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. |