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Sri Thanonchai Tricks His King

(The stories of Sri Thanonchai, the clever trickster, are told throughout Thailand. In some areas he is known as Siengmiang, and in this tale he is addressed by the honorific ‘Phra Si’, as his status as a high-ranking government official requires. In the full canon, we learn that he began as a commoner who killed his sister, and ended his life in bitterness, but at whatever stage of his career we meet him, he is never at a loss to deal with the problems set him, or lacking in the wit that makes him so famous.)

One day, the king was strolling in the royal gardens with his courtesans and courtiers. As they reached an ornamental lake, the king, thinking to challenge Sri Thanonchai’s wit, taunted him.

“You are so brainy, Sri Thanonchai, but can you think of a way to make your king go into this lake?”

Phra Si answered, “Your Majesty, I couldn’t persuade you to get into the water, but I could certainly make you come out of it. I guarantee that with my life, sire.”

“Very well. Let us see!”

The king quickly removed his clothes and lowered himself into the lake. Floating in the water, he said, “Now, Phra Si, start talking. Now that I’m in, how will you make me come out again?”

Phra Si laughed. Bowing politely to the king, he said, “Dear Majesty, I was not attempting to make you come out of the lake. I was trying to get you to go into it. And as you can see, I have succeeded.”

“Sri Thanonchai, you are too clever!” exclaimed the king.

He came out of the water graciously, pleased with the wit of his artful courtier, and had him rewarded.