Nats are spirits who dwell in the mountains of Burma, especially on the sacred Mount Poppa (see Mountain Mythology). But nats can also live in all aspects of nature, in people's houses and even in people. Some nats are troublemakers—rather like poltergeists—while some are protectors—like guardian angels. Nats once lived in the world as humans, many of whom were wrongly killed by evil kings. Included in the official list of thirtyseven Nats, for instance, are a famous blacksmith and his sister who were burned alive because a king was jealous of what he saw as the blacksmith's mysterious power (see Neak-tā, Phi).
