In the Malay myth, a Toyol is a small child spirit invoked by a Malay witch doctor, or bomoh, from a dead human foetus using black magic. Toyols can be bought from a bomoh and is used mostly for mischief or stealing.

The origins can be traced back to Mecca near the Kaaba where Arabs used to kill their children before burying them. The Chinese know the Toyol as guai zai, or ghost child. People normally associate the appearance of the ghost child to that of a small baby, usually seen walking around naked with a big head, small hands, clouded eyes and grey skin. It is believed that the naked eyes can spot a Toyol, although not casually.

Keeping a Toyol can be risky and tedious. In Asian societies, it’s not common for a family to care of the deceased in a form of tablets. These are known as spirit tablets to represent specific deities, ancestors, demons or even wandering spirits. The same goes for caring for a Toyol. It must be fed with a few drops of the owner’s blood and requires coaxing, attention and offerings such as candies and toys. It is likely that the Toyol may steal money or jewellery in the house. To ward off the Toyol, it is said that needles should be placed with your money or jewellery, as the ghost child is afraid of needles.

The end of the “contract” may see the tablet being buried in a graveyard or disposed in the sea. Otherwise, it will be passed down in a family through the generations. The consequences after the end of the contract remain unclear.