Preah Ko Preah Keo

Preah Ko Preah Keo (Khmer: ព្រះគោ ព្រះកែវ, Preăh Koŭ Preăh Kêv; "Sacred Ox and Sacred Gem") is a famous Cambodian legend about two brothers who were born in Cambodia. The older brother was an ox named Preah Ko and the younger was a man named Preah Keo. Preah Ko possessed divine power, and his belly contained precious and valuable objects. The brothers were believed to bring peace and prosperity to the place where they resided.^[1]

The story is very popular in Cambodian society. It exists in several versions, including oral, written, film and paintings. Some Khmers have placed statues of Preah Ko and Preah Keo in local shrines, where they keep watch over the land they left but never abandoned.