The South East Asian region is a heady mixture of hybrid nations straddling the waterways and trade routes between India and China. Rich with much-disputed spices, regions yielding gold, tin ore and precious wood such as teak, it was inevitable that different cultures, civilisations and religious beliefs would clash with each other. Sometimes, there would be assimilation, whether peaceful or violent. Growing up, I was treated to tales of pre-Islamic empires such as Sailendra and Srivijaya, which spanned major parts of the Nusantara (the Malay Archipelago), as well as the stories of Indochinese empires and the clash between the forces of Siam and China in their bid for the Malay Peninsula. This historical backdrop provides the fodder for many stories. The tales of Thailand and Cambodia are rich with Buddhist iconography melded with local animism, while the Malay archipelagoes developed their own unique, intrinsic culture which assimilated the storytelling patterns of both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions with that of local animism. Later, as Islam became the main religion, the Islamic motif added a new, distinct note within the weaving of the tales.

I’ve been inspired by these tales, both in writing and visual representations. The painting below, The Lilypad Princess, was in part influenced by what would eventually evolve into Learie’s tale within Domus Exsulis – my dreams of those long-ago empires of Srivijaya, Sailendra and beyond:

This issue of Anansi’s Trail is by no means extensive. I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of the wealth of tales found within South East Asia. I suspect that it will be, at the very least, a series in two parts, since I would like to devote more space to other regions in South East Asia. It has been interesting looking for the translations; most of the sites I found were a mixed bag. I found the most helpful sites were by bloggers who wove translations along with personal anecdotes about how the stories figured in their life. Other sites are businesses with pages devoted to explaining the stories behind names. I thought this was peculiarly appropriate; after all, folktales and legends will continue to be woven into the practicalities of everyday life, whether we acknowledge them or not. To a certain extent, tourism commodifies these stories. Whether for better or worse, I leave it for others to decide. I’m more interested in dreaming rich, textured dreams which I will then transfer onto either visual or text-based mediums!

Thailand

While I was stalking the folklore and myths of Thailand and Indo-China, I came across a reference to the Himmapan Forest which intrigued me. The Himmapan Forest is said to exist somewhere between India and Nepal. Stories about the forest are steeped in both Buddhist lore and local folktales, and many of the figures in Thai art which have these hybrid animals are said to live within this mystical forest. I was particularly taken by the Thep Kinnaree and would like to do a visual representation of it someday! There are many other creatures within the Himmapan Forest, however, and here are artistic depictions of Thai mythical creatures such as the Naga, the Hong, the Kinnaree, and the Garuda (some cross-over with Indonesia here). Life in Vientiane has an intriguing account of the Himmapan Forest, describing it as a “secret palace” where there are people who are half-bird and half-human.

Indonesia

Nusantara Folklore is an Indonesian website which collects and displays folklore from all countries in the Nusantara region.

A fascinating page offering the basics of Indonesian Myths and Folktales, connects it to Indian Mythology. In particular, the writer explores the evolution of the Five Pandawas who were found in the Mahabarata and the Bhatarayuda within Indonesian folklore.

I also discovered a page about the Myths of Origins and the Deluge of Indonesia, I was particularly taken with this, because I’d been looking up different versions and manifestations of the Deluge. It’s inevitable that an archipelagic region would have tales such as these.

This waterlogged tale from Indonesia is about a very different sort of watermaiden, found within the Legend of Lake Toba, which I referenced within my poem, Golden Apples, a kind of trans-cultural paean to the wild woman/storyteller.

Malaysia

Unbeknownst to most of the western world, the Malay Archipelago had more than one woman warrior or queen in its arsenal of tales. In Hikayat Panji Semarang, the entire heroic romance in old Indonesian Malay features a female princess who cross-dresses as a man so she can be a warrior! One of the most famous Malay female warrior queens is Cik Siti Wan Kembang. I found it interesting that the most helpful pages on Cik Siti Wan Kembang were anecdotal blog posts but it was inevitable. Daring to Speak Bahasa is a thoughtful post which touches on malay folklores and legends. The blogger writes about how the legends personally affected and influenced her, delving into the complexities of Malaysian race politics. On the other hand, Reunited in Negeri Cik Siti Wan Kembang is a less political blog post detailing a journey into Kelantan, with foodbloggery and a painting of the warrior queen.

Another strong female icon within Malay folklore is The Princess of Mount Ophir, or Puteri Gunung Ledang. This story revolves around a princess (or demigoddess) who lived up a mountain and who swore to take no one as her husband. Of course, such an oath would be a challenge to most powerful patriarchs, and so the legend was born. The Fairy Princess of Mount Ophir (Puteri Gunung Ledang) features both the story and the popular culture references in Malaysia by Sejarah Melayu, which is in itself an extensive site dedicated to the documents, archival research and folktales behind and surrounding the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) manuscript. Malacca Tourism’s pithy and concise (as well as accurate) version of the Puteri Gunung Ledang tale is also a helpful read, particularly because it doesn’t serve up the overblown, romanticized versions that now exist due to popular culture. Like many of these tales, mysticism is tied with a message about the abuse of power.

Another example of this may be found in the Mahsuri stories.The legend of Mahsuri is the prototype tale of the virtuous wife who has been wronged by nobility, due to gossip, ill-will and the abuse of power. Up till the late-80s, it was said that the island of Langkawi was put under a curse for seven generations by Mahsuri, which is why it could never develop. Around the 1990s, there was a tourism boom on Langkawi, and it was said that the curse had lifted. Many of the attractions on the island revolve around Mahsuri’s story, and there is also a musical about the whole thing, which I saw as a kid. Here’s a fairly accurate and decently written rendition, for the website of an Australian Satay House, of all things!

One of the things I love about the stories of the Far East as well as those of South East Asia is the deep romanticism mixed with pragmatism. There are elements within these tales which are very much public-spirited, containing elements of therapy or catharsis. Happy endings are not typical or required; some tales may be moralistic, while others are peculiarly enigmatic. The legend of Ulek Mayang has always been one of my favourite stories, and is particularly enigmatic. The story is part of a ritualistic performance that includes song, dance and mantras. Like many, I was first introduced to it via a dance performance on a school concert day. The story put chills through me, as it should, because it was both otherworldly and incredibly sad, filled with the human longing for different realities. This is pretty much consistent in other East Malaysian performances, such as the Mak Yong. The story is of the relationship between the fishermen and the spirits of the sea (or mermaid princesses), and is about seven playful sea princesses who caused the fishermen to go unconscious. There are mantras within this performance which has all the hallmarks of psychotherapeutic healing linked to ritual (The book, Religious and Social Ritual: Interdisciplinary Explorations edited by Michael B. Aune and Valerie DeMarinis has very good examples and explanations of this. I’ve used it before in my Masters in Literature thesis, and it will likely be helpful for those of you interested in ritual.). Here’s a page with a clear, concise and well-written exposition of the legend.

For further reading, First Day Covers has a page on Malaysian folktales, served in concise paragraph form. Also, here’s an interesting variation of the Raja Bersiong (fanged king) story I was not aware of, related to the origins of the town, Baling. And yes, Raja Bersiong is another wicked king, who developed a penchant for human blood in his curry after a cook accidentally cut his hand while cooking a royal feast.

Africa has Brer Rabbit, Malaysia has its own, witty little mammal, Sang Kancil. The fragile mouse-deer is an iconic figure within Malaysian folktales and children of different races would have been told these stories both at home and at school. Most of the tales are about resourcefulness when you’re outwitted by bigger and stronger animals in the forest. Sejarah Melayu details the connection between the Kancil and the legend of the founding of the Malacca Sultanate by Parameswara. I’ve always been interested by the significance of the tree within this tale. The Sultanate takes its name from the Malacca tree, but the entire experience is mystical.

Outwitting a Crocodile seems to be the most well-represented Sang Kancil tale on the world wide web, but I am interested in finding more.

Cambodia

Cambodia evokes images of a hidden empire within a tropical forest, with sacred apsaras guarding its ornate, stonework enclosures. I was enchanted by the following sites which gave me a glimpse into Khmer folktales which were a mixture of folk wisdom and Buddhist beliefs.

Khmer Folktales by My Cambodia News.

A page of Khmer Folktales by Cornell University’s South East Asia Outreach division.

Khmer Fashion Lab’s translated Khmer folktales.

To Sell a Donkey (folktale).

Phillipines

Alamat, A Phillipine Folktales, Myths and Legend Page is a site that lists out the different folktales, myths and legends according to different elemental domains, featuring creation myths as well as legends. Beautiful in both its organisation and its sentiment, I would definitely list this as a must-visit if you’re interested in pinoy myths and folklore. For something a little older, Folktales from the Phillipines by D.L. Ashliman provides interesting reading and context, while, for something more local, there’s a blog dedicated to Pinoy folktales.

Faerie sites gave me an innumerable amount of pleasure and comfort when both the internet and I were young. However, some sites have disappeared into the ether whilst others seem to have lost their lustre. And so, I decided to discard my nostalgia and instead discover and celebrate the newer manifestations of the faerie revolution and subculture online, as well as the evolution of older ones. Almost all of these will (eventually) make it into my Faerie Culture/Subculture Online page. Like many of you probably know, faerie (sub)culture and the arts related to faerie have evolved into different spheres, and you will likely find manifestations everywhere, in pageants, balls, masquerades, even advertising! This particular issue of Anansi’s Trail isn’t going to be exhaustive but it should instead be a starting point for your own journey for hidden delights, the winding footpaths of faerie which exist on the World Wide Web.

• NeverNever is a delightfully humorous webcomic by John “The Gnitch” Robey, about the war of the “ethereal upon the mundanes”, featuring a human named Arthur, and the faerie colonel Beowulf, whom he befriends after his father accidentally captures Beowulf in his mousetrap with a cupcake!
• For an example of the marriage between blogs, audio recordings and textual whimsy, The Misty World of Arial Hollyberry is a beautifully designed weblog featuring the adventures of the protagonist with the faerie Arial, through the lands of faeries. Written and presented by Tami Ruesch, each post features an audio version so one might hear the stories being narrated by the author.
• Mythwood features the faerie art of Larry MacDougall, while Odd Fae and Autumn Things features beautiful oak figures, masks and other sculptured beauties (and artful uglies) by Dawn M Schiller.
• On a whim, I also started looking for steampunk faeries, and was not disappointed! Here’s an alchemical steampunk faerie by Fyriel of Orpheus Alchemy and look, another adorable steampunk faerie!
• If you are interested in all things subculture and faerie-related, and are relatively braver, there are also Faerie Balls around the world, where you may dress up in costumes, meet other enthusiasts, artists, maskmakers and costumers. And, of course, there are the magazines which cater to faeries artists, artisans, musicians, writers and faire/ball-goers, Fae Magazine and Faerie Magazine.
• One of the most beautiful and thrilling manifestations of the subculture may be The Medisaga Trilogy, which is a projected trilogy of films by mythic film-maker Lisa Stock so I would suggest that the intrepid adventurer in search of all things faerie visit her website for more information about the project. And you may view trailers of the first film in the trilogy, Titania, here. You can also participate in the crowdfunding of this project, here.

In an interesting introduction to his excellent compilation of Classic French Fairy Tales Jack Zipes noted that Moliere and Corneille’s production of Psyche

“played a role in the development of the beauty-and-the-beast motif in the works of Mme. d’Aulnoy.”

The tale referred to is “Laidronette” written during the period of the French `salon’ faerie tales during the reign of the Sun King(Louis XIV) (which in its turn inspired a delightful movement in Ravel’s ‘Mother Goose Suite’). However, that isn’t the only tale that has been influenced by this legend. The beauty and the beast motif may in fact be found in various folktales. This tale type requires a quest, and an act of redemption via love and/or forgiveness. This includes the different variations of “The Beauty and the Beast” and the Norweigen folktale “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”. If we draw the connection even farther then indubitably, my favourite Scottish ballad “Tam Lin” also falls within this category of mysterious, magical lovers in beastly-or not so beastly garb. Coincidentally, all of them needed to be rescued, in some way. Which is probably what drew me in the first place, the very idea that fairytale damsels are not totally in distress. In fact, in an inordinate amount of tales they seem to be the hero!

One of the earliest, if not the first instance of the tale, or rather, allegory of Cupid and Psyche, appeared in Lucius Apuleius’s “The Golden Ass”. This is related in the manner of a tale within a tale. The allegory here is of the human soul being tormented and then led into the road to love. ‘Psyche’ is also the Greek word for ’soul’ while the Latins call love ‘Cupido’. I’ve always found it interesting that the embodiment of the human soul comes in the guise of a woman while love comes in the guise of a man (or an older woman, if you take into account the role Venus plays in these proceedings).

(continue reading…)

Since the internet slowly became accessible to many in the 1990’s, there has been an explosion of sites dealing with Faeries. It evolved into a culture of its own, splintering into different groups as diverse as the Gothic to the Wiccans. There are also those interested in the Faerie stories of their youth, associating these entities with benign, angel-like spirits representing innocence and goodness. This list is by no means exhaustive, as I have only picked out what I considered to be the most relevant for this list, as well as those providing the most information. (2009 update: This list is no longer up-to-date and needs a vigorous edit. Stay tuned)

Articles, Essays and Other Relevance

Abducted by the Faeries?

A fascinating essay by Jeremy Harte about faerie abduction. It is a relief to bump into articles and essays such as these which actually cite sources and sound like some thought has been put into it considering the pages upon pages of poorly researched sites I’ve had to wade through! Other essays by Harte found on the `Net include Hollow Hills which is about the fabled dwelling places of Faerie, the intriguing Dark Green – Some Disturbing Thoughts about Faeries and Medieval fairies: Now you see them, now you don’t.

Lost in Faery: Wandering in the magical thorn thickets of the mind

An interesting article linking faerie belief to the landscape of the mind: inclusive of Jungian psychoanalysis, by Elisabeth Oakland. Also an essay which contains citation, which gets this site’s nod of approval.

The Faery Tradition
Another essay highlighting a wholly different aspect and kinds of believers in Faerie.

Tumuli, Tumps, Humps and other Bumps

Article about Tumuli and faerie linkage.

Arthur Conan Doyle, Spiritualism, and Fairies

Article by Donald E. Simanek about the ever-controversial and ever-discussed Cottingley fairies. I like it because it contextualizes the affair with the interesting Spiritualism movement which arose at the end of the 1800s.

E-texts and other valuable resources

Geman Changeling Legends

Translated by D. L. Ashliman who is arguably the `Net’s most valuable source of information on folklore and fairytales with his exhaustive library of texts.

Fairy Legends and Traditions by Thomas Crofton Croker [1825]

The complete e-text of Croker’s hard to find book.

The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W.Y. Evans Wentz [1911]

Another e-text: an ethnographical study of the Fairy Faith.

Subcultural Visuals: The Professionals

Much of the current craze in Faeries is fueled by the work of fantasy and mythopoeic artists who have made their vision of the Otherworld accessible to the masses. This section lists the more popular “usual suspects”, who are also the largest victims of copyright infringement. Fame, apparently, is a mixed blessing.

The World of Froud

The art of Brian and Wendy Froud. Brian is perhaps one of *THE* most influential figures in so far as conceptualizing Faeries in this current age is concerned. His art and art derivative of his vision can be found everywhere on the `Net. A beautifully designed site. For more information read Faeries and The World of Froud, an article by Terri Windling.

The Faerie Bibliography

An extensive bibliography listing faerie music, books and more by the fine arts and mythic artist and writer, Aria Nadii. One of the oldest and most valuable faerie resources on the WWW.

Shadowscapes

Stephanie Pui-Mun Law’s site is more than just Faerie pictures. Mythic contexts abound, and is a true feast for both the eyes and the mind of mythopoetically inclined visitors.

Subcultural Proponents: Examples of Faerie Subculture online

Lavendise
One of the first sites that incited the formation of an online Faerie Subculture. This site created a networking system for those Faerie-inclined and brought forth the idea of humans somehow being Faeries. This made this site very popular (as well as much-imitated).

The Wiccan & Faerie Grimoire of Francesca De Grandis

In the Twentieth (and 21st) century, it seems as though belief in faeries encompasses so many different arenas of thought and practice. I have included this link to illustrate another facet, Faerie Wicca or Faerie Shamanism.

Faerie Websites of Note

Sites which are a happy marriage of attractive design, interesting information, and that something extra which makes them worth revisiting.

The Fairy Museum

I was utterly charmed by the whimsy of this unpretentious site. It features pictures, sculptures and does not focus on faeries from just one culture. I also appreciated the text that accompanies the exhibits since they show that some thought has been put into them with interesting write-ups about “fairies in advertising” and “fairies in politics”.

Hidden Ireland – A Guide to Irish Fairies

A well designed and comprehensive site detailing several denizens of the irish faerie pantheon. Interesting and intelligent write-ups coupled with lovely art.

Pook’s Hill

One of the oldest resources on faeries on the web, dealing with Puck and other tricksters who have made their way into popular culture via folklore and literature.

Italian Faery
Providing a glossary of the Italian Faerie Pantheon.

Since the World Wide Web went “public” in the mid-to-late 1990s, there have been a plethora of sites dealing with myth and folklore that have come and gone. This list combines and connects resources related to myth as well as folklore and fairytales. While the ontological structure and behavior of a myth differs from that of a fairytale, there are enough cross-overs between the two storytelling forms. Some of the sites listed below appear to have realized this as well, as their purview straddles both types of tales.

Myth Resources

Encyclopedia Mythica

One of the oldest resources online- still the place to go if you’re looking for quick mythic reference.

Mythography

A fairly straightforward resource dealing with Greek, Roman and Celtic mythology.

Myths Encyclopedia

A comprehensive encyclopedia and resource for world myths.

Godchecker – your Guide to the Gods

Boldly proclaiming that they have “more gods than you can shake a stick at” and that they provide “mythology with a twist”, Godchecker is an exuberant resource that provides a look at different mythologies, gods and spirits from different parts of the world. Also check out their official twitter which tweets you a different God per day so you can read up on the relevant mythic entry.

Mythic Crossroads

A comprehensive directory of Mythic links with annotations.

Joseph Campbell Mythology Group Resource Page

Like the title promises, a resource page for online references in mythology, comparative spirituality and anthropology with a bias towards Joseph Campbell.

Cultural and Regional-Specific Myth Essays and Guides

Introduction to Hinduism

An excellent resource for Hindu mythology, especially with regards to iconography.

African Mythology

An article by the Myth Encyclopedia about themes, motifs and roots in African mythology.

Indian Mythology

A thoughtful resource on Indian Mythology, connected to Indian spirituality and the meanings behind mystical icons and signs.

The Gods of Africa

An offshoot of pantheon.org, this page seeks to provide a comprehensive list of Gods in African mythology from different parts of Africa.

Creation in African Thought

A thoughtful and critical essay on Creation Myths and African concepts of creation

Sipapu: The Anasazi Emergence into the Cyber World

Intriguing glimpse into the world of the Anasazi.

Theoi Greek Mythology

The Theoi Greek Project provides an in-depth look not just at the themes and characters in Greek Mythology but also instances of these themes in classical literature and art. It also provides the reader with a much-welcomed Theoi Classical Texts Library so background reading into the featured myths may be done. Goodies include the Orphic Hymns and various fragments and poems by Hesiod. Well-designed site which provides a valuable resource!

Illustrated Encyclopedia of Greek Mythology

A helpful educational resource for students and teachers.

Mythology, Folklore and Cultural Contexts

C.G. Jung Page

C.G. Jung, Archetypal Psychology, Cultural Mythology and more.

Joseph Campbell Foundation

Information on Joseph Campbell, his work and other resources.

Earthlore Explorations: The Contemporary Relevance of Cultural History

A remarkable endeavour that looks for mythic (as well as mystical) contexts in history and culture.

Endicott Studio

At the forefront of the drive towards interstitial arts, Terri Windling’s site features thought-provoking articles on both myth and folklore, galleries and interviews with proponents of this “movement”.
Featuring the “Journal of Mythic Arts”.

The SurLaLune Fairy Tale Page

Exhaustive Folklore and Fairytale resource- a *MUST* visit if you’re actively pursuing information.

Cultures

A site devoted to “devoted to cultures, living and ancient, and the promotion of world communication and world peace”

Magazines, Journals and Semi-prozines for Academic Writing, Essays, Articles and Fiction/Poetry

Marvels & Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies

Literary Journal for Fairy Tale scholars and other academically inclined folklorists. One of the best resources available for contemporary peer-reviewed articles on folklore.

Journal of Mythic Arts

Now discontinued journal which is an offshoot of the Endicott Studio for the Mythic Arts, this trailblazing journal is still a valuable archive of posts, articles and resources for all things pertaining to the mythic arts.

Cabinet des Fées

A magazine and blog which features stories and poems written in the grand tradition of revising and revisiting fairytales. Host to critical and well-thought out reviews on books, anthologies and other literary contributions to the genre as well as critical essays on fairytales.

Goblin Fruit: A Quarterly Journal of Fantastical Poetry

A fairly established recent independent online quarterly journal which features poetry written with mythic and fairytale themes in mind. The poetry and recordings of poetry are all of literary quality and the site is a delight to navigate.

New Fairy Tales: The Online Magazine of New Fairytales

This magazine is unique in that it reaches back into something that not many realize today. Apart from retold folktales which contain mythologems, fairytales can also be literary tales with certain qualities. As a site that encourages the germination of newer fairytales and fables, it sits nicely in an overlooked niche not just in the online fairytale market.

Les Bonnes Fees

An online magazine accepting submissions and publishing critical and non-fiction articles on fairytales, as well as news about current literary offerings in the genre.

Dante’s Heart: A Journal of Myth, Fairytale, Folklore and Fantasy

Dante’s Heart is a mixed genre/medium online Journal which accepts submissions for mythic art, poetry, fiction, theatre, flash presentations etc and is committed towards the active creation of myths and reclaiming it within an artistic venue. It combines the traditional expectations of text with the potential for online venues for performance spaces and is therefore something to watch out for!

E-texts

Internet Sacred Text Archive

Good place to start for students/seekers of myth, anthropology, comparative religion and spirituality.

Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts

One of the oldest and most comprehensive online repository of faerie tales, myths and other relevant texts and links.

Theoi Classical Texts Library

Need to brush up on your Greek myth? Forgotten exactly which classical text an allusion comes from? This library is an invaluable resource for the student or enthusiast of Greek mythology.

The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius

Complete E-text of the novel by Apuleius, featuring the first recorded instance of the Legend of Cupid and Psyche.

Sejarah Melayu Library

An invaluable resource containing PDF files to historical and fictional accounts of the Malay Archipelago, linked to the myths, legends and folk tales found in the Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals)

E-zines/Newsletters

Mythic Passages

Newsletter of the Mythic Imagination Institute which is supports the
Mythic Journeys conference.

Fables: Folklore and Speculative Fiction

Atmospheric and welcoming resource for mythopoets and fantasists online.

Standing Stones

Joseph Campbell Mythology Group Newsletter

Lunescence

Aquafemina’s newsletter, brought out every moon. Exploration of myth, spirituality and art