'Asni and Kokila' from Folktales of Thailand

Love, sacrifice, giving something, good for animals, all virtues that point the way to heaven. And it all starts with pineapple…..

Two little angels in heaven quarreled. Goddess Uma punished them: they would be born human in Suvannabhumi. Only if they behaved properly were they ever allowed to go back to heaven as an angel…..

One of them became the daughter of a wealthy fisherman. She was not really pretty but had a beautiful voice and was called Kokila, cuckoo, a bird with a beautiful call. The other girl was born in a night of storm and rain; wind and tide had whipped up the water in the canal and it flooded her father's pineapple plantation. She became Asni, the lightning. A sweet child; graceful and cheerful.

Kokila was spoiled by her wealthy parents. Poor Asni had to work hard and take care of the pineapple. But she never grumbled and was happy. When the rains did not come in the monsoon season, everyone who cultivated fields with rice or vegetables became anxious. The elders decided that Phra Pirun, Varuna, the goddess of rain, should be propitiated with the black cat ceremony. 

A black cat was put in a basket. The young people walked around the village with that cat while they beat the drums and sang loudly. The elderly went to drink in the village. After three laps of walking, the cat was released. Then the youth took to dancing in honor of Phra Pirun; they asked for forgiveness and especially for rain….

Among the spectators a handsome young man; Manop. He lived in the city and he fell for Asni. Her pleasant manners, the courteous dance steps, her lithe body fascinated the young man. He took the first opportunity to meet her parents. They were happy to see Manop; a decent young man with a good job and neat clothes. Asni was allowed to join them for a while and they chatted until Asni had to go back to work on the pineapple.

Kokila participated with the youth; gossiping, having fun, eating and drinking and smoking cigars rolled in lotus leaf. Asni sang with her beautiful voice and then Kokila saw that Manop followed her with her eyes. She became stinking jealous. Kokila provoked a minor accident near Manop's boat, the two got talking and instantly became more than friends. This was the game of Goddess Uma who had removed the two from heaven and she now punished them with the sweet and sour of love. Asni was deeply sad but had to swallow it down while working in the orchard.

A golden pineapple 

Asni discovered a golden pineapple in the orchard! According to local custom, this is given to the king, who summoned her. Panic! Everyone knew the king was an old fart and would soon replace her with another young thing while he was married to the queen…..

Asni held out despite the king's threats. She knew very well that she should not make any mistakes because goddess Uma was watching and Asni would then lose her chances of heaven. The king finally saw that too and let her go.

But then disaster struck. Bandits had raided their home, killed her parents, and destroyed the orchard. She heard about Manop that Kokila had failed to win over him and he had wanted to commit suicide but had been rescued by villagers and was sick at home. She was running frantically toward Manop's house, through the woods on the buffalo track when she fell over something lying in the path.

It was a dead dog; around her seven puppies. She tucked the puppies into her dress and toiled through the woods to a distant light. It was a house. She was exhausted from all the happenings; the king, Kokila, Manop, it all became too much for her and what happened to them left her cold. She asked Uma if she hadn't had her punishment now and wanted to go back to heaven.

The residents came out with lamps and sticks, thinking there were burglars. They saw a beautiful young woman lying counted out with seven pups in her dress. 

Then the top of Mount Sabarb lit up. A flash of light came from the young woman and she seemed to dance. Then suddenly she was gone! She was melted and her soul was on its way to Goddess Uma. Her punishment was over…

Source: Folk Tales of Thailand (1976). Translation and editing Erik Kuijpers. Suvannabhumi / Suvarnabhumi, 'Golden Land', is a place name found in ancient Buddhist scriptures and Indian sources.