The study sought to elicit students' perspectives on the use of folktales in teaching reading. The stories used were local folktales of the Pamona tribe consisted of Ngkai Tabuyanggi and Tando Bancea. The data were gathered by distributing questionnaires and interview questions to university students. According to the study's findings, the majority of students viewed the use of local folktales in reading lessons favorably. They found the stories to be interesting, engaging, motivating, and culturally relevant. They also appreciated the moral lessons embedded in the stories, which helped them understand important cultural values and traditions. This not only improves students' reading skills, but it also promotes cultural and language awareness. T Furthermore, the study suggests that teachers can use these stories as a springboard for further discussion and investigation of the stories' cultural context.