Widespread
Preta
Undead / Revenant Danger 3 of 5 · Frightening
- Form
- Hungry ghost
- Origin
- The preta of Hindu-Buddhist cosmology retained in Bali and Javanese tradition: the greedy dead reborn with huge bellies and needle throats, never able to eat.
- Behavior
- Wanders in torment; fed by offerings (e.g. during Pitra Paksha / Galungan cycles).
- Deterrents and vulnerabilities
- Merit-making and food offerings by descendants.
- Diet
- Non-consumptive
- Culture
- Hindu-Buddhist Indonesian
- Region
- Archipelago-wide
- Sampling
- Added in dataset v3–v5; first placed on a tree here.
Coded characters
◆ New entry coded by folklore synthesis. Sex: Unspecified.
| Human-like | Humanoid, witch, or human spirit |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male, unspecified, or variable |
| Death or birth origin | Death, childbirth, or infant origin |
| Incorporeal | Ghost, spirit, or undead |
| Flight | Grounded |
| Burial | Grave, shroud, or cemetery |
| Children | None |
| Blood and organs | None |
| Theft and mischief | None |
| Hair or fur | None |
| Animal form | None |
| Detached head | None |
| Fire or light | None |
| Water | None |
| Forest | None |
| Settlement | Village, house, hospital, or road |
| Black magic | No strong sorcery motif |
| Widespread | Localized |
| Body plan | Hungry ghost |
| Diet | Non-consumptive |
