រឿងភ្នំបាយ៉ង់កោរ - BAYONG KOR MOUNTAIN - [Cambo Page - ខេមបូ ផេក]

BAYONG KOR MOUNTAIN 

Long time ago, in Khmer kingdom there was a king named Preah Bat Bayong, who had a royal palace in Dangrek Mountain. The king had a wife named Neang Sak Kraob. She was the most beautiful woman with smiling face, and white complexion like an angel. The good fragrance of her body could be smelled around 16 kilometers. Then, this great fame was publicized to Siam king. This king sent a spy to find out and finally they knew that the queen was really a beautiful and faithful woman. The Siam king made a bad scheme to catch her to his kingdom for the great honor of his country. When Preah Bat Bayong knew this trick, he immediately took his wife, group of ladies- in- waiting, servants, officers and all soldiers to leave the palace by the junks toward the southeast in the nighttime. Before leaving, the king raised his both hands on the head and prayed to God, "May I achieve three wishes

1. Have a safe journey on the waterway,

2. Be not caught up by Siam soldiers

3. Find a good residence. If the three wishes become true, I will have my hair

Shaved as devotion."

The king was so worried that he sailed the junk day and night. When he discovered that he had been so far, the king looked for a place to land the junk. At the same time,the storm blew the junk to move round and broke its wheel. That was the reason why this place has been called "Bak Changkot village" (village where junk broke its wheel), but nowadays this village is known as "Bakkot village". The king was very frightened so he raised his hands and prayed, "May the storm vanish; and I will deliver the offerings for the water demons." Suddenly, the storm disappeared. After sailing a bit further, the king anchored the junk, prepared the offerings for the water demons, and made a new wheel of the junk. That place has been called "Kanleng Chot village" (village where the king anchored the junk) and the place, where the offerings were delivered to the water demons, has been called "Senbon village" nowadays. The three mentioned villages are located in Leay Bor commune, Tram Kok district, Takeo province. After finishing all work there, the king continued his journey in the same direction toward the southeast. 

When he arrived at a place, the junk was leaked so the king was repairing while sailing. That place has been named "Sampov Threay village" up to now (where the junk had a leak). Traveling further, he arrived at a place where there were many thatches growing. The king pulled out the thatches and

inserted them into the leak. Since then, this place has been known as "Prek Sbov village" (where there were many thatches growing). Then, they continued their journey. When they reached a place, Qween Sak Kraob was worried about many things, one was that the journey was further and further and the target was not found yet and another thing that she was afraid was that Siam soldiers might catch up with them. Then, the Queen lit the candles in order to pray to the all demons, "May we find a safe, good residence and May cruel Siam soldiers fail and be damaged in the ocean." The place, where the queen lit the candles to pray to the demons, has been called "Anlong Tien village". The praying ceremony made her wish come true. 100 thousand Siam soldiers that the Siam King sent to chase her missed her way. They sailed their junk to different directions. The king Bayong's junk departed to the east, while Siam Junk went to the west. After the Queen prayed, the king Bayong turned his junk a bit to the southwest. Then suddenly, there was a storm to blow and damage Siam junk and all the soldiers were drowned to death in the ocean. The place where Siam junk was damage by the storm had been named "Senlong village". Today this village has been changed to "Sanlong village". 

As for the junk of the king Bayong, it went very fast to the southwest. The king saw a lot of islands and mountains so he anchored his junk near an island and walked up to the island to find a good place and build temporary residence. When he discovered that there were several favorite places, the king ordered his soldiers and servants to take all luggages out of the junk, took his wife into the valley of the mountain, and landed the junk there. After the king, the queen and all of his coordinates got out of the junk, the sky became dark and the rain was pouring so heavily. Suddenly, the thunderbolt struck the junk to overturn and sink. That place has been called Phnom Ronteah.

After that king Bayong kept looking for a place to build a royal residence. At that time, the king found a fascinating hill so he built a temporary shelter. When having a suitable residence, the king and the queen talked about their sadness and suffering from the beginning. The queen reminded the king of his praying that he would have his hair shaved for the water demons. Now the king had to fulfill his promise. King Bayong had his hair shaved for the offering for the water demons. That was why the king was called Bayong Kor and the hill, he built the shelter, has been called Bayong Kor Mountain. King Bayong Kor resided peacefully with his wife on the hill for over one year, and then the queen was pregnant. 

When it was due time, she delivered a baby named PreahBath Daikley (short arms King). Though this prince was named PreahBath Daikley but his body was normal and he was such a good-looking, clever boy that his parents were very satisfied with him. Since PreahBath Bayong Kor and Preah Neang Sak Kraob escaped to this island, they never heard about Siam king. King Bayong Kor lived peacefully and was never afraid that Siam king would arrive at this island. 

Later on, Siam king made a bad scheme to abduct Preah Neang Sak Kraob. He had a special theater built on a junk and sent many clever officials who were good at investigating and many other soldiers to the south to look for Preah Neang Sak Kraob again. The officials, performers, and soldiers made a discussion, estimating that King Bayong Kor and Preah Neang Sak Kraob must be living on an island of the ocean. They left for the island for many days and nights. When they reached there, they anchored their junk around five hundred meters from Bayong Kor's island. The place where Siams anchored their junk had been called Cheung Brachum, which has now been known as Cheung Kanhchum.

After properly anchoring their trunk, Siams built a wooden bridge from the junk to the port. Then, they performed the play on the junk every night. All men and women had never seen any interesting performance, so they crowdedly went to see the play and were greeted warmly by those Siams. When they performed for longer time, people on the island felt very happy by the Siam performance so that these people and Siams had very close relationship. The Siam spies discovered that King Bayong Kor was really living on that island. When the audience returned home, they admired the female dancers and performers, who could dance beautifully, and their warm welcome. Ladies-in-waiting and soldiers of Bayong Kor told King Bayong Kor and Preah Neang Sak Kraob everyday they went to see the show. 

One day, since she could not help going to the theater and her servants kept telling her about the performance, Preah Neang Sak Kraob asked her husband for permission to see the performance once because the servants told her that it was wonderful. The king said nothing. She left her baby with her servant; Preah Neang Sak Kraob went to bathe in the port. Then, she wore jewelry and the male and female servants accompanied her to see the performance.

When they arrived in the theater, the Siam officials and soliers realized Preah Neang Sak Kraob, the wife of King Bayong Kor, who they had been looking for. They greeted her warmly and prepared a good seat for her. After she sat comfortably, the concert started a song called Lom Neang (comforting her) and another song Cheut Teat in order to start the play. 

She deeply concentrated on the themes of the story and beautiful songs of the characters in the play. The Siams had already made the appointment with sound of drum rhythms and lyrics of songs. The junk was tied up to an anchor to the northeast about 300 meters to drag the trunk backward. The place which anchor was dropped has been called "Yuthkar village". When they knew that she was stuck up with the themes and music, they sang a song called Srav Khse Yuthkar (unfastening the rope of anchor). Then, another song called as Sampov Thoy (reverse the junk). Then, they untied the rope and the junk reversed gradually. Preah Neang Sak Kraob and her servantsdid not know that the junk was reversing and moving because they were focusing on the performance. While the junk was going further and further, Preah Neang Sak Kraob wanted to go home. 

When she turned her eyes to find the way home, she saw nothing but the vast water. She was shaking and shocked in the middle of the ocean. She remembered the past time when she left Dang Rek Mountain to run away from Siams, but now she could not escape and was abducted because of not knowing Siams' trick. She sobbed and said, "Oh! It is today that I am separated from my poor husband and my beloved son." Siams pushed her servants to return home by rafts; only Preah Neang Sak Kraob was taken. After abducting her, Siams took her to their king. Siam king was very happy.

He awarded them many presents. He kept her in a separated castle and ordered his women servants to serve her there. 

When king Bayong Kor knew that his wife was abducted, he was absolutely grief-stricken. His tear dropped every day, but he bore to live for his son. He looked at the ocean he nearly became blind. He saw nothing, but the vast water and waves of the sea. When he turned his eyes to the island, he saw the landscape and forest that seemed to help relieve his suffering. "How sad I am!" said the king, "I am nostalgic when you and I ran away from Siams. Now, it is not editable to make a great mistake that leave me so lonely." 

Preah Neang Sak Kraob, who was staying alone in the castle, always felt very upset even though she was attentively served and pleased by the servants, she could not be relieved from the suffering. For her, though the castle was very big, but it seemed too narrow to find way to walk. Every day, she sat and looked out at the south window to look for anyone with whom she might be familiar. Siam king always ordered the soldiers to guard at the doors and would not let her out at all. She was very sad everyday because she missed her beloved son and her poor husband. 

Years later, prince Dai Kley became mature. He asked his father for his missing mother. King Bayong Kor, then, told his son about what had happened. The prince was furious. He asked for permission to look for and save his mother. The king said, "If you go alone with bare hand, you can't save your mother. When you bring your mother back, there will be fighting; so it is not the right time to go. Please wait until I mobilize enough soldiers to go with you. If you are in danger, they can help you escape." The king selected lots of brave and loyal soldiers to assemble at a particular place to learn fighting lessons and magic. That place has been called Sre Chorm Pol up to now, (field where brave, loyal soldiers were assembled). 

When King Bayong Kor realized that the soldiers were strong enough, he let his son prince Dai Kley travel by junk toward the northwest. It took them three weeks to arrive at the Siam border. Prince Dai Kley anchored his junk at a port near an island, which was so close that he could go into Siam

kingdom. As mentioned, though prince Dai Khley was named short arms (Dai Kley) but he, like other men, had normal arms and was very handsome and charming. He told his soldiers, "Wait for me here, in our junk, I will go alone. I don't know when I will be back; I will return after I attain my goal."

He continued his journey to his Siam city thinking, "If I meet my mother, she may not be able to recognize me, and neither may 1." 

One day, when the prince was looking around, he glanced at his mother Preah Neang Sak Kraob, who was sitting at the window alone looking outside. He did not know she was his mother. The prince thought, "This Siam lady is really beautiful, her face is as round as the moon, and she had so lovely red

lips." He suddenly fell in love with her. He tried to pay a court to her. Preah Neang Sak Kraob, not recognizing the young man as her son, thought that he was a typical Siam man and courted him, too and they fell in love with each other. She told the prince, "Please come here again in the late night. I will go down and wait for you." She confirmed, " Here is very quiet; no one comes often." The prince had deeply fallen in love. He thought himself, "I will make love with this Siam girl and take her to the junk; then, I will be back to look for my mother." When the late night came, he returned to the castle as she told him. She went down to take him to her room. They made love and slept together. After that, they left for the prince junk. 

When they got at the junk, she recognized Banyong Kor's soldiers and relatives. They talked to each other and knew that she was Preah Neang Sak Kraob, the prince's mother. She was informed that the young man was her son that she left for over ten years. The mother and son embraced each other because of missing, and their love relationship was disappeared. The prince was deeply shocked by his misconduct toward his mother. Even though his mother apologized for him, he could not get rid of this shock. The soldiers, when finding Preah Neang Sak Kraob, quickly sailed the junk as fast as they could toward Bayong Kor's palace. 

Three weeks later, the junk reached the palace. King Bayong Kor and Preah neang Sak Kraob were reunited happily, excitedly and they sobbed because they missed each other so much. When Preah neang Sak Kraob met her beloved husband, she told him, "I was kept in the castle alone with many

women-servants all day and night, and no one bothered me, even Siam King. When our son came there, I did not recognize him, and neither did our son. We both fell in love and engaged in sexual intercourse. Please apologize me and our son." 

After listening to what she told, the king was not angry because he thought, "Never have son and mother made love with each other; this was because they did not know each other, they made a great mistake." Since King Bayong Kor was afraid that his son would be sinful, he called for scholars and prophesiers to prophesy whether his son would have a sin or not. Through a long analytical discussion, they decided, "The prince has to be punished to dig up 100 I ponds (100 I Sreas Ang)." Then, the king decided to order the laborers help him. 

After the 1001 ponds were dug up, the king celebrated a religious ceremony for the completion, The prince wished, "Now I have dug up 1001 ponds, I would devote these ponds for the advantage of all living creatures on earth to use the water from today onwards until all the ponds become dry and the

soil comes up as flat as normality, then my sin will be vanished." Thus there have been many places named Angs namely Ang Rokar, Ang Soeng and so on.

- The END -

Failures are good lessons for us to learn.