University of Virginia Library

`Sukhwan' text recited for a pregnant woman
Si si pra porn [auspicious blessing].

The air is filled with the fragrance of flower pollen. Khwan [spirit essences]
will be summoned to come together. This is an auspicious time and day
of the year, laden with good luck. Thirty phau-mae-thao [respected old
persons of parental generation] say that the time and day are auspicious.
The astrologers [mau hone, mau yam, mau huhah] say the time and day
are good. Phraa Narai[17] has said in thirty words that the time and day are
good.

A servant who wishes to consult his master should do so today. It is
said that the accession to the throne of Phraa Khun Myang[18] should be
done today. It is an auspicious day for the grankaew[19] bird to build its
nest. It is a good day to train the white gourd plant to climb the bamboo
frame. It is said that a divorced or widowed woman who wishes to climb
to the top of the mountain should start today. Thao Songchai[20] lulls his
younger siblings to sleep saying that today is a good day. Monks beat the
victory gong and proclaim that today is a good day. Phraa Mettaai[21] will
have his head shaven today, which is a good day. Kings of one hundred
countries are crowned on this day. Today is a full moon day, a good day.

Please come, khwan. Let the khwan of the shin return to the shin,

khwan of the eyes return to the eyes, and khwan of the flesh come and
stay in its place. Don't run away, hurry to our house. Come and eat
khaw tom [rice gruel] mixed with sesame oil; come and eat fish. Don't
go and stay with a young man in Myang Thaen.[22] Don't go and stay in
the garden and rice field belonging to others. Khwan of the head, young
khwan, the dearest to your husband, return to your house today, at this
moment. Come and look at your slender and most handsome husband.
At this moment your husband might be shedding tears waiting for you
who was born from an elephant's tusk[23] as Nang Sida[24] was. Don't go away
and stay in Phya Thaen's castle in heaven—that beautiful castle will
never be given to you. Return, khwan, don't stay beside the carpet and
pillow in the castle; you will never have that pillow beside you because
you do not have enough merit. You shall never be the owner of the royal
elephant.[25]

Return, khwan, and wear flowers behind your ear. Thirty old persons
[phau-mae-thao] are gathered here to celebrate your coming. Ninety
brahmans are awaiting to celebrate you. This, here, is a large tray made of
sandalwood, and this bowl is made of maikeo wood. All these things have
been got ready for you—there are food and fruit that are the delight of
young children. There is also rice for you. Children, young unmarried
women, divorced and separated women have come to see you. The person
who will handle the placenta and cut the umbilical cord is present here.

Your mother carries you for months when she is with child. During
that time she has to climb down the ladder and climb up to the house;
she complains that she has labour pains. Brothers and sisters have assembled
to watch and guard with care. When your mother carries you, she takes
medicines; she is weary of heart when she sits, walks or lies down, until
the baby is born.

A female baby is born lying flat on its back; a male baby is born lying
flat on its face. After the umbilical cord is cut, siblings and relatives will
wrap the baby with cloth. The nog khaw bird[26] sings `coo coo', and if it is
her baby let her come and take it away today; otherwise from today, the
baby is mine.[27] Your [baby's] mother shows solicitude towards you—she
picks you up with her hands and places you in a cradle. Your mother
feeds, bathes you, and then puts you to sleep in the cradle. Her two hands
rock the cradle all day long. She leaves the cradle to drink hot water, and

the heat burns her mouth.[28] Your mother ties thread to your wrists; the
binding of your left wrist makes you grow big as your uncle [mother's
brother], as tall as the sky, and to have a rank equal to that of others.

If you [mother] have a female baby, may you be happy. If you have
a male baby, may you bring him up with care. If your son receives an
elephant, may it be a large one. Let him sit in the middle of the elephant's
back, and have others follow him in procession. Let him possess 1,000 baht
weight of silver and 100 baht weight of gold. If he has servants, let him
own 100. If he goes anywhere, let people respect him.

Come, khwan, if you have gone away to stay in the jungle with birds,
come back today, now, at this time.

Come, khwan, if you have hidden yourself in the jungle, come back
today.

Come, khwan, if you are staying in the big pond, return today, now, at
this time.

Come, khwan, if you have gone to grow taro in the forest, return today.

Come, khwan, if you have gone away to play at a riverside quay with
steps leading down, return today, at this moment.

Come, khwan, if it rains don't go any farther; if it thunders don't go
away too far. After the rains, don't go and drink water near the rhinoceros'
track; when the sun shines don't go in search of water along the buffalo's
track. In the late morning don't drink water near the elephant's track.
My little slender one, come home to live in the house with a wooden
floor and a roof made of long grass.

Khwan, if you are engaged in upland cultivation, return today at this
moment.

Khwan, if you are conversing with your lover in the jungle, come back
today, at this moment.

Khwan, if you have gone hunting deer in the jungle, return today.

Khwan, if you have left the body because of a scorpion's sting, return
today.

Khwan, if you are away from your home, come back today.

Come, khwan, come and reside in the house in which there is a three-cornered
pillow that is suited to you. Beautiful girls await you around
the phakhwan, and divorced and separated women have assembled to
open the bajsi.[29] I invite Thao Kamfan,[30] who holds firm the pillar of the
house, and Thao Kamfua,[31] who guards the house, to come and celebrate
your return.

Come, khwan, I invite at this moment the little baby sitting in the
rattan chair to help celebrate your return. Come, khwan, I invite phuu
thaw [elders], phau gae [elders], both father and mother, lung [parents'
elder male siblings], pa [parents' elder female siblings], nah [father's
younger siblings] and ah [mother's younger siblings] to celebrate your
coming.

Chayate chaya mangalang.