Every region of Bhutan abounds with rich oral traditions which include folktales
and local myths and legends related to the local history, landforms and place-names.
These oral traditions have been a source of value education as well as entertainment
in our traditional rural societies, and they hold the essence of our unique culture
and traditions. However, unless we act today, our invaluable oral traditions are in
danger of extinction soon due to the sweeping forces of globalization and
commercial entertainment that have already reached even remote areas of Bhutan.
With the help of examples, this paper provides a brief analysis of the traditional
values transmitted by our folktales and the functions served by local legends and
myths in Bhutanese society. Finally, this paper offers some practical
recommendations for collecting our folktales, myths and legends in the form of text,
audio and video using the currently available digital technology to create the first
comprehensive and dynamic ‘Bhutanese Folktales Online Databasex