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Cambodian_tale : Story_of_temple : Cambodia Official Country Name

PHOME POUN TEMPLE

( Sorintr Province )

          

Khmer kings built a capital located in the jungles for keeping royal family from other people's eyes when there was emergency or when the war occurred. That city was called Prasat Phome Poun where it was the place of victory to maintain happiness and it was far from other main cities. That capital did not have ponds as well as roads. They only created paths and made a clear-cut of grass for walking so that they could hide temple and capital from enemy. 

       

Then, the ancient Kingdom of Cambodia was of chaos because the enemy invaded the capital. In order to keep royal family safe, the king sent his daughter, princess Serichan but most people called her big-breast girl, with one hundred and one soldiers and women servants. The chief of soldiers named Bun Chan who was most faithful to royal family accompanied her. 

     

At that time, there was a king who reigned in a country away from Phome Poun city ordered seven hunters and a number of elephants to hunt and catch wild animals which were scare and beautiful for feeding in the royal palace. The seven hunters walked and reached a pond which was on the south of Tapriem Village. Suddenly, three hunters saw human trace traveling everyday in the middle of jungles. 

       

With suspicion, the hunters followed the trace and saw a temple in the woods where the soldiers were on duty around it. They put their bows, crossbows and hunting tools and entered to contact with guardians in order to spy on princess Serichan clearly. Having seen her beauty, they returned back to their country to inform the king. When his Majesty the king heard from them he ordered forces prepared to travel to bring the princess to be his wife. 

             

As for princess Serichan, when having a wash in the pond she did not know the hunters hid themselves and looked secretly at her. She felt restless at that night. When she got asleep she dreamed that if she wished herself, all soldiers and her woman servants happiness she had to make a leaf-made bowl wandering for a fiancé. There had to be a picture of her, a letter written about her wish for a fiancé and cosmetic that she applied to her body and her seven hairs in that cosmetic container. 

         

She had to bring that bowl and float in the pond in front of the temple. When the morning came, she asked her woman servants to prepare that leaf-made bowl. Before floating it, she prayed for meeting the person with power to control and take care of her. After praying, she floated the leaf-made bowl on the water. The bowl disappeared after for a while from her eyes. Princess Serichan or big-breast girl has another name called Neang Sork Kro-Oub ( Fragrant hair girl ) or Phum Ham.

      

At the same time, there was a country with a king who was on throne named Haknuman. This Kingdom was powerful and famous through out all directions. There wasn't any invasion from the enemy. The king had a prince who was a slim, beautifully-dark man with thick lips and kinky hair but he had good virtue and loved the truth more than his wife. One day, the son of king Haknuman went to take a wash in the pond in the royal garden with his soldiers. Then the prince saw the leaf-made bowl in the pond and he went to take and had a look at it. 

        

He saw a picture of princess Serichan. He fell in love with her immediately that he got light-headed. He walked quickly back to royal resting place without washing himself. This happening spread out to his father to order soldiers to arrange a praying ceremony for the owner of the bowl. After praying ceremony finished, the prince and soldiers were transformed by powerful magic to hide themselves and fly in the sky with so loud sound that shook the sky. 

        

But no one could see them and they landed on the west of the temple of princess Serichan. As for princess Serichan, she was very frightened when she heard very long, loud sound but she could see nothing. So she ran to the temple and locked the door firmly. The son of king Haknuman after seeing the princess gathered those who came along to return back to his country in order to inform his parents everything so that they went to ask princess Serichan for marriage traditionally.

       

This time the price went to find her by getting into the earth. That was why the earth, shook and made roaring sound when traveling it was like a march of thousands of soldiers but nobody could see. The princess of Prasat Phome Poun and soldiers entered the temple to hide by making a firm lock of the doors. Inside the temple, the princess ordered close soldiers, woman servants about one hundred and one to keep themselves, but only three could show faces. 

       

After closing the doors, the walking out or into the temple had to be done through the secret entrance door that was on the north west. The son of king Haknuman showed his face in front of the temple with his left and right body guards, the others were not allowed to show their faces. The prince begged the princess to open the door but she refused. At last, the prince asked her to set a door ajar so as to pass the leaf-made bowl back to the princess who prayed for controller or fiancé. 

        

In fact, the strength and power of the prince could break the door to meet her but did not want to do that because he had virtue. After that the princess set a door ajar to get the bowl. She saw the picture, fragrant box, seven hairs and the article describing about praying for a fiancé. Then she agreed to open the door and went out to salute to the prince and she wept with sorrow and remorse. 

        

As for the son of king Haknuman when seeing her with such sorrow and remorse he comforted her and he said " Oh princess! Do not be afraid of me. Although we have faces that are different from common people or not the same as yours we will keep the truth, honesty and passion forever. If you do not want to live with me or to be my wife I cannot force you. If you need something and wish something I can give you. "

    

Princess Serichan or big-breast girl was no longer afraid when she heard the prince. " How many of you are coming here? Because I heard the tumult sound but I did not see. I just saw you and your two body guards " she asked the prince. Having heard this, the prince showed the princess the one hundred and one soldiers who stayed in front of the temple. When seeing the power of the prince, princess Serichan decided to accept the prince as her husband.

Official Country Name

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