Folk Tales
Folk tales and legends in Thailand were used by the elders to teach wisdom to the younger generation. Most stories contain moral lessons teaching the importance of following traditions and to display reverence to elders, parents and superiors. The stories of the spirit world taught children to be cautious, to stay at home in the night and to respect certain customs regarding death rituals and the importance of offerings.
Many Thai folk tales are based on the texts of Buddhism. Also some of the stories of classical Thai literature, such as Khun Chang Khun Phaen (ขุนช้างขุนแผน) and Lilit Phra Lo (ลิลิตพระลอ), a story about young lovers with a tragic end, originated in folk tales. Phra Aphai Mani is a Thai epic poem that has inspired local folklore.
Throughout Thailand there are also local folk stories connected with particular geographic features, such as the story of Doi Nang Non (ดอยนางนอน), the 'Mountain of the Sleeping Lady' and the legend about the formation of Khao Sam Roi Yot mountains and islands.
Read more about this topic: Thai Folklore
Famous quotes related to folk tales:
“Myths, as compared with folk tales, are usually in a special category of seriousness: they are believed to have ‘really happened,’ or to have some exceptional significance in explaining certain features of life, such as ritual. Again, whereas folk tales simply interchange motifs and develop variants, myths show an odd tendency to stick together and build up bigger structures. We have creation myths, fall and flood myths, metamorphose and dying-god myths.”
—Northrop Frye (1912–1991)