Variations: Hantu Kotak (Malay), Box Spirit
Bès Kotak, “box spirit”, is a bès or spirit from the folklore of the Jah Hut people of Malaysia. It is apparently box-like in appearance and is a river spirit that lives in the muddy hollows of rivers.
When a person dives into the river to catch fish, the box spirit presses or sits on that person, causing them to become heavy, sink into the mud, and drown. Two or three days later the body will float to the surface, proof of the fate that awaits any who invade Bès Kotak’s domain.
References
Werner, R. (1975) Jah-hět of Malaysia, Art and Culture. Penerbit Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.
A Book of Creatures 
Excuse me, BOX spirit?
He doesn’t know about me discarding his empty cousins, right?
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Oh and yaaaaaaaaaaaay more Malaysian spirits! This one’s about as weird as the rest of them!
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Bes Kotak, a Jah Hut spirit, not be be confused with JABBA the Hut, who’s MO is also, incidentally, just sitting on people until they die … x)
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I wouldn’t call HIM a blockhead
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Is this the inspiration for Mario’s Thwomp? Kinda looks like a Thwomp.
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I assure you the resemblance is entirely my fault. Because it sure looks like one.
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Man, I have looked EVERYWHERE for this book. It’s impossible to find it
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Email me?
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I was just going to saw it resembles the Thwomp. I don’t see that as a bad thing however since it terrified me as a child. This brings back all those memories.
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The resemblance may be intentional on my part…
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Nothing wrong with a little allusion!
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Loving these Jah Hut creatures 🙂
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Imagine how this guy would react to hearing that fishing nets and poles had been invented…
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