The Meitei folktales (Meitei: Meitei Phunga Wari), also sometimes referred to as the Manipuri folktales, are the large collections of folk stories developed from the Meitei culture since Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur).

Folktales are called "funga wari" ("phunga wari"), literally meaning "stories of kitchen furnace or stove" in Meitei language (officially called Manipuri language).

[1][2] 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.

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