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Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a small country called Rome Visai. It was hidden from other lands, and ruled over by a kind king and queen.
One day, the King and Queen had a beautiful daughter. Her birth was easy, but still, the room filled with shocked cries when she came out. Why? She had no scars, extra limbs or unusual marks, but in her tiny hand she held a wooden house, in the traditional Thai style.
Once the parents realised she was safe, they cried with happiness, and they named their daughter Sanonoi Ruen Nam, which means ‘Sanonoi, who carries a beautiful house’.
Sanonoi grew quick and strong, and spent much of her time playing with her house. She would sit with it, examining the walls and doors with her fingers, dreaming of a future where she could live inside it.
One day, she dreamed so hard, that when she opened her eyes, the house had grown before her. She walked up to the door and opened it, and inside she found a small table. On the table was a rope made of white cotton, with a circle on either side. She left, closed her eyes again, and when she opened them, the house was back to its usual size.
Sanonoi did not understand what the rope was, but when nobody was looking, she would make the house grow and visit it again. She held the soft cotton between her hands, and knew that, one day, it would be important.
But not all could remain peaceful in the palace. On Sanonoi’s sixteenth birthday, the royal astrologer came to the King and Queen with terrible news.
‘I have seen it in the stars,’ he said. ‘If Sanonoi remains in this house, she will be in danger. In order for the child to be safe, she must go on a journey for a year.’
The King did not want to believe it, but the astrologer’s predictions had always come true in the past. So with a heavy heart, he and his wife told Sanonoi she must leave.
‘You must hide your royal blood unless it is truly necessary,’ said the King to his daughter. ‘Wear the clothes of a normal person, but keep your royal dress, and if you need help, go to one of the other royal families.’
Sanonoi nodded. ‘I will always be safe with my little house,’ she said.
The Queen shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not, my dear. You must leave it here. The astrologer said it is dangerous.’
Sanonoi’s eyes filled with tears, but she did as she was told. Just as she was leaving, a strange monk walked into the palace. He was dressed all in white, and held a large bottle in his hand.
‘Who let this man in?!’ said the Queen. ‘Arrest him!’
‘No!’ said the astrologer. ‘I saw him in the stars, too. Let him speak.’
The monk, however, said nothing. He simply knelt before Sanonoi and held the bottle up to her. Inside, there was a thick green liquid, and it danced strangely in the light.
‘It is a gift,’ said Sanonoi quietly. ‘A potion of some kind. But what for?’
The monk did not speak, and the astrologer said, ‘When the time is right, you will know.’
So Sanonoi took the potion from the monk, said goodbye to her mother and father, and left the palace.
What Sanonoi didn’t know was that the monk was no ordinary man, but in fact, the great god Indra. Indra had seen Sanonoi crying from heaven, and his heart was moved to help her.
Sanonoi travelled onwards, and soon came to a forest. Inside, she found a dead woman lying on the ground. Her body was covered in blood and bruises, and Sanonoi thought she had been killed by thieves. The girl put down her belongings and cried, not used to seeing such violence. Then she noticed that the potion was shining strangely in the light.
Following her instinct, she opened the bottle and poured a bit of the liquid on the woman’s wounds. Slowly, the blood and bruises disappeared, and the woman opened her eyes.
‘Who are you?’ said the woman, looking at Sanonoi suspiciously.
‘I am Sanonoi. I believe I have saved your life.’
‘What a shame,’ said the woman, stretching. ‘I never did enjoy being alive much. Well, I’m Kula.’ The woman stopped moving and looked at Sanonoi more closely. ‘Say, where are you from?’
Sanonoi panicked and named a village from Rome Visai. But it was obvious she was not from there, as her accent was far too pure.
Kula looked at her funny. ‘You’re an odd one. But I have nowhere else to go, and you did save my life, so I suppose I’ll be your servant. Where are you travelling?’
Sanonoi was relieved, and very happy to have someone to travel with. So they continued on together, although Kula complained most of the way.
Finally, they came to the country of Nope Pa Rat. There, the prince, Vichit Chinda, had been bitten by a poisonous snake. All the people were whispering darkly in the streets. If the prince died, there would be nobody to rule over the country after the King died. Everyone was praying for the prince to recover.
Again, following her instinct, Sanonoi put on her royal dress, went to the palace and said that she was a royal doctor, and that she wished to see the prince.
‘Draw seven curtains around his bed, so that nobody may see us. And prepare a bathtub as well.’