MSS Siamese 17/B

Volume 5 (last volume) of the Thai verse novel Sang Sinchai. (A similar version is known in Laos and Northeast Thailand as Sang Sinsai or Sinxay, and in the Mon literary tradition under the title Sangada).

According to Henry Alabaster the anonymous scribe may have been a Thai war captive in Pegu.

The manuscript is thought to have been brought back to the UK via Bengal by Sir John MacGregor Murray in 1797.

Summary:

The text tells of King Senakut andhis younger sister, Keson Sumontha, who was abducted by the giant Yak Kumphan.The pair later had a daughter, Sri Suphan, whom Yak Kumphan lost in a gamble tothe king of serpents (naga). Senakut, distraught by the kidnapping of hissister, became a hermit in the forest where he met seven beautiful maidens whobecame his consorts. Six of them gave birth to sons, but the seventh consort,Pathuma, and her attendant Kraison gave birth to two very special sons.Pathuma’s child, Sang Sinchai was born in a conch shell and with an ivory bow,and Kraison’s son Sing had the shape of a mythical lion.

The jealous six other consortsplotted to convince the king that the two strange sons were a bad omen and hebanished them with their mothers from the city. Growing up in the forest, thetwo boys acquired super-human skills in addition to powers they were born with.One day, the king ordered his other sons tosearch for Keson Sumontha in the forest. Being cowards, they looked for SangSinchai and Sing and tricked them into joining the search for their aunt. SangSinchai located Keson Sumontha, but she told him about her daughter who wasmarried to the serpent king. Sang Sinchai and Sing rescued both women andbrought them back to the other six brothers who pushed Sang Sinchai down awater hole before taking the women to King Senakut. However, Keson Sumontha lefther scarf at thespot and vowed that should she ever get it back, it meant Sang Sinchai wasstill alive.

Back in King Senakut’s city, a merchantbrought Keson Sumontha’s scarf on his ship. She implored the king to find SangSinchai in the forest. Senakut followed her wish and finally invited SangSinchai, Sing and their mothers back into the city. Sang Sinchai married SriSuphan and ascended the throne. Senakut ordered the six half-brothers and theirmothers to become the new king’s servants. Senakut, Keson Sumontha and Pathuma,however, became ascetics.