A long time ago, heaven and earth w

A long time ago, heaven and earth were very close. People from heaven could go to earth easily and people from earth could go to heaven very easily too. In heaven Indra was the highest god. One night, Indra heard a beautiful sound of music that went
“yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong
yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong
yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong”*
“That was a beautiful song. I want to hear more of the song.
And I will give a reward to the singer,” Indra said to himself.
Then he sent his people down to earth to find the singer.
Once they were on earth, they beat on their gongs,
“kajong ngong kajong ngong jao kha oey!
kajong ngong kajong ngong jao kha oey!
kajong ngong kajong ngong jao kha oey!”#
And said “whoever sang the beautiful song last night, please step forward.
Indra wants to hear more of your song.”
The gekko stepped forward and said, “It’s me that sang the beautiful song last night.” “Oh, you did. Would you come to sing for Great Indra tonight?” “Yes, I would,” said the gekko. “Then tell me what I need to prepare for your performance tonight for Great Indra,” asked one of Indra’s people. “Oh, you must prepare a good size bamboo pipe and hang it on a pillar at Great Indr’’s hall,” said the gekko. All was done before night fell. Late that night, the gekko went up to heaven, crawled inside the bamboo pipe, and began his song,
“thod, thod, thod, tukkae, tukkae, tukkae.
thod, thod, thod, tukkae, tukkae, tukkae.
thod, thod, thod, tukkae, tukkae, tukkae.”
Great Indra came out of his hall and said, “Oh, Gekko, did you sing that beautiful song?” “Yes, My Lord,” said the gekko proudly. “I will give you a gift,” said Great Indra.
He went to his wardrobe and brought out a multi-colored vest. “Here Gekko, this is a gift for you to show that you have come up to heaven to sing for Great Indra.” “Thank you, My Lord,” said the gekko and went down to earth.
Since then the gekko has a multi-colored body. After the gekko was gone, late that night, Great Indra again heard the beautiful song, Indra said, “Gekko’s song was beautiful, but this one is heavenly.”
So Indra sent his people down to earth to find the singer. Once they were on earth, they beat on their gongs, The bullfrog stepped forward and said, “It’s me that sang the beautiful song last night.” “Oh, you did. Would you come to sing for Great Indra tonight?” “Yes, I would,” said the bullfrog. “Then tell me what I need to prepare for your performance tonight for Great Indra,” asked one of Indra’s people. “Oh, you must prepare a large bowl of water and place it at the foot of the stairs of Great Indra’s hall,” said the bullfrog.
All was done before night fell. Late that night, the bullfrog went to heaven, crawled onto the bowl of water, and began his song, “hueng aang, hueng aang, hueng aang.”
Great Indra came out of his hall and said, “Oh, Bullfrog, did you sing that beautiful song?” “Yes, My Lord,” said the bullfrog proudly. “I will give you a gift,” said Great Indra.
He went to his wardrobe and brought out a striped vest. “Here Bullfrog, this is a gift for you to show that you have come up to heaven to sing for Great Indra.” “Thank you, My Lord,” said the bullfrog and went down to earth.
Since then the bullfrog has a striped body. After the bullfrog was gone, late that night, Great Indra again heard, the beautiful song, Indra said, “Bullfrog’s song was beautiful, but this one is heavenly.”
So Indra sent his people down to earth to find the singer. Once they were on earth, they beat on their gongs, The little cricket stepped forward and said, “Oh, maybe it’s me that sang the beautiful song last night.” “Oh, you did. Would you come to sing for Great Indra tonight?” “Yes, I would,” said the little cricket. “Yes, I would,” said the little cricket. “Then tell me what I need to prepare for your performance tonight for Great Indra,” asked one of Indra’s people. “Absolutely nothing!” said the cricket. “I will just fly to light at a pillar of Great Indra’s hall and sing,” said Maeng Nguan, the singing cricket.
So that night Maeng Nguan the singing cricket went up to heaven to light at a pillar of Great Indra’s hall and began singing, Great Indra came out of his hall and said, “Oh, Cricket, did you sing that heavenly song?” “Yes, My Lord,” said the little cricket. “I will give you a gift of divine eyes and food,” said Great Indra. “From now on you can see both day and night and you can enjoy divine food, dew drops from heaven.” “Thank you, My Lord,” said the little cricket.
Since then Maeng Nguan, the singing cricket, can see both day and night. He also enjoys
divine food, dew drops from heaven. He then continues singing,
“yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong
yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong
yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong yong, yong, yong”
And that’s the story of Maeng Nguan, the Singing Cricket.