Here’s our list of fairy tales, fables, ghost stories, myths, legends, and sacred tales, classified according to land of origin. Many of the stories are available online; others can be found in folktale collections in libraries. Feel free to use these, or any of your own choice outside of this list.
MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE/INDONESIA
Sang Nila Utama and the founding of Singapore
Badang, the strongman
Lancang Kuning
Siti Zubaidah
Singapura Dilanggar Todak (The Legend of the Swordfish and Bukit Merah)
Puteri Gunung Ledang
Bawang Putih, Bawang Merah
Sangkuriang
Prince Panji
Keong Mas, the Golden Snail
Legend of the Pontianak
Legend of the Penanggalan
Sang Kancil, the Clever Mousedeer
Hang Tuah
Dang Anom
Pak Pandir, the Village Fool
Mahsuri, the Maiden of Langkawi
The Dragon of Mt Kinabalu
Dewi Sri, the Rice Goddess
Bangsat and the King of the Crocodiles
Rangda and the Barong
The Tale of Sisters’ Islands
The Tale of Kusu Island
CHINA
Pan Gu creates the world
Nü Wa creates humans and repairs the sky
Hou Yi shoots the sun, Chang’er flies to the moon
Nian and the Story of Chinese New Year
The Canonisation of the Gods
The Legend of Ne Zha
The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl
Hua Mulan
Lady Mengjiang and the Great Wall
The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea
Journey to the West (aka Monkey)
Liang Zhu: The Butterfly Lovers
Lady White Snake
The Magic Paintbrush
The Fox Fairy (and anything from Strange Tales of Liaozhai)
The 24 Paragons of Filial Piety
The Dragon King’s Daughter
Mulian Rescues his Mother From Hell
Tales from Justice Bao (e.g. the Civet for a Crown Prince)
Ma Zu, the Sea Goddess
Tales of Ji Gong
INDIA
Tales from the Ramayana
Tales from the Mahabharata
Tales from the Life of the Buddha
Tales from the Panchatantra
Sukhu and Dukhu
Tenali Raman the Jester
Tales of Akbar and Birbal
The Mongoose and the Jackal
Tales of Supandi
WEST ASIA
Scheherezade
Aladdin
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Sinbad the Sailor
The Fisherman and the Jinni
Tales of the Mullah Nasruddin
The Tale of the Hunchback
Rostam
The Seven Wise Princesses
JAPAN
Izanami and Izanagi
Amaterasu and Uzume
Issun-Boshi, the One-Inch Boy
Momotaro the Peach Boy
Tokoyo
Urashima Taro and the Turtle
Kiyohime
Hanasaka Jiisan, the Old Man Who Made the Cherry Blossoms Bloom
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (aka The Moon Princess)
The Rabbit in the Moon
O-Jizo San, the Grateful Statues
The Magic Tea-Kettle
The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya
KOREA
The Story Bag
The Mirror and the Villagers (aka The Bridegroom’s Shopping)
Janghwa and Hongryeon
Heungbu and Nolbu
Chunhyang
The Disowned Student and the Field Rat Spirit
The Three Princesses and the Land-Below-the-Earth
PHILIPPINES
Alitaptap, the Princess who became Fireflies
Ibong Adarna
Bernardo Carpio
Juan Tamad
Lam-Ang
Maria Makiling
The Creation of the Pineapple
The Creation of the Banana Tree
The Creation of the Durian
The Creation of the Rose
THAILAND
Nang Nak Phrakhanong
Manohra, the Kinnari (Bird Maiden)
VIETNAM
Tam and Cam
The Hundred-Knot Bamboo Tree
