me. The hermit did not accept the monekey’s decision, and he brought me to the vulture and the forest divinity, who all ruled that I can eat the man. And now he lodges complaint with you. So it is up to you to decide on the case”.

Listening to the hermit and the tiger, the rabbit used his wisdom to get a clear picture of the story and to give the judgment. He asked the two to take him to the place where the disagreement started, and had the tiger lie back on the snake’s hole like he did before. The cobra came out and killed the tiger with its bite.

When the tiger died, the rabbit said to the hermit: “Look at the tiger, because of its ungratefulness; it cannot get away with its karma. From now on you must not do any good deed with tigers. The rabbit’s ruling is described as righteous – that is hones and just.

- The END -

THE GRATITUDE OF BAMBOO

In the week of one holiday, Sok asked his parents to visit his grandfather's home at the rice field. With very busy, the parents of Sok allowed him to go alone. With very imploring and because of Sok said with promising to respect the word of his parents.

But before he left, mother gave more advising, must be careful in journey, don't be careless, and don't stop play or go into the garden and picks plant of the villagers. Mother also emphasized and reproved that: Your grandfather's home stayed at the east. You walk toward the direction of the sun rose.

Tomorrow morning Sok got up in the early morning. His shoulder carried a bag of food aild water bottle. He walked and sang at the same time, and his eyes looked at the sun. But Sok went into the forest for a moment, his feeling started to change because he saw many flocks of butterfly. Some flocks were black, some flocks were yellow, and some flocks were red. .. Sok turned around and followed the flock that consist big wing and multicolored. They were flying to absorb the abundantly blossoms in the forest. He walked stealthily to catch, but missing it. So he ran to pursue and walked with bent down instead of, but still miss caught.

With very tired, Sok has decided not to follow and opened the food pacKage in the bag and ate. But didn't eat yet, suddenly he looked and saw the very beautiful flock of shiny green insect. Sok wrapped his food and ran to pursue them. He got them a handful, and also lost his food bag. Could not found it. He walked wander and tried to recall that place. But in the forests were the same view.

Sok's forehead was completely perspired. And he looked up the sun that already walked above his head. While Sok was walking and looking to the sky to see the sun. He fell into the old pit whose much grasses planted over it.

For that time, Sok was very trouble because his stomach was agitated, hand was tremble and leg became weak. He prayed to all effective objects but the sun was increasing red. At that time Sok heard the noisy of birds were flying back to their nests. Even though he really tired, his eyes tried to watch the way to climb up. Sok saw the vines grew at the side of the pit. He walked and tried very hard to hold the vine to go up, so he has succeeded as wished.

As he got free from the pit. He became to lose direction because at that time the sky was dark. Sok was scared with gooseflesh backbone because he heard the voice of wind blew to hit the branches of tree and the voice of water drop of drizzle rain fell on the leaves ... His backbone increasingly gooseflesh because the sound of the type of owl cried out: Quark! Quark! Sok covered his face with the hands and thought about the story in video that he saw tiger, lion and wolf. .. Caught small animals to tear and ate them as their foods. Sok thought that if they confronted him. They would caught him to be their food ... With tightly imagined, he slipped to yell with tremble mouth: Help

Sok walked toward slowly and met a stump. Again Sok slipped his mouth and yelled that: My Gods! And then tried to look toward and saw the bamboos stood up in disorder and charming. Sok interested and remembered the word of his grandfather. Sok's grandfather used to show grandson how to choose bamboo at the west side to make xylophone's bar, it better than the east side. Because the sun set at the west, so this side stayed under the sun shined longer me my mother! Completely silent, not heard mother replied. Sok opened the hands slowly, stole to open eyes and looked through the gap of fingers, but didn't see anything at all, because the sky was dark.

So he has decided to walk to another direction that it was cooler than this, was to walk to the east. Sok tried to walk for a moment, so he past the forest. Under the moon was shinning. He could saw the shelter of villager one by one for watch the rice fields. He began to run because he heard the voice of dogs. Sok ran a little further and he saw the bright of kerosene lamps of villagers. Sok was very excited.

At that time Sok was increasingly concentrated. But, with very tired Sok slowed down his walking and walked slowly. The sound of Sok's breathing was Kuar Kuar, because it stayed in the silent situation that the people was overslept. Sok was nearly anived his direction. He looked from the distance and saw many coconut trees grew in row before his grandfather's home. Sok walked and blamed himself at the same time. He regretted that he didn’t follow the mother's advices. While he was thinking, suddenly he heard the noise of Aki-the dog of neighbour, it yelped at him.

Sok tried to run quickly and arrived before his grandfather's home. Sok yelled with tremble but it was not frighten noise, it was the noise of very joyful: My grandfather! My grandfather! Grandfather coughed and replied that: Why are you just arriving? Sok didn’t reply but he stood and drained his tears on his cheek.

- THE END -

THE BAT AND THE WEASELS

One evening, a bat went out to hunt for food even though he was not well. As he flew after some insects, he felt dizzy and fell to the ground. Before he could get up, a weasel pounced on him. "Please, Mr. Weasel, "the bat pleaded, "please let me go!”

The weasel just laughed, "Certainly not! I am a great hunter of birds! “Thinking quickly, the bat replied, "Oh, but I am not a bird, I am a mouse. Look closely at my face. Do not I look like a mouse?" The weasel agreed and let him go.

A short time late, the bat fell to the ground again and was caught by a second weasel. Once again, he had to plead for his life. "Why shouldn't I kill you? I hunt mice!" exclaimed the weasel."Oh but I am not a mouse. "I am a bat. Have you ever seen a mouse with wings? “He asked, spreading his wings for the weasel to see. The weasel was convinced and set him free.

- THE END -

THE DONKEY AND THE WOLF

A donkey was eating grass in a meadow when he saw a wolf coming towards him. Thinking quickly, he started to limp, pretending he was hurt. The wolf came closer and asked,

"My friend, I am sorry to see you are injured. Tell me what happened to your leg."The donkey said, "I was very careless this morning. I jumped through a hedge and stepped on a thorn. You should pull it out before you eat me” he warned, "so you do not prick your mouth." ''I'll try," answered the wolf. "Just hold still while I look for it"

But as soon as the wolf lifted the injured hoof, the donkey kicked him in the face, knocking out many of his teeth. The donkey ran away as the wolf rolled on the ground in pain.

The wolf felt very silly for being tricked so easily. "Oh well,"he said to himself, "I got what I deserved. My father taught me how to hunt for a living, not how to take care of others."

- THE END -

THE GOOSE THAT LAID GOLDEN EGGS

A man and his wife lived happily on a little farm, tending their flock of geese and selling their eggs at the market. they were not rich , but they were happy with their life together. Then one day a new goose flew in among their flock. The couple was surprised to find a shiny golden egg in her nest. Each and every day after that,

The goose laid another egg of solid gold! The couple was soon richer than they had ever dreamed of, but they were not happy. They grew impatient with only one golden egg a day.

The farmer said to his wife “Our goose must be full of gold why should we wait to have more eggs?" "If we cut her open," his wife agreed,"we can get all the eggs at once."

So they killed the goose! They were very surprised to find that it was just like any other goose inside. Even worse, there would never be any more golden eggs again!

- The END -

THE GOLDEN PHOENIX

There was a man living in Peareanasey Kingdom. When the man died he turned into a phoenix in the Himalayan forest. The bird remembered his previous incarnation and knew that his wife and Children were living in poverty and misery and working for others to earn their living.

He felt so sorry for his wife and ch ildren. Then he flew to their house and told them that he was their father and husband reincarnated into the phoenix. "I came to drop one or two golden feathers, so that you can sell them to earn your living and stop working for others.”

She talked to the children, "Children, now we have enough money to make our living because the phoenix who was your father comes to drop feathers once in a while, but how can we trust this bird? If he did not show up, we would have no money to spend. So, when he comes, I think we should catch him and pull out all his feathers to keep them for our future security."

Having heard her mother's argument, the daughters said, "What you've said is not right. We, the children, will not obey you."

One day, the golden phoenix flew to the house to drop its feathers. The wife then enticed him with sweet words. When the bird got closer to her, she caught him and pulled out all the feathers. The bird was badly hurt and struggled to search for a place to hide himself.

Then all the fur turned into white feathers like those of a crane. She tried to sell them, but no one would ever take them. The bird tried to live on with suffering till the new feathers grew and then he flew to the Himalayan forest. He never returned to his wife’s house again.

From that time on, she had no more luck. She had nothing else to sell. She returned to poverty.

- THE END –

THE GIRL ENTERING THE AGE OF PUBERTY

There was a narrative that there was a notorious thief who had no wife and built a house in the forest to keep his wealth such as silver, gold, fabric clothes and so on that he had stolen from other people. Later on, the thief thought: "I have a lot of wealth, but I have no one to keep it and what is the use of making any effort to find it? Because after I pass away, this wealth will be useless; it is regretful If I have a wife and children, they will inherit it and I won't be so lamentable."

After thinking so, the thief wandered around the village, looking at the kids playing noisily under the tree. He saw a small girl, quite pretty and lovely, with white complexion. He persuaded the girl to separate from the kid group and lured her to his home.

Because he was afraid that the girl escaped to her parents and to protect her from being found by her parents, the thief kept the little girl in a locked room. Every time of the meal or whenever he had delicious food, the thief gave it to her through a small hole.

The little girl in the dark room was growing from day to day until she became mature. Since she was in the room, not exposed to the sunlight, and never walked on the land for years, she was thin and pale differently from the other girls.

Now knowing what was wrong with his daughter, the thief was very scared. He went to a village and met an a old lady who was a midwife. The thief implored the old lady to cure his daughter.

When arriving at the thief’s a house, the old midwife went to ask her how she was. While she was aware of how the girl was, the midwife said: “Don’t worry, granddaughter! You are ill because you enter the age of puberty, the time when you change your span of age.this change makes you pain and tired. But, that is nothing; I will find medicine for you to drink.” Then, the midwife went to strip some barks and used them for medicine. “ Granddaughter, when the day of menstruation is coming,” the midwife advised, “ you must boil the little with a packet of this herbal medicine and drink it for a several days so that you can recover and your skin will become more beautiful.” When the midwife was looking after the thief’s daughter, she always paid attention to her behaviors and her great beauty. She thought herself that she would look for a good-looking young man who was well matched with her.

After drinking the medicine, the young pretty lady was recovered from the illness. Then, the old midwife went to the thief and respectfully asked for permission to leave for home and told the thief not to keep her in the room again. The thief gave the midwife some gold and silver as a gift and guided her home. While the midwife was ready to leave, she thought, “This house is so far from the village; and the forest is very quiets and frightening. If I want to come here again, how can I find the way here?” Thinking so, she took out a packet of watermelon seeds she brought with her and walked after the thief, sowing the sees until she got home.

One day, it was because of the deed of previous life, it made a young man who returned home from gaining knowledge stay in the midwife’s house. Late in the evening, the man was tired and the way to go was still too far, he decided to salute the midwife for a night stay. Simultaneously, the old woman came out and saw the young man greeting her. Then, she kindly agreed to allow him to stay. The old woman was cooking while inquiring the young man about his family background.

The old woman kept talking note of the young man’s behavior and beauty since he arrived. Then after the meal, she asked him, “Grandson, before you left your parents for knowledge, have they engaged you with anyone for marriage?” “Not yet,” replied the young man, “I think if I meet any girl who has good character, I will marry her.” “Do you know any beautiful girl in this village?” he asked the old lady. “In this village, there is no any girl who is well matched with you, but I have seen a beautiful girl who is the daughter of the notorious thief who lives so far from the village,” answered the old woman. The midwife described the event she saw the beautiful girl, after hearing what the woman praised about the girl, the young man was very anxious to see her. He asked the old woman to take him there, but the woman refused. “No, Grandson!” said the old lady, “I can’t go with you because I feel frightened with the thief.” “Usually, that thief is very cruel,” she added, “I am so old; I don’t want to be killed, but I want you to become her husband. Go to bed, and you can leave for the young lady tomorrow morning.”

The night, the young man thought of everything that might happen. He could not sleep because he felt strange with the new bed and anxious for the day time tomorrow to see the beautiful girl. He was also worried about his journey alone in the forest and the danger he might have with the thief.

Early morning, the midwife got up and prepared food and water for the young man. When he got up, the midwife called him to have breakfast and then gave him the food parcel to eat on the way. The old woman showed the young man to see the watermelon plants. "Grandson," said the old lady, "follows these plants, you will arrive at her house; and you must be careful. Have a good journey, good success as you wish, if the enemies come before, let them go over and if the enemies come from the back, let them disappear" the afternoon; the young man arrived at the thief's house.

Luckily, the thief was not at home; he went to rob, leaving his daughter at home alone. As usual, she cleaned the house, not thinking that anyone come around. The young man peeked at her and saw her alone, he decided to call her. "Who dare come here?" she thought fearfully when hearing the strange voice. But when she glanced at the voice, she saw the young man was very handsome and not frightening, she opened the door for him to enter the house. They chatted with each other. Moreover she welcomed him in a way of loving. Then, they both agreed to become husband and wife, and the beautiful young lady took the man to hide from her foster father's sight.

Later, the thief noticed that his daughter’s behavior was different from before. She always beautified herself and did the housework without asking. She was being likely to satisfy someone.

The thief was curious, so he began to observe his daughter. When seeing a handsome young man in his house, the thief was very disappointed with his daughter and felt embarrassed with her husband, he decided to leave home. After living in the forest for long time and not seeing the father return home, the husband and wife came down into the village to look for the father.

When arriving in the village, they went to thank the midwife and gave her some gifts. The midwife was very happy and assembled the villagers to come and see the young lady's beauty. The old lady said, "This young lady is so beautiful and has white complexion because she had been kept in a dark room, and as soon as she left the dark room, she got married." Having heard that, the villagers then kept their daughters in a dark room at the age of puberty in order to whiten their skin as the young lady. Since then, this habit became a custom.

- THE END -

THE HAWK AND THE CROW

Once upon a time, a crow watched a hawk catching a little lamb up toThe sky.

The crow remembered what the hawk did. It believed it could do that too.

One day, while the lamb-watcher was being away, the crow flew to catch a lamb like the hawk,

But the crow was not as strong as the hawk. So it could not bring the lamb up. Furthermore, its legs stuck tightly in the lamb's hair. The crow could not fly away.

The lamb-watcher saw the crow stuck on the lamb. He trimmed its wings and brought it back to his child at home. When his child asked, " dear Daddy, What kind is this bird?" He answered, “this is the crow who thinks it the great hawk"

- THE END -

THE FROGS BEGGING FOR A KING

Once upon a time, a crowd of frogs lived happily in a pond.

One day, the frogs discussed about their living. They agreed to find a king to rule them. So they prayed to the God. "Please, please, my dear God, Please send a king to rule us.

The God sent a huge log which came down to the pond Bang! Those frogs were deeply frightened. They plunged into the depth of the pond. The frogs thought that the king was very powerful.

When their fear went away, the frogs climbed up. They squatted on the log and swam cheerfully again. Shorty afterward, the frogs began to disappoint that the log was motionless and did nothing. They asked the God for a new king. "Please, Please, Please send us the greater king."

The God was very angry. He sent a big stork to them. "Oh! Wow! Our new king is really majestic. He must be a great leader" The Frogs thought admiringly.

But the bad thing suddenly happened! The stork started globing one of those frogs. They hurriedly escaped but could not. Day by day, the Stork preyed upon the frogs. Finally there was no frog left in the Pond.

- THE END -

THE FISHERMAN

There was a family lived in a country. They are fishennen. One day father brought his son to fish at a tributary, and his wife stayed at home.

At the tributary, there was a shadow of a big tree. Under a big shadow, the fisherman prepared fishing pole and waited his son to bring him worm decoy. He was happy while he was throwing a fishing hook into the water. A pair of happy fish was very fear, when they swam and rose up to get air, and saw them.

After there was enough baits, father and son began to fish in different place. A little moment fishing, the fishing pole of the father unable to swing up, fishing line was tight and trembled.

The fisherman thought that a big fish ate his bait. So he tied fishing pole very tightly at a branch of the tree, and turned to his son and told him to go home...

At home, the son announced very loudly outside their house fence about a big fish ate the bait of his father. The boy told his mother to quarrel with neighbors. The boy told her about what the father wanted to do. They did like that might be the neighbors enter their house and begged for fish.

The wife of the fishennan knew about that, so she took the black dirt of pot applied on her face. And then she wore Sarong (Kind of long skirt wore by women) under her navel and wrapped the cotton scarf around her bosom. After that, she walked toward neighbor's houses. When the neighbors saw the strange attitude of her they laughed at her and asked questions what they saw. Because of those reasons she yelled and cursed at them.

Some neighbors were patient, and some others reacted to her with very angry and went to sue the judge. The judge considered and found the faults of her, so he penalized what she did wrongs.

Talk about the fisherman. After, his son went home. He toke clothes off and put them on the bank of the tributary and dived along the line of fishing pole in aim to take a big fish from the hook. When he dived into the water, his head hit a stump and the edge of his eye was scratched.

The root of tree scratched the fishennan's flesh until bleeding. He was very hrut. When the fishennan searched for a big fish he could not found it at all. He saw only the root of tree hung on his fishing hook. He tried to get up from the water with suffering. He covered his injure with his hand. As he got up of the water, immediately the server storm swirled his clothes and destroyed it.

The fisherman was in naked and soaked in water near the lotus plant. He was uncomfortable because his eye was hurt and his body was suck by leeches. He was cold and could not endure while he stayed in the water for along time. He came out of water, and ran quickly toward a bush and startled to all animals.

The fisherman hided his body in the bush until the Sun set. Just then he went to home. As he arrived at home he hided himself in a bathroom at the ground. He did not go up his house because his wife and son sat together and the bright of light was very bright. The wife of the fisherman took clothes and gave it to him with astonished and unreasonable. At that night day, the family of fisherman has only rice for eat no meal. They were very hungry full night. The next morning, they searched meal to satisfy their hungry.

The selfish of the fisherman family got loss according to their faults. This spouse was very sad. The husband side got loss of his fishing. He could not earn fish at all, no clothes to wear. In addition, his eye was scratched. For the wife side got loss at home because of the judge penalized her. She lost the court action of her neighbors. She must pay to the neighbors. She lost her property.

- The END -

THE FELLOW CARRYING THE HUMAN ASHES

Neang Kol Thida was a 'beloved daughter of one family in the countryside. Her parents absolutely adored and cared of her because she was a grateful daughter. She always helped her mother to do the housework such as cooking, carrying water, breaking the wood for fire ... etc.

A lot of fellows always walked pass her house to see her beauty. Some of them took a bunch of unripe banana for her without ripening. Anyone who saw her could not help admiring her beauty; otherwise, they were stupid or born-blind eyes. This was as a proverb said, "Being in a childhood is always full of mucus which causes all people feel detestable. However, the adolescence comes; the men are always interested."

There was a fellow called Sam loved her more then the other in her village. Every day, he always kept asking his mother to engage her but his parents were hesitated to do; because her family was the richest in the village. However, the fellow- Sam told his mother that he would die without her.

As for Neang Kol Thida, One day she told her mother about her unusual illness; therefore, her mother tried to ask her about its diagnosis. However, she still did not know what exactly about its identification was.

The next day, her parents invited elder villagers to diagnose with their daughter's illness. At last, they recognized that she has Cachexia illness. It was considered as a serious and incurable illness at that time.

Since that day, her illness was getting more and more serious; even though, several medical men were changed. While she was being ill, the fellow- Sam often visited her more than the other.

No longer time later, Neang Kol Thida passed away in her adolescence by leaving her parents, relatives and especially the fellow- Sam with regret and grief-stricken that could not be compared with how much his sorrow was.

The next day, the late in the afternoon, her relatives made a procession of her body to the crematorium. They were about to cremate her body but cremators told that it was alittle bit late to cremate. Therefore, let’s had rice and then back to cremate later. They left her body without anyone at the crematorium.

Talking about the fellow- Sam, since Neang Kol Thida had passed away he did not eat anything. He was very sorrowful and had black face like a dead face. He also told his close friend that he might die.

In the late darker evening, because of his regret with too deep love her; he went toward the crematorium; mean while, nobody's there; the fellow- Sam opened the coffin's cover then get into the coffin with hugging her body without breathing and died.

Talking about the four cremators, after they had had rice already, they came back to cremate the corps without checking. They did as normal, but they were felt a little bit weird in mind. Normally only this pile of wood was enough for one dead body; however, it was not.

After the cremation was over, the cremators scarped ashes and the remains to pile at the forest near by, and they all went home. In the village, there was another fellw called Chao Speay Thieth, fellow carrying the human ashes, he went to the crematorium and packed some of Neang Kol Thida’s ashes in a bag.

With his much loving to her, that man carried her remains with him into the deep forest. When he arrived at the hermitage, he cried, bowed the head down, placed the palm hands together to salute the hermit and told about his suffering by saying that his beloved wife died and begged the hermit to revive her. The hermit pitited him and he made concentration of his magic Vedas to revive Neang Kok Thida.

After making meditation, the hermit revived the human ashes. When it was affected by a special magic Veda, The ashes were changed immediately into the appearances of both Neang Kol Thida and the fellow Sam.

The hermit askec Chao Speay Thieth, “You told me that she was your wife. I am afraid you picked another one else ashes, didn't you?" Chao Speay Thieth was stunned and spoke nothing.

“Now she cannot be a wife of anyone yet because there are two men available. Therefore, this grand daughter, Kol Thida, has to make a decision who she loves,” said the holy hermit. Suddenly, Chao Speay Thieth interrupted that she must be my wife because I was the one who carried her ashes here.

The holy hermit said, "Well, Ms! This fellow was effort to carry the human ashes to me here to revive you. Therefore, he has much qualification. How do you think?"

Neang Kol Thida placed her palm hands together to salute and said, “With respectful sir, his merit is just like a real father who gives birth to a child. For another man who dares to die with me, I consider him as my husband because it is really hard to find the manwho is honest and sacrificed his life like this.”

The holy hermit turned to ask Choa Speay Thieth, “ Being father both of them is a great honor, do you prefer?” the holy hermit asdked.” I didi not want this position and this honor. Let him take this honor, do as father or do as a grand father," Replied Cheo Speay Thieth.

Then the hermit arranged marriage Chao Sam and Neang Kol Thida as a husband and wife since then.

- The END -

THE CUNNING FOX

There was a fox which was just a bag of bones, having nothing to eat for days. Deep in his thought near a river, he was thinking about finding ways of catching villagers' fowls for food. He suddenly stood up and shouted to himself: "I've got it! I've got it!” He dashed into the forest. Moments later, he emerged with a drum, a broom, a buCket and a cage in his bands. The fox started to clean an area near the bushes next to the place wh,e re chickens and ducks roamed for food. Seated on a tree stump, he then beat the drum and sung: “La! La! La! La! La! La' The night is lighted by the moon. Come and dance! You! Chickens and ducks with cages. You look beautiful. Come on! Let's dance ... here at the terrace. I have just cleaned it. La! La! La!"

Heard the, strange sound of drum and singing, the chickens, which were nearby, were very surprised and tried to look for the source. They spotted a fox beating a drum and swaying from side to side, and came up to it. The fox increased his voice and invited the birds to dance. A virgin hen could not control herself at the beat of the music. She then started to dance and gracefully swayed in front of a cock. The more momentum the music tune gathers, the more dancers there are. They joyfully danced in circle.

The fox stopped beating the dmm. He clapped his hands and praised: "Fantastic! Excellent! You all good dancers ... “While dancing, the chickens -spotted the broom and asked: "Dear Brother Fox! What is the broom forT'. "It is to clean the dancing terrace so your beautiful furs will not get ditty with all tbe dust", replied the fox. "What a wonderful idea! “All exclaimed.

"What about this bucket? What is it for?” one duck asked. "Well! It is to keep water for you to drink when you feel tired. Come on! Let have a drink", said the fox, which then gave a bowl of water to each chicken. “What a good buddy!” a rooster praised.

"What about the cage? It has got a nice roof. What is it for?" asked the chickens. "Oh! I forget to tell you. This is the cage for you all to take shelter when it rains. You see! I treat you all with care. 1 only want you to enjoy dancing", replied the fox. “What a bosom pal we've got!” exclaimed a rooster.

The fox started to beat the drum once again. All the birds took part in the dance and noisily joined in the chorus. "La! La! La ... ". Seeing the chickens were overwhelmed with joy, the fox plunged the broom into the water in the bucket. He climbed ooto a tree stump, waving the broom and shouting: “It rains! It rains! Let's take shelter. Come on! Let's move into the cage".

All the chickens were so absorbed in the dance that they presumed so. They then rushed into the coop as told by the fox. Once the chooks were all in the cage, the fox hw-ried to close the cage door smiling. He carried the cage home, and was very pleased because he had got the delicious food to eat.

- THE END -

THE CRABBER

There was a narration that there were a husband and a wife who had a son. When the son was twelve years old, his mother passed away. At home, his father opened a small shop to sell a few things but his business did not go well so he became poorer and poorer. Later on, the father died, leaving his son to live alone and look after the house. Five days after his father was dead, his soul came to make his son have a dream that: "My son !You are so poor; I, your father, have nothing to give you, so you go northeast to dig for crabs behind a small hut of the guardian spirit so that you can earn a little money for your daily iving.Don't fail to dig for crabs as soon as the sun rises."When the son got up in the next morning, he remembered what he had dreamed about. He picked up a hoe and walked to the hut of the guardian spirit attempting to dig for the crab as his father's telling. Then he took all the crabs to sell at the market. After the man got some money, he returned home.

Every morning the man went to dig for the crabs at the same place and took them to sell at the market everyday. In his village, there was a millionaire who had five daughters. All of his elder daughters got married except Neang Pov, who refused to marry, even though she was forced by his father. Talking about the crabber, he always went to dig the crabs and took them to sell every day. When Neang Pov saw the man, she asked "Hey, young fellow! Where did you carry your crabs to?" The man replied, "I took them to sell." Neang Pov, then, bought all his crabs and said "From today onwards, if you have crabs, don't sell them to anyone. Please sell them to me only. Neang Pov fell in love with the young man alone.

Since then, the man went to dig for the crabs in the same place and sold them to Neang Pov everyday. As Neang Pov had fallen in love with the man more and more, she showed her behavior to him. However, the man thought that he was now so poor and orphan, while Neang Pov never thought of the status. When the elder sisters knew that Neang Pov had fallen in love with the crab digging man, they told their father.

"Father," said the elder sisters, "we saw Neang Pov felling in love with the crabber. That man brings the crabs to sell her everyday. She doesn't listen to our advice even if we try to explain her." After listening, the millionaire became furious and called for Neang Pov to be blamed, "You are so stubborn! When I prepare you to get married to a rich man, you deny to accept him. But now you love the dreadfully poor man, who only sells crabs. Get out of my house now and marry that poor crabber. From now on, stop coming to my house, and not even walk into the village; I disown you."

Neang Pov's mother felt pitiful on her daughter. She secretly packed up some valuable things for her daughter. Neang Pov put her hands together in respect to leave her mother. With one package, Neang Pov left her home and went towards the crabber's house.

The man was very surprised when he saw Neang Pov walk in. In tears, she told him about why she had to be dismissed from home. When hearing this, the man complained, "Nowadays I am so poor as well as an orphan. Please go back; I dare not accept you." "No!" Neang Pov replied, "I won't return; I agree to devote my life to you."

The crabber and Neang Pov agreed to live together. Next morning the husband went to dig for crabs at the same place and took them to sell as he did before. With the money from the sale of crabs, he bought things for his wife. He did this several days. Neang Pov, because she was a faithful wife, served her husband very well. When they got to bed at night, she told her husband, "From now on, please stop digging for grabs. We have much money; if you want to buy any thing, you can." Next morning, the husband took his hoe and went to dig for crabs again. His wife, seeing this, peeked at him everywhere he went. After she saw every thing, she returned home. The husband, after having crabs, took them to sell at the market as usual.

Next day, the husband went to cut the fire wood in the dense forest. She carried the hoe to destroy the place where her husband had dug for crabs. Then she went back home and made food for her husband. Next morning, when the husband held his hoe to dig for crabs again, he saw that place was destroyed and he found a crab shell, the man picked up the crab shell and returned home; then, he hid it under the house.

When going to bed at night, Neang Pov accidentally fell down a silver coin from her hand into the crab shell. In the morning she went down to pick up the silver coin that she dropped last night. Suddenly, she saw that the crab shell was full of silver coins. She was very happy and took the coins to her husband. "Where did you get so many of these silver coins, darling?" asked the husband. "Last night I dropped down a silver coin under the house," Neang Pov told her husband, "and I didn't come down to pick it up, but now I saw the crab shell full of silver coins; then, I took them to you, my dear." Since then, the crabber did not go to dig for crabs there again.

Every night, both husband and wife dropped down the coin into the crab shell. In the morning, they went down to see the crab shell it was full of the coins, and they collected them everyday. If they dropped a Riel note, they would see the Riel notes; if they dropped a silver coin, they would get silver coins; and if they dropped gold or diamond, they would really have gold and diamond. They did this for one year and they had countless money. They buried all the silver, gold and diamond in many places in the ground.

Later they both went to visit their parents the millionaires. When they arrived at he parents' house, the elder sisters blamed their youngest ister, "Hey, Neang Pov! Why do you bring your husband, the poor crabber here?" asked her elder sisters, "our father has dismissed and disowned you and you aren't allowed to enter the village." Neang Pov replied, "Sister, don't look down on me; I only want to visit our father and mother because they are very grateful. I don't come here to ask for your money, and your properties don't make me turn a hair." Her sisters got angry and scorned her, "You're so boastful; we don't believe you." Neang Pov added, "If you don't, let's have a bet." Her sisters asked "How?" Neang Pov replied, "I want you to go and count all my wealth for one day. If you can count it for one day, I'll share you. But, I don't think you can finish it, even if you are given a few days." Her sisters said, "We agree to go, but you don't lie to us. If you do, I'll hit you to death."

Neang Pov's sisters went to count her wealth altogether. They counted from the morning to night, but it was countless. They decided to return home and told their parents, "Mom and Dad, Neang Pov has a lot of wealth; we see it with our own eyes. She said that if we could finish counting all of her wealth, she would share it to us, but we could not finish it." The millionaire ordered his servants to see it clearly. When they saw that it was true, the millionaire was very happy. He told his servants to invite Neang Pov and his son-in-law to live together. The millionaire saw Neang Pov's wealth countless, he was very glad and praised her, "My daughter is very fortunate; you both will become the successors of millionaires. Forgive father for expelling you from home. Don’t be angry with me, daughter."

Neang Pov and her husband came to live with her parents together. Neang Pov's elder sisters were very respectful to her and their brotherin- law. After the millionaire passed away, Neang Pov and her husband became millionaires forever.

- THE END -

THE BURR MEN

Once upon a time, there was a boy whose name was SOK and another boy SAO living in the same village. SAO was a malevolent boy who usually argued with every one when he played with them. His parents spoiled him so much that the villagers felt very angry and hated him. While SOK was a polite orphan, living with his poor old grandma. When playing with the village boys, SOK never had any argument with them. The villagers were so fond of SOK that they often gave cake and food to him. Thus that deed made SAO feel jealous and angry and he was even vicious. He always made trouble and hit the other children in the villagers. So the parents had arguments because of spoiling their children respectively.

When they grew up, SAO went to meet SOK and entreated, "Hey! Let's go to cut the bamboos to make lattices for your house, because it is decayed." "I don't have a sharp knife and rice, fish and meat as well," SOK replied."I do. You don't need to have them; you can go with nothing," SAO told SOK. "Grandma, brother SAO invited me to cut the bamboo trees for the lattice to repair our house," SOK told his grandma, "and he is responsible for food." "Don't go to that forest because it is quiet," Grandma dissuaded."Don't worry, grandma," Grandson replied, "our house is old and decayed. With the bamboo lattices, we can replace the old ones so that you won'step down and hurt your feet.""Ok, so you can go and grandson SAO, please take care of your younger brother," Grandma requested SAO. Then, they both left the grandma.

When they arrived in the bamboo forest, they cut the bamboo trees and stripped them into lattices. Then, they sat face to face having lunch. "SOK, your life is going to end right now," SAO thought. He took out the curved sharp knife and thrusted it into one of SOK's eyes, who was having meal. "Why did you thrust into my eye?" SOK cried with pain. "You not only eat my meal but also want to take my lattices," SAO answered. "When you persuaded me," SOK replied, "I told you 1 had nothing, but you guaranteed for every thing if 1 came with you. Now you can take the lattices if you want; please don't kill me.""You are very stubborn, please meditate for the Dhanna before you die," SAO shouted and then he took the knife and poked into the other one of SOK's eyes. The blood quickly shed on SOK's face. SOK was blind; he was regretful with his life and felt pity for his grandma, who was at home alone. "I'll throw you into the river for fish's prey," SAO said. After that SAO kicked SOK into the river which was flowing very fast.

SAO thought that SOK was dead so he collected all bamboo lattices and went back home. He went over to the grandma's house and told lie, "Grandma, SOK has been eaten by a tiger." SAO was happily walking nearby his home as usual and his deed of aggression was still the same. After grandma heard this news, she cried nearly dying. "Grandson, where are you? I am painful when not seeing you," Grandma sobbed.

Talking about SOK, he swam on the surface of the flowing water, meditating the Buddhist words "Puthor! Puthor" without stopping. At last he got to a hut of a hermit near the riverbank. The hermit was very magically powerful and had two big crocodiles sleeping under his hut. The two crocodiles could transform them selves to be human.

When the crocodiles were hungry, they rushed into the river and discovered a man swimming on the flowing water. The crocodiles thought, "We are very lucky today that we have the human flesh for eating one time. When the crocodiles swam nearer to the man, they heard the voice, "Puthor! Puthor! “They were suspicious and saw the man's eyes have no irises.” We should take them to our hermit; we should not eat this pitiful man,” thought the crocodiles. Then they swam to push SOK to the land. The crocodiles transformed themselves to be human and held SOK's hands towards the hermit. The hermit asked SOK why he arrived here.

SOK told the hermit all account of hIS true story. After listening to what had happene to SOK, the hennit felt extremely sympathetic. He said, “Oh! Grandson SAO, how malevolent you are! Well, don't worry. I’ll help cure your eyes and you will be able to see it again so that you can go to meet your grandma." The hermit made the medicine to apply SOK's eyes, and recited magic verses and blew on his eyes until he was recovered. The hennit took a handful of sand. Recited magically, and blew

the sand into SOK’s palm of right hand and, “ Hold this sand tightly in your hand without opening it, and when you get home, tell your grandma to lay down a mat and throw this sand onto it."

After giving some advice to SOK, the hermit ordered the crocodiles to take him to the place where he cut the bamboo trees. When SOK arrived home, he cried and went to salute his grandma. When Grandma saw her grandson, she rushed to hug him. "I was told that you were eaten by a tiger," She said while sobbing, "Oh! My grandson, 1 sobbed and mourned nearly to die of missing you." "Now you are alive; 1 am so happy," she added. "When 1 went to cut bamboo trees for the lattices," SOK told his grandma, "Brother SAO thrusted his knife into my eyes and pushed me into the water; fortunately, the crocodiles took me to the hermit." The old lady felt even more pitiful for SOK after hearing this.

Then SOK told his grandma to lay down the mat in the house. SOK opened his hand, pouring the sand onto the mat. Suddenly, the sand created a pile of silver and gold on the mat. Both the grandma and grandson were very happy and managed to buy stuff and clothes, built a new house and they became the most famous family in the village. As for SAO, when seeing SOK, he wondered himself, "I thrusted his eyes and kicked him into the water. Why he is not dead instead he is now alive, able to see, and even wealthier." When it was quiet, SAO went to meet SOK on his way and said, "When you and 1 went to cut the bamboo trees, the demon came to control me and forced me to thrust your eyes and kicked you into the water. 1 supposed you were dead, but why are you alive and even richer than the others?" "It is your gratitude that makes me rich;" SOK replied, "Otherwise, 1 may have been so poor. As you know when you pushed me into the water 1 floated on the water, and said the words Puthou Puthou without stopping." SOK went on telling SAO about what had happened to him to the end.

SAO, hearing what SOK had said, was very greedy. "I will do as SOK did," SAO thought. Later, SAO went to meet SOK again and persuaded, "Friend! I want to cut the bamboo trees at the same place. 1 am responsible for meal and other equipments and you only go without anything." "No, I'm afraid that you may kill me again," SOK replied. "I won't," SAO said, "previously the demon came to control me; 1 didn't know what 1 was doing. Please don't mind me." "I'll go with you because you were once grateful for me; 1 am rich because of you," SOK answered. Next morning SAO carried a bag of meal and all equipments as the previous time and walked together into the forest. After cutting many bamboo trees, they stripped them into lattices and then had meal. Because of his greed for wealth, SAO passed his knife to SOK and said, "Thrust it into my two eyes." SOK refused to thrust SAO but he forced SOK again and again. "Thrust me! Thrust me! Don't be scared," SAO ordered.

SOK, then, thrusted into SAO's both eyes. SAO was getting blind and painful in his eyes; but due to his greed for money, he asked SOK to push him into the flowing river. SAO tried to say Puthou Puthou without stopping in the aim of meeting the crocodiles. SAO was very painful in his eyes; however he floated himself on the flowing water ahead. Longer and longer, SAO was exhausted and drowned to death in the river. His flesh was rotting. Many fishes came to pick up his flesh for eating until it was all and there was the skull left , floating on the water.

Though there was no flesh but the skull, his soul was always with his skull, haunting people by expressing the voice Puthou Puthou until it arrived at a millionaire's port. While the daughter ofthe millionaire was swimming happily together with her menservants and women servants, they saw the skull floating near and haunting them by making the voice Puthou Puthou. They all stopped swimming and the millionaire's daughter ordered a manservant to go and pick it up to the land. The skull remained saying Puthou Puthou.

The daughter of the millionaire ordered her manservant to take the skull to her house. "Dad, I found a skull floating on the water saying Puthou Puthou," she told her father. After hearing his daughter, the millionaire rushed to see it and it was true as what his daughter had told, so he had it washed and brought it on the land. The skull was still saying Puthou Puthou without stopping. Every morning the millionaire always went to see the king at the royal hall and always met the royal officials. "I have a skull, which always says Puthou Puthou," the millionaire told them. Having heard this, the royal officials replied, "You are telling us a lie; skull could not speak. I don't believe you."

"It is true," the millionaire answered, "If you don't believe me, we can have a bet on this for 100 Damloengs of gold." Then, the royal officials accept the bet with the millionaire.

When the millionaire arrived home, he heard the skull shouting Puthou Puthou loudly and thought himself, "These royal officials are going to lose the bet." The millionaire took out

100-Damloeng gold and told his nephews to hurriedly take a basket with the skull to the royal hall. When they arrived at the gate of the royal palace, the skull sounded nothing. When the skull was taken into the hall, it was put in front ofthe four royal officials. "Don't wait any longer, why you don't say Puthou Puthou?" the millionaire ordered the skull. The skull said nothing: the word Puthou Puthou was not heard and therefore, the millionaire lost 100-Damloeng gold. "Oh! It is very noisy! It is very noisy with the voice of the skull," said the official ridiculously, and they clapped their hands and laughed all over the royal hall.

The millionaire was furious with the skull. He left the royal officials and came outside the wall. Suddenly, the skull said Puthou Puthou; the millionaire was even angrier. When he got home, he told his servants to break the skull with an ax and throw it back into the water. SAO's skull floated on the water down to a pagoda port. At that time, a monk was swimming at the port, seeing the skull haunting him with the voice Puthou Puthou. The monk took the skull to his building and burnt it into ashes. "It is nice to mix this ash with lacquer," he thought, "And apply on the temple pillars in order to send this merit to the person who had passed away. I'll use the remaining ash for coating the ox cart and wait until it becomes dry."

The monk wished to visit his relatives in the village; he told his students to yoke the oxen and rode off the ox cart. When they rode a bit further, the hubs of the cart wheels made sound as usual. But when they met the laymen and laywomen, it sounded as if it was cursing: Mechor Mechor (the thief), repeating very fast. Hearing this sound, the laymen and laywomen were furious with the monk and cursing the monk without saving his face. Then the monk ordered his students to go ahead faster.

Aftenvards, the monk met a group of officials. Again, the cart started another sound as if someone was cursing them in a repeated word "Chor Mday Neameun" (the officials' mothers are thieves). The officials were very angry with the monk. They chased the cart to hit the monk quickly. The monk was even more frightened and went offfaster and faster. "My cart has never made this sound so far," the monk thought, "It must be out of the ash of the skull."

When arriving at the pagoda, the monk broke offthe cart and burnt it all at the same place where he had burnt the skull. When SAO was alive, he liked making arguments and envying the others. That was why the place, where there were his remains, was grown by the burr, which has always stuck on the people's skirts or trousers up to now.

- The END -

A RABBIT STUCK HIS RUMP ON A LARGE TREE STUMP

Once, a rabbit was searching for food. He found a stump of a large tree remaining from a recent cut with resin. The rabbit jumped onto the stump and sat on it. He was stuck with his rump and legs on the stump, unable to move.

In the meantime, a little elephant was walking to the pond nearby, where he used to go every day, to drink water. The rabbit was smart and said, to frighten the little elephant, "Little elephant, don’t drink my water. Indra asked me to protect this water."

The little elephant got scared and dared not drink the water. He returned and told his mother elephant, "Mom, 1 went to drink the water in that pond. I saw a creature sitting on a tree stump. He chased me away, not allowing me to drink the water. He said he was the servant of Indra. I am so thirsty, mom!"

Hearing the little elephant say that, the mother elephant got enraged and then brought the little elephant back to the pond. She saw the rabbit sitting on the tree stump and threatened him, "Little bad rabbit sitting on the stump, where are you from? What power do you have that you ban my little one from drinking the water here? I will step on and squeeze your head now." The rabbit responded, "Big bitch, how dare you scold me. The lndra asked me to guard this water pond. That's why I dared ban him."

The elephant got mad when the rabbit swore at her and ran to pull the rabbit out of the tree stump, attempting to throw the rabbit down to kill him. The rabbit was so frightened and cried out, "Bitch, if you want to kill me, doesn’t throw me down. I will not die. Throw me up and I will die." The elephant was dumb; hearing the rabbit say that, she threw the rabbit up high. The rabbit ran fast into the jungle once he reached the ground.

- The END -

THE EGRET AND THE CRAB

Once upon the time, there was an old egret living in a remote pond. The egret was very weak and found it difficult to get food. So he pretended to be won-ied. In the meantime, there was a crab near the place that saw the egret looking sad. He asked the egret, "Why you are so upset, and have lost the appetite to search for food?"

The egret said, "Brother crab, the fish are my food. And I heard the villagers nearby said that all the fish in this pond would be netted. So I will surely die, for there will be no more fish to live on. That's why 1 am worried and have lost my appetite."

Hearing the egret say that the schools offish got frightened and asked the egret, "What shall we do to save our lives? Please help LIS find a way to save us all."

The egret responded, "No problem! T havc a way, but you all have to follow me. You shall all move to another pond, and I will carry each fish in my beak to that pond." The schools of fish agreed with the egret with glee. The old egret carried each fish in his beak and ate them all.

Then the crab said to the egret, "Brother Egret, can you help take me to live in that pond?" The old egret was so happy, for he wanted to eat crab for a change since he never ate the crab. He then carried the crab in his beak to another piece of land.

The crab was a smart creature. He was aware of the situation, glancing at ground and saw the fish bones scattered around. He thought to himself, "1 will surely die to be food for this egret!" He thought of a good trick by squeezing the egret's throat with his nippers till the egret died.

- The END -