A Short History of Folktales in India Folktales are Oral stories that are passed down by the elders to the younger generation. For centuries, folktales have been a crucial medium for preserving cultural traditions and teaching the youth to understand the world around them. Tenali Rama or Tenali Ramakrishna (born Garlapati Ramakrishna; also known as Tenali Ramalinga was born as ; 22 September 1480 – 5 August 1528) was a Telugu poet, scholar, and advisor in the court of Sri Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire. Hailing from Tenali, he earned acclaim as one of the Ashtadiggajas, a group of eight celebrated Telugu poets in Sri Krishnadevaraya’s court, and is best known for his sharp wit and humour. A Folktale From Rural Andhra Pradesh The queen mother lay dying and she said, I have one last wish. I would love to taste a sweet mango before I die. But alas, it was not the mango season. The King sent messengers far and wide, and it was weeks before they could bring back one measly little mango. It was too late. The king’s mother had died meanwhile. The …