CAMBODIAN Mountains Stories

Phnom Bayongkour

Once upon a time, there were a king, Preah Bat Bayong, in Cambodia, who had a royal residence on Dangrek mountain and a queen, Preah Neang Sakkro Oub because she had fragrant hair which was fragrant for about a Yojana ( ancient unit of measurement equivalent to about 16 kilometers ). And the beauty of herself was the most beautiful which famed to the king of Siam. Siamese king sent persons to find out the truth that she was full of all appearances. 

Siamese king found a trick to take the princess for his own-country honor. King Bayong knew the case so he lead his wife, woman servants and forces into the sailing junk and left the royal residence at night to wards south-east. Before he left, Preah Bat Bayong prayed for Gods and spirits looking after the territory that he would succeed in three wishes " 1. Safe-sea journey. 2. Please do not let Siamese thieves reach. 3. Meet a suitable place. If I succeed I will shave my hair. " 

The king sailed the junk days and nights without stopping. When they had sailed for long way the king looked for a place to land the junk for resting. At that time. The wind blew heavily which caused the junk to circle and break the helm of the junk. That place was called Bak Changkot village and now it is Bak Kot village. Seeing so, the king was very fearful and he prayed that the wind would not blow more, he would offer things for the spirits of water. Then there was no more wind. 

The junk went on a bit to cast anchor in order to land. That place was called Kanlaeng Chot ( landing place ) until now. The landing was made in order to give offerings to the spirits of water and repair the helm. The area where offerings were offered was named Saen Bon village until nowadays. These three places are in Leay Bo, Tram Kok district, Takeo province. When finishing the work, the king continued the trip towards south-east. While they were traveling their junk broke open, the king ordered people to repair. 

This place was called Sampao Thleay till nowadays. They went on and saw an area with a lot of thatch. They took the thatch to close the broken parts of the junk. The place was called Prek Sbao until now. The junk went on and reached a place where Preah Neang Sakkro Oub worried about a lot of things. One thing was that the junk continued and they could not find a place and the Siamese groups would reach them or not: Princess lit the candles to worship the spirits of water, land, and the guardians of all places to meet a peaceful place and the Siamese thieves to be eliminated in the sea. 

The place where princess worshipped was called Anlong Tien village till now. The ceremony of her worship was succeeded that was the junk of Siamese king which was sent to look for the princess went past one another. The junk of king Bayong went by the lower way on the east and the Siamese junk went by the upper way on the west. After worshipping, the junk of king Bayong turned towards the south-west. After that there was a violent storm blew towards Siamese junk and caused them all to die. 

This place was called saenlung village. Now it is called Sanlung. As for Bayong's junk went ahead quickly, the king landed the junk near an island. He went to look for resting place and then he ordered forces to bring things out of the junk. The king asked the queen to go to the forest, suddenly it rained very heavily. After king, princess and royal servants got on the land the lightning made the junk to sink at the port. That place was named that Phnom Runtah until now. 

Then king Bayong looked for a place to build a royal resting place. After that the king had a chat with the queen about the pitiful journey from the beginning. At that time, Princess reminded the king of shaving his hair for worshipping the spirits of water. So the king had to shave in order to fulfill the pledge. Since king Bayong worshipped and shaved his hair for the spirits of water, he was called king Bayongkour. And the high hill where he shave was called Phnom Bayongkour till nowadays.