• Chelsea Chandam
• Hijam Georgie Philemon

This paper examines the folk narrative of Manipur as a sophisticated form of ethical discourse embedded within indigenous narrative traditions. Moving beyond a descriptive reading of folklore as mere entertainment, the study approaches these tales as culturally coded texts that articulate communal values and social norms. Despite their significance, few studies have examined Manipuri folktales through the lens of moral philosophy, leaving their internal structures underexplored. Employing a qualitative literary-analytical framework, the research focuses on thematic patterns and the functional roles of animal and human figures as carriers of moral agency. The analysis reveals that ethical meaning is conveyed not through abstract moralization but through narrative consequence and symbolic action. By reading these stories as a coherent corpus, the study highlights how oral tradition preserves and transmits ethical knowledge across generations while negotiating survival and social harmony. Ultimately, the paper argues that these narratives function as a grounded ethical system, offering insight into indigenous worldviews that remain underrepresented in mainstream literary studies.

Folk Narrative, Ethical Discourse, Folklore, Oral Tradition, Manipuri Folktales

"Folk Narrative as Ethical Discourse: A Literary Analysis of Folktales of Manipur", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 1, page no.a137-a142, January-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2601016.pdf

"Folk Narrative as Ethical Discourse: A Literary Analysis of Folktales of Manipur", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 1, page no. ppa137-a142, January-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2601016.pdf