During this time, the Malay royal courts became the centre for learning where scribes record the genealogy of kings and queens as well as historical events. The "hikayat" or epics are collections of stories and legends of heroism that often involve mythological and historical figures in a setting usually engaging the role of protagonists and antagonists. The Hikayat Hang Tuah and the story of Hang Jebat are among the most well known "hikayat" which are often told and retold in various forms such children's books, films, theatre plays and musical productions. The choice of who were to be portrayed as the protagonists and who were to be portrayed as the antagonists usually lies with the alignment of the storyteller, although most commonly, bards tend to maintain a stance of neutrality and dispassion in their story telling. In the stories of Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat for example, the lawful Hang Tuah may be portrayed as the hero, while sometimes, the non-lawful Hang Jebat may assume that role. Other notable "hikayat" include:  "Kisah dongeng" are a loose collection of bedtime stories, fables and myths that involves human or non-human characters, often with superhuman powers along with talking animals, and an unearthly setting. In this category, the story of "Puteri Gunung Ledang", "Bawang Putih Bawang Merah" and "Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup" is well known by the Malays. All three have been made into movies, albeit with differing interpretations and settings. Characters with human-likeness abound in these stories. They are collectively referred to as "orang halus" meaning the "refined folk" or "soft folk" (often erroneously translated as "elves"). Most are invisible to the average human. Later folk stories adopted elements from the Islamic world, of Middle Eastern and Persian origin but having arrived by way of Muslims from India. They differ somewhat from their Arabian counterparts due to the fact that what Malays now refer to as angels or demons were originally animistic spirits and deities. Apart from the stories and songs, Malay folklore also includes traditions, rituals and taboos related to the physical as well as the more metaphysical realms of the Malay world view. Such knowledge are usually presented in the forms of symbols and signs inscribed or built into temple walls, palaces, houses and often appear on stone inscriptions as well as grave markers. Natural symbolism are also important such as flowers, trees, animals, the sea as well as celestial objects such as the moon and stars.