Anyone studying the culture of a state or a country, needs to study not only its written classics, but also its oral traditions, of which folk tales or folklores are an important part. Folk tales provide childhood, families, and communities with the symbolic language of the non-literate parts of people and their culture. Sikkim with a diversity of culture & large ethnic communities, is very rich in folklore such as - proverbs, lullabies, folk medicine, and folk tales. Wherever people live, folklore grows; new jokes, proverbs, rhymes, tales, and songs circulate in the oral tradition.

Folktales could be i) male centered tales, ii) women centered tales, iii) tales about families, iv) tales about fate, gods, demons, v) humorous tales, vi) animal tales, and vii) stories about stories (Ramanujan, 1991).

Folk tales from Sikkim are the cultural wealth of the state, as these contain the knowledge of the ancient past and also throw light on the historical, social and religious background of the different communities of Sikkim. The folk tales show us the action, reaction, interaction, relationship, and judicious use of these resources that existed between men, beasts, birds and the vegetation kingdom of the Earth. They lived side by side in peace and harmony, understanding the need of one another. Modem civilization has brought this beautiful Earth to the brink of destruction, where man has become the greatest enemy of the beasts, birds and the vegetation of the earth. These folk tales still live to some extent in the forms of songs and dances. The grandparents narrate these tales and legends to grandchildren, while sitting by the fireside in the evening time.

Folktales of antiquity of Sikkim were based on the Lepcha and Limboo communities, such as the great deluge - Sakya-Rum Faat, Tendong Lho Rum Faat etc. More folk tales were added on the above after the migration and settlement of Bhutia communities after the 17th century onwards, such as Pang Lapsol, Singi Chham etc. With the Gorkha invasion and settlement after 1774 onwards, a number of folktales like Sunkesri Rani, were added on. Similarly, more and more folklores based on the cultures of Bengali, Punjabi, & Bihari, were added on after the integration of Sikkim into the Indian Union, in 1975 onwards. Thus, the folklore is always dynamic, ever changing to suit the culture and tradition of the people of that point of time and space.

The different communities of Sikkim have their own folktales. For instance, a few important folktales could be described in brief as under: