The second husband story

The second husband story
Folktale from Cambodia

Once, long ago, a man and a woman had just got married. The man loved his wife very much. But, one day, a messenger came from the king. He told the man to come and fight in the king’s war. The man became very sad. He did not want to leave his wife. But he was so frightened that he obeyed. He prepared a little food and hurried away to join the messenger.
 Folktale from Cambodia

He was still near his house, when he stopped by a bo tree. Each time he tried to go on, he started to cry. Each time he walked away, he turned round and
came back. At last, he felt brave enough to leave.
Folktale from Cambodia

There was a spirit in that bo tree. When it saw the husband crying so much, it decided to go to his house. When it got there, it saw the man’s wife and fell in love with her. So, the spirit changed itself into a man. The man looked just like the woman’s husband. His face and body and colour were all the same.
Folktale from Cambodia

When the woman saw him. She thought, “My husband is back!” she cried out, “Oh! Why have you came back?”

“The king didn’t need me,” said the spirit so the wife gave him a meal. From that time on, they lived happily together.
Folktale from Cambodia

“The war was soon over and her real husband returned home. When she saw him coming she called out, “Husband!”
Folktale from Cambodia

But when she looked at the spirit she said. “But he’s my husband, too,” she did not know what to do.

The spirit was very angry. “listen,” he said to the real husband, “You have no right to say my wife is your wife,”
Folktale from Cambodia

“She’s my wife,” said the real husband. “I married her before I went away to the war. You have no right to say my wife is your wife.”
Folktale from Cambodia

They argued and argued. Finally they went to see the judge. They said to him. “You must decide who is this woman’s real husband.”
Folktale from Cambodia

The judge looked at the real husband and at the spirit. When he asked the wife, “Which one is your real husband?” the poor girl did not know what to answer. So the judge could not help them.
Folktale from Cambodia

The real husband was verysad. He went away to find someone who could help him. Soon he met a hare. “Where are you going?” asked the hare.
Folktale from Cambodia

The real husband told him the story. “And now I’m looking for someone who can help me,” he said.

“Don’t worry,” said the hare, “I’ll help you.”

So they went back to the judge. “Go and find an old bottle” the hare said. “The man who can get inside it is the real husband.” The judge found a bottle.
Folktale from Cambodia

The spirit was very happy. “I’ve won,” he thought. He became very small and climbed into the bottle.

“Get me a cork,” said the hare. “Put it in the bottle. Throw the bottle in the river. The thing in the bottle must be a spirit. No man in the whole world can climb inside the bottle.”
Folktale from Cambodia

So from that time on the real husband and his wife lived happily together.
Folktale from Cambodia