Epic Creatures in Malaysian Folklore
***For Ghosts in Malaysian culture, see Ghosts in Malay culture.
Note: This is my copy-paste from Wikipedia for future reference of epic creatures that I could develop into future fantasy short stories. This list also serves as prompts to motivate me to create more fantasy short stories based on my Southeast Asian heritage and roots. Malaysians have always taken great interest in stories of ghosts and mythical creatures. Due to the animistic root of Malaysian folk lores, these ghosts are seen as sharing the plane of existence with humans and are not always considered evil. However, when the delicate line that separates the boundaries of existence is crossed, or a transgression of living spaces occurs, a conflict ensues that may result in disturbances such as possessions. In Malay, the term hantu is used to describe demon, ghost or ghoul and similar to the Japanese Yōkai. Malay folk stories also adopted elements from the Islamic world, of middle eastern and Persian origin, which are somewhat differ from what Malays now refer to as angels or demons.
Among the popular ghost or mythical creatures in Malay folk lores are as follows:
Ghosts
Bajang: a ghost with long nails that supposedly likes to disturb pregnant women or children
Pelesit: a ghost who supposedly likes to suck blood (usually represents themselves as grasshoppers)
Penanggalan: a ghost that supposedly can fly while its stomach is strapped out.
Pocong: a ghost in the form of corpses wrapped in shrouds
Polong: The polong is a type of familiar spirit in Malay folklore. It has the appearance of a miniature woman, the size of the first joint of the finger.
Puntianak or Langsuir: a ghost who supposedly likes to suck blood and disturb women in childbirth, and usually are themselves like women
Toyol: a goblin toddler who supposedly likes to steal money
Hantu Raya: A type of familiar spirit in Malay folklore that acts as a double for black magic practitioners. Roughly meaning "great ghost", it is supposed to bestow great power onto its master. Its true form, according to the folktale, is a humanoid form with a black hairy body except the facial area, rough grey skin, long sharp teeth and red eyes.
Hantu Air: Hantu Air, Puaka Air or Mambang Air is the Malay translation for Spirit of the Water or Water Ghost, which, according to animist traditions in Maritime Southeast Asia, is the unseen inhabitant of watery places such as rivers, lakes, seas, swamps and even ditches. Communication between humans and Hantu Air occurs in situations based on the well-being of the environment and can be positive or negative. Water spirits are called on and communicated with through ceremonies, rituals, incantations, and, in extreme cases, exorcisms. Hantu Air is associated with bad things happening to people, including missing persons, drowning, flooding and many other incidents.
Jembalang Tanah: A type of earth spirit, which may act dangerously if not appeased with the proper rituals.
Humanoid beings
Bidadara: a prince in heaven or in Kayangan
Bidadari: a princess in heaven or in Kayangan
Bunian or Siluman: hidden people in the forest
Duyung: a woman who is supposedly half human and half fish (tail part) and lives in the sea, equivalent to a mermaid.
Kelambai: a female red-haired ogre
Orang Mawas: a Bigfoot of Johor
Orang Minyak: a being who lubricates his body with oil (so that he will not be easily caught) and usually harasses women with the intention of violating them
Raksasa or Gergasi or Bota: a man-eating giant
Lycanthropic beings
Jadian: a human being who can transform themselves into animals (especially tigers)
Mythical beings
Naga: a fictional creature in the form of crocodiles or snakes but with wings and claws, able to breathe fire out of its mouth
Semberani: a fictional creature in the form of a horse with wing and can fly
Sulur Bidar: a fictional creature in the form of man-eating carpet monster and lives in the lake
Tambuakar: a fictional creature in the form of a dragon that evolved from fish after thousand of years
Mythical birds
Burung Bayan: a mythical bird that brings romantic notions
Burung Cenderawasih: a mythical bird in heaven or in Kayangan
Burung Geroda: a mythical bird in classical Malay literature, great eagle
Burung Jentayu: a mythical bird that always cries out for rain
Burung Petala: a mythical bird, guardian of Kelantan
Middle Eastern and Persian additions (Islamic influence)
Buraq: an animal (in the form of winged horses and heads like a human) ridden by Muhammad during Israk
Dajal: a creature that is believed to exist when the end times is near
Jin: a creature created by Allah from fire that can resemble angels
Malaikat: a creature created by Allah from light, their nature and habits are always submissive and obedient to Allah and never violate His commands
Peri: a genie who can be transformed into a beautiful woman
Syaitan: an evil subtle being who encourages evil
Source: Folklore of Malaysia
