Author Description

The Orang Asli – the first people of Peninsular Malaysia – are nature’s naturalists. They are intimately familiar with the social structure and behavior of many of the animals in their forest homelands. To explain nature’s mysteries, they have surrounded themselves with colourful folklore about wondrous creatures that are so much a part of their lives. In this collection of Orang Asli animal tales you will learn, for example, how the once-cruel tapir got its white band and became the timid animal that it is today. And why the flying lemur always hides his tail and flies only by night. Or how friends of the slow-loris protected him from the punishment of blindness ordered by the king for outraging the modesty of his daughter. These tales are not only for enjoyment and amusement. They also teach us morals and give us a peek into the rich scientific and cultural heritage of the Orang Asli – which should rightfully warrant a significant place in Malaysia’s cultural heritage.