[1] It is a story of the clash between two stepsisters, Sandrembi (Sanarembi), the elder, and Chaisra, the younger, born to the same father but different mothers.

[2][3] Sandrembi, the protagonist, is a young lady, living in forsaken environment and in dire circumstances that are changed into a remarkable fortune.

[8][9][10] In an era called Haya Chak, King Sentreng Apanba ruled the realm of Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur).

And so the two widows sold vegetables and fishes caught from Shilempat (Meitei for 'Shilem lake') in the market to earn their living.

[14] The younger widow and her daughter Chaisra (Cheisra) mistreated Sandrembi (Shanarembi) after her mother's death.

Her mother told her to bring the tortoise from the lake and keep it inside a pitcher for five consecutive days without any break at which only she could re-assume her human form.

[15] Chaisra and her mother devoured the tortoise meat to their heart's content and threw away the bones in the verandah.

However, before the completion of the said period, out of her anxiety as well as curiosity, Sandrembi opened the basket and as it disturbed the normal process of regaining the human shape, the tortoise mother came out in the form of a sparrow and flew away.

Once a King ("Crown Prince" in another version of the story) came for hunting and saw the two maidens fetching water by a riverside.

A son was also born to her, named Machi Sana Melei Khomba in Meitei sacred lores.

After the dinner, Chaisra, according to their plan, dropped Sandrembi's dresses under a bed ("in a hole" in another version of the story).

[18] Poor Sandrembi died and her soul (or corpse in another version of the story) got transformed into a pigeon and flew away.

The king noticed Chaisra's long nose, deep eyes and bushy eyelids, which are contrasting to Sandrembi's features.

[20] Upon knowing that the meat was that of the talking pigeon, the king refused to consume it and buried it behind the Royal Kitchen.

One day, long before the first streak of sun light came, he woke up and pretended to be gone some distance away and secretly entered the cottage silently and peeped into his own room.

At sunrise, he saw a beautiful woman coming out of the jar (where he kept the fruit) and roaming in kitchen for house work.

Suddenly, the blunt sword, of its own accord, slipped out of Sandrembi's hand and chopped off Chaisra's neck.