THE UNGRATEFUL PRINCE AND THE BEAR : TRACES OF SANSKRIT FOLKTALES IN THE LANNA KINGDOM

Abstract

Indian tales about King Vikramaditya were well-known in India. They are found in both oral tales and literature, the latter of which can be divided into two groups: Sanskrit and local version. In the Sanskrit version, two important tales are Sinhasanatavatrimsatika and Vetalabpancavisati, both of which are believed to have been disseminated throughout Thailand in the oral tradition. However, the story in the manuscript of Sasemira Bhayamee is similar to that of King Nanada and the Brahma and that of the Ungrateful Prince and the Bear, a sub-story in Sinhasanatavatrimsatika, with versions written in Sanskrit and Southern Indian prose. Nevertheless, to suit Buddhist and Local beliefs, the composer of this tale changed a few parts. Thus, Sasemira Bhayamee can be traced to Sanskrit tales that originated in India and later were known in the ancient Lanna Kingdom.