The Dancing Princess

Thai myths are a blend of Hindu and Buddhist influences. This story is from the Pannasa Jataka, based on the previous births of Buddha. Kinnarees, according to Thai mythology, were half-human, half-bird and they lived in Himmapan, a legendary forest in the Himalayas, separating heaven and earth. This story of Manorah has inspired a dance form known as the Manorah Buchayan.

Manorah was the youngest of the seven Kinnaree daughters of King Prathum and Queen Jantakinnaree, who ruled Mount Grajrat.

Kinnarees were magical beings, with the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a bird. They had delicate wings. They could fly or shed their wings to assume human form, if they so wished.

On Mount Grajrat lay the great Himmapan forest, an enchanted place where many strange creatures lived. In the middle of this forest was a beautiful lake where the seven sisters came to splash about on full-moon nights.

On one such night, as the princesses played in the water, laughing and spattering about, a young man named Prahnbun chanced upon them. Manorah, without doubt, was the most beautiful among the princesses and Prahnbun could not take his eyes off her. What an ethereal beauty this maiden is! I must catch her and present her to our Prince Suton. He would surely love to make her his bride, thought he. Prince Suton was the son of King Artitvawong and Queen Jantaivee of Udon Panjah, from where this young man came.

Prahnbun knew that it was difficult to catch a Kinnaree and sought the advice of a hermit who lived in the forest. ‘It is not an easy task to catch a kinnaree,’ the hermit told him. ‘They will fly away if anyone approaches them. I don’t know how you can do this. Maybe you could ask the Great Dragon who lives deep down in the forest.’

Thanking the hermit, Prahnbun raced off to meet the Great Dragon. The dragon was a noble creature and was not very happy to hear of the young man’s plan. But he did not want to seem unhelpful. ‘Here, take this magic rope with you’, he said, giving Prahnbun a golden rope. ‘You can catch a kinnaree with this.’ The young man took leave of the dragon, thanking him for his help, and set out once again for the lake.

The princesses were still playing and no one saw Prahnbun approach with his magic rope, which had now become invisible. He crept to the edge of the lake and threw the rope around Manorah’s neck and pulled. It caught her delicate neck so tight that she couldn’t scream. She thrashed about in the water helplessly while her sisters watched in horror. Prahnbun pulled her to the shore and carried her off. Her sisters, fearful of being caught too, flew away.

Prahnbun pinned down Manorah’s wings so that she couldn’t escape and took her to Udon. Just as he expected, the prince was delighted with the special ‘gift’ Prahnbun had brought him and rewarded him generously. His parents, the king and the queen, raised no objections when Prince Suton expressed his desire to marry the Kinnaree princess. Soon they were married. Manorah gradually grew to love her handsome husband. Fortunately for her, he was gentle, kind-hearted and brave.

Manorah, with her beauty, intelligence and gentle ways, won the heart of everyone in Udon. They had taken away her wings, afraid that she would leave them, but Manorah adjusted to her new life. Besides, she loved Prince Suton.

But there were some evil courtiers in King Artitvawong’s court who disliked the Kinnaree princess. Once, when the prince was away at war, they hatched a plot to kill her.

The chief court counsellor approached the king. ‘Your Majesty! Great misfortune and tragedy is going to befall our kingdom. I’ve heard a wise ascetic predict it. The only solution lies in a sacrifice and, I’m afraid, it has to be the princess!’ The king had great faith in this counsellor and believed every word he said. So he summoned Manorah.

Manorah was to be sacrificed in a fire. When she heard what fate had in store for her, she did not protest. ‘Only one wish do I have, Your Majesty! Let me wear my wings for one last time and dance before I perish in that fire!’

The king agreed and Manorah was given her wings back. She began to dance round and round the fire, moving her wings this way and that. The entire court watched, mesmerized. The fire burned brighter and brighter. Suddenly, the Kinnaree princess flapped her wings and flew up, up and away. Before they knew it, she was gone, back to her world.