Is the toyol – long regarded as a mythical supernatural creature – for real?

Hundreds of visitors who thronged the state museum here think so as they scrutinised a figurine kept in a bottle that was on display there.

A curious fisherman had found the bottle on Tuesday on the shores of a coastal village, believing that what he saw in it was a toyol.

In Malay folklore, a toyol is a goblin-like creature that steals money and commits other mischief or evil at the instruction of its guardian.


WHAT IS IT?: A curious visitor looking at a current museum exhibit some people believe is a ‘toyol’.
Not wanting to have anything to do with it, the unidentified fisherman from Kampung Kuala Pahang rushed to nearby Kampung Siong, about a kilometre away, and passed it to a bomoh.

The bomoh, in turn, handed it to the state museum.

Word of its discovery spread like wildfire and hundreds of people waited at the doorstep of the museum before it opened at 8am, eager for a chance to see the strange item.

They came in buses, cars, and bicycles and on foot.

Museum director Mohd Farid Abdul Jalal said the large number of people who had come to see the figurine surprised him.

He said it looked like a puppet or marionette and was about 20cm tall. The figurine, kept in a wide-mouthed bottle, is cloaked in black and has red eyes and mouth.

“The bottle also contains some sand, a yellow string and slices of onions,” he said.

“We believe it was used in some kind of spiritual rite or medication and thrown by someone into the sea several days before the waves washed it ashore.”

He said the object would be displayed in the museum until he discusses with his officers on the next course of action.

This was just added in the news section.

i seriously doubt it's real, would be awsome though.

Fiji Mermaid anyone?

That was a hoax........but good thought.

Anyone got a picture of the bottle? How'd the critter get in there?

If it's not a peice of wax or some such like the fabled "pickled dragon", my next question is: "what is it?" and "are there more?"

These type of 'amazing finds' really annoy me, I'm talking about the ones where 'something' is in a jar of liquid and they just don't know if it's real or not? Theres been Aliens, Toyals, Dragons etc supossidly found in jars and it seems to take them forever if at all to work out 'what it is'


Seriously, before any of these photos or news stories be released, they should rip the lid off and do some tests- DNA tests or any other scientific test to determine what the hell it is. But yet, instead, they stick it in some museum and flash it all around the world as an incredible find.

You always hear about these weird animals being found like the ones in jars and they are always getting 'tested' but you NEVER hear the results- It really annoys me....

Just having a winge.....

A Toyol is supposed to be a dead fetus that witches put in a bottle. Specifically, the witch has to feed baby with his blood, and baby helps the witch by stealing whatever he wants. A search with google turns up this information.

Here is a link describing what a Toyal is:
http://history.sfogs.com/toyol.htm

And here's the link to the story, there's a photo of it in the article:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...6500&sec=nation

I wish they had more pics

It could very be a human fedus dressed in a cloak. But I severely doubt it will come alive when the jar is opened.

[attachmentid=23617]How about this?

*shudders* That is creepy...I hate witchcraft.

so very creppy , gonna have nightmares * runs away crying)

A toyol is a mythical spirit in the Malay mythology of South-East Asia (notably Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore). It is a small creature created using black magic by a bomoh (Malay witch doctor) from a dead human foetus. It is possible to buy a toyol from such a bomoh.

A person who owns a toyol uses it mainly to steal things from other people, or to do mischief. According to a well-known superstition, if money or jewellery keeps disappearing mysteriously from your house, a toyol might be responsible. One way to ward off a toyol is to place some needles under your money, for toyols are afraid of being hurt by needles.

Keeping a toyol has its price. In essence, the spirit is that of a still-born (or aborted) child, and its temperament reflects this.

According to most Asian practices and beliefs, the afterlife of a person is taken care of by the family, in the form of a tablet. It is usually made of wood, with the name of the deceased engraved. A collection of tablets at an elaborate family altar is a typical item in a large (and often wealthy) family. Following the same principle, the master of the toyol keeps its tablet and cares for it. He must feed it with a few drops of his blood everyday, usually through his thumb or big toe. In addition, it requires certain coaxing and attention, along with offerings. Such offerings might include candy and toys, for the toyol is essentially a child and must be kept happily entertained.

In old village tales, people keep toyols for selfish but petty gains. They use such spirits for theft, sabotage and other minor crimes. Serious crimes, like murder, are usually beyond the capability of these toyols. A person who suddenly becomes wealthy without explanation might be suspected of keeping a toyol.

According to another story, a toyol must be fed with blood from a rooster. The toyol is kept in a jar or an urn, and hidden away in a dark place until needed.

What happens at the end of the "contract" is not very clear. It could be that the tablet, along with the urn, is buried in a graveyard (with the relevant rituals), and the spirit then laid to rest. Or else, a toyol gets passed down in a family through the generations. This seems to suggest that once you obtain a toyol, not only are you stuck with it for the rest of your life, but all your descendents will also be condemned to own it.

The Chinese name for the toyol is guǐ zai (literally "ghost child"). The corresponding term in the Hokkien dialect is kwee kia.

So, anyone opened the jar yet?

its a dead monkey wearing a wig....

ewww.........creepy thing!