The Munda Tribe before entering the Chotanagpur plateau was divided into a number of clans. With time each and every clan split up and most of them adopted a different name. Most of the clans have a fascinating legend which is related to the origin and the nature of the clan. The legends of different clans are narrated below:

Balemucu Clan
The legendary tale of Balemucu clan states that once few persons of the Horo clan caught a tortoise by means of a bow like net known as Balemucu. Later they ate up the tortoise. From that day they became the members of the Balemucu clan and refrained from eating fish or tortoise that were caught by a mucu-net.

Bodra Clan
As per a myth long ago there lived an old Munda couple in a village named Andiki in Tamar. Once they were invited to attend a feast. The old man was a gourmet and ate so greedily that he smeared his whole mouth, face and hand with the food. The people thus made him into a new clan Bodra and his descendant came to be known as Bodra from that day.

Lengbodra Clan
The fable of Lengbodra Clan states that one day the people of Tebo Bodra clan set out together for a hunt. They wandered in different directions the whole day and met in the evening. Upon inquiring about their hunt none replied but a man who had killed a Lang, the fly-catcher bird. They all tried to fathom the reason as to why they had only killed only a bird. An old man said that as it was the first day of their hunt hence that they had hunted only a Lang. Thenceforward they must be known as Lang Bodra and should refrain form killing the Lang bird. All the people from then adopted their clan as Langbodra.

Ramrabodra Clan
The legend says that one day the people of Iti belonging to the Bodra clan ate Ramra i.e. a pulse before it was prepared. It was actually to be eaten with the cooked rice. From that very day they were called Ramra Bodra.

Dorarae Clan
Once, a man of Mundu Lili went to a tree in search of honey. Upon finding honey in the hollow of the tree he entered into it but his hair was badly besmeared with honey. The villagers came forward to rescue him and took him home. They spent almost seven vessels of oil to soften his hair. Thenceforward he became Dorarae clan.

Horo Clan
The legend here states that once an old man with his kinsmen was crossing a river. All his kins crossed the river but he did not as the river was flooded. In fear and agony he proclaimed that whoever would help him across the river would become his kin. None but a horo i.e. a tortoise came forward and took the old man with bag and baggage across the river. The old man to remain true to his promise accepted the Horo as his kin and from that day he adopted the Horo clan.

Hunipurti Clan
Once, a Munda had planted cotton in his field. When the capsules began bursting his wife went to gather wool in the field. In the field she kept her baby and engaged in collecting wool. During this time the field rats came by and upon seeing a lively child they took it to their hole. The wife of the Munda soon came in search of her find only to find him missing. Anxious and concerned she began weeping loudly and informed the villagers about the incident. The villagers made a vigorous search and found the baby in the rat hole. They saw the baby lying comfortably on a bed of cotton wool and playing. Considering the fact that the rats had given the child much comfort and treated it kindly they thought of regarding them as their brethren. Thus, they addressed the rats as their brethren and decided that in future they would inflict no harm on the rats. From then they came to be known as Hunipurti clan.

Kandir Clan
According to this legend a certain Munda family had several brothers and a sister who was quite hefty and bulky. The circumference of her waist was such that it required about 9 feet of cloth to cover it up. She was relegated the job of cooking food for her brothers but never carried out in a responsible way. The brothers thus, thought of marrying her off as she did not care for them. All of them took half a maund of flattered rice with them and set out in search of a bridegroom. After a few days they returned and marriage their sister off and sent her to Arnapota to her husband`s house. As the brothers went out with half a maund of flattered rice, they from that day began to be known as Kandir clan.

Mundu Clan
The legendary tale states that a batch of Munda once resolved to migrate from their original village to Mundu. They travelled the whole day and when night crept in they lighted the end of a rope made of paddy straw to enable themselves to locate their way. However, when they reached close to the village Mundu (Murhu) the rope burnt down. As their rope had burnt down the leader of the migrating batch declared that they must discontinue their journey. They settled there and founded the village Suranda and came to be known as Mundu clan.

Pandu or Nag Clan
The legendary fable suggests that once a snake charmer had kept a white Nag and named it Pandu Bing. He kept it with him during his shows. One day the charmer died on the way while returning his home from a village. The faithful nag coiled itself round the corpse and carried him away to his house. The sons of the charmer were much obliged to the Nag for its help and gave it plenty of food to eat. The Nag also in return promised not to harm them. The sons from that moment in a sense of gratitude, called themselves as Nag Kili.

Sarukad Purti Clan
The legend of Sarukad Purti Clan states that once a group of Mundas were migrating to some other place when a river they had to cross became flooded. One of them ventured to cross it by swimming but was swept away by the strong current. However, he succeeded in saving himself by catching hold of a faro plant through which he reached the shores on other end of the river. He then advised others to cross the river taking help of the faro plant. One by one all of them crossed the river. Upon being safely transported to the other side the group thought of offering a sacrifice of fowl in case they thought, the spirits might become displeased. To roast the fowl they rolled it in the leaves of the same faro plant. Since the faro helped them cross the river and bake the fowl by rolling over the leaves of faro plant they were called the Sarukad Purti clan.

Soy Clan
The legend of Soy Clan states that a Munda had planted cotton in his field beside a river. A giant fish regularly visited the cotton field through a passage and caused damage to the plant. The Munda at first were completely unaware of the source that damaged their crops. One night he laid an ambush and noticed that a fish was there in the field. He shot arrows at the fish that resulted in its death. However, the fish was too heavy to be carried by him alone to the village hence he summoned his bhayads who took it to the village. The Munda who killed the fish came to be known as Tuingsoe Kili as Tuing means shooting an arrow. He who chopped the bones was said as Jangsoe Kili and those who divided the fish into shares were recognised as Tilsoe as Til means to divide or distribute. Another Munda who brought a leaf to have his share was known as Patra Kili as Patra means leaf. The other sub-divisions of the Soe Kili were thus, formed in this manner.

Tuti Clan
According to a legend once a group of Munda were migrating from one village to another. They divided themselves in two groups. During their journey they required to cross Kanchi River. The first group easily crossed it soon but when the second group reached there it was raining heavily. The river became flooded hence they could not cross the river. The tribal group lit fire to cook their meal and warm themselves to seek protection against the cold. The people on the other bank trembled with cold as they had no fire. Taking pity on them another group on the bank of river made a fork of Tuti plant that abounded the surrounding places. They threw fire in it by means of a bow. When the flood settled the other group also crossed the river. They decided to be called as Tuti clans as the Tuti plant had helped them in saving their life. From that day they and their descendants came to be called as the Tuti clan.