574 
ANALYSIS OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS OF SIAM. 
The king Ruang haying returned to his capital continued to reign 
with much glory. °He did not hold himself upon his rank—he often 
went out without any retinue. He amused himself with flying kites 
and all other kinds of sports. He was accomplished in all and master 
of every science. The king of Camboja having sent a Cambojan 
to kill him, who had the gift of disappearing below ground when 
he wished, the king Ruang by the strength of his words turned 
this Cambojan into a rock, and also freed his subjects from the 
tribute which they were bound to pay to the king of Camboja 
every year. 1 . , 
One day the king Ruang flying his kite, the string broke, and 
the kite carried by the wind was caught in the spire of the palace 
of the king of Nakhon tong u. This king had formerly been a 
slave of the Siamese king, and bore the name of U. Protected 
by the gods he became king. The king Ruang running after his 
kite, and having arrived at the close of the day at the city of 
Tong u, rested in a vestibule of the palace, and during the night 
went and slept with the daughter of the king of Tong u without 
any one seeing him. In the morning he ordered the king U to 
come and assist him to recover his kite. He obliged this king to 
bear him on his shoulders, and not being able by this to reach the 
kite, he mounted upon his head. Having at last obtained what 
he wanted he proceeded towards his own country. But the 
princess having told her father of what had taken place during the 
night in his palace, he sent in pursuit of Ruang.. He was caught 
and brought back to Tong u. They took out his intestines, without 
his being aware of it, and then let him go. I he king Ruang on 
his return to his palace called his son the prince Pha sucha kuman, 
told him that he was going to bathe, that if he did not return, he 
had only to take the government of the kingdom. The prince 
thought that the king spoke in jest and made nothing of his words. , 
However the king Ruang having thrown himself into the water 
on a bank of sand in the middle of the city plunged and dis¬ 
appeared for ever. At these tidings consternation pei vaded the 
whole place. The prince Pha sucha human quickly acquainted 
the king of Xieng mai the brother of the deceased king, with this 
misfortune, who proceeded to Saxanalai, placed the piince upon 
the throne of his father and returned to his own capital. 
A great officer named Trai pho pha nakh charged w ith the \v ai 
department announced to the new king that the good fortune 
of Saxanalai had disappeared, that misfortunes were to come, 
and that it was proper to think of fortifying the capital, lhe 
king Phaya sucharat commanded this officer to make all the 
necessaiy fortifications. In consequence the walls of the city 
were increased, and forts were constructed of the proper strength 
to bear cannons. He similarly fortified five other cities of the 
first order and eight of the second. Couriers were established to 
carry the orders to the different cities. Orders were also given to 
v 
