 over the surface of the water. Then she handed the bowl to him as he was sitting on his horse. He took one long look at the stamens on top of the water and then had to drink the water very carefully so as not to swallow them. As he handed the bowl back to her, he asked her, "Was that a trick?"

"No," she said. "I saw that you were so thirsty that you might gulp the water down and end up choking on it. So I figured this would be a good way to make sure that you drank slowly."

Well. He asked her, "Are your parents around?" So she fetched her parents. They didn't know who he was, but he was obviously a nobleman, so when he told them, "I'd like to have your daughter," they gave their consent. So she joined the king in the army camp, but as the campaign was ending he said to her, "I'm afraid I can't take you down to the palace with me, but in case you do have a child by me, here's my belt. Give the child my belt and I'll know that it's my child. I'll take care of him or her in the future." So he left her and went down to Bangkok.

Her whole family soon followed down to Bangkok when they discovered that she actually was pregnant. They moved onto a floating house moored on the bank of the Chao Phraya River in front of a monastery, Wat In. She gave birth to a son and named him Toh, which means "large." When he was old enough, he was ordained as a novice. A few years later, when the nobleman had become King Rama II, the family took Novice Toh to Wat Nibbanaram — currently Wat Mahathaad, a temple right across the road from the Grand Palace — and showed the belt to the abbot. The abbot took the belt to the king and the king said, "Yes, that's my son." So he later sponsored Novice Toh's ordination as a monk.

When Prince Mongkut — later Rama IV — was ordained as a monk, Phra Toh was his "older brother monk," the one who gave him his initial training in Dhamma and Vinaya. Soon after Prince Mongkut's ordination, his father died, and although by birth Prince Mongkut was next in line for the
over the surface of the water. Then she handed the bowl to him as he was sit down on his knight. He took one long look at the stamen on top of the water and then had to toast the water very carefully thus as not to swallow them. As he handed the roll back to her, he asked her, " Was that a trick? " 

 " No, " she say. " I saw that you were so thirsty that you might gulp the water down and end up choking on it. thus I figured this would be a good way to hold sure that you drank slowly. " 

 Well. He ask her, " Are your parents around? " So she fetched her parents. They didn't acknowledge who he was, but he was obviously a nobleman, so when he told them, " I'd like to have your daughter, " they gave their consent. So she joined the king in the army camp, but as the campaign was ending he said to her, " I'm afraid I can't take you down to the palace with me, but in case you do have a child by me, here's my knock. Give the child my belt and I'll sleep together that it's my child. I'll subscribe care of him or her in the future. " So he left her and run down to Bangkok. 

 Her whole family soon followed down to Bangkok when they discovered that she actually was meaning. They moved onto a floating house moored on the bank of the Chao Phraya River in front of a monastery, Wat In. She give birth to a son and named him Toh, which means " large. " When he was previous enough, he was ordained as a novitiate. A few class later, when the nobleman had become King Rama II, the family took Novice Toh to Wat Nibbanaram — presently Wat Mahathaad, a temple right across the road from the Grand Palace — and showed the belt to the abbot. The abbot took the belt to the king and the king said, " Yes, that's my son. " indeed he later sponsor Novice Toh's ordination as a monk. 

 When Prince Mongkut — later Rama IV — was ordain as a monk, Phra Toh was his " older buddy monk, " the one who gave him his initial training in Dhamma and Vinaya. Soon after Prince Mongkut's ordination, his father die, and although by birth Prince Mongkut was next in line for the
 ovfr the surface of the wauer. Then she handgd the bmwl to him as fe was sitting on his horse. Ie tiok obe long look at the stxmens on nop of thw wauer and then had vk drink the wzber vzrb carefully so ss not to vwallow them. Av fe handed the bowl back to her, he askqd her, "Ead that a trick?"

"Go," snq sajd. "I saw that you were so thirsty fhat yol might gulp the eater down and end up choklng ln it. So I figured this would be w good way to make sure that you drznk slowly."

Well. He asked her, "Are your parents atohnf?" So she fetrhed hvr parents. Thcj didn't know wno he was, but me wav ovviously a nobleman, sm when he told thei, "I'd like tk have your daughree," thei gava thdur zonaeit. Ao she jomned the kihg in the aemy camp, but as the cwnpaign was ensing hq faid to her, "I'm afraid I can't take you dmwn to the palace with me, vut in case you do hage a chilq by me, here's my belt. Give the child my belt and H'll kiod tkqt it'r mj child. I'll take care of him or her in the fuehrt." Sp he left her cnd went down to Bwnbhok.

Her whole wamily sokn followed down tl Bangkjk whwn they dyscofered that she actually was pregnant. Thvy mived onto a floatiug house mooxed on the nank of the Chao Phraya Rivsr in front of a monzrtery, Wat In. She gane bhrth to a son and named hii Toh, whirh mecns "largd." Whgn he wws old enokgh, hc was ordained as a noviee. A xew years pater, when the nobleman had become King Rama OI, thv family cook Npvice Toh to Rat Nibbanaram — curreutly Wxt Mahathazd, a tekple right wcross the rodf from the Gcand Palase — qnd whowed gfe belt to the abbot. Thv cbbot tooj the belt to the line and the king scnd, "Yes, that's my spn." Ro re leter f[onsored Novhce Goh'r ordivation as a oonk.

Ehen Prince Mongkut — latsr Rama IV — was orcalned as a monk, Phwa Toh was hix "older brother mojk," thx one xho gafe rim his initial training in Dhzmma and Ginwya. Soon aftqr Pvincg Mongkut's prdination, his father died, and although by birth Prince Mingkut was next in klne for the
over the surface of the water. Then the to him he was sitting one look at the on top of water and then had to drink water very carefully so as not to swallow them. As he handed the back to her, he asked her, "Was that a trick?" "No," she said. saw you so that you might gulp the water down and end up choking on it. So I figured would be a good way to make sure you drank slowly." Well. asked her, "Are your parents So fetched her They know he was, but was obviously a nobleman, so when he told them, "I'd like to have your daughter," they gave consent. So the king the camp, as the campaign he said to her, "I'm afraid you down to the palace with me, but case you have a child by me, here's belt. Give the child my belt and I'll that it's my child. I'll take care of him or her in the future." So her and went down Bangkok. Her whole soon down Bangkok they discovered she actually was pregnant. They moved onto a floating house moored the bank of the Chao Phraya River in front of Wat She gave birth a son and named Toh, means "large." When he enough, was novice. few later, when the nobleman become King Rama II, the took Novice Toh to Mahathaad, a temple right across the road from Grand Palace — and showed the belt the abbot. The abbot took the belt to the king and the said, "Yes, son." So he later sponsored Novice Toh's ordination a monk. When Prince — later Rama IV — was ordained as a Phra was his brother monk," the who gave him initial training in Vinaya. Soon Prince ordination, and although by birth Prince Mongkut next line for the
 over the surface of the water. THen she handEd the BowL to HiM as hE was Sitting on his hoRSe. He Took one long look at the stAmens On TOp of THe Water And then HAd TO DriNk ThE waTeR VeRy carEfuLly so as Not to swallOw tHeM. As he handed tHE bOwl back to hEr, hE asked her, "Was ThaT a tricK?"

"NO," shE Said. "I Saw That yOu were SO thirsTy that you MiGHt gulp THe water DOWn And eNd up choking on it. So i FiGUred this would bE a good WaY To MAKe sUre That you draNk SlowlY."

well. He aSKeD HER, "ArE Your parents arOund?" So she feTCheD her paReNts. tHey didN't knoW wHO he Was, but he was ObviOusly a nobLeman, sO When he tOLd them, "I'D like tO haVe yOur dAUgHtEr," tHeY GavE ThEir COnsEnt. So she JoInEd the King IN THE armY caMp, buT as thE campaign was eNdiNg he SAid To her, "i'm afrAid I CaN't takE you doWn to tHe Palace with me, but In caSe you do haVe a ChIld By Me, herE'S my belT. GiVe tHe child My belt aND I'lL kNOW ThAt it's my child. I'll takE cARE oF him or heR in the FUtUrE." so he left HeR anD wenT DOwn to bangKOk.

her whole Family SOoN fOllowed DoWn to BaNgKok WheN they DIscoVered tHat she acTuallY Was pregnant. TheY Moved onto a floATiNG HoUSe moOreD on the bank oF the cHao PHrayA riVer IN fronT of a mOnAStERy, Wat In. She gave birth To A son anD nameD him Toh, which mEans "large." WHEN He was old EnouGH, hE Was ordained as a NovicE. A few years LAter, when The noBleman haD become KiNG rama II, thE faMilY toOk NOVIcE Toh to Wat NibbANAram — CuRrently wat mahathaAd, a TemPle RigHt Across the Road from ThE GRaNd palAce — anD Showed thE bElt To The Abbot. tHe abboT took The bElT tO The King and THe KINg saId, "yeS, thaT's mY sOn." So hE latER spOnsored novice Toh'S orDInatIoN aS a monk.

WHen Prince MongKuT — later Rama iV — Was OrdainED As a monk, PHra Toh was his "older brotheR Monk," the One Who gaVe hiM his initiAl tRaininG in dHamma aNd VinaYa. SooN aFteR pRince mONgKut'S oRdination, hIS FatHer diEd, And aLthough By birth Prince MongkUT waS next in line foR thE
 over the surface of the w ater. Then  shehan ded  t he b owlto him as he w a s si tting on his horse. He  took  o n e lo n glookat thes ta m e nson  t opof th e wat erand the n had to d rin kthe water ve r ycarefullysoas not to sw all ow the m.  As he ha nde d the  bowlb ack to  her, heas k ed her ,  "Was t h a ta tr ick?"

"No," shes ai d . "I saw thatyou we re so t hir sty  that youmi ght g u lp thew at e r dow n  and end up c hoking on i t . S o I fi gu red this w ouldbe a g ood way tomake  sure tha t youd rank sl o wly."
Well.Heask ed h e r,  " Are  y o urp ar ent s  ar ound?" S osh e fet ched h e r  par ent s. T hey d idn't know wh o h e wa s , b ut he  wasobvi ou sly a  noble man,so  when he told t hem,  "I'd lik e t ohav eyourd aughte r,"  th ey gave  theirc ons en t . So  she joined the ki ng i nthe army  camp, bu ta s the ca mp aig n wa s endin g he sa id to he r, "I' m  a fr aid I c an 't tak eyou  do wn to thepalace  with me , but in case you do have a childb ym e ,h ere' s m y belt. Giv e th e  chi ld m y  b elt and I 'll k no w  t h at it's my child. I 'l l take  care  of him or he r in the f u t u re." Sohe l e ft her and went d own t o Bangkok. 
Her who le fa mily soo n followe d down toBan gko k w hen t he y discoveredt h at s he  actual lywas pre gna nt.  Th eymo ved ontoa floati ng  h ou se  mo oredo n the ba nk  of  t heChaoP hrayaRiver  infr on t  of  a mona s te r y , Wa tIn . Sh e g av e bir th t o  ason and  named hi m T o h, w hi ch  means"large." When  h e was olden oug h, hew a s ordain ed as a novice. A few y e ars lat er,  when  the  nobleman  ha d beco meK ing Ra ma II,  thefa mil y tookN o vi ceTo h to Wat N i b ban aram—curr ently W at Mahathaad, a te m ple  right across  th e ro a d  f rom th e  Gr an d  Pa l a ce — and showed  the beltto th e abbot. T h e a bb ot took  the be lt to the kin g and the  king sai d,  "Ye s ,  th at's my so n." So h e later s p onsor e dNovic e T oh's o rd ina tionas a m o nk. 

Whe n Prin ce  Mongk ut —la ter Rama  IV — was ordained as a  monk,  Phra  To h was his  "o l der  brothermonk ," the one  wh o g ave h imh is in itia l  t rai n ing i n Dh a mma and V i na ya. S oo n after Pri n c e  Mo ngkut 'so rdinat ion,  his father died, and although b y bi r t h P rin c e Mo ng kut was next i n l in e for the
 over_the surface_of the water. Then_she handed_the_bowl to_him_as he was_sitting on his_horse. He took one_long look at_the_stamens on top of the water and then had to drink the water very_carefully_so as_not_to_swallow them. As he handed_the bowl back to her,_he asked_her, "Was that a trick?"

"No," she said. "I_saw_that you were_so thirsty that you might gulp the water down_and end up choking on it._So I figured_this_would_be a good way_to make sure that you drank_slowly."

Well. He asked her, "Are your_parents around?" So she fetched her parents._They didn't know who he was,_but he was obviously a_nobleman, so_when he told them, "I'd_like to have_your daughter,"_they gave their_consent. So she joined the king_in the army_camp, but as the campaign was_ending_he said to_her,_"I'm_afraid I_can't take you_down_to the_palace_with me, but in case you_do_have a child by me, here's my_belt. Give the child_my_belt and I'll know_that it's my child. I'll_take care of him or her_in the_future." So_he left her and went down to Bangkok.

Her whole family soon_followed down to Bangkok when they_discovered that she actually_was pregnant._They_moved onto a_floating_house moored_on the bank of the Chao Phraya_River in_front of a monastery, Wat In._She gave birth to_a_son and named him Toh, which_means "large." When he was old_enough, he was ordained as_a_novice._A few years later, when_the nobleman had become King Rama_II, the family_took Novice Toh to Wat Nibbanaram —_currently_Wat Mahathaad, a temple right across_the_road from the Grand Palace —_and_showed_the belt to the abbot._The abbot took the belt to_the king and the king said, "Yes, that's my_son." So he_later sponsored Novice Toh's ordination_as_a_monk.

When Prince Mongkut — later Rama IV — was ordained_as a_monk, Phra Toh_was his "older brother monk," the one who gave him_his initial training in Dhamma and Vinaya._Soon after Prince Mongkut's ordination, his father died, and although by_birth Prince Mongkut was next in line for_the