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The Naga Prince

The Serpents and the Porcupine by Yoko Mitsuhashi

The Serpents and the Porcupine by Yoko Mitsuhashi

The Naga Prince is just one of 38 Thai folktales included in this new edition that editor Kermit Krueger gathered in Northeastern Thailand fifty years ago.

Originally published as “The Serpent Prince” in 1969, this new edition includes additional folktales from Mr. Krueger’s original research and organized the tales by time and location.

They begin with the most ancient legends going back to the times of the Khmer Empire (700-1,300 AD) and even beyond to prehistoric times.

The next three sections explore the folk tales of Isan, beginning in the north in Loei and Nong Kai, traveling to the central region of Mahasarakham, Roi Et and Khon Kaen, and then going to the southern towns of Surin and Pimai, where ancient temples still stand.

Title Location
The Serpents And The Porcupine Ping and Moon Rivers
The Temple of the Four Friends
The Odd Disappearance
of Prince Bantud
Sisaket 

ศรีสะเกษ

The Tree that Grew a City Khon Kaen 

ขอนแก่น

The Treachery of the Lion Prince Kantarawichai 

กันทรวิชัย

Return of the Brother Phimai 

พิมาย

How Pimai Temple was Built Pimai
The Naga Prince Pimai
The Black Pool Loei 

เลย

Yai the Hunter and the Sacred Deer 

 

Bell Mountain, Loei 

เลย

Yai and the Rice Spirits Loei 

เลย

The Twin Tales of Tao To 

 

Nong Bualamphu, Udon หนองบัวลำภู
Princess Phen
and the Four Foolish Ministers
Phen เพ็ญ, Udon Thani อุดรธานี
Tar-Sa’s Luck Kalasin 

กาฬสินธุ์

The Many Children
of Mr. And Mrs. Twelve
Gosumpisai 

โกสัมพี

The Little Priest of Mahasarakam 

 

Chiang Yuen เชียงยืน 

Mahasarakham

มหาสารคาม

The Pet Crocodile of Mit and Mut Takonyang, ท่าขอนยาง 

Mahasarakham

มหาสารคาม

Nang Yai
The Girl Who Weaves By Night
 

 

Nang Yai Mahasarakham 

นางใย มหาสารคาม

Jungle of the Giants 

 

Phayakkhaphum Phisai 

พยัคฆภูมิพิสัย

Beloved Baby River Village of Don Nong, just up the Chi river from Takonyang
The Girl Who Wore Too Much 

 

Kamalasai (south part of Kalasin province) 

กมลาไสย

The Friendless Pavilion Roi-Et ร้อยเอ็ด
The Blind Man Who Could See 

 

Roi-Et ร้อยเอ็ด
Yama and the Horse Race Challenge 

 

Lake Yama, Roi-Et
Sumlee’s Broken Stick “Muangtong” AKA Roi-Et
The Plain of the Trader Who Cried Roi-Et 

ร้อยเอ็ด

The Spirit Drum 

 

Selapum, Roi-Et 

เสลภูมิ    ร้อยเอ็ด

Pibaaboon’s Mountain of Gold 

 

Selapum, Roi-Et 

เสลภูมิ    ร้อยเอ็ด

Monsalai and the Golden Dowry Selapum, Roi-Et 

เสลภูมิ    ร้อยเอ็ด

The Little Sticky Rice Basket 

 

Tard Tong, Ubon Ratchathani อุบลราชธานี
The Lesson of Mango Mountain 

 

Surin 

สุรินทร์

The Twin Hills of Ta Tum Ta Tum, Surin 

ท่าตูม

Mun River

แม่น้ำมูล

The Woman Who Saved Korat
Siengmieng, The Minister 

 

Bau’s Pool Muangnam เมืองน้ำ 

 

Two Friends
The Legend of Seven Golden Flowers Si Khoraphum ปราสาทศีขรภูมิ
The Hunter and the Tigress