The FolktaleA folktale is a story that is passed down through generations by word of mouth. Storytellers recount folktales, adding their own personal touches to entertain listeners and to teach a moral, or lesson. Myths, tall tales, legends, fables, and fairy tales are all folktales. Below are descriptions of some common elements they share.Setting: The setting is where the story takes place. It can be a place that exists or an imaginary place.Characters and conflict: Characters in folktales can be people or talking animals who sometime have exaggerated or magical abilities. The conflicts are usually everyday problems that regular people might have.Style: The style of a folktale is informal and conversational.Theme: The theme of a folktale, or the folktale's moral, is a lesson about human nature from which listeners or readers can learn.

GENRE STUDY-FOLKTALES

CULTURE AND FOLK TALES

All cultures have stories that are shared. In many cases a story from one culture will be similar to the story of another culture. This is because people share a lot of the same experiences and move from place to place. These stories are known as folktales which are circulated orally among a people. Folktales are part of the larger category known as folklore which includes the traditional art, literature, knowledge, and practices of a culture that are shared usually through oral communication and example.

CONFLICT AND MORALS

In folktales the characters are not well

developed nor the location clearly described.

What is more important to the story is that

there is usually conflict between good and

evil with good usually being rewarded and

evil being punished. Often, the purpose of

these stories is to teach a lesson or to

describe characteristics of

one’s culture. The stories are also

entertaining.

These stories can have different forms which are sometimes similar to one

another. These can include:

Fairy Tales: These entertaining stories, which reveal a lot about human nature,

are about characters that have magical adventures. Animals in the stories can

speak. They always end happily with the "underdog" usually triumphing or good

overcoming evil. Wishes come true as a result of a test or struggle.

Myths: These are stories that contain action and suspense and seek to explain

the origins of life and elements of nature. They are usually about the gods and

supernatural beings which existed before or shortly after humans first appeared

on the earth.

Legends/Epics: These usually refer to individuals, heroes or kings who lived in

the period before written records. While they may be based in some ways on

fact, they have been embellished over time.

Tall Tales: These exaggerated cultural stories revolve around the pioneer spirit

and a person who performs superhuman feats. While these can be based on

real characters, they often deal with invented or exaggerated incidents and

traits.

Fables: These short, simple tales, which teach a lesson, have few characters

(often animals). There is a moral which can be pulled from the simple story to

represent a larger lesson in life.

Religious Stories/Parables: These are religious stories that communicate

values.

THEMES AND MORALS

There are numerous themes or “general topics” that make up the essence of the stories. Often the stories will deal with opposites. These may include:Good vs. evil

Rich vs. poor

Wise vs. foolish

Age vs. youth

Beauty vs. ugliness

Stinginess vs. generosity

Fairness vs. unfairness

SACRIFICE

Often, the “happy ending” of the stories will be brought about because of the sacrifice of one or more of the characters on behalf of others. Usually this represents a selfless act for the benefit of the common good. Explain that the common good represents “wealth shared by the whole group of people.” Wealth can mean money, property, and otherresources but it can also mean a clean environment, a safe community, a friendly neighborhood where people care for each other, honest civilservants, etc. Looking at their own community, what examples of thecommongood can the learners identify?

MAIN CHRACTERISTICS

Exactly how to define what is or is not a folktale is under debate, but stories that fall into this category generally exhibit some very distinguishable characteristics, such as starting with "once upon a time" and ending with "and they all lived happily ever after." They traditionally feature fantastic elements or magic, as well as creatures such as giants, goblins, fairies, elves and dwarfs. They are usually fairly short, often taking just a few minutes to tell or read, and the plots often are melodramatic in nature, featuring a conflict between a hero and villain where everything ends happily, good triumphs and justice properly is served.

Another trait of a folktale is that it survives through or is well known by multiple generations. Initially, people passed down these stories orally, and this method of sharing the tales, coupled with general difficulties and slowness in travel, often resulted in more than one version of the same story developing. Even so, the heart of the plots and the reasons for telling them typically remain the same, mirroring the values and culture of the society from which they originated.

REALISM AD PURPOSE

In general, these stories usually are fiction, meaning that the people, places and events depicted are largely imaginary. In fact, people usually readily admit that they probably aren't true. They are connected closely to legends, however, in that people sometimes come to see at least one aspect or character as real. A good example might be a tale about a witch told among a group that believes witches really exist.

Regardless of how true audiences believe the stories are, folktales almost always provide some practical or moral lesson. Alternately, it can explain how something works or came into being. The Three Little Pigs, for example, teaches that being willing to work and thinking critically about how to prepare can protect someone against intruders or general danger. The fact that people can derive and apply practical meaning from the characters and plots is part of what makes them so popular and enduring.

REASONS FOR COMMON USE

Before the Internet, newspapers, radio, television and other types of media, it wasn't possible to rely on technology to pass the time, and much of the world was illiterate. People relied on storytellers for both entertainment and education as a result. Furthermore, groups needed ways to preserve their cultures. Folktales met all these needs, providing long-lasting lessons while being constructed in a way members of a group could understand based on their experiences and beliefs.