(From Sila Viravong’s Hid Sibsong of Sila Viravong. Translated by Tutu Phimviengkham.)

Thao Thammapala was renowned for his knowledge of magic and sorcery. He declared himself a Wizard and took up many students. His name echoed throughout the land and no other could match him.

One day, Thao Maha Phrom named Gabinphrom came down from heaven to challenge Thao Thammapalaguman with three questions and said,

“If you can answer my questions, I promise to cut off my own head to worship you. But if you can’t answer them, I will cut yours off instead. The questions are: 1) In the morning, where is the sun? 2) In the afternoon, where is it? and 3) Evening?”

Thammapala could not answer right away, so he asked Maha Phrom if he could have seven days to think of the answers. Maha Phrom allowed him seven days.

Three days had passed and Thammapala still could not come up with the answers. Ashamed for letting his family and villagers down, Thammapala left his home to escape the villagers’ whispers and glare. He trekked into the forest for many hours. Exhausted and hungry, he came upon one of the palm forests. When night fell, he took refuge under the palm tree.

In the palm tree, there were two eagles: a husband and a wife resting in their nest talking. The wife asked, “What will we eat tomorrow?”

The husband replied, “We will get to eat Thammapalaguman’s corpse if he can’t answer Gabinphrom’s questions.”

“What are the questions and answers?”

The husband answered, “In the morning the sun sets on the face. When humans get up, they must wash their face in order to be auspicious. In the afternoon, the sun sets on the chest. Humans must wash their chest with water everyday for it to be auspicious. In the evening, the sun sets on the feet. Before humans go to sleep, they must wash their feet for it to be auspicious.”

When Thammapala heard the answers, he rushed back home. Morning rose, Gabinphrom came to ask Thammapala the same three questions. Thammapala answered correctly.

Gabinphrom did as he had promised Thammapala. Before cutting off his own head, Gabinphrom summoned his seven daughters.

“I will cut my head off to worship Thammapalaguman. However, if my head falls into the world, it will burn the world. If I throw it up into the sky, it will cause great drought. If I throw it into the ocean, it will dry up all the water. Therefore, I want you to put my head on a silver platter. Then place it in a small altar in Khanthumali cave of Mt. Gailad.

After Gabinphrom made his requests, his seven daughters brought a silver platter to catch their father’s head. They placed their father’s head on the altar in Mt. Gailad as they were told. On new year’s day of every fifth month, Gabinphrom’s seven daughters took turns and brought back their father’s head to wash and accordingly paraded his head around Mt. Sumerirath.

Gabinphrom’s seven daughters were named according to the day that they went to bring back their father’s head. Each rode their chosen animal to go bring back Gabinphrom’s head.

On Sunday, Miss Hungsathevi rode the Garuda to bring back Gabinphrom’s head.
On Monday, Miss Torakhu rode the Tiger to bring back Gabinphrom’s head.
On Tuesday, Miss Raksa (Dragonfly) rode the Pig to bring back Gabinphrom’s head.
On Wednesday, Miss Munma (Flower) rode the Donkey to bring back Gabinphrom’s head.
On Thursday, Miss Girini (Elephant) rode the Elephant to bring back Gabinphrom’s head.
On Friday, Miss Gimitha (Maggot) rode the Water Buffalo to bring back Gabinphrom’s head.
On Saturday, Miss Mahothone (Potbelly) rode the Peacock to bring back Gabinphrom’s head.