Peeriya Pongsarigun; John Viano
on translating Sunthorn Phu
We translated this work because it was one of the first fantasy epics written in Thai. Sunthorn Phu’s imagination goes far beyond the typical genres and imagery of traditional Thai literature, which mainly discusses Buddhism, karma, and the concept of heaven and hell. He features fantastical creatures and situations like mermaids, demons, the magical onyx horse, a hermit who rode rainbows and a man who had a child with a mermaid. We also seek to increase awareness of and access to the works of Thailand’s most talented author (Amazon has only one listing of his work in English) and to share Thailand’s rich literary heritage with the world.
The scene we translated occurs after Sutsakhon, the son of Phra Aphai Mani and the mermaid, has been robbed by the naked priest. The naked priest has stolen Sutsakhon’s magic cane and onyx horse, then pushes Sutsakhon off a cliff, but the hermit saves him and teaches him a life lesson, as in the poem. Thai children study this poem in primary school, and it has been a part of the curriculum for over sixty years. It is so popular that if you ask any Thai student (and many adults), they would most likely recite the passage from memory on the spot.
about the author
Sunthorn Phu (1786 – 1855), Thailand’s Shakespeare, lived during the Rattanakosin Period between the reigns of King Rama I and King Rama IV. He was famous for his epic poetry and memoirs. He invented “internal rhyming” (rhymes within each half line that are additional to the standard Klon Suphap rhyme scheme — see translators’ note), which became his signature. In 1986, he was honored by UNESCO as a world poet and Thai children study his poems to this day.
“Phra Aphai Mani” is a 48,700-line epic poem written between 1821 and 1845. During that time, Sunthorn Phu flourished because of King Rama II’s patronage, which stemmed from His love of literature and poetry. Phra Aphai Mani was completed early in the reign of King Rama III, which became Sunthorn Phu’s dark period because the King focused His patronage on commerce and economy instead of literature. Sunthorn Phu struggled financially and so became a Buddhist monk for eighteen years. Sunthorn Phu’s experience as a monk may have influenced the ending of the epic tale, as Phra Aphai Mani and several of his former wives embarked on a pilgrimage together, leaving the concerns of the secular world behind. It is common in Thailand that when people suffer grievously, they turn to Buddhism to detach themselves from their pain. Hence, it is plausible the titular character of Phra Aphai Mani represents Sunthorn Phu — how he saw himself and how he dealt with his struggles during his dark period.
about the translators
John and Peeriya are authors and translators who excel in creating English language rhyme schemes which echo that of their sources, while accurately communicating the author’s message. They co-founded InterThaiMedia LLC to create media that brings people together across languages and cultures. InterThaiMedia’s first project was Can You Carry Me?, a children’s book about sibling rivalry. The second project was Calm by Cheewan Wisasa, an IBBY honor list book which helps children use their superpower of mindfulness to manage their feelings.
John and Peeriya have translated more than 200 children’s books. They last published with DoubleSpeak in Spring 2023. InterThaiMedia provided voice-acting to the National Health Foundation of Thailand in a national effort to digitize children’s picture books, enabling a touch-and-say reading experience. Also, they are developing an application empowering children to learn English independently through use of color-coded grammar and vocabulary puzzles.
photo by Ryan Hardy
