Jungle Woman

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Cambodia's "jungle woman" smiled for the first time, showing a childlike appreciation for a puppet show put on by a visiting Spanish psychologist, the man who claims to be her father said Wednesday.

Hector Rifa, a doctor of psychology from Spain's University of Oviedo, was spending several days with the woman in the hope of unraveling some of the mystery surrounding her since she emerged from the forest Jan. 13, naked and unable to speak, after what may have been nearly two decades in the wild.

Rifa is the first foreign medical professional to meet the woman who may be 27-year-old Rochom P'ngieng, who disappeared in the jungles of Cambodia's northeastern Rattanakiri province while herding water buffaloes when she was 8.

"He put on a short puppet show, and my daughter smiled," Sal Lou, who claims to be the woman's father, said by phone from Rattanakiri's Oyadao district.

"He sang and danced" to try to cheer her up, he said. When asked if this was the woman's first smile since the family took her in, he replied: "Yes."

Sal Lou's family, members of Cambodia's Pnong ethnic minority, say they are certain the woman is Rochom P'ngieng because of a childhood scar on her right arm.

With no other evidence supporting their claim and others have speculated that the woman may have a history of mental troubles and simply became lost in the jungle much more recently.

Villagers began calling her "jungle woman" after she emerged from the forest walking like a monkey. She pats her stomach when hungry and uses animal-like grunts to communicate.

Rifa said more tests were needed to make any assessment about her identity.

His puppet show, which he performed Tuesday evening, featured two bears.

"One is supposed to be a mother and another is a child. They play different roles," Rifa said.

"We are trying to know what is the perception, how she reacts, communicates, her position in the family," said Rifa, who plans to spend several days with the family.

Rifa has been working with indigenous people in Rattanakiri province over the past four years for the Spain-based group Psychologists Without Borders.

He told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he thinks the woman's behavior simply shows she is having difficulty adapting to normal life, as would be expected of someone who had been lost in the jungle for an extended period of time.

Anyone returning from almost two decades away from normal society would certainly need time to readjust, he said.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.