Malaysia
"Here the slightest breath and faintest flicker are received by all senses at once." When Lescale arrives in Malaysia, he has no idea of the wonders that await. He is reunited with Rolain, who he met in the trenches during the First World War. Rolain is running a plantation deep in the jungle, and Lescale discovers a new sense of freedom in the vast equatorial forests. Combining vivid descriptions of the landscape, a semi-autobiographical story, surprisingly modern writing and quotes from local poems, 'Malaisie' won Henri Fauconnier the Goncourt Prize in 1930.
The Philippines
'Contes et Légendes des Philippines' ('Tales and Legends of the Philippines') from the 'Aux origines du monde collection' offers a unique insight into Filipino culture, bringing together a collection of stories and myths that have shaped the collective imagination:
The first woman had a long, pointed beard. Lazy by nature, she always fell asleep when she was breastfeeding. Her husband had to hold her beard so that it wouldn't hurt the baby's eyes. One day the woman said:
– There is no more meat. Take the dogs! Go kill a deer!
– But who will hold your beard while you breastfeed?
– I will! Don't worry, I won't fall asleep.
The husband went hunting, the wife began breastfeeding, and... fell asleep. When the husband returned, the baby, injured by its mother's beard, had gone blind. The husband pulled off his wife's beard so that his future babies would not risk losing their sight.
Indonesia
In 'The Girl from the Coast', author Pramoedya Ananta Toer recounts his grandmother’s life story. A fisherman's daughter from a modest background, she was married at the age of 14. Finding herself in feudal Java at the turn of the 20th century, she was intimidated and unhappy, but was able to quickly adapt to the language and customs of her new surroundings. In this story of a stolen life, the young woman, who struggled to hold onto her freedom until the end, embodies the strength of the Indonesian people.
