A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

A heavenly god observes a formerly idle man working to support his wife and sends six wild monkeys with six magic gongs to reward him. Their clanging annoys the man until he catches them and threatens their lives. They explain their mission and the gongs’ effects, and he releases them.

The described powers include beauty, wisdom, property and attendants, and compelling reverence when a gong is held and struck. The story gives six instruments without individually specifying six separate effects. These are ordinary-bodied monkeys entrusted with magical objects, not six newly named gods; their divine sender remains unnamed in this tale.

Speaking animal messengers sent to reward laborSource-specific local narrative
01

Origins & earliest records

Historical Laos country within Siam, as identified by the collection

02

Records & interpretation

Complete relevant narrative and Willis G. Craig’s introduction directly read.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India

    Katherine Neville Fleeson, collector/translator · 1899

    X.2, The Fortunes of a Lazy Beggar, pp. 135–139

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

Direct primary record

Katherine Neville Fleeson, Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India (Fleming H. Revell, 1899)

Historical Laos country of Siam; English collection. X.2, The Fortunes of a Lazy Beggar, pp. 135–139

Full story, relevant footnotes and introduction read. Primary witness is the historical English collection; no claim of direct oral field verification, precise modern location or original-language nomenclature.

Inspect the digitized plate · Source collection manifest

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Historical folktale collectionFleeson (1899), X.2, The Fortunes of a Lazy Beggar, pp. 135–139Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

FT·1458 · RESEARCH EDITION 01Back to top ↑