Aimiton Precious

Parchment-style illustration of Indonesian Malin Kundang rejecting his mother at harbor before storm .

Malin Kundang and His Mother’s Curse

October 14, 2025

Asian Folktales·Southeast Asian Folktales

In a small fishing village on the rugged coast of Sumatra, where the waves crashed against black volcanic rocks and palm trees swayed in the salty breeze, there lived a poor widow and her only son, Malin Kundang. Their home was a simple bamboo hut with a thatched roof that leaked during the monsoon rains, and their meals consisted of

Parchment-style illustration of Mahsuri pierced by keris, white blood flowing, villagers stunned in Malaysian folktale.

Asian Folktales·Southeast Asian Folktales

The White Blood of Mahsuri

More than four hundred years ago, on the verdant island of Langkawi, where emerald waters kissed white sandy shores and rice paddies stretched like golden carpets across the land, there lived a maiden of extraordinary beauty. Her name was Mahsuri, and she was renowned throughout the island as the most

Parchment-style illustration of Malaysian tiger and Siamese cat facing each other beside jungle waterfall.

The Malay Tiger and the Siamese Cat

Deep in the emerald heart of the Malayan jungle, where ancient trees

Parchment-style illustration of Malay king lifting goldfish from river as queen cradles newborn Bidasari nearby.

How a Goldfish Saved a Princess

In ancient times, when mythical creatures still walked the earth and magic

sepia-toned, rice parchment-style illustration of The Lazy Man and the Hungry Ghost captures the haunting folktale scene with the skeletal preta dragging the terrified man through the Cambodian village, while shocked villagers look on. At the bottom right, the inscription OldFolktales.com

The Lazy Man and the Hungry Ghost: Ancient Cambodian Folktale About Work and Deception

December 3, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

In a quiet village nestled among the rice paddies of Cambodia, there lived a man whose reputation preceded him wherever he went. His name has been lost to time, but his laziness was legendary. While his neighbors rose with the sun to tend their crops, he would turn over on

Sepia-toned parchment-style illustration depicting the Malay legend of Badang the Strongman. On the right, Badang crouches in a powerful stance, gripping a parang (Malay machete) in one hand while pulling down the tangled beard of a monstrous hantu air (water demon) with the other. The demon emerges from swirling river waters, its tusks protruding, eyes glowing fiercely, and clawed hands reaching outward in desperation. Fish bones and scales scatter around the traps at the riverbank, symbolizing the stolen catch. Mist curls above the water, jungle foliage frames the scene, and stormy clouds loom overhead. “OldFolktales.com” is inscribed at the bottom right corner.

Badang the Strongman: The Ancient Legend Behind Singapore’s Mysterious Stone

December 2, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

In the ancient kingdom of Singapura, during the prosperous reign of the third raja, Sri Rana Wikrama, there lived a young man whose name would echo through the centuries. His name was Badang, and though his beginnings were humble and his frame slight, destiny had woven a fate for him

Sepia-toned parchment-style illustration depicting the Vietnamese legend of Sơn Tinh and Thủy Tinh. On the left, Sơn Tinh, the Mountain God, stands atop jagged peaks with arms raised, commanding the earth. On the right, Thủy Tinh, the Sea God, emerges from crashing waves, wielding a curved sword and roaring in fury. Between them, Princess Mỵ Nương sits calmly inside an ornate palanquin, carried away from the conflict. The background features swirling clouds, rising mountains, and turbulent seas. “OldFolktales.com” is inscribed at the bottom right corner

Sơn Tinh and Thủy Tinh: The Vietnamese Gods Who Battle Over Love

December 2, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

In ancient Vietnam, during the prosperous reign of the Eighteenth Hùng King, there lived a princess whose beauty and kindness were celebrated throughout the land. Her name was Mỵ Nương, and she was the King’s only child, treasured beyond measure by her royal parents and beloved by all the common

sepia-toned parchment illustration of Phra Mae Thorani’s divine intervention is ready. It captures the Earth Goddess rising from beneath the Bodhi Tree, wringing torrents of sacred water from her hair to wash away Mara’s demonic army, while the Buddha sits in serene meditation. At the bottom right, the inscription OldFolktales.com is included.

Phra Mae Thorani: The Protector Who Defeated Mara

December 2, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

Beneath the vast canopy of the Bodhi Tree, where leaves rustled with whispers of eternity, Siddhartha Gautama sat in perfect stillness. His body formed a mountain of calm, his breath moved like the gentlest breeze, and his mind journeyed toward the shores of enlightenment. For forty-nine days he had remained

sepia-toned parchment illustration of Maria Makiling’s bittersweet legend is ready. It captures the moment of heartbreak—Maria Makiling standing in sorrow as the mortal man walks away, the forest around her beginning to fade, and Mount Makiling looming in the misty background. At the bottom right, the inscription OldFolktales.com is included.

Maria Makiling: The Mountain Goddess Who Loved and Lost

December 2, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

In the heart of Luzon, where the land rises into gentle slopes covered with dense forests and mist clings to the peaks like silk veils, there stands a mountain whose beauty has inspired awe and reverence for countless generations. This is Mount Makiling, named after its immortal guardian, Maria Makiling,

Sepia-toned parchment-style illustration depicting the ancient Myanmar legend of the Shwedagon Pagoda. In the foreground, two merchant brothers, Tapussa and Bhallika, carry a sacred golden stupa-shaped relic with reverent expressions. They wear traditional Burmese garments and headpieces. In the background, the majestic Shwedagon Pagoda rises with intricate spires, tiered roofs, and ornate carvings, surrounded by trees and swirling clouds. The scene evokes divine guidance and spiritual devotion. “OldFolktales.com” is inscribed at the bottom right corner.

Tapussa and Bhallika: The Sacred Journey That Created Myanmar’s Most Holy Site

December 2, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

In the land that would one day be called Burma, now known as Myanmar, there rises a golden spire so magnificent that it can be seen from miles away, catching the sun’s first rays at dawn and glowing like a beacon of hope as darkness falls. This is the Shwedagon

Sepia-toned parchment-style illustration depicting the Lao folktale hero Sinxay battling a colossal serpent in an enchanted forest. Sinxay, wearing an ornate headdress and traditional patterned garments, crouches in a combat stance, thrusting a long spear into the serpent’s open mouth. The serpent towers over him with bulging eyes, sharp teeth, and coiled body covered in gleaming scales. Ancient trees with gnarled trunks and dense foliage frame the scene, while mist curls around the forest floor. “OldFolktales.com” is inscribed at the bottom right corner.

Sang Sinxay: The Divine Hero of Lao

December 2, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

In the ancient kingdom of Laos, when the world was still young and the boundaries between the mortal realm and the spirit world were thin as morning mist, there lived a prince whose destiny was written in the stars before his first breath. His name was Sinxay, and his story

Sepia-toned parchment-style illustration depicting the Cambodian folktale of Preah Ko and Preah Keo. In a majestic palace courtyard, Preah Keo, a radiant divine boy in ornate traditional attire, sits serenely on a raised platform with hands in prayer. Beside him stands Preah Ko, a pristine white bull with gleaming horns and a calm, intelligent gaze. Intricate Khmer architecture frames the scene with carved columns and draped curtains. The atmosphere is reverent and mystical, evoking divine protection. “OldFolktales.com” is inscribed at the bottom right corner.

Preah Ko Preah Keo: The Legend of Cambodia’s Lost Divine Guardians

December 2, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

In the ancient days of Cambodia, when the kingdom stretched across vast territories and the Khmer kings ruled from magnificent palaces adorned with gold and precious stones, there existed two beings whose presence brought blessings and protection to the entire realm. They were not ordinary creatures, nor were they entirely

Sepia-toned parchment-style illustration depicting the Brunei folktale of Nakhoda Manis. A grand, ornately carved ship with billowing sails is anchored on the stormy Brunei River. On the deck, Nakhoda Manis stands in luxurious robes beside his noble wife, both looking down at an elderly woman kneeling on the riverbank. The widow, dressed in tattered clothes, raises her hands in anguish as her banana-leaf-wrapped cakes lie scattered. Dark clouds swirl above, lightning illuminates the scene, and the ship’s hull begins to transform into stone. “OldFolktales.com” is inscribed at the bottom right corner.

Nakhoda Manis: A Bruneian Tale of Betrayal

December 2, 2025

Southeast Asian Folktales

Along the winding Brunei River, where the water flows brown and rich with the soil of the rainforest, there stands a rock formation that has captured the imagination of generations. The locals call it Jong Batu, and they say if you look closely, you can still see the outline of

Parchment-style illustration of Malaysian mountain princess listing seven demands to Hang Tuah.

The Impossible Princess

October 18, 2025

Asian Folktales·Southeast Asian Folktales

High atop Gunung Ledang, a mystical mountain that rises majestically near the bustling port city of Malacca, there lived a princess unlike any other. Puteri Gunung Ledang was no ordinary woman, she was a fairy princess blessed with supernatural powers and beauty so radiant that even the morning mist seemed

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Aimiton Precious

Malin Kundang and His Mother’s Curse

The White Blood of Mahsuri

The Malay Tiger and the Siamese Cat

How a Goldfish Saved a Princess

The Lazy Man and the Hungry Ghost: Ancient Cambodian Folktale About Work and Deception

Badang the Strongman: The Ancient Legend Behind Singapore’s Mysterious Stone

Sơn Tinh and Thủy Tinh: The Vietnamese Gods Who Battle Over Love

Phra Mae Thorani: The Protector Who Defeated Mara

Maria Makiling: The Mountain Goddess Who Loved and Lost

Tapussa and Bhallika: The Sacred Journey That Created Myanmar’s Most Holy Site

Sang Sinxay: The Divine Hero of Lao

Preah Ko Preah Keo: The Legend of Cambodia’s Lost Divine Guardians

Nakhoda Manis: A Bruneian Tale of Betrayal

The Impossible Princess

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