Short answer: Folklore is not central to Jainism. Jainism centers on the teachings of the Tirthankaras, karma, ethics (like ahimsa, truth, non-stealing, celibacy), and the path to liberation. Local stories or legends may exist in communities and can help people relate to Jain culture, but they are not part of the core doctrine or required practice.

Notes:

• Different Jain traditions (Digambar and Shwetambar) have their own rich repertoires of legends and temple narratives, but these are cultural expressions rather than essential Jain doctrine.
• Core Jain practice remains: ethical conduct, meditation, and renunciation as appropriate to one’s stage of life.

If you’d like, I can share examples of canonical Jain concepts (like karma and punya/punya) or summarize key Jain scriptures in a simple way.