Children's Folk Tales : Si Tanggang

Si Tanggang was a one and only child of Si Talang and Si Druma.  This small fisherman family was trying hard to make both ends meet.  Grown up Si Tanggang left the house with his small boat in search of fortune but was captured by pirates and he was forced to work as a slave.  After sometime he gained captain's trust and married Captain's daughter and became a rich merchant.  Once when he was sailing through his home town  Si Tanggang's mother got wind of the news and went on to welcome his son.  But the ungrateful Tanggang hate to call the poor old couple as his parents and humiliated them. After seeing this, heart broken Si Druma cried to God and God collapsed his boat and turned him into rock. 

This is a famous Malaysian folk story to teach the children to respect their Parents.  The above miniature sheet illustrates this moral story.  Pos Malaysia has issued this in the year 2007.  The designer of the stamp made the ungrateful Tanggang with a silver foil to give the rock effect.   If I were the designer I would have made the mother with the gold foil.

Mr. Joel generously sent this MS for my Unusual stamp collection.  Because of him my Malaysian collection is enhancing.  Thanks Joel.

Roman mosaic Stamp: Luxembourg Post

In the year 1995, Archaeological research undertaken at Vichten, Luxembourg resulted in the discovery of Roman villas.  Those Roman villas were made around 240 AD.  To commemorate this remarkable event, in the year 2007 Luxembourg Post issued a souvenir sheet depicting the unearthed mosaic which adorned the reception hall of one of the Roman villa. This mosaic stamp has the well-known Greek poet Homer and the Muse Calliope in the middle square box where as other eight muses surrounding them in four octagonal boxes and each box depicts 2 muses.  The muses' names are clearly seen in the stamp. (In the below stamp you can see Muse Polymnia).

Now this unearthed mosaic can be seen at the Luxembourg's National Museum of History and Art.