Eteima said nothing. The next day, she filled the pot with hot ngari (fermented fish) water and covered it with a leaf. The fox again offered to help. This time, as soon as it opened its mouth to drink — 🔥 thagatni! (burned!) — The fox ran away yelping, never to trouble Eteima again. This isn’t just a children’s tale. It’s a mirror to life:
But a sly mathu (fox) watched her every move. One day, the fox approached Eteima and said in its sweetest voice: “Eteima, your feet look tired. Let me carry your pot. I am strong and fast!” The innocent Eteima agreed. But halfway, the fox secretly drank half the milk, then pretended to trip, spilling the rest. “Oh no! The stones made me fall!” it lied.
Published on Facebook — For the lovers of Manipuri folklore 🏡 Opening Thought Every evening, as the sun dipped behind the paddy fields and the fireflies began their silent dance, our Leikai Eteima (grandmother of the neighborhood) would sit us down on the varandah. Her voice, soft yet powerful, would weave magic into the air. And one of her most unforgettable stories was “Mathu Nabagi Wari” — the tale of the clever fox. Leikai Eteima Mathu Nabagi Wari Facebook Story -
👇 🔁 Share this article if you believe our grandmothers’ stories are timeless treasures. #ManipuriWari #FolkloreThursday #EteimaMathu #LeikaiStories #ManipurHeritage
Record it. Share it. Tag it with #LeikaiEteima #MathuNabagiWari #ManipuriFolktales. Eteima said nothing
If you grew up in a Manipuri household, you know exactly which story I’m talking about. 🦊 Long ago, in a quiet leikai (locality), there lived an old Eteima who survived on a small vegetable garden and the milk from her only goat. Every day, she would carry a little kharé (earthen pot) of milk to the market.
So here’s my Facebook Story to her, and to every Eteima who taught us that a sharp mind is sharper than any fox’s tooth. This time, as soon as it opened its
Leikai Eteima Mathu Nabagi Wari – A Timeless Tale of Wit, Greed & Wisdom
Let’s not let these whispers of wisdom die in the digital noise. I still remember my own Eteima laughing at the fox’s burnt tongue. She would say, “Thabironi mathubu — Lairemaki wahe!” (The fox deserved it — it’s the goddess’s justice.)
