Malay Folktales
Join senior librarian Juffri as he revisits the folktales told to us when we were growing up and takes us on a trip through the Asian Children’s Literature collection at the National Library where many of these stories have found a home.
Growing up, many of us would have been regaled with stories of the exploits of Sang Kancil, the tiny mousedeer that outwitted its bigger and stronger adversaries such as the tiger, snake and crocodile. Told to us by our elders, these tales invariably began with “Once upon a time” or “Long before your time” and ended with a wise saying or observation.
Derived from an oral tradition of folktales, these stories were verbally passed down from generation to generation, expanding and reshaped with each retelling. Folktales often reflect the values and customs of the culture they come from and are used to impart desirable character traits to children.
The National Library is home to the Asian Children’s Literature collection, a treasure trove of more than 13,000 volumes from China, India and Southeast Asia. It also features a rich collection of Malay folktales, including a number of popular stories – retold by different writers and published in various years – that resonate with both young and old. These include ones about Sang Kancil, Pak Pandir, Musang Berjanggut, Bawang Putih, Bawang Merah, Awang Kenit, Hikayat Hang Tuah, Badang, Sangkuriang and Si Tanggang.
Different Types of Folktales
Folktales can be difficult to categorise because their genres often overlap. However, for the sake of the study of Malay literature, they have been divided into categories such as:
● heroism,
● animal fables,
● myths and legends,
● ghost stories,
● epics, and
● fairy tales.¹
These folktales were borne out of their environment and, to a certain extent, Malay culture. As these stories were passed from one generation to the next, they not only highlighted moral values but also articulated the community’s shared history.² Over time, the stories were adapted to suit changing times and lifestyles but its original intention–imparting positive and moral values – always remained.
When I was growing up, I loved Malay folktales such as the ones below. They always excited me and I remember looking forward to reading more about them.
The Adventures of Sang Kancil
Sang Kancil, or mousedeer, is a well-known and beloved character in Malay folktales. Through his sheer wit and quick thinking, Sang Kancil would outsmart the more dangerous and bigger animals in the jungle. The stories of Sang Kancil are not just entertaining, there are valuable lessons to be learnt as well.
Bawang Putih, Bawang Merah
This is a story of two sisters from different mothers. Putih is a good and well-mannered daughter while Merah is rude and arrogant. This tale teaches readers to be patient when facing obstacles or challenges, to respect their elders and not to be greedy. In addition, it highlights that good will always be rewarded. This was such a popular folktale that it was made into a movie (Bawang Putih Bawang Merah) in the late 1950s.
Pak Pandir
Pak Pandir is a naïve and lazy village fool who lives with his wife Mak Andih. This humorous story always gets me laughing, but it nonetheless teaches that laziness and naivety will get one in trouble.
Hang Tuah and Badang
These larger-than-life characters manifest the traits of heroism and service to the Sultan and country. Hang Tuah was famous as the warrior from Melaka and Badang was a strong man from Temasek (Singapore). Although from different eras, Hang Tuah and Badang embodied the virtues of service and loyalty to the nation. (And yes, these characters and stories were eventually made into movies. P. Ramlee acted as the legendary Hang Tuah in the 1956 movie Hang Tuah³ and Wahid Satay was Badang in the 1962 movie Badang in 1962).⁴
Beyond being mere stories passed down the generations, these Malay folktales, re-read and re-told over time, preserve positive moral values that continue to be beacons that enable readers (and listeners) to understand the past, present and future.
You can read these famous Malay folktales and discover new ones in the National Library’s Asian Children’s Literature collection, located at level 9 of the National Library building.
Juffri Supa’at is a Senior Librarian with the National Library, Singapore. He has curated several exhibitions featuring the works of Malay literary pioneers such as Masuri S. N., Muhammad Ariff Ahmad and Abdul Ghani Hamid. He has also compiled poetry selections by Muhammad Ariff Ahmad and Suratman Markasan. The Asian Children’s Literature collection is one of the areas he’s in charge of.
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[1] Liaw Yock Fang (2011). Sejarah Kesusastraan Melayu Klasik. (p2–52) Yayasan Pustaka Obor Indonesia.
[2] Normaliza Abd Rahim (2014). The Nearly Forgotten Malay Folklore. Shall We Start With the Software. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology. July 2014, Volume 13, issue 3. Accessed from https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+malay+folktales&rlz=1C1GCEB_enSG957SG957&oq=&aqs=chrome.0.69i59i450l2.21421134j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
[3] Story of the legendary Hang Tuah, a Malay warrior in the court of the Malacca Sultanate. (Call No: Reference Audio Visual 791.4372 HAN)
[4] “Roseyatimah (middle), Wahid Satay (right) and Umi Khaltum (left) on the set of “Badang” Accessed from https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-Landing/listing/1086896
