One day, while the giantess was away hunting fish, Sin Samutr went playing outside the cave. He saw a merman. So he swam towards him, seized his tail, and dragged him into the cave to show this father. Phra Aphai Mani told his son to set the merman free. Feeling grateful to the prince, the merman offered to help them to escape from the giantess. He said that he would take them to a magic island where an aged hermit with magical power dwelt. They at once made plans to get away.