Mae sue

Lore & Background

Mae Sue is a benevolent guardian spirit in Thai culture, associated with the protection of infants. The name Mae Sue literally means 'Mother of Buying'; it is believed that when a baby is born, Mae Sue comes and buys the baby to keep it out of the reach of evil spirits. However, she is also believed to be the cause of illness in children. Different regions in Thailand have different views of Mae Sue.

Author Lucien Hanks mentions a local belief from a village in the Central Plain: 'The child is not fully human the first three days. This period was under the supernatural control of Mother Su, for the period is considered under supernatural protection, though this does not assert absolute impossibility of death.' The appearance and character of Mae Sue depend on which Mae Sue is assigned to each day of the week, and all of them wear golden robes.

Rites associated with Mae Sue include the Ron Kra Dong (ร่อนกระด้ง), where people put an infant in a threshing basket and say a specific chant, after which parents hold the infant and Mae Sue will no longer worry about it. Another rite is the Jook haircut (จุก), where parents place clay dolls with different styles of the jook haircut near the infant; the infant is given the hairstyle of the first doll it grabs, as it is believed Mae Sue made the infant catch the doll it likes. A rite to change the hairstyle occurs when a girl turns 11 years old and a boy turns 13–15 years old.

Reader's Guide

Mae Sue holds a unique place in Thai folklore as both a protector and a potential source of harm for infants. Her dual nature reflects a common theme in folk beliefs where spirits are neither wholly good nor evil but act according to specific circumstances. The belief that Mae Sue buys a baby at birth to protect it from evil spirits underscores the cultural importance of safeguarding newborns, who are considered vulnerable in the first days of life. The local belief recorded by Lucien Hanks that babies never die during the first three days after birth because they are under Mae Sue's control highlights a traditional explanation for infant mortality patterns. The rites associated with Mae Sue, such as the Ron Kra Dong and the Jook haircut, demonstrate how communities actively engage with this spirit to ensure the child's well-being. The variation in views across different regions of Thailand indicates that Mae Sue is not a monolithic figure but adapts to local customs. Despite being scarcely mentioned in literature, Mae Sue remains a significant figure in Thai cultural heritage, illustrating how folk beliefs provide frameworks for understanding life, death, and the protection of the young.

Did You Know?

• All Mae Sue spirits are described as wearing golden robes.
• A local belief from a village in the Central Plain states that the first three days after birth are under supernatural protection, but this does not assert absolute impossibility of death.
• The Jook haircut rite involves clay dolls with different hairstyles, and the infant's chosen doll determines its hairstyle.