Abstract
In this paper, the group will focus the discussion in summarizing the tale “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora”. The group will then proceed to enumerating the special elements of the tale that made it a Thai story with a celestial-maiden motif, reflecting the story with the values and cultures that can be found in the peoples of Thailand, and finally, providing a comparative analysis of the Thai, Indian, Chinese (and a little of Japanese) celestial-maiden stories with particular attention to that of the Thai.
I. Introduction
There exists in mythological Thailand celestial creatures, half-man and half-bird, with voices “sweet as nectar” and gifted with an extraordinary ability to transform into full human forms of astonishing beauty (http://www.borobudur.tv/avadana_05.htm). These celestial beings were called kinnari (female) and kinnara (male). Originally, the idea of celestial demihuman beings was not initially of Thai origin but had its roots further West: India. The Indian counterpart of kinnari/kinnara, however, was half-horse and half-man. This difference invokes an examination of Thai religion and culture and merits an assessment of how kinnari/kinnara are reflections of these. Its parallelisms (as well as differences) with East Asian and European folklore of the Swan Maiden must also be examined.
Of all the kinnari and kinnara, one particular kinnari, Manora or Manohara as she is called, is the most well-known. Her story is depicted in several literatures, including the Divyavadana and the Panyasa Chadok. A dance, the Manorah Buchayan, is also derived from her story and remains as one of the most mysterious of Thai dance. Manora also appears in an archaeological relief from a temple in Borobodur. The Manora story discussed here is obtained from the Panyasa Chadok:
Panchan was governed by two kingdoms: the North ruled by a well-liked and just king named Athitwong and the South ruled by a cruel and unjust one named Nantharat. The prosperity enjoyed by the Northern kingdom was largely due to the dragon king Chomphuchit, whose presence in a pond in the Northern kingdom brought frequent rains and abundant crops.
Now, the Southern king wanted to bring the dragon king to the South and sought the help of a Brahman monk to capture Chomphuchit. Chomphuchit, upon discovering the plans of the king, disguised himself as a monk and asked the help of the hunter Buntharik to capture and kill the Brahman monk. Chomphuchit extends his hospitality to Buntharik and offers him lavish rewards.
After speaking with a hermit, Bunthari came upon a lake and saw Manora, along with six other kinnari princesses from Kailat Mountain. The hermit said that Bunthari must uses “dragon rope” to capture a kinnari. The hunter manages to capture one Manora while the others flew away. He takes off her wings and tail and leaves with her.
Bunthari, however, was not able to enjoy his prize for long. The prince of the North kingdom arrives and instead of having Manora forcibly taken from him, Bunthari offers the princess to the prince himself. The prince, whose name was Suthon, fell in love with the kinnari and the couple got married soon after.
Not long after that, the North kingdom was attacked by a neighboring country and Suthon went to war. Athitwong’s evil soothsayer knowingly misinterpreted the king’s dream. Although what the dream truly meant was that Suthon was successful in subduing the rebellion, instead, he interpreted that a great evil is coming unless Manora is offered as a ceremonial sacrifice. Frightened, Manora flees to her celestial palace but not without leaving directions for her husband to a hermit, who she also entrusted with a jeweled ring and a woolen cloth. Suthon arrives in the capital victorious only to find that his love is nowhere to be found. He then sets on an arduous journey to reunite with her.
After seven years, seven months and seven days, he reaches the Sawannakhon, the capital of heaven. He places the ring inside a golden jar that was supposed to be used for Manora’s purification ritual. Manora then knew that her husband was nearby. The kinnara king asks him to demonstrate his proficiency with the longbow and his physical strength, both of which Suthon performs with exceeding prowess. Finally, the king asks Suthon to identify Manora among his six other daughters who looked exactly the same. But the God of Heaven was kind to Suthon and told him that Manora would be indicated if a golden fly alights on one of the princesses. Suthon was able to successfully choose Manora and the two lived together in heaven for a while before returning to Panchan to rule the country.
II. Body
A. Elements Found in Thailand’s Tale of “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora”
The story “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora” shares several themes and elements that are found in other tales of celestial maidens. These themes and elements shape the characters and the plot of the story and could have emanated from religion and societal influences.
Nature of the Divine. First and foremost is the presence of celestial beings. In "Prince Suthon and Princess Manora", first appeared Chomphuchit, the Dragon King, who lived in the pond. He acts as the provider of the people of North Panchan. He sustained the fertility of their land and ensured them of abundant harvest. Upon seeing this, the envious king of Panchan wanted to kill him. Fortunately, a hunter named Buntharik saved his life. Chomphuchit repaid the hunter by welcoming him to the place of the dragons, entertaining, and giving him jewels and the dragon rope/noose he requested for. The actions of the dragon king reflect the characteristics of a divine being that rewards those who give him favor.
Beauty of Kinnaris. The main character of the story is Manora. She and her sisters were the seven kinnaris, half female- half bird beings, who bathed and played in the pond. They embodied beauty as they possessed attractive body figures. This was the primary reason why mortals such as Buntharik the hunter and Prince Suthon were lured by them.
Challenges to the Husband. In Prince Suthon's search for Manora, his wife, he encounters the King of Sawannakhon, Manora’s father. Prince Suthon is faced with challenges that are impossible to be achieved by an ordinary mortal such as shooting the arrow of his longbow through a series of articles, lifting up an incredibly heavy stone and picking his wife out of all her identical kinnari sisters. But since it had been established in the beginning that Prince Suthon is the reincarnation of Bodhisattva (a devout who aspired to be like Buddha), and a god in heaven aided him, he was able to surpass these, winning Manora back.
Impurities of Mortals. Looking now into the mortal characters, they are conceived as impure beings (as opposed to the divines). Though many humans are good inherently, some have been swayed by evil motives.
We may see the balance of good and evil in the character of the hermit. Initially, he connived with Buntharik by informing him that there were celestial maidens who came to the pond to bathe at full moon. He even advised Buntharik to ask for the dragon rope from Chomphuchit. In doing this, he partly was responsible for making the hunter selfish. Buntharik at that time just wanted to own one Kinnari, unmindful of what these maidens would feel if they lost one of their sisters. But on the other side, when Manora flees North Panchan, this same hermit served as a messenger to Manora and a guide to Prince Suthon in his quest for his wife.
The major antagonists were King Nantharat and the Wicked Soothsayer. King Nantharat envied North Panchan's wealth. Because of this, he intended to kill the dragon king with the help of the Brahman monks. The story then might imply a sort of religious bias on Hinduism since much of this story is based on Buddhist beliefs. In making the Brahmans appear to be criminals, the story might be stressing that these two religions have some areas of conflict or contradicting beliefs. While the Hindi implements the caste system, the Buddhists promoted equality among people. Buddhists also believe in the concept of Bodhisattva while Hindis do not.
While the whole kingdom of Panchan delighted in the presence of Manora, the Wicked Soothsayer was the only one who disliked her. He took advantage of the king's nightmare and interpreted it in a twisted manner. He tricked and purposively advised the King of North Panchan to sacrifice Manora. But then, after the king had discovered about his evil plan, he suffered banishment. This kind of situation is very prominent in society. Ironically, traitors emerge from the people who are expected to be loyal to the authorities.
Water and Dance. Elements that are also emphasized in the story would be water and dance. Water was represented by the crystal clear pond where the Kinnaris bathed and the water in the jars with which Manora was to be cleansed of human contact. In Buddhism, water symbolizes purity, cleanliness, clarity, and calmness. On the other hand, dance was reflected in the story when Manora performed before she is sacrficed. Dance's role is not only about entertainment but more about the art and grace that the Kinnaris possessed.
B. The Story of Manora in Relation to Thai’s Culture and Values
The group can say that the story of Ma Nora is a reflection of some facets of the culture of Thailand. There are similarities between the story and Thai Culture that show customs, familial values, and relations of power.
Familial Customs
According to tradition, if a young man wishes to marry, he must first become well acquainted with the entire family of his intended wife and make himself agreeable to them (Encarta Interactive World Atlas). This was shown in the story when the prince met with Ma Nora’s father. When he was brought to the great hall of the king (Ma Nora’s father), he went down on his knees and knelt in deep obeisance. This showed reverence and respect to Ma Nora’s father. It also made him more agreeable to the family.
Another familial custom is the act of a couple staying at their parents’ home. When Ma Nora was presented to the prince and they fell in love, they did not separate themselves from the family. Ma Nora and the prince stayed at the kingdom, together with the prince’s family. This is indicative of Thai custom in which several generations may live in one household (Encarta Interactive World Atlas).
Power Distance
Thai culture is also indicative of a high power distance with a Power Distance Index of 64 (ITIM International). Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. It suggests that a society's level of inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. A high power distance was shown when the hunter who captured Ma Nora gave her as a gift to the more powerful prince. This shows obedience and acceptance of unequal power.
Value of Gratitude
Reciprocity of kindness, particularly the value of being Grateful is a highly valued characteristic trait in Thai society (Komin). In relation to the capture of Ma Nora by the hunter, such was possible if not for the help of the Serpent King (or Dragon King). The hunter helped save the Serpent King when some elements were out to kill the latter. After that act, the Serpent King felt indebted to the hunter – a feeling of returning kindness to the hunter. He said that if the hunter ever needed help, he can come to the Serpent King. And indeed, when the hermit told the hunter that he needed an item to capture Ma Nora and that the Serpent King had this item, the latter did not think twice in giving that item to the hunter. This shows the ingrained value of gratitude in Thai Culture, even in the early stories such as this.
C. Comparative Analysis of Thai’s Tale of Celestial Maiden from Other Countries’ Celestial Maiden Stories
Thai Variations of the Story
According to Toshiharo Yoshikawa, in his ‘Comparative Study of the Thai, Sanskrit and Chinese Swan Maiden’, all the Siamese peoples living in the North-Eastern Thailand, Southern Thailand, some parts of Laos, and the Sipsong Panna area of Yunan province of China have their own versions of the story Prince Suthon and Princess Manora. Together, all of them belong to the Thai race. The oldest version of the tale is included in the 50 Jatak Tales. The tale of Prince Suthon and Princess Manora is the most famous in Thailand with regard to celestial maidens. In the Panyasa Chadok, the tale is written as ‘Panyasa Chadok’. ‘Manora Nibat Wat Machimawat’ is an edition written by the people of Southern Thailand. While in Laos, its known version is ‘Thao Sithon’. The Chinese version of the tale can be found in The Peacock, in the Yunan province in China. The following table summarizes the different variations of the names of the characters of the Manora story:
According to Toshiharu, the tale was copied and passed down by Buddhist monks. Later on, the various regions of Thailand made their own version of the tale. The tale is still widely known even at the present day.
Among the different parts of the story, Toshiharu provided a summary of those that are common and are widely known among the regions of Thailand:
(1) In North Panchan, Prince Suthon is born as an incarnation of a Bodhisattva
(2) In a pond in North Panchan there dwelt a dragon king. This dragon king was about to be killed by a Brahman monk of the neighboring country but was saved by a hunter. The dragon king shows his thanks by entertaining the hunter in the land of the dragons.
(3) The hunter obtains a dragon’s rope from the dragon king and captures Princess Manora, one of seven Kinnari who came to bathe in the pond.
(4) The hunter presents Princess Manora to Prince Suthon.
(5) Prince Suthon takes Princess Manora as his wife.
(6) While prince Suthon is off at war, Princess Manora was to be killed through the ungrounded accusations of a soothsayer at the court but has her wings and tail returned and goes back to heaven.
(7) Prince Suthon follows Princess manora’s tracks using the method she taught him and meets with princess manora.
(8) He solves the three difficult problems set by the father of Manora, becomes her husband again and returns to the world of the human beings.
Of course, there exist minor differences in the different versions of the Thai peoples. For example, in Southern Thailand, Princess Manora is the eldest sister, whereas in that of the other region, she is the youngest sister. Also, in the Chinese version, the part where Prince Suthon and Princess Manora return to the world of human beings is missing. According to Toshiharu, points (1) to (6) of the story remarkably agrees and can be said to be completely the same in all versions.
Comparison with the Indian Tale “Sudhanakumara Avadana”
The following paragraphs tell the tale of Sudhanakumara Avadana, based on the translation by N. J. Krom that appears in Barabudur: An Archaeological Description.
Relief 1. The king and court of the kingdom of North-Pancala.
In the land of Pancala there once reigned two kings: one over the North and the other over the South. The northern kingdom enjoyed great prosperity, due in part to the goodness of the king, who ruled his subjects justly. The other cause of the northern kingdom's prosperity was the presence of the naga serpent Janmacitraka whose presence in a lake near the capital caused the rains to come on a regular basis.
The condition of the southern kingdom, however, was entirely different indeed. Because the kingdom's monarch was cruel and unjust, none of the area's divine beings troubled themselves over whether or not the rain fell. And so many of the southern kingdom's inhabitants had to abandon their homes and re-settle in the north.
Relief 2. The king of South-Pancala journeys throughout his kingdom.
The king of South-Pancala eventually noticed all the deserted villages and neglected temples while he was away from the capital on a hunting expedition. When he inquired after the cause of this calamity his ministers begged to be excused from punishment and then told him the truth: that the king's own cruel and injust behavior was in part responsible for the kingdom's ruinous state.
After promising to henceforth rule justly, the king sought for a way to bring the rain-causing naga Janmacitraka to the South. Hearing that the best means to achieve this was through enchantment, the king issued a proclamation that whosoever should bring Janmacitraka to South-Pancala would receive a basket of gold. Attracted by the prospect of a handsome reward, a snake-charmer appeared in court to offer his services. After agreeing to undertake the task, the snake-charmer set out for the lake in North-Pancala where the naga Janmacitraka resided. After taking a look round the lake, the snake-charmer declared that through his power of his enchantment he would be able to capture the naga in seven days.
Relief 3. The enchantment and rescue of the naga Janmacitraka.
Meanwhile Janmacitraka became aware of what was going on and believing When the naga Janmacitraka found out what was going on he realized that he would be unable to withstand the snake-charmer's speels of enchantment. So he sought the help of a hunter named Halaka, who made his living along the shores of the lake. Halaka and the naga hit upon a plan in which the hunter would hide near the lake and shoot an arrow through the enchanter as soon as the snake-charmer began to cast his magic spell, but not actually kill him until he had forced the snake charmer to destroy the enchantment. And this was exactly the way it happened.
Relief 4. Halaka is entertained by the nagas.
Upon the death of the snake-charmer, Janmacitrak rose up out of the lake, embraced his rescuer and invited him to visit his naga parents, who would undoubtedly receive Halaka with delight as well as shower many gifts upon him. While on his way to visit the nagas, Halaka stopped at the hermitage of a rishi and told the sage what had happened. The rishi advised Halaka that, instead of jewels, to ask for the never-failing lasso that was in the nagas' possession. After receiving the lasso, Halaka returned home joyfully.
Relief 5. The hunter captures the kinnari princess.
In the pursuit of his calling, Halaka eventually came to the foot of a mountain, where he met another rishi wo lived beside a great lake. That rishi told him that the daughter of the kinnara king Manohara, together with her handmaidens, often came to this very lake to bathe. Now the male kinnara and the female kinnari are wonderous creatures with out equal, having the body of a bird but the head of a human being as well as a singing voice that was as sweet as nectar. In addition, they had the power to transform themselves into human forms of most dazzling beauty.
Halaka was determined to try and capture the kinnari princess and with the help of the magic lasso he was able to succeed in this task. As her attendants flew away in terror, Manohara submitted to her fate. She surrendered to Halaka the magic jewel that she bore on her forehead, which gave the hunter total power over her person.
Relief 6. Manohara is given to prince Sudhana.
At that very moment the crown-prince of North-Pancala approached the lake together with his hunting-party. Fearing that his lovely prisoner would be taken from him, Halaka thought it better to offer her to Prince Sudhana of his own free will. As soon as Prince sudhana set is eyes on the young beauty his heart was consumed with love. And so Sudana and Manohara returned to the court of North=Pancala. After the young couple were married they spent their days together in happiness.
Relief 7. The prince is sent out on a fighting expedition.
One day two brahmans had appeared in the city. One of them became the king's spiritual advisor or "purohita," while the other attached himself to the crown prince. This second brahman persuaded Sudhana to promise that he would appoint the brahman to be his purohita once he had ascended the throne. When the present king's purohita heard that he would lose his present position should Sudhana become the king, he devised a scheme that would get rid of the prince once and for all. He advised Sudhana's father to send the prince on a most dangerous mission-- to quell rebellion that had already caused seven other expeditions to fail.
Relief 8. Sudhana takes leave of his mother.
Before Sudhana set out to put an end to the rebellion,he went to see his mother, the queen. After giving her the precious gem from Manohara's forehead, the prince begged her to take care of his beloved wife.
Relief 9. Sudhana receives help from the yaksas.
While he was seated under a tree, not far from the rebellious country, he unexpectedly received help from an army of yaksas, sent to him by the yaksa-king under the command of his general Pancika. In this way he managed easily to crush the rebellion and hastened to prepare for the return journey.
Relief 10. The king is advised to sacrifice the kinnari.
That same night the king dreamed a dream that filled him with anxiety, which he asked the brahman to interpret. Although the purohita knew well that the meaning was only that the prince had been successful, he told the king that the dream predicted evil, which could only be averted by a solemn ceremonial sacrifice, and that the victim must be a kinnan. At first the king would not hear of Manohara being offered up, but at last he yielded.
Relief 11. Manohara's flight.
The intended victim came to hear of her fate; she fled to her mother-in-law and begged her to save her. The queen found no other way of rescue than to give back the magic jewel so that Manohara could take flight through the air. In order to make that her husband would find her, Manohara first went to the rishi near whose dwelling she had been captured; there she handed him a signet-ring to give to Sudhana when he should try to trace her, and told him the way to the land of the kinnaras.
Relief 12. Sudhana brings the tree of the rebels to his father.
After paying his respects to his father and presenting the treasures of the conquered enemy, Sudhana hastened to his palace to see his beloved Manohara.
Relief 13. Sudhana hears from his mother what has happened.
Here, to his horror, he heard what had happened; he then went to his mother who told him the truth of the matter. Now life was nothing to him without his beloved, so he searched for her everywhere but to no avail. Then it occurred to him to inquire of Halaka in what way he had met with her.
Relief 14. Manohara relates her adventures to her father.
Relief 15. Sudhana receives information from the rishi.
Halaka directed him to the hermitage of the rishi by the lake, and although the king tried to prevent the prince from getting away by setting guards on the walls of the city, he managed to escape and reach the rishi's dwelling. With the help of the ring, and following the directions given by Manohara, he reached the kingdom of the kinnara's after long travelling.
Relief 16. Sudhana and the water-drawing kinnaris.
At some distance from the capital he saw a number of kinnaris fetching water and was told it was for the bath of the king's daughter Manohara who could not get rid of the human smell. To announce his presence, he threw the ring into one of the water jugs; so it was recognised by Manohara in her bath and she at once questioned her servant whether any man had been seen outside the city.
Sudhana was then secretly brought into the palace and Manohara went to her father, king Druma, to find out what he would do with Sudhana. At first the king threatened to have him chopped into pieces, but soon changed his mind and became friendly; he received the prince graciously but all the same required him to give some proofs of his ability.
Relief 17. The archery-contest.
The prince brilliantly proves his skill in the use of the bow.
Relief 18. Sudhana recognises Manohara from the group of kinnaris.
The prince is required to pick out his beloved from a number of kinnaras who resemble her exactly. Needless to say he was able to select the right one.
Relief 19. The youthful couple enjoy themselves at Druma's court.
There was now nothing in the way of the young couple's happiness, and they passed their days pleasantly at the court of king Druma. After a while the prince began to long for his own country, and gaining the consent of Druma to depart, they returned to Pancala where they were received with rejoicing.
Relief 20. Sudhana and Manohara distributing gifts in Pancala.
Sudhana was enthroned king by his father and lived in great happiness with his beloved Manohara, not forgetting to show by charity and virtue that he understood how human happiness depends only on the virtuous conduct of former lives.
In this paper, the group will focus the discussion in summarizing the tale “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora”. The group will then proceed to enumerating the special elements of the tale that made it a Thai story with a celestial-maiden motif, reflecting the story with the values and cultures that can be found in the peoples of Thailand, and finally, providing a comparative analysis of the Thai, Indian, Chinese (and a little of Japanese) celestial-maiden stories with particular attention to that of the Thai.
I. Introduction
There exists in mythological Thailand celestial creatures, half-man and half-bird, with voices “sweet as nectar” and gifted with an extraordinary ability to transform into full human forms of astonishing beauty (http://www.borobudur.tv/avadana_05.htm). These celestial beings were called kinnari (female) and kinnara (male). Originally, the idea of celestial demihuman beings was not initially of Thai origin but had its roots further West: India. The Indian counterpart of kinnari/kinnara, however, was half-horse and half-man. This difference invokes an examination of Thai religion and culture and merits an assessment of how kinnari/kinnara are reflections of these. Its parallelisms (as well as differences) with East Asian and European folklore of the Swan Maiden must also be examined.
Of all the kinnari and kinnara, one particular kinnari, Manora or Manohara as she is called, is the most well-known. Her story is depicted in several literatures, including the Divyavadana and the Panyasa Chadok. A dance, the Manorah Buchayan, is also derived from her story and remains as one of the most mysterious of Thai dance. Manora also appears in an archaeological relief from a temple in Borobodur. The Manora story discussed here is obtained from the Panyasa Chadok:
Panchan was governed by two kingdoms: the North ruled by a well-liked and just king named Athitwong and the South ruled by a cruel and unjust one named Nantharat. The prosperity enjoyed by the Northern kingdom was largely due to the dragon king Chomphuchit, whose presence in a pond in the Northern kingdom brought frequent rains and abundant crops.
Now, the Southern king wanted to bring the dragon king to the South and sought the help of a Brahman monk to capture Chomphuchit. Chomphuchit, upon discovering the plans of the king, disguised himself as a monk and asked the help of the hunter Buntharik to capture and kill the Brahman monk. Chomphuchit extends his hospitality to Buntharik and offers him lavish rewards.
After speaking with a hermit, Bunthari came upon a lake and saw Manora, along with six other kinnari princesses from Kailat Mountain. The hermit said that Bunthari must uses “dragon rope” to capture a kinnari. The hunter manages to capture one Manora while the others flew away. He takes off her wings and tail and leaves with her.
Bunthari, however, was not able to enjoy his prize for long. The prince of the North kingdom arrives and instead of having Manora forcibly taken from him, Bunthari offers the princess to the prince himself. The prince, whose name was Suthon, fell in love with the kinnari and the couple got married soon after.
Not long after that, the North kingdom was attacked by a neighboring country and Suthon went to war. Athitwong’s evil soothsayer knowingly misinterpreted the king’s dream. Although what the dream truly meant was that Suthon was successful in subduing the rebellion, instead, he interpreted that a great evil is coming unless Manora is offered as a ceremonial sacrifice. Frightened, Manora flees to her celestial palace but not without leaving directions for her husband to a hermit, who she also entrusted with a jeweled ring and a woolen cloth. Suthon arrives in the capital victorious only to find that his love is nowhere to be found. He then sets on an arduous journey to reunite with her.
After seven years, seven months and seven days, he reaches the Sawannakhon, the capital of heaven. He places the ring inside a golden jar that was supposed to be used for Manora’s purification ritual. Manora then knew that her husband was nearby. The kinnara king asks him to demonstrate his proficiency with the longbow and his physical strength, both of which Suthon performs with exceeding prowess. Finally, the king asks Suthon to identify Manora among his six other daughters who looked exactly the same. But the God of Heaven was kind to Suthon and told him that Manora would be indicated if a golden fly alights on one of the princesses. Suthon was able to successfully choose Manora and the two lived together in heaven for a while before returning to Panchan to rule the country.
II. Body
A. Elements Found in Thailand’s Tale of “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora”
The story “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora” shares several themes and elements that are found in other tales of celestial maidens. These themes and elements shape the characters and the plot of the story and could have emanated from religion and societal influences.
Nature of the Divine. First and foremost is the presence of celestial beings. In "Prince Suthon and Princess Manora", first appeared Chomphuchit, the Dragon King, who lived in the pond. He acts as the provider of the people of North Panchan. He sustained the fertility of their land and ensured them of abundant harvest. Upon seeing this, the envious king of Panchan wanted to kill him. Fortunately, a hunter named Buntharik saved his life. Chomphuchit repaid the hunter by welcoming him to the place of the dragons, entertaining, and giving him jewels and the dragon rope/noose he requested for. The actions of the dragon king reflect the characteristics of a divine being that rewards those who give him favor.
Beauty of Kinnaris. The main character of the story is Manora. She and her sisters were the seven kinnaris, half female- half bird beings, who bathed and played in the pond. They embodied beauty as they possessed attractive body figures. This was the primary reason why mortals such as Buntharik the hunter and Prince Suthon were lured by them.
Challenges to the Husband. In Prince Suthon's search for Manora, his wife, he encounters the King of Sawannakhon, Manora’s father. Prince Suthon is faced with challenges that are impossible to be achieved by an ordinary mortal such as shooting the arrow of his longbow through a series of articles, lifting up an incredibly heavy stone and picking his wife out of all her identical kinnari sisters. But since it had been established in the beginning that Prince Suthon is the reincarnation of Bodhisattva (a devout who aspired to be like Buddha), and a god in heaven aided him, he was able to surpass these, winning Manora back.
Impurities of Mortals. Looking now into the mortal characters, they are conceived as impure beings (as opposed to the divines). Though many humans are good inherently, some have been swayed by evil motives.
We may see the balance of good and evil in the character of the hermit. Initially, he connived with Buntharik by informing him that there were celestial maidens who came to the pond to bathe at full moon. He even advised Buntharik to ask for the dragon rope from Chomphuchit. In doing this, he partly was responsible for making the hunter selfish. Buntharik at that time just wanted to own one Kinnari, unmindful of what these maidens would feel if they lost one of their sisters. But on the other side, when Manora flees North Panchan, this same hermit served as a messenger to Manora and a guide to Prince Suthon in his quest for his wife.
The major antagonists were King Nantharat and the Wicked Soothsayer. King Nantharat envied North Panchan's wealth. Because of this, he intended to kill the dragon king with the help of the Brahman monks. The story then might imply a sort of religious bias on Hinduism since much of this story is based on Buddhist beliefs. In making the Brahmans appear to be criminals, the story might be stressing that these two religions have some areas of conflict or contradicting beliefs. While the Hindi implements the caste system, the Buddhists promoted equality among people. Buddhists also believe in the concept of Bodhisattva while Hindis do not.
While the whole kingdom of Panchan delighted in the presence of Manora, the Wicked Soothsayer was the only one who disliked her. He took advantage of the king's nightmare and interpreted it in a twisted manner. He tricked and purposively advised the King of North Panchan to sacrifice Manora. But then, after the king had discovered about his evil plan, he suffered banishment. This kind of situation is very prominent in society. Ironically, traitors emerge from the people who are expected to be loyal to the authorities.
Water and Dance. Elements that are also emphasized in the story would be water and dance. Water was represented by the crystal clear pond where the Kinnaris bathed and the water in the jars with which Manora was to be cleansed of human contact. In Buddhism, water symbolizes purity, cleanliness, clarity, and calmness. On the other hand, dance was reflected in the story when Manora performed before she is sacrficed. Dance's role is not only about entertainment but more about the art and grace that the Kinnaris possessed.
B. The Story of Manora in Relation to Thai’s Culture and Values
The group can say that the story of Ma Nora is a reflection of some facets of the culture of Thailand. There are similarities between the story and Thai Culture that show customs, familial values, and relations of power.
Familial Customs
According to tradition, if a young man wishes to marry, he must first become well acquainted with the entire family of his intended wife and make himself agreeable to them (Encarta Interactive World Atlas). This was shown in the story when the prince met with Ma Nora’s father. When he was brought to the great hall of the king (Ma Nora’s father), he went down on his knees and knelt in deep obeisance. This showed reverence and respect to Ma Nora’s father. It also made him more agreeable to the family.
Another familial custom is the act of a couple staying at their parents’ home. When Ma Nora was presented to the prince and they fell in love, they did not separate themselves from the family. Ma Nora and the prince stayed at the kingdom, together with the prince’s family. This is indicative of Thai custom in which several generations may live in one household (Encarta Interactive World Atlas).
Power Distance
Thai culture is also indicative of a high power distance with a Power Distance Index of 64 (ITIM International). Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. It suggests that a society's level of inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. A high power distance was shown when the hunter who captured Ma Nora gave her as a gift to the more powerful prince. This shows obedience and acceptance of unequal power.
Value of Gratitude
Reciprocity of kindness, particularly the value of being Grateful is a highly valued characteristic trait in Thai society (Komin). In relation to the capture of Ma Nora by the hunter, such was possible if not for the help of the Serpent King (or Dragon King). The hunter helped save the Serpent King when some elements were out to kill the latter. After that act, the Serpent King felt indebted to the hunter – a feeling of returning kindness to the hunter. He said that if the hunter ever needed help, he can come to the Serpent King. And indeed, when the hermit told the hunter that he needed an item to capture Ma Nora and that the Serpent King had this item, the latter did not think twice in giving that item to the hunter. This shows the ingrained value of gratitude in Thai Culture, even in the early stories such as this.
C. Comparative Analysis of Thai’s Tale of Celestial Maiden from Other Countries’ Celestial Maiden Stories
Thai Variations of the Story
According to Toshiharo Yoshikawa, in his ‘Comparative Study of the Thai, Sanskrit and Chinese Swan Maiden’, all the Siamese peoples living in the North-Eastern Thailand, Southern Thailand, some parts of Laos, and the Sipsong Panna area of Yunan province of China have their own versions of the story Prince Suthon and Princess Manora. Together, all of them belong to the Thai race. The oldest version of the tale is included in the 50 Jatak Tales. The tale of Prince Suthon and Princess Manora is the most famous in Thailand with regard to celestial maidens. In the Panyasa Chadok, the tale is written as ‘Panyasa Chadok’. ‘Manora Nibat Wat Machimawat’ is an edition written by the people of Southern Thailand. While in Laos, its known version is ‘Thao Sithon’. The Chinese version of the tale can be found in The Peacock, in the Yunan province in China. The following table summarizes the different variations of the names of the characters of the Manora story:
According to Toshiharu, the tale was copied and passed down by Buddhist monks. Later on, the various regions of Thailand made their own version of the tale. The tale is still widely known even at the present day.
Among the different parts of the story, Toshiharu provided a summary of those that are common and are widely known among the regions of Thailand:
(1) In North Panchan, Prince Suthon is born as an incarnation of a Bodhisattva
(2) In a pond in North Panchan there dwelt a dragon king. This dragon king was about to be killed by a Brahman monk of the neighboring country but was saved by a hunter. The dragon king shows his thanks by entertaining the hunter in the land of the dragons.
(3) The hunter obtains a dragon’s rope from the dragon king and captures Princess Manora, one of seven Kinnari who came to bathe in the pond.
(4) The hunter presents Princess Manora to Prince Suthon.
(5) Prince Suthon takes Princess Manora as his wife.
(6) While prince Suthon is off at war, Princess Manora was to be killed through the ungrounded accusations of a soothsayer at the court but has her wings and tail returned and goes back to heaven.
(7) Prince Suthon follows Princess manora’s tracks using the method she taught him and meets with princess manora.
(8) He solves the three difficult problems set by the father of Manora, becomes her husband again and returns to the world of the human beings.
Of course, there exist minor differences in the different versions of the Thai peoples. For example, in Southern Thailand, Princess Manora is the eldest sister, whereas in that of the other region, she is the youngest sister. Also, in the Chinese version, the part where Prince Suthon and Princess Manora return to the world of human beings is missing. According to Toshiharu, points (1) to (6) of the story remarkably agrees and can be said to be completely the same in all versions.
Comparison with the Indian Tale “Sudhanakumara Avadana”
The following paragraphs tell the tale of Sudhanakumara Avadana, based on the translation by N. J. Krom that appears in Barabudur: An Archaeological Description.
Relief 1. The king and court of the kingdom of North-Pancala.
In the land of Pancala there once reigned two kings: one over the North and the other over the South. The northern kingdom enjoyed great prosperity, due in part to the goodness of the king, who ruled his subjects justly. The other cause of the northern kingdom's prosperity was the presence of the naga serpent Janmacitraka whose presence in a lake near the capital caused the rains to come on a regular basis.
The condition of the southern kingdom, however, was entirely different indeed. Because the kingdom's monarch was cruel and unjust, none of the area's divine beings troubled themselves over whether or not the rain fell. And so many of the southern kingdom's inhabitants had to abandon their homes and re-settle in the north.
Relief 2. The king of South-Pancala journeys throughout his kingdom.
The king of South-Pancala eventually noticed all the deserted villages and neglected temples while he was away from the capital on a hunting expedition. When he inquired after the cause of this calamity his ministers begged to be excused from punishment and then told him the truth: that the king's own cruel and injust behavior was in part responsible for the kingdom's ruinous state.
After promising to henceforth rule justly, the king sought for a way to bring the rain-causing naga Janmacitraka to the South. Hearing that the best means to achieve this was through enchantment, the king issued a proclamation that whosoever should bring Janmacitraka to South-Pancala would receive a basket of gold. Attracted by the prospect of a handsome reward, a snake-charmer appeared in court to offer his services. After agreeing to undertake the task, the snake-charmer set out for the lake in North-Pancala where the naga Janmacitraka resided. After taking a look round the lake, the snake-charmer declared that through his power of his enchantment he would be able to capture the naga in seven days.
Relief 3. The enchantment and rescue of the naga Janmacitraka.
Meanwhile Janmacitraka became aware of what was going on and believing When the naga Janmacitraka found out what was going on he realized that he would be unable to withstand the snake-charmer's speels of enchantment. So he sought the help of a hunter named Halaka, who made his living along the shores of the lake. Halaka and the naga hit upon a plan in which the hunter would hide near the lake and shoot an arrow through the enchanter as soon as the snake-charmer began to cast his magic spell, but not actually kill him until he had forced the snake charmer to destroy the enchantment. And this was exactly the way it happened.
Relief 4. Halaka is entertained by the nagas.
Upon the death of the snake-charmer, Janmacitrak rose up out of the lake, embraced his rescuer and invited him to visit his naga parents, who would undoubtedly receive Halaka with delight as well as shower many gifts upon him. While on his way to visit the nagas, Halaka stopped at the hermitage of a rishi and told the sage what had happened. The rishi advised Halaka that, instead of jewels, to ask for the never-failing lasso that was in the nagas' possession. After receiving the lasso, Halaka returned home joyfully.
Relief 5. The hunter captures the kinnari princess.
In the pursuit of his calling, Halaka eventually came to the foot of a mountain, where he met another rishi wo lived beside a great lake. That rishi told him that the daughter of the kinnara king Manohara, together with her handmaidens, often came to this very lake to bathe. Now the male kinnara and the female kinnari are wonderous creatures with out equal, having the body of a bird but the head of a human being as well as a singing voice that was as sweet as nectar. In addition, they had the power to transform themselves into human forms of most dazzling beauty.
Halaka was determined to try and capture the kinnari princess and with the help of the magic lasso he was able to succeed in this task. As her attendants flew away in terror, Manohara submitted to her fate. She surrendered to Halaka the magic jewel that she bore on her forehead, which gave the hunter total power over her person.
Relief 6. Manohara is given to prince Sudhana.
At that very moment the crown-prince of North-Pancala approached the lake together with his hunting-party. Fearing that his lovely prisoner would be taken from him, Halaka thought it better to offer her to Prince Sudhana of his own free will. As soon as Prince sudhana set is eyes on the young beauty his heart was consumed with love. And so Sudana and Manohara returned to the court of North=Pancala. After the young couple were married they spent their days together in happiness.
Relief 7. The prince is sent out on a fighting expedition.
One day two brahmans had appeared in the city. One of them became the king's spiritual advisor or "purohita," while the other attached himself to the crown prince. This second brahman persuaded Sudhana to promise that he would appoint the brahman to be his purohita once he had ascended the throne. When the present king's purohita heard that he would lose his present position should Sudhana become the king, he devised a scheme that would get rid of the prince once and for all. He advised Sudhana's father to send the prince on a most dangerous mission-- to quell rebellion that had already caused seven other expeditions to fail.
Relief 8. Sudhana takes leave of his mother.
Before Sudhana set out to put an end to the rebellion,he went to see his mother, the queen. After giving her the precious gem from Manohara's forehead, the prince begged her to take care of his beloved wife.
Relief 9. Sudhana receives help from the yaksas.
While he was seated under a tree, not far from the rebellious country, he unexpectedly received help from an army of yaksas, sent to him by the yaksa-king under the command of his general Pancika. In this way he managed easily to crush the rebellion and hastened to prepare for the return journey.
Relief 10. The king is advised to sacrifice the kinnari.
That same night the king dreamed a dream that filled him with anxiety, which he asked the brahman to interpret. Although the purohita knew well that the meaning was only that the prince had been successful, he told the king that the dream predicted evil, which could only be averted by a solemn ceremonial sacrifice, and that the victim must be a kinnan. At first the king would not hear of Manohara being offered up, but at last he yielded.
Relief 11. Manohara's flight.
The intended victim came to hear of her fate; she fled to her mother-in-law and begged her to save her. The queen found no other way of rescue than to give back the magic jewel so that Manohara could take flight through the air. In order to make that her husband would find her, Manohara first went to the rishi near whose dwelling she had been captured; there she handed him a signet-ring to give to Sudhana when he should try to trace her, and told him the way to the land of the kinnaras.
Relief 12. Sudhana brings the tree of the rebels to his father.
After paying his respects to his father and presenting the treasures of the conquered enemy, Sudhana hastened to his palace to see his beloved Manohara.
Relief 13. Sudhana hears from his mother what has happened.
Here, to his horror, he heard what had happened; he then went to his mother who told him the truth of the matter. Now life was nothing to him without his beloved, so he searched for her everywhere but to no avail. Then it occurred to him to inquire of Halaka in what way he had met with her.
Relief 14. Manohara relates her adventures to her father.
Relief 15. Sudhana receives information from the rishi.
Halaka directed him to the hermitage of the rishi by the lake, and although the king tried to prevent the prince from getting away by setting guards on the walls of the city, he managed to escape and reach the rishi's dwelling. With the help of the ring, and following the directions given by Manohara, he reached the kingdom of the kinnara's after long travelling.
Relief 16. Sudhana and the water-drawing kinnaris.
At some distance from the capital he saw a number of kinnaris fetching water and was told it was for the bath of the king's daughter Manohara who could not get rid of the human smell. To announce his presence, he threw the ring into one of the water jugs; so it was recognised by Manohara in her bath and she at once questioned her servant whether any man had been seen outside the city.
Sudhana was then secretly brought into the palace and Manohara went to her father, king Druma, to find out what he would do with Sudhana. At first the king threatened to have him chopped into pieces, but soon changed his mind and became friendly; he received the prince graciously but all the same required him to give some proofs of his ability.
Relief 17. The archery-contest.
The prince brilliantly proves his skill in the use of the bow.
Relief 18. Sudhana recognises Manohara from the group of kinnaris.
The prince is required to pick out his beloved from a number of kinnaras who resemble her exactly. Needless to say he was able to select the right one.
Relief 19. The youthful couple enjoy themselves at Druma's court.
There was now nothing in the way of the young couple's happiness, and they passed their days pleasantly at the court of king Druma. After a while the prince began to long for his own country, and gaining the consent of Druma to depart, they returned to Pancala where they were received with rejoicing.
Relief 20. Sudhana and Manohara distributing gifts in Pancala.
Sudhana was enthroned king by his father and lived in great happiness with his beloved Manohara, not forgetting to show by charity and virtue that he understood how human happiness depends only on the virtuous conduct of former lives.
***
It is said that the tale ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’ originated from the story ‘Sudhanakumara Avadana’ of the ‘Divya Avadana’. Toshiharu, on his paper presented at the International Conference on Thai Studies, related the two tales by comparing the characters and place names if they are restored from their Thai pronunciations to the Sanskrit/Pali language versions. The following table summarizes the differences:
Furthermore, Toshiharu also presented the elements that can be found from ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’ but cannot be found from ‘Sudhanakumara Avadana’, and vice versa. The following illustrates the most important differences, in order that they appear in the plot of the tales.
(1) The king and queen of North Panchan. In Thai, the name of the King of North panchan was King Athithwong of the Sun Family. Queen Chanthatewi was known to be the queen of North Panchan. On the other hand, in the Indian tale, the King was Mahadana. The queen’s name was unknown.
(2) The number of Kinnari which fly to the pond. In Thai, the number of Kinnari who fly to the ponds was seven, including Manora herself. On the other hand, in the Indian tale, it was Manohara and five hundred Kinnari.
(3) The manifestations of Manora’s power of flight. In the Thai tale, Manora wasn’t able to come back to her kingdom because she needed her wings and tales which the hunter stole while she was bathing. On the other hand, in the Indian tale, the counterpart was a jeweled hairpin!
(4) The time needed for Princes Suthon’s pursuit. In the Thai version, Prince Suthon was able to find princess manora after seven days, seven months and seven years. In the Indian tale, it was not mentioned.
(5) The time that elapsed before Manora was able to meet Prince Suthon again. In Thai, that time at which Prince Suthon was able to meet Manora again after she was able to come back to heaven was seven days.
Comparison with the Chinese tale of the Swan Maiden
The following points summarize a typical version of the Chinese tale of the “Swan Maiden”, according to professor Hisako Kimijama, in his paper “Chugoku no Hagoromo Setsuwa—Nihon no Setsuwa to no Hikaku”.
(1) A man saves (a) an animal. Or he raises one. He meets (b) a mountain wizard.
(2) Through (a) or (b) he learns how to find the place where how to find the place where maidens have come to bathe.
(3) He hides the robe of feathers of one of the maidens and takes her as his wife.
(4) Either a child is born or the man becomes absent.
(5) For some reason or another, the maiden gets hold of her robe and feathers and flies away.
(6) Through the guidance of (a) or (b) the man gives pursuit to the heavens.
(7) The father of heavenly maiden poses difficult problems. Through the help of the maiden he solves them and they both live together happily back on earth.
According to Kimijama, this type remains in areas relatively distant from the center of civilization, and starting with the minority tribes of South-West such as the Miao and Thai tribes, it is distributed from the south from Hainan Island to each of the provinces of Yunnan, Tibet, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi, and then going further northwards, in Zhejang, Jiangsu, and Shadong and as far as the Daur tribe of inner Mongolia.
Removing the motif where the swan maiden bears a child, the Chinese swan maiden story almost coincides with the Thai’s “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora”.
Toshiharo pointed out that the differences that can be found between the Thai’s “prince Suthon and princess manora” are the similarities that can be found between the former and the Chinese swan maiden story. For example, when Prince Suthon goes off in pursuit of Princess Manora, he needs seven years, seven days and seven months before he was able to meet her again on the other seven days. The Indian tale does not mention about the time period element of the story. Toshiharo also mentioned about the custom in Thailand of likening seven sisters to the seven heavenly bodies. There is also the fact that when calling Manora after she had married, she was called “Manora Thewi” (Goddess manor) which expresses a sacredness different from humans or animals. These do not appear in the Indian “Sudhanakumara Avadana”.
Similarity of the Thai’s “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora” and the Japanese Tale “Urashima Taro”
The following presents an excerpt of the “Urashima Taro” tale.
"Once upon a time there lived in a sea-cost village a young boy named urashima taro. One day he happened to see a turtle being beaten by naughty boys, and he rescued it from the cruel hands of the boys. A few days after, the turtle appeared before Taro and with Taro on its back it visited the Ryugu (the palace of the dragon) which was on the bottom of the very deep sea.
There Taro received a very warm welcome from the beautiful princess and enjoyed and enjoyed a spell of pleasant days. When at last he was leaving the palace, the princess gave him a small casket as a souvenir, Taro returned to the native village on the back of the Turtle, but couldn’t find his house, because he had been away from home for 300 years. And then he opened the casket. Smoke rose out of it, and Taro suddenly became an old man with gray hair."
Toshiharo mentioned in his paper that the motif of visiting to a strange land is both existent in the Thai’s ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’ and the Japanese Urashima Taro. This cannot be found in the Indian tale. In ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’, it took prince Suthon seven days, seven months and seven years before he was able come to Manora’s kingdom. Manora was able to come back to her kingdom after only a short span of seven days. This is similar to the Urashima Taro tale in that the time lag between two worlds exists.
On the other hand, the existence itself of the two worlds can be seen from all the tales discussed namely the Thai’s ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’, the Indian’s Sudhanakumara Avadana, and the Japanese ‘Urashima Taro’. Furthermore, the universe related in the Prince Suthon and Princess manora is, according to Toshiharo, a ternary universe comprising heavenly, the earthly and the subaquatic world. Princess Manora is placed in the heavenly world, Prince Suthon in the earthly world, and the dragon king in the subaquatic world. Also, the hunter serves as the mediator between the subaquatic and earthly world, and the hermit, between the earthly and the heavenly world.
II. Conclusion
First, using all the information that the group has gathered, the group has inferred that all the Thai peoples forming the majority of the inhabitants of Northern and North-Eastern Thailand as well as neighboring Laos and the Thai people livig in the Yunnan province of China, have been influenced both by Indian, Chinese as can be seen by the similarities that depict the tale of Chinese Swan Maiden and thai’s Prince Suthon and princess manora, the similarities of which take over for the differences between the Indian’s Sudhanakumara Avadana and the latter.
According to Toshiharo, “it is without doubt that the Thai race inhabited the area of South-West China and that the main part of the race later moved southwards into the indo-China Peninsula. However the Thai language spoken by the Thai race belongs, together with Chinese, to the Sino-Tai branch of the Sino-tibetan Language family and is the language which has been most closely related to Chinese from ancient times. . .”
But then although Toshiharo defended that Thais have been influenced more by the Chinese, he did not deny that Indians also influenced its culture.
In the group’s opinion, the tale of the celestial maiden that the Thai peoples have held since the ancient times, provided a comparison of other country’s versions of the tale, thus, creating a link of whom they have interacted with in the past and how they have become who they are today.
Second, the group is also able to infer that five important elements of the story are the nature of the Divine, the beauty of Kinnari, the Challenge to the husbands, the impurities of mortals, and water and dance.
Finally, the group is also able to enumerate the different values, traditions and culture of the Thai people with reference to the story “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora”. Among these are close-family ties, that is becoming well-acquainted with the family of the young woman that the young man wishes to marry, high power distance index, and the value of gratitude.
Bibliography
Toshiharo, Yoshikawa, “A Comparative Study of the Thai, Sanskrit and Chinese Swan Maiden”. Osaka, Japan. 1984
Hisako, Kimijama, “Chugoku no Hagoromo Setsuwa—Nihon no Setsuwa to no Hikaku”. Vol. 1, Chugoku Tairiku Kobunka Kenyukai, 1965
Miller, Allan, “The Swan-Maiden Revisited: Reiligious Significance of Divine-Wife Folktales with Special Reference to Japan”. Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.
The Maiden of Many Nations.
Encarta Interactive World Atlas. Customs of Thailand
ITIM International. Geert Hofstede - ITIM. 8 March 2009.
Komin, Suntaree. Psychology of the Thai People: Values and Behavioral Patterns. Bangkok: National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), 1991.
It is said that the tale ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’ originated from the story ‘Sudhanakumara Avadana’ of the ‘Divya Avadana’. Toshiharu, on his paper presented at the International Conference on Thai Studies, related the two tales by comparing the characters and place names if they are restored from their Thai pronunciations to the Sanskrit/Pali language versions. The following table summarizes the differences:
Furthermore, Toshiharu also presented the elements that can be found from ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’ but cannot be found from ‘Sudhanakumara Avadana’, and vice versa. The following illustrates the most important differences, in order that they appear in the plot of the tales.
(1) The king and queen of North Panchan. In Thai, the name of the King of North panchan was King Athithwong of the Sun Family. Queen Chanthatewi was known to be the queen of North Panchan. On the other hand, in the Indian tale, the King was Mahadana. The queen’s name was unknown.
(2) The number of Kinnari which fly to the pond. In Thai, the number of Kinnari who fly to the ponds was seven, including Manora herself. On the other hand, in the Indian tale, it was Manohara and five hundred Kinnari.
(3) The manifestations of Manora’s power of flight. In the Thai tale, Manora wasn’t able to come back to her kingdom because she needed her wings and tales which the hunter stole while she was bathing. On the other hand, in the Indian tale, the counterpart was a jeweled hairpin!
(4) The time needed for Princes Suthon’s pursuit. In the Thai version, Prince Suthon was able to find princess manora after seven days, seven months and seven years. In the Indian tale, it was not mentioned.
(5) The time that elapsed before Manora was able to meet Prince Suthon again. In Thai, that time at which Prince Suthon was able to meet Manora again after she was able to come back to heaven was seven days.
Comparison with the Chinese tale of the Swan Maiden
The following points summarize a typical version of the Chinese tale of the “Swan Maiden”, according to professor Hisako Kimijama, in his paper “Chugoku no Hagoromo Setsuwa—Nihon no Setsuwa to no Hikaku”.
(1) A man saves (a) an animal. Or he raises one. He meets (b) a mountain wizard.
(2) Through (a) or (b) he learns how to find the place where how to find the place where maidens have come to bathe.
(3) He hides the robe of feathers of one of the maidens and takes her as his wife.
(4) Either a child is born or the man becomes absent.
(5) For some reason or another, the maiden gets hold of her robe and feathers and flies away.
(6) Through the guidance of (a) or (b) the man gives pursuit to the heavens.
(7) The father of heavenly maiden poses difficult problems. Through the help of the maiden he solves them and they both live together happily back on earth.
According to Kimijama, this type remains in areas relatively distant from the center of civilization, and starting with the minority tribes of South-West such as the Miao and Thai tribes, it is distributed from the south from Hainan Island to each of the provinces of Yunnan, Tibet, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi, and then going further northwards, in Zhejang, Jiangsu, and Shadong and as far as the Daur tribe of inner Mongolia.
Removing the motif where the swan maiden bears a child, the Chinese swan maiden story almost coincides with the Thai’s “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora”.
Toshiharo pointed out that the differences that can be found between the Thai’s “prince Suthon and princess manora” are the similarities that can be found between the former and the Chinese swan maiden story. For example, when Prince Suthon goes off in pursuit of Princess Manora, he needs seven years, seven days and seven months before he was able to meet her again on the other seven days. The Indian tale does not mention about the time period element of the story. Toshiharo also mentioned about the custom in Thailand of likening seven sisters to the seven heavenly bodies. There is also the fact that when calling Manora after she had married, she was called “Manora Thewi” (Goddess manor) which expresses a sacredness different from humans or animals. These do not appear in the Indian “Sudhanakumara Avadana”.
Similarity of the Thai’s “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora” and the Japanese Tale “Urashima Taro”
The following presents an excerpt of the “Urashima Taro” tale.
"Once upon a time there lived in a sea-cost village a young boy named urashima taro. One day he happened to see a turtle being beaten by naughty boys, and he rescued it from the cruel hands of the boys. A few days after, the turtle appeared before Taro and with Taro on its back it visited the Ryugu (the palace of the dragon) which was on the bottom of the very deep sea.
There Taro received a very warm welcome from the beautiful princess and enjoyed and enjoyed a spell of pleasant days. When at last he was leaving the palace, the princess gave him a small casket as a souvenir, Taro returned to the native village on the back of the Turtle, but couldn’t find his house, because he had been away from home for 300 years. And then he opened the casket. Smoke rose out of it, and Taro suddenly became an old man with gray hair."
Toshiharo mentioned in his paper that the motif of visiting to a strange land is both existent in the Thai’s ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’ and the Japanese Urashima Taro. This cannot be found in the Indian tale. In ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’, it took prince Suthon seven days, seven months and seven years before he was able come to Manora’s kingdom. Manora was able to come back to her kingdom after only a short span of seven days. This is similar to the Urashima Taro tale in that the time lag between two worlds exists.
On the other hand, the existence itself of the two worlds can be seen from all the tales discussed namely the Thai’s ‘Prince Suthon and Princess Manora’, the Indian’s Sudhanakumara Avadana, and the Japanese ‘Urashima Taro’. Furthermore, the universe related in the Prince Suthon and Princess manora is, according to Toshiharo, a ternary universe comprising heavenly, the earthly and the subaquatic world. Princess Manora is placed in the heavenly world, Prince Suthon in the earthly world, and the dragon king in the subaquatic world. Also, the hunter serves as the mediator between the subaquatic and earthly world, and the hermit, between the earthly and the heavenly world.
II. Conclusion
First, using all the information that the group has gathered, the group has inferred that all the Thai peoples forming the majority of the inhabitants of Northern and North-Eastern Thailand as well as neighboring Laos and the Thai people livig in the Yunnan province of China, have been influenced both by Indian, Chinese as can be seen by the similarities that depict the tale of Chinese Swan Maiden and thai’s Prince Suthon and princess manora, the similarities of which take over for the differences between the Indian’s Sudhanakumara Avadana and the latter.
According to Toshiharo, “it is without doubt that the Thai race inhabited the area of South-West China and that the main part of the race later moved southwards into the indo-China Peninsula. However the Thai language spoken by the Thai race belongs, together with Chinese, to the Sino-Tai branch of the Sino-tibetan Language family and is the language which has been most closely related to Chinese from ancient times. . .”
But then although Toshiharo defended that Thais have been influenced more by the Chinese, he did not deny that Indians also influenced its culture.
In the group’s opinion, the tale of the celestial maiden that the Thai peoples have held since the ancient times, provided a comparison of other country’s versions of the tale, thus, creating a link of whom they have interacted with in the past and how they have become who they are today.
Second, the group is also able to infer that five important elements of the story are the nature of the Divine, the beauty of Kinnari, the Challenge to the husbands, the impurities of mortals, and water and dance.
Finally, the group is also able to enumerate the different values, traditions and culture of the Thai people with reference to the story “Prince Suthon and Princess Manora”. Among these are close-family ties, that is becoming well-acquainted with the family of the young woman that the young man wishes to marry, high power distance index, and the value of gratitude.
Bibliography
Toshiharo, Yoshikawa, “A Comparative Study of the Thai, Sanskrit and Chinese Swan Maiden”. Osaka, Japan. 1984
Hisako, Kimijama, “Chugoku no Hagoromo Setsuwa—Nihon no Setsuwa to no Hikaku”. Vol. 1, Chugoku Tairiku Kobunka Kenyukai, 1965
Miller, Allan, “The Swan-Maiden Revisited: Reiligious Significance of Divine-Wife Folktales with Special Reference to Japan”. Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.
The Maiden of Many Nations.
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