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Long long ago, there lived a family with a son named Chharavann.
Chharavann fancied swimming and playing in the water since he
was a young child even if he was told not to do so by his parents. His
parents sent him to learn various martial arts and mantras with a
well-known martial arts grandmaster. Chharavann was the most
senior among all the students. One day, came a newcomer called
Kraithaong. The grandmaster arranged him for a practice of
traditional long-stick martial arts with Chharavann. Over many
years, they both were grown up and learnt martial art skills together
peacefully. One day, the grandmaster was invited to heal an illness of
a millionaire's wife in a district.
2
The grandmaster told all the students, "Please follow my advice!
While I am leaving today for a distant place, Chharavann will be
responsible for all affairs here, so you all should respect his words
because he is your senior." Before the departure, the grandmaster
asked Chharavann to take proper care of
the tabernacle and shrines as well
as the hermitage.
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In the tabernacle, Chharavann saw a sutra to which the grandmaster

prohibits all the students to get access; it is the scriptures about
magic transformation. Chharavann learned the sutra secretly until
he completed it successfully. After having learnt it successfully,
Chharavann said proudly before all the students that he had
mastered a new mantra that he could use to transform him into a
crocodile. All the students were afraid of the crocodile and asked
Chharavann not to do so. Chharavann reassured, "There's nothing
to worry about! If I become a crocodile, any of you just take a stick
and slightly beat my head three times. By doing so, I will become a
human being again. But, if for three days no one beat my head, I will
become a crocodile for a whole life." After that, Chharavann
transformed himself into a crocodile at a blink. Having been fearful
of such a giant crocodile, all the students run away, leaving
Chharavann to float himself in the river, waiting for his grandmaster's
arrival to save him.

5
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tlnmHlli11rJ8tffunJlruqnn~n'1
Three days later, the grandmaster returned. Seeing the students
were in state of disorder, he asked, "What's wrong? Where is
Chharavann?" There, Kraithaong replied, "Brother Chharavann
became a crocodile and stayed in the river." Hearing so, the
grandmaster was taken aback and said, "Huh! a crocodile? Please
guide me there to see him!" Having seen the grandmaster walking
toward him, Crocodile Chharavann was very glad and strived to
prcltruldej:lis head out of the water.
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The grandmaster hopelessly said, "Chharavann! I am very regretful

for your disrespect of my words. Now, the proper time to save you
has gone." For Kraithaong, he felt so pity for his elder co-trainee, but
he could not help. A few days later on, the grandmaster was invited
to heal an illness of a millionaire's daughter named Sampov Meas, a
younger sister of daughter named Sampov Keo.
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Chharavann served as the grandmaster's vehicle for traveling to
heal the illness of the millionaire's daughter. Arriving there, the
grandmaster started to heal Miss Sampov
Meas. She recovered well under the
treatment of the grandmaster, who
instructed the millionaire that, "Upon her
full recovery, please do not allow her to
swim or play in water in any ways."
Then, the grandmaster stayed on the
Chharavann's back, traveling through the
e way back to his hermitage.
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•

On the way, came a crocodile wishing to challenge Crocodile

Chharavann. Be aware of such a bad situation, the grandmaster told
Chharavann, "Please! Swallow me right now, but do not forget to
spit me out not later than three days, or I will die." Chharavann
swallowed his grandmaster, and then fought to the finish with the
hostile crocodile for two days, but it was not until the 7th day when
Chharavann managed to perish his rival in that ri,,,~r
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Arriving at the hermitage, Chharavann spitted the grandmaster out,
but the grandmaster had already died. Seeing that their grandmaster
was dead, all of the students accused Chharavann of killing him, and
beat Chharavann's head until it was bleeding. With such serious
sufferings, Chharavann floated himself away far and far.
Chharavann then met, in the mythical world below the river, another
grandmaster who has powerful enchantments and could transform
him into a human. The grandmaster taught Chharavann many fields
of knowledge. This grandmaster also caste a magic for creation of
maids, called Keo Lay and Keo Ly, to serve
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Having mastered all such fields of knowledge, Chharavann
transformed himself into a man and went to the land to prostrate
before his former grandmaster's grave. Chharavann met one of his
classmates then. Chharavann asked that classmate, "Do you know
where Kraithaong is?" "I don't know," he replied. Then Chharavann
beat the classmate to unconsciousness because when he spit out his
dead grandmaster, Kraithaong and other students was not asking him
for explanation, but beat to nearly death.
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Back to Miss Sampov Meas, while she was embroiling in a quiet
atmosphere, appeared Miss Sampov Keo and said, "Hey! It seems
you keep yourself busy with embroiling everyday. Today, I want to
ask for our parents' permission to go out for our good time." Then,
they
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When being out, Sampov Meas, Sampov Keo, and all the servants
swam and played as a crocodile in the water. While in the cave of the
riverbed, Chharavann had a strange headache and discomfort. Then
he went up to find out who was stepping on his head. Chharavann
went out and needed the girls to play with him and who at the same
time rejected his request. Chharavann then disappeared into the
river. A moment later, Sompov Meas was taken by Chharavann to
his mythical world below the river. The news that Sompov Meas
was abducted by a crocodile came to the millionaire who felt very
anxious and ordered his servants to search for brave men to kill the
crocodile. He promised to marry Sompov Meas and offer great
fortune to anyone who could save her.

15
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• •

In the mythical world, Sompov Meas opened her eyes doubtfully

looking things around as she did know where she was. Sompov
Meas asked Chharavann, "Why am I here and who brought me
here?" Chharavann replied, "1 am the one who brings you here."
Sompov Meas responded, "Huh! You brought me here, so are you a
crocodile?" "Of course, I am a human being, but I could magically
transform myself into a crocodile. Be aware that I take you here in
revenge for my grandmaster's death."

17
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w

18
Talking of the millionaire, he has called on scores of brave men,
including Cham and Chinese magicians, who boasted for their
capacity to conquer the crocodile, but at last they all ended up in
losses of lives under the hands of Chharavann. The millionaire hence
continued his search for stronger men and eventually met
Kraithaong. Kraithaong created bowls from leaves and floated them
on the river to ascertain where the crocodile concealed, so that he
could kill him, while Chharavann felt extremely irritated and even
dreamt that his body was severed into two pieces by a god from the
heaven. The two wives recommended that their husband went to the
grandmaster for prediction of the nightmare.
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The grandmaster told Chharavann, "Your dream reveals a threat to

your life. Did you get something and conceal it in this cave." "I have
taken a lady and kept her inside the cave for three-four days,"
Chharavann replied, adding that "That's because she is the root of
my grandmaster's death." Hearing so, the grandmaster warned
Chharavann that "That's the reason that you have provoked the
millionaire. Now, he hired strong men to take your life." In response,
Chharavann said angrily that, "Grandmaster! Do you have any tactic
to overcome them?" The grandmaster told that "No, you have to bring
the lady back; otherwise, you would face a menace. Anyway,
there is a way out-you must stay inside on the 15th day of this
waxing moon.

20
And, you need to meditate until the end of the waxing moon's 15th
day if you are to defeat him." Hearing so, Chharavann felt less
anxious. The grandmaster advised Keo Ly and Keo Lay to take care
of and keep their husband inside the cave.
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Chharavann stayed inside the cave but felt so disturbed that he could
not cope with as Kraithaong was reciting incantation to challenge
Chharavann for a fight with him. Chharavann as a result went out
though his wives took their best effort to bar him. Chharavann went
out to fight, but was defeated by Kraithaong. He felt so annoyed that
he even killed his two wives and the grandmaster. Chharavann felt
extremely sorry for his inconsiderate acts and failure to comply with
grandmaster's advices again and again that resulted in such
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Because of his severe wounds, Chharavann died at the moment.

Kraithaong came to help Sompov Meas and brought her to reunite
with her parents. Kraithaong was told by one of his classmate that
Chharavann did not kill his grandmaster, and that it was the result
of illusion. Kraithaong felt very sorry for killing Chharavann, so h e
traveled to say sorry to Chharavann. Unfortunately, Chharavann
died. When everything was over, the millionaire organized a
wedding ceremony for Sompov Meas and Kraithaong to respect
what he had promised. THE END

Honest is the best policy.