Phra Ruang and Spirit of Sukhothai
Love Story of Phra Ruang
It was believed that Phra Ruang had two wives. The first one was named of Mrs. Thong who was a
beautiful woman swallowed by Naga. Phra Ruang bewitched to help her from Naga. Mrs. Thong loved weaving
a lot. c Thong built the house for Mrs. Thong for weaving. When she finished weaving, she took fabrics
to the courtyard which the villagers called "the yard for drying sheets". One day, Mrs. Gold was taken
away by a crocodile. When Phra Ruang knew, he went out to find his wife despite no road. Phra
Ruang spelled over to create a road called 'Phra Ruang Road". Finally, when he reached Dang Canal,
he found that the crocodile ate his wife. Phra Ruang stoned the crocodile, called "Jorakhe Poon
(Mortar Crocodile)" which still appears until now.
The legend of this love was related to the area of Phan Katai District, Khampangphet Province.
It was an effort to explain the special areas that cannot be described its history. For example, on
Khao Nang Thong, ancient remains were found in the top. It was believed that it was the temple where
the Buddha's footprints were placed, mentioned on the stone inscription or the laterite shaped like
a crocodile.
In Si Satchanalai District, Sukhothai Province, it is said that Phra Ruang had fallen in the
field of the woman named Kham while she was farming. Phra Ruang found that she was beautiful and
tried to flirt with her. She was afraid because Phra Ruang was a big guy, but she pretended that she
was fine and asked Phra Ruang to compete in farming. If he won, she would be his wife. Phra Ruang
used his supernatural words to finish farming in the blink of an eye. Then, Kham ran away to a field
and call for help because Phra Ruang followed her. That place was called "Ban Na Rong". She kept
running until she reached a village and stumbled. That village was called "Baan Sa Thao". Phra Ruang
ran after her relentlessly, but he could not keep up with her. Then, he stopped and cried because
Thong did not love him back. The area was called "Ban Cook". After that, Phra Ruang kept following
Thong and he found the large old temple, called "Ban Boran Luang". He then traveled to the river and
had to cross the islets, called "Ban Kaeng". When tired, he sat near the field, called "Ban Na Khoi"
and then Phra Ruang found Kham and forced her to be his wife. She was very sad and depressed. She
walked to wash her body in the swamp, called "Nong Jum Tad". After that, Kam hid in the cave and
cover the cave entrance with her cloth. Phra Ruang could not come inside the cave as if he went
under the cloth, his magic would be destroyed. Phra Ruang bewitched Kam for not being able to come
out of the cave unless she wore a cloth woven from a flower gossamer floating from heaven. The cave
was called "Nang Kham Cave" and Phra Ruang created by the magic a large swamp and a crocodile
watching the cave called "Nong Jorakhe"
In the land of Lanna, the story was told that Phra Ruang impersonated himself to be Phraya
Ngammuang of Phayao to have intercourse with Au Chiang Saen. When Phraya Ngammuang knew, he tried to
arrest Phra Ruang. Phra Ruang transformed himself into a bird flying away. Phraya Ngammuang
bewitched for the bird to get exhausted. The bird fell in the swamp, called "Nong Nok Aieng". Phra
Ruang transformed himself into a red cow to escape to another swamp called "Nong Ko Daeng". Finally,
Phra Ruang transformed himself into a mole, but Phraya Ngammuang created a magic spade for Phra
Ruang. Phraya Mang Rai, the friend of the two of them had to render a decision. Phra Ruang had to
pay the weight of gold which was equal to that of Au Chiang Saen as punishment. Then the two had to
promise to stop fighting. That area was called "Ban Ken", then the three went to the river, leaned
on one another, and promised to keep their friendship forever. The river was called "Ing River".
This myth of love myth might be told to describe the names of the towns.