Meitei folktales

See also: Meitei mythology

Meitei folktales or Manipuri folktales refer to the large collection of folk stories developed from the Meitei culture since Ancient Manipur (Antique Kangleipak). These are the lion's share in the large tradition of the Meitei folklore. Folktales are called "funga wari" ("phunga wari"), literally meaning "stories of kitchen furnace or stove" in Manipuri (Meitei).^[1] In early times, in the Meitei households, children must have gathered around the kitchen fire, listening to the stories narrated by the elders.^[1] Generally, Meitei folktales were developed from the creativity of the old folks, especially the grandparents, who narrated the children the diverse sagas of varying genres.^[1][2][3]

List

List of Folktales	Latin Roman transliteration	English translation (English title)
ꯀꯕꯣꯛꯀꯤ ꯅꯣꯡ	Kabok ki Nong	The Rain of Kabok[4]
ꯀꯥꯡ ꯑꯃꯣꯝꯒꯤ ꯇꯦꯡꯊꯥ	Kang Amomgi Tentha	The Female Mosquitoe's Plight[5]
ꯀꯩ ꯑꯃꯗꯤ ꯁꯃꯨꯕꯨ ꯍꯉꯣꯢꯅ ꯃꯥꯢꯊꯤꯕ ꯄꯤꯕ	Kei amadi Shamu bu Hangoi na Maithiba Piba	The clever frog defeats Tiger and Elephant[6]
ꯀꯩ ꯑꯣꯟꯕ ꯀꯣꯝꯒꯤ ꯏꯁꯤꯡ	Kei Onba Kom Gi Eshing	Water That Turns Everyone Into Tiger[7]
ꯀꯩꯕꯨ ꯀꯩꯑꯣꯢꯕ	Keibu Keioiba (Kabui Keioiba)	Keibu Keioiba (Kabui Keioiba)[8]
ꯁꯃꯨ ꯑꯄꯥꯢꯕꯤ	Samu Apaibi	The Flying Elephant[9]
ꯁꯟꯗ꯭ꯔꯦꯝꯕꯤ ꯆꯩꯁ꯭ꯔꯥ	Sandrembi Chaisra	Sanarembi Cheishra[10][11]
ꯁꯅꯥꯒꯤ ꯁꯖꯤ ꯑꯃꯗꯤ ꯁꯅꯥꯒꯤ ꯇꯦꯅꯋꯥ	Sanagi Saji amadi Sanagi Tenawa	The golden Deer and the golden Parrot[12]
ꯁꯅꯥꯒꯤ ꯇꯦꯅꯋꯥ	Sanagi Tenawa	The Golden Parrot[13]
ꯁꯖꯤꯒ ꯀ꯭ꯋꯥꯛꯀ ꯃꯇꯥ ꯁꯥꯟꯅꯕ	Saji ga Kwak ka Mataa Saanaba	The Doe and the Crow[14]
ꯁꯥꯍꯤꯡ ꯆꯥꯕ ꯃꯆꯤꯜ ꯃꯅꯥꯎ	Sahing chaba machil manao	The Two Demon Brothers[15]
ꯂꯝꯈꯨꯅꯨꯅ ꯆꯥꯛꯀꯧꯕ	Lamkhunu Na Chakkouba	The Feast organized by the Pigeon[16]
ꯂꯝꯍꯨꯢ ꯂꯧꯁꯤꯡ	Lamhui Loushing	The Fox's Wit[17]
ꯂꯝꯍꯨꯢ ꯂꯧꯁꯤꯡ	Lumhui Lousing	The Clever Fox[18]
ꯂꯝꯍꯨꯢ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯀꯩꯁꯥꯜ	Lamhui amashung Keishal	The Fox and the Jackal[19]
ꯂꯝꯍꯨꯢ ꯒꯤ ꯇꯥꯠ	Lamhui gi Tat	The Fox's Trick[20]
ꯂꯥꯟꯃꯩ ꯊꯥꯟꯕꯤ	Lanmei Thanbi	Light Spirit[21]
ꯂꯥꯢ ꯈꯗꯥꯡ ꯄꯥꯟꯗꯕꯤ	Lai Khadang Pandabi	The Witch without chin[22]
ꯂꯥꯢꯐꯗꯤꯕꯤꯒꯤ ꯅꯨꯄꯥ	Laifadibigi Nupa (Laifadibigi Bor)	The Doll's Groom[23]
ꯂꯥꯢꯐꯗꯤꯕꯤꯒꯤ ꯊꯧꯖꯥꯜ	Laiphadibigi Thouchaal (Laiphadibigi Bor)	The Boon of the Doll[24]
ꯂꯥꯢꯔ ꯃꯆꯥ ꯇꯔꯦꯠ	Laira Macha Taret	The Seven Poor Sons[25]
ꯂꯥꯢꯔꯦꯟꯅ ꯋꯥꯁꯛ ꯉꯥꯛꯄ	Lairen na Waashak Ngaakpa	The Python Promise[26]
ꯂꯨꯈ꯭ꯔꯥꯕꯤ ꯃꯆꯥ	Lukhrabi Macha	The Widow Son[27]
ꯂꯨꯈ꯭ꯔꯥꯕꯤ ꯃꯆꯥ	Lukhrabi Macha	The Widow Son[28]
ꯂꯨꯈ꯭ꯔꯥꯕꯤ ꯑꯃꯗꯤ ꯍꯉꯣꯢ	Lukhrabi amadi Hangoi	The widow and the frog[29][30][31]
ꯂꯩꯃ ꯍꯤꯡꯆꯥꯕꯤ (ꯔꯥꯅꯤ ꯍꯤꯡꯆꯥꯕꯤ)	Leima Hingchabi (Rani Hingchabi)	The Demon Queen[32]
ꯂꯧꯁꯤꯡꯒꯤ ꯆꯥꯡꯗꯝꯅꯕ	Loushing gi Changdamnaba	A Contest of Wit[33]
ꯃꯀꯣꯛ (ꯋꯥꯔꯤ)	Makok	Head[34]
ꯃꯀꯣꯛ ꯑꯍꯨꯝ	Makok Ahum	Three headed men[35]
ꯃꯃꯥ ꯄꯣꯛꯇꯕꯤ	Mama Poktabi	The Stepmother[36]
ꯃꯆꯤꯜ ꯃꯧꯄ꯭ꯋꯥ	Machil Moupwa	The brother and the sister[37]
ꯃꯆꯤꯟ ꯃꯧꯄꯥ	Machin Moupa	The two siblings[38]
ꯃꯤꯅ ꯇꯦꯅꯋꯥ ꯑꯣꯟꯕ	Mee na Tenawa Onba	Human Turning into a Parrot[39]
ꯃꯤꯅ ꯎꯊꯨꯝ ꯑꯣꯟꯕ	Mina Uthum Onkhiba	Human Turning Into A Bird[40]
ꯃꯤꯠꯇ꯭ꯔꯪꯒꯤ ꯆꯩ	Mitrang-gi Chei (Jadugi Chei)	The Magic Stick[41]
ꯃꯤꯠꯇ꯭ꯔꯪꯒꯤ ꯐꯥꯜ	Mitrang gi Fal	The Magical Stool[42]
ꯃꯤꯒꯤ ꯍꯧꯔꯛꯐꯝ	Mee gi Hourakpham	The Origin of Human[43]
ꯄꯦ ꯅꯥꯔꯦꯛꯄꯤ	Pay Nareckpi	King Umbrella[44]
ꯄꯦꯕꯦꯠ ꯑꯃꯁꯨꯡ ꯀꯩ	Pebet amashung Kei	Pebet and the Tiger[45]
ꯅꯥꯄꯜ ꯆꯥꯎꯕ ꯁꯃꯨ ꯑꯃꯗꯤ ꯄꯦꯕꯦꯠ	Naapal Chaoba Shamu amadi Pebet	The egotistical elephant and praying Pebet[46][47]
ꯅꯥꯄꯜ ꯆꯥꯎꯕ ꯋꯥ ꯄꯥꯝꯕꯤ	Naapal Chaoba Waa Pambi	The Proud Bamboo Tree[48]
ꯅꯥꯄꯜ ꯆꯥꯎꯕ ꯏꯔꯣꯢ	Napal Chaoba Eeroi	The Proud Buffalo[49]
ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯃꯆꯥꯅꯨꯄꯥ ꯑꯅꯤ (ꯔꯥꯖꯀꯨꯃꯥꯔ ꯑꯅꯤ)	Ningthou Machanupa Ani (Rajkumar Ani)	Two Princes[50]
ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯠ ꯀꯥꯞꯄ	Numit Kappa	The Stories of Suns Shadows from the Past[51]
ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯠ ꯑꯃꯗꯤ ꯌꯦꯟꯕꯥ	Numit amadi Yenba	The sun and the cock[52]
ꯇꯝꯅꯂꯥꯢꯒꯤ ꯊꯧꯖꯥꯜ (ꯚꯨꯠꯀꯤ ꯊꯧꯖꯥꯜ)	Tamnalai Gi Thoujal (Bhoot Ki Thoujal)	Blessings from Spirit[53]
ꯇꯞꯇꯥ	Tapta	Tapta[54]
ꯇꯟ ꯇꯔꯦꯠ	Tan Taret	Seven Breads[55]
ꯇꯥꯢꯕꯪ ꯃꯤꯅ ꯂꯥꯢꯔꯦꯟ ꯑꯣꯟꯕ	Taibang Mee na Lairen Onba	The Human Turning into a Python[56]
ꯇꯦꯝꯕꯂꯥꯢꯊꯛ	Tembalaithak	Tembalaithak[57]
ꯇꯣꯛꯄ ꯂꯥꯟꯗꯥꯕ	Tokpa Laan-daaba	Revenge on the Cat[58]
ꯊꯦꯕ ꯂꯧꯁꯤꯡꯕ	Theba Lousingba	The Clever Hare[59]
ꯊꯧꯅꯥꯐꯕ ꯃꯔꯨꯞ	Thaunaphaba Marup	The Brave Friend[60]
ꯍꯅꯨꯕ ꯍꯅꯨꯕꯤ ꯄꯥꯟ ꯊꯥꯕ	Hanuba Hanubi Paan Thaba	Old Couple Plants Taro[61]
ꯍꯥꯎꯁꯤ ꯅꯃꯣꯢꯅꯨ (ꯇꯥꯢꯕꯪ ꯃꯤꯅ ꯍꯔꯤ ꯅꯣꯡꯅꯥꯡ ꯑꯣꯟꯕ)	Haosi Namoinu (Taibang Mee na Hari Nongnang Onba)	A Human turning into a cicada[62]
ꯍꯥꯎꯗꯤꯒꯝ ꯆꯅꯨ ꯐꯠꯇꯕꯤ	Haodigam Chanu Phattabi	The mean Haodigam Chanu[63]
ꯍꯤꯌꯥꯡ ꯑꯊꯧꯕ	Hiyangthau (Hiyang Athouba)	Hiyangthau (Hiyang Athouba), the Vampire[64]
ꯍꯦꯟꯖꯨꯅꯍꯥ	Henjunaha (Hensunaha)	Henjunaha (Hensunaha)[65][66][67]
ꯍꯧꯗꯣꯡ ꯁꯦꯛꯄꯤ ꯃꯔꯨꯞ ꯑꯅꯤ	Houdong Sekpi marup ani	The cat and the bat[68]
ꯍꯧꯗꯣꯡ ꯂꯝꯕꯣꯢꯕ ꯑꯃꯗꯤ ꯄꯦꯕꯦꯠ	Houdong Lamboiba amadi Pebet	Mystic Cat and Pebet Bird[69]
ꯍꯧꯗꯣꯡꯒꯤ ꯂꯝꯆꯠ	Houdong gi Lamchat	Cat Nature[70]
ꯎ ꯁꯨꯕ ꯑꯃꯗꯤ ꯆꯥꯎꯔꯦꯟ	U suba amadi Chaoren	The Carpenter and Chaoren[71]
ꯎꯅ ꯁꯥꯕ ꯁꯛꯇꯝ	Una saba saktam	A wooden sculpted face[72]
ꯎꯆꯦꯛ ꯂꯥꯡꯃꯩꯗꯣꯡ	Uchek Langmeidong	Uchek Langmeidong[73]
ꯏꯇꯥ ꯊꯥꯎꯃꯩ	Eta Thangmei (Ita Thaomei)	My Friendly Lamp[74][75]
ꯑꯄꯪꯕ ꯃꯅꯥꯎ	Apangba Manao	Foolish Younger Brother[76]
ꯑꯄꯪꯕꯒꯤ ꯂꯥꯢꯕꯛ	Apangba gi Laibak	The Foolish Man's Fortune[77]
ꯑꯆꯨꯝꯕ ꯉꯥꯡꯕꯒꯤ ꯃꯍꯩ	Achumba ngangba gi mahei (Achumba ngangba gi fal)	The fruit for telling the truth[78]
ꯑꯉꯥꯡꯗꯒꯤ ꯃꯥꯢꯔꯦꯟ ꯑꯣꯟꯕ	Angangdagi Mairen Onba	Child Who Turned into a Pumpkin[79]

Stories from the Funga Wari (Naharol Khorjei Thaugallup Jaribon)

This is a list of the stories from the "Funga Wari" (literally, "folktales"), a book on Meitei folklore, published by the "Naharol Khorjei Thaugallup Jaribon".

Stories	English translation
Apangba Manao	Foolish Younger Brother[76]
Haudonggi Lamchat	Cat's Nature[70]
Kabokki Nong	Kabok's rain[4]
Kang Amomgi Tentha	The Female Mosquitoe's Plight[5]
Mama Poktabi	The Stepmother[36]
Mitrang (Jadu)gi Chei	The Magic Stick[41]
Ningthou Machanupa Ani	The Two Princes[50]
Pay Nareckpi	King's Umbrella[44]
Sanagi Tenawa	The Golden Parrot[13]
Thaunaphaba Marup	The Brave Friend[60]

Stories from Fungawari Singbul

There are numerous folk stories, mainly fables, from Meitei folklore, compiled by B. Jayantakumar Sharma in the book "Fungawari Singbul".^[80] Here is a list of the folk stories from the book:

Stories	English translation
Achumba ngangbagi fal (mahei)	The fruit for telling the truth[78]
Apangbagi Laibak	The Foolish Man's Fortune[77]
Ashingba Hangoi na Kei amadi Shamu maithiba piba	The clever frog defeats the tiger and the elephant[6]
Bhoot ki Thoujal	Blessings from Spirit[53]
Gadadhar	Gadadhar[81]
Hanuba Hanubi Paan Thaaba	Old Couple Plants Taro[61]
Haodigam Chanu Phattabi	The mean Haodigam Chanu[63]
Houdong Lamboiba amadi Pebet	The Mystic Cat and the Pebet[69]
Houdong Sekpi Marup Ani	The cat and the bat[68]
Keibu Keioiba	Keibu Keioiba[8]
Kei Onba Kom gi Eshing	Water that turns everyone into tiger[7]
Lai Khadang Pandabi	The Witch without chin[22]
Laiphidibigi Bor (Nupa)	The Doll's groom[23]
Laiphidibigi Bor (Thoujal)	The Boon of the Doll[24]
Laira Macha Taret	The Seven Poor Sons[25]
Lairen gi Waashak	The Python's promise[26]
Lamhui gi Tat	The Fox's trick[20]
Lamhui Loushing	The Fox's Wit[17]
Lamkhunu na Chakkouba	The feast invited by a pigeon[16]
Lukhrabi amadi Hangoi	The Widow and the Frog[29][30]
Lukhrabi Macha	The Widow's son[27]
Lukhrabi Macha Yatra	Yatra, the Widow's son[28]
Machil Moupwa	The brother and the sister[37]
Makok	Head[34]
Mee gi hourakpham	The origin of human[43]
Mee na Tenawa Onba	Human turning into a parrot[39]
Meena Uchek Langmei Onba	Human turning into a hornbill bird[73]
Mina Uthum Onkhiba	Human turning into a bird[40]
Mitrang gi Fal	The Magical Stool[42]
Naapal Chaoba Eeroi	The Proud Buffalo[49]
Numit amadi Yenba	The sun and the cock[52]
Pebet amadi Kei	The Pebet and the Tiger[45]
Pebet na Shamu Angaobada Laman Khumba	Pebet avenges to the wild elephant[47]
Sahing Chaba Machil Manao	The two demon brothers[15]
Samu Apaibi	The flying elephant[9]
Sanagi Saji amadi Sanagi Tenawa	The golden deer and the golden parrot[12]
Sanarembi Cheishra	Sandrembi Chaisra[10]
Shaji Amom amadi Kwaak	The Doe and the Crow[14]
Subhadra Chhuri Huranba	Subhadra The Thief[82]
Taibang Meena Harinongnang Onba	A Human turning into a cicada[62]
Taibang Meena Lairen Onba	The Human turning into a python[56]
Tan Taret	Seven Breads[55]
Tapta	Tapta[54]
Tembalaithak	Tembalaithak[57]
Tenawa Chandrasakhi	Parrot Chandrasakhi[83]
Theba Loushingba	The clever hare[59]
Theba Thenggu Lamjel Taanaba	Hare and Tortoise[84]
Tokpa Laandaba	Revenge on the Cat[58]
Una Saba Saktam	A wooden sculptured face[72]
U suba amadi Chaoren	The Carpenter and Chaoren[71]

Related page

• List of Meitei people

Bibliography

• Oinam, James (26 May 2016). New Folktales of Manipur. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-945400-70-4.
• Oinam, James (26 May 2016). New Folktales of Manipur. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-945400-70-4.
• Oinam, James (26 May 2016). New Folktales of Manipur. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-945400-70-4.