Khmer Folktales | Brave Fisherman អ្នកនេសាទក្លាហាន

Brave Fisherman អ្នកនេសាទក្លាហាន

English version

Long ago, in a small, beautiful fishing village by the seashore, there lived a fisherman named Kla. Kla was a simple, gentle, kind-hearted, and hardworking man. Every morning, he said goodbye to his wife, then walked along the beach toward his wooden boat anchored near the shore. He would row out to sea to fish in order to support his family. Although his life was poor, Kla never complained or did anything bad. He believed that working honestly and diligently would bring happiness. Today was no different from other days—he did not catch many fish. Still, he never lost hope.

One day, the sea level rose high and the wind blew much stronger than usual. Many fishermen in the village were afraid to go out to sea, but Kla thought that if he did not fish, his family would have nothing to eat. Therefore, he decided to go fishing even though he knew it was dangerous. He rowed his boat slowly, carefully watching the surface of the water and the sky.

While he was rowing and setting his fishing net, he suddenly saw another boat being battered by the wind and about to sink. An old man was crying out for help. Seeing this, Kla did not hesitate. He quickly rowed toward the sinking boat to help, even though he knew it could endanger his own life. When he reached the boat, Kla grabbed the old man’s hand, pulled him into his own boat, and began rowing back toward shore.

Suddenly, a large, fierce shark appeared and swam after the boat, trying to eat both of them. The old man trembled with fear, but Kla remained calm. He carefully observed the shark’s weak point, then leapt onto its back. The shark panicked and swam wildly around the island, splashing water everywhere. Finally, it crashed onto the shore near a coconut tree. Without delay, Kla jumped off the shark’s back and slammed it against the coconut tree. The coconuts fell, the tree broke, and the cruel shark died.

When they reached the shore, the old man thanked Kla deeply for saving his life. He said,
“Young man, I thank you very much. I have no wealth—only my ten fingers as a sign of my gratitude.”

Kla replied,
“No big deal, grandpa. As humans, we must help one another in times of danger.” Kla even gave the old man some fish to take home for cooking.

As the old man walked home, he stopped under a large tree and revealed his true identity as a sacred spirit ( Ey Sey) . He said, “That young man truly has a kind heart. He dared to risk his own life to help others while many people only care about saving themselves. I will help him live a better life than before.”

The next morning, Kla went out fishing as usual, but to his surprise, the were more fish than ever before. He caught many fish every day. His wife regularly shared some fish with the elderly in the village, and the rest she sold at the local market. Before long, Kla had enough money to build a house and buy a new boat. From that day on, he lived a life of happiness and joy with his family.

Moral 
Good deeds are never wasted; we must help one another in times of hardship.

Vocabulary

  • seashore 🌊 : ឆ្នេរសមុទ្រ
  • kind-hearted ❤️ : មានចិត្តល្អ
  • anchor (v) ⚓ : ចងយុថ្កា ចតទូក
  • row (v) 🚣 : ចែវទូក
  • honestly (adv) 🤝 : ដោយស្មោះត្រង់
  • diligently (adv) 💪 : ដោយខិតខំប្រឹងប្រែង
  • sink (v) ⬇️🌊 : លិច
  • hesitate (v) 🤔 : ស្ទាក់ស្ទើរ
  • fierce (adj) 🦁 : សាហាវ / កាច
  • crash (v) 💥 : បុក / បាក់បែក
  • panic (v) 😱 : ភ័យស្លន់ស្លោ
  • reveal (v) 🔍 : បង្ហាញ / បើកបង្ហាញ
  • observe (v) 👀 : សង្កេត
  • gratitude (n) 🙏 : ការដឹងគុណ
  • sacred (adj) ✨ : ពិសិដ្ឋ / សក្ការៈ

Brave Fisherman

Brave Fisherman

Long ago, in a small, beautiful fishing village by the seashore, there lived a fisherman named Kla. Kla was a simple, gentle, kind-hearted, and hardworking man. Every morning, he said goodbye to his wife, then walked along the beach toward his wooden boat anchored near the shore. He would row out to sea to fish in order to support his family. Although his life was poor, Kla never complained or did anything bad. He believed that working honestly and diligently would bring happiness. Today was no different from other days—he did not catch many fish. Still, he never lost hope.

One day, the sea level rose high and the wind blew much stronger than usual. Many fishermen in the village were afraid to go out to sea, but Kla thought that if he did not fish, his family would have nothing to eat. Therefore, he decided to go fishing even though he knew it was dangerous. He rowed his boat slowly, carefully watching the surface of the water and the sky.

While he was rowing and setting his fishing net, he suddenly saw another boat being battered by the wind and about to sink. An old man was crying out for help. Seeing this, Kla did not hesitate. He quickly rowed toward the sinking boat to help, even though he knew it could endanger his own life. When he reached the boat, Kla grabbed the old man's hand, pulled him into his own boat, and began rowing back toward shore.

Suddenly, a large, fierce shark appeared and swam after the boat, trying to eat both of them. The old man trembled with fear, but Kla remained calm. He carefully observed the shark's weak point, then leapt onto its back. The shark panicked and swam wildly around the island, splashing water everywhere. Finally, it crashed onto the shore near a coconut tree. Without delay, Kla jumped off the shark's back and slammed it against the coconut tree. The coconuts fell, the tree broke, and the cruel shark died.

When they reached the shore, the old man thanked Kla deeply for saving his life. He said, "Young man, I thank you very much. I have no wealth—only my ten fingers as a sign of my gratitude." Kla replied, "No big deal, grandpa. As humans, we must help one another in times of danger." Kla even gave the old man some fish to take home for cooking.

As the old man walked home, he stopped under a large tree and revealed his true identity as a sacred spirit (Ey Sey). He said, "That young man truly has a kind heart. He dared to risk his own life to help others while many people only care about saving themselves. I will help him live a better life than before."

The next morning, Kla went out fishing as usual, but to his surprise, there were more fish than ever before. He caught many fish every day. His wife regularly shared some fish with the elderly in the village, and the rest she sold at the local market. Before long, Kla had enough money to build a house and buy a new boat. From that day on, he lived a life of happiness and joy with his family.

Moral: Good deeds are never wasted; we must help one another in times of hardship.

Vocabulary Lesson

📢 Pronunciation Guide

Hover over highlighted words in the story to see their pronunciation!

🏖️ seashore → SEE-shore
❤️ kind-hearted → KYND-HAR-tid
anchor → ANG-ker
🚣 row → ROH
honestly → ON-ist-lee
💪 diligently → DIL-i-jent-lee
🌊 sink → SINGK
⏸️ hesitate → HEZ-i-tayt
🦁 fierce → FEERS
💥 crash → KRASH
😰 panic → PAN-ik
🎭 reveal → ri-VEEL
👀 observe → ob-ZURV
🙏 gratitude → GRAT-i-tood
sacred → SAY-krid

📚 Definitions

🏖️ seashore: the land next to the sea
❤️ kind-hearted: very kind and caring
anchor (v): to stop a boat by fixing it to the ground
🚣 row (v): to move a boat using oars
honestly (adv): in a truthful way
💪 diligently (adv): working hard and carefully
🌊 sink (v): to go down under water
⏸️ hesitate (v): to stop and think because you are unsure
🦁 fierce (adj): very strong, angry, or dangerous
💥 crash (v): to hit something hard and loudly
😰 panic (v): to feel sudden fear
🎭 reveal (v): to show or make something known
👀 observe (v): to watch carefully
🙏 gratitude (n): a feeling of being thankful
sacred (adj): very special and respected

Vocabulary Matching Game

Click on a word and then its matching definition

Comprehension Quiz

 រឿង៖ អ្នកនេសាទក្លាហាន

កាលពីព្រេងនាយ នៅក្នុងភូមិនេសាទដ៏ស្រស់ស្អាតតូចមួយជាប់មាត់សមុទ្រ មានអ្នកនេសាទម្នាក់ឈ្មោះ ក្លា។ ក្លាគាត់ជាមនុស្សសាមញ្ញ ស្លូតបូត ចិត្តល្អ និងឧស្សាហ៍ព្យាយាម។ ជារៀងរាល់ព្រឹកគាត់លាប្រពន្ធ​គាត់ រួចក៏ដើរតាមឆ្នេរសំដៅទៅកាន់ទូកឈើរបស់គាត់ដែលចតនៅមាត់ច្រាំង បន្ទាប់មកគាត់ចែវចេញទៅសមុទ្រ ដើម្បីនេសាទត្រី យកមកផ្គត់ផ្គង់ជីវភាពគ្រួសារ ទោះបីជាជីវិតក្រីក្រក៏ដោយ ក្លា គាត់មិនដែលត្អូញត្អែរ ឬធ្វើអំពីអាក្រក់អ្វីឡើយ។ គាត់ជឿថា ការខិតខំធ្វើការដោយសុចរិត នឹងនាំមកនូវសេចក្តីសុខ។ ថ្ងៃនេះក៏មិនខុសពីរាល់ដងដែរ គឺគាត់ពុំសូវជាចាប់ត្រីបានច្រើនទេ។ ហើយគាត់ក៏ពុំដែលអស់ សង្ឈឹមដែរ។

ថ្ងៃមួយទឹកសមុទ្រ ឡើងខ្ពស់ ហើយខ្យល់បក់ខ្លាំងជាងធម្មតា។ អ្នកនេសាទជាច្រើននៅក្នុងភូមិ ពួកគេមិនហ៊ានចេញទៅនេសាទទេ ប៉ុន្តែ សំ គិតថា ប្រសិនបើគាត់មិនទៅនេសាទទេ នោះគ្រួសារគាត់នឹងពុំមានអ្វីសម្រាប់បរិភោគនោះទេ។ ដូច្នេះ គាត់បានសម្រេចចិត្តចេញទៅ នេសាទ ទោះដឹងថាមានគ្រោះថ្នាក់ក៏ដោយ។ គាត់ចែវទូកយឺតៗហើយសំឡឹងមើលផ្ទៃទឹក និងមេឃយ៉ាងប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ន។

ខណៈពេលកំពុងចែវទូកដាក់មង ស្រាប់តែគាត់ឃើញទូកមួយទៀតកំពុងត្រូវខ្យល់បក់រៀបលិច ហើយមានបុរសចាស់ម្នាក់កំពុងស្រែកហៅអោយគេជួយដោយឃើញបែបនោះ ក្លា មិនស្ទាក់ស្ទើរឡើយ គាត់ចែវទូកយ៉ាងលឿនសំដៅទៅជួយទូកដែលកំពុងលិចនោះ ទោះដឹងថាវាអាចគ្រោះថ្នាក់ដល់ជីវិតខ្លួនឯងក៏ដោយ។ ពេលទៅដល់ជិតទូកលិច ក្លាគាត់បានចាប់ទាញ ដៃបុរសចំណាស់នោះ ឡើងមកក្នុងទូករបស់គាត់ ហើយចែវមកកាន់ដីគោគវិញ។ ប៉ុន្តែស្រាប់តែមានត្រី ឆ្លាមដ៏កាចសាហាវធំ មួយក្បាល វាហែលតាមទូកដើម្បី ចាប់នាក់ទាំង២ធ្វើជាចំណីរបស់វា លោកតាចាស់ គាត់ភ័យឡើងញ័រ ប៉ុន្តែក្លាវិញ គាត់មិនតក់ស្លុតនោះទេ គាត់ខំសំឡឹងមើលចំណុចខ្សាយរបស់ ត្រី ហើយគាត់ក៏លោតទៅលើខ្នងត្រីឆ្លាម ត្រីឆ្លាមភ័យ វាខំហែលយ៉ាងលឿងជុំវិញកោះ បែកទឹកសំពោង ចុងក្រោយក៏ផ្លោងទៅលើកោះជិតដើមដូង មិនមិនបង្អង់យូរ ក្លាបានលោត ចេញពីខ្នងត្រីហើយ ចាប់វាគ្រវែងវាទៅបុកដើមដូង ជ្រុះផ្លែក បាក់ដើម ហើយត្រីកំណាចនោះក៏ងាប់បាត់ទៅ

ពេលដល់ច្រាំងវិញបុរសចាស់នោះបានអរគុណយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ចំពោះ ក្លា ដែលមានជួយជីវិតគាត់។ គាត់បាននិយាយថា៖ ចៅប្រុស​ តាពិតជាអរគុណចៅប្រុស ខ្លាំងណាស់ តាគ្មានទ្រព្យអ្វីទេ មានតែម្រាមដៃ១០ ជាការដឹងគុណចៅប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ ក្លា បានប្រាប់លោកតាថា៖ មិនអីទេលោកតា មនុស្សយើងត្រូវតែចេះជួយគ្នាក្នុងគ្រាមានអាសន្នបែបនេះហើយ ក្លាថែមទាំងអោយត្រីដល់លោកតា នោះខ្លះទៀតផង ដើម្បីធ្វើម្ហូប។

នៅពេលលោកតាកំពុងដើរទៅផ្ទះវិញ គាត់បានឈប់ក្រោមដើមឈើធំមួយហើយប្រែរក្រឡាជាតា អីសី ហើយគាត់និយាយថា៖ ចៅប្រុសមួយនោះពិតជាមានចិត្តល្អ ណាស់ហ៊ានប្រថុយជិវិតខ្លួនឯងជួយអ្នកដ៏ទៃ ខណះពេលអ្នកផ្សេង គេមិនខ្វល់ ហើយយកតែរួចខ្លួន។ ខ្ញុំនិងជួយអោយចៅប្រុស ម្នាក់នោះមាន​ជីវភាព ធូរធា ជាងមុន។

ព្រឹកបន្ទាប់ ក្លាបានចេញទូកទៅនេសាទដូចសប់ដង ប៉ុន្តែអ្វីដែលគាត់ភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលលនោះ គឺត្រីត្រូវខ្លាំជាង ធម្មតា គាត់នេសាទត្រីបានច្រើនជារៀងរាល់ថ្ងៃ។ ប្រពន្វគាត់តែងចែកត្រីខ្លះៗដល់ចាស់ៗក្នុងភូមិ សល់ប៉ុន្មានគាត់ យកទៅ លក់នៅផ្សារក្នុងភូមិ មិនយូរប៉ុន្មាន គាត់មានប្រាក់ធ្វើផ្ទះនិង ទិញទូកថ្មី គាត់រស់នៅដោយ​​​សេចក្តី សុខនិងភាពរីករាយជាមួយគ្រួសាររបស់គាត់ ចាប់តាំងពីថ្ងៃនោះរៀងមក។

គំនិតអប់រំ៖ អំពើល្អមិនសាបសូន្យ ត្រូវចវជួយគ្នាក្នុងគ្រាលំបាក។


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