The Legend of the White Elephant
In Thai mythology, the white elephant (chang pheuak) is a sacred and auspicious symbol directly connected to royal power and Buddhist cosmology. The most famous legend tells how Queen Maya, the mother of the Buddha, dreamt of a white elephant offering her a lotus flower before she conceived — establishing the white elephant as a symbol of spiritual purity and royal legitimacy. In Thai folklore, the discovery of a white elephant was considered a divine sign that the reigning king ruled with righteousness (dharma). The legend of Phra Phutthabat (the Buddha's footprint) tells of a white elephant