The toyol exists in Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and various other countries in South East Asia (SEA). Various names for the toyol exist from one culture to the next. The Javanese word for the Malay toyol is pronounced “tuyul”, while in Cambodia it is known as cohen kroh.
A similar creature also exists in the Philippines known as tiyanak. We genuinely wonder what phenomena took place in Southeast Asia to give rise to our region’s widespread cultural belief in this sinister-looking creature.
2. Toyols look like a small child or baby
Like many other scary hantus we have in Malaysia, what makes this toyol so creepy is the way it looks. According to folklore, the toyol is a dead child that was brought back to “life” by a witch doctor for the purpose of crime (and other general evil biddings).
It has a small, nimble and agile body that is said to be quick to move about. The Malaysian toyol is usually naked with green or decaying skin, has a big head with pointed ears, sharp teeth and red (sometimes green) eyes.
Our culture sure knows how to create a scary creature…
3. Toyols were created for purely selfish human gains
The only reason toyols are made is for the personal gains of humans. They are frequently used to cause small injuries, mischief but mainly created to steal from a person’s neighbors. Toyols are notoriously blamed when cash and other valuable items like gold and jewellery go mysteriously missing in a neighbourhood.
Interestingly, toyols can also be used to find other spirits of dead children to be made into more toyols.
4. Toyols are invoked by a bomoh
It is largely believed that the toyol is a distorted spirit of an infant who died before it was born. A bomoh (witch doctor) summons the spirit of the dead baby and binds it to an owner through ritualistic procedures of black magic so that the small spirit now owes favours to it’s owner.
The toyol spirit is then bound to a new reanimated body that is fashioned from bits of it’s dead parts, like the bones.
Bomohs are known to sell toyols by the bottle to those desperate enough to own such a creature to do petty crime on their behalf.
5. One way of warding off a toyol is by placing needles under your money
If you suspect a toyol is stealing from you, there are some methods believed to help you out. You can distract them with children’s toys or place sharp things, such as needles or broken glass, near your possessions – a Toyol will always avoid needles and broken glass out of fear of being pricked.
And well, because they were made from an infant’s soul, of course they’d be distracted by the toys and play with them instead of disturbing you!
6. Must make offerings to toyol to keep it
A Toyol has more of a naughty personality, like an extremely annoying kid. As with any creature you keep, offerings must be made to keep the relationship peaceful. Toyols generally enjoy what most kids like, such as milk, sweets and toys.
Maybe it will like this toy below?
Oh other than that, it also really likes either chicken’s blood or small portions of it’s owner’s blood.
7. When not in use a toyol is kept in a jar, urn or bottle until it is needed again
Because of it’s small size, it’s really convenient to store! After a series of robberies maybe it’s time to lay low and keep the toyol hidden for a bit till you need it again.
Toyols can also be passed down through family generations as an heirloom, buried to let it rest forever, or permitted to roam free…
In the unlikely chance you encounter a toyol, at least now you sort of know what you’re dealing with.
So, what do you think of this paranormal article? Should we do more or nah? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear what you think!
Also Read: Uncover the Scientific Truths Behind the Creepy Scent of Flowers at Night and Other “Spooky” Beliefs
