Samuel DenHartog's Blog: The Road to 1,440 - Posts Tagged "spirits"
Bringing Thai Folklore to Life Through "Tales from the Thailand Temples"
When I began researching Thai folklore, I quickly realized that it is a tapestry woven from many threads: Buddhist tradition, local animist beliefs, heroic epics, and folk stories passed down in villages for centuries. Every temple mural, spirit house, and festival seemed to hold a doorway into another story. I wanted to capture that sense of discovery and share it with readers who may not have encountered these tales before.
The book brings together a wide range of figures, from protective land spirits and rice goddesses to mischievous ghosts and legendary kings. Some stories are tender and filled with devotion, like the tale of a goddess guarding the harvest, while others lean toward the eerie, such as restless spirits who wander when rites are left undone. There are also epic adventures, with heroes facing crocodile demons, princes falling in love with celestial maidens, and even a white-furred monkey warrior whose antics are unlike anything in Western myth.
What fascinated me most while writing was how these stories are not only ancient but also still alive. You can see them in the guardian giants standing watch at temple gates, in the annual fireball phenomenon on the Mekong, and in the offerings left at shrines by people who believe these spirits remain active today. The folklore has a way of shaping everyday life, blurring the line between the sacred and the ordinary.
"Tales from the Thailand Temples" grew from my desire to bring that living world of myth and belief into a collection where readers could experience it for themselves. My hope is that it feels less like reading a book and more like stepping into a temple courtyard at dusk, with the scent of incense in the air and stories waiting to be told under lantern light. Each tale carries with it a sense of wonder, mystery, and the enduring spirit of Thai culture.
The book brings together a wide range of figures, from protective land spirits and rice goddesses to mischievous ghosts and legendary kings. Some stories are tender and filled with devotion, like the tale of a goddess guarding the harvest, while others lean toward the eerie, such as restless spirits who wander when rites are left undone. There are also epic adventures, with heroes facing crocodile demons, princes falling in love with celestial maidens, and even a white-furred monkey warrior whose antics are unlike anything in Western myth.
What fascinated me most while writing was how these stories are not only ancient but also still alive. You can see them in the guardian giants standing watch at temple gates, in the annual fireball phenomenon on the Mekong, and in the offerings left at shrines by people who believe these spirits remain active today. The folklore has a way of shaping everyday life, blurring the line between the sacred and the ordinary.
"Tales from the Thailand Temples" grew from my desire to bring that living world of myth and belief into a collection where readers could experience it for themselves. My hope is that it feels less like reading a book and more like stepping into a temple courtyard at dusk, with the scent of incense in the air and stories waiting to be told under lantern light. Each tale carries with it a sense of wonder, mystery, and the enduring spirit of Thai culture.
The Road to 1,440
I'm Samuel DenHartog, and at 51, at the end of November of 2023, I've embarked on a remarkable journey as a writer. My diverse background in computer programming, video game development, and film prod
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