Myths, Folk Tales, Fables, Fairy Tales, Tall Tales, and Legends

Storytelling is common to every culture. Most people enjoy listening to stories. Storytellers have provided people with entertaining stories since the beginning of civilization. Most people have their own favorite story from childhood and, often, these tales are both fascinating and frightening. These stories include myths, folk tales, fables, fairy tales, tall tales, and legends.

What is a Legend? * A legend is a semi-true story, which has been passed on from person-to-person and has important meaning or symbolism for the culture that started it. *A legend usually includes an element of truth, or is based on historic facts, but with 'mythical qualities'. *Legends usually involve heroic characters or fantastic places and often include the spiritual or religious beliefs of the culture in which they originate (start).

Examples of Legends Robin Hood Saint Nicholas Paul Revere

What is a Myth? A myth is a story that usually explains something about the world and involves gods and other superhuman beings.

Examples of Myths Zeus Aphrodite Medusa ’ s Head Hera Icarus Poseidon

What is a Folk Tale? A folk tale is a story with no known author. Folk tales are passed down from one generation to another by word of mouth.

Examples of Folk Tales Aunty Misery Jack and the Bean Stalk Aschenputtel How the Snake Got Poison

What is a Fable? A fable is a very brief story in prose or in verse that uses animal characters to teach a lesson or moral about how to succeed in life.

Examples of Fables The Crow and the Jar The Tortoise and the Hare The Fox and the Crow

What is a Fairy Tale? A fairy tale is a type of fantasy writing that carries the reader into an invented world where the laws of nature, as we know, do not operate.

Examples of Fairy Tales Cinderella Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Ella Enchanted Rapunzel Photo from:

What is a Tall Tale? Tall tales began in the 1800's as a way for pioneers to understand the greatness of the American west. There were huge forests, ferocious animals, deserts, and mountains. The pioneers were trying to conquer these elements, and that was a scary business. The heroes and heroines in the tall tales were also huge and often ferocious. They made the taming of America a little easier to handle. Some of the heroes and heroines in tall tales are real people like Davy Crockett and Johnny Appleseed. Their stories got exaggerated a lot. Other tall tale characters were not real people. Characters included sea captains, loggers, railroad workers, cowboys, and firefighters. Tall tale tellers combined information about what was really happening at the time with wild tall tale fantasy. The tall tales you'll read will have great metaphors and similes. The amount of exaggeration is immense, but that's what makes them fun to read.

Examples of Tall Tales Paul Bunyan Johnny Appleseed Davy Crockett John Henry

Legends: -Robin Hood -Saint Nicholas -Fountain of Youth -Paul Revere -Big Foot Fairy Tales: -Hansel and Gretel -Snow White and the Seven Dwarves -Rapunzel -Cinderella Myths: -Pandora’s Box -Icarus and Daedalus -Poseidon -Medusa -Zeus Tall Tales: -Johnny Appleseed -Paul Bunyan -Davy Crockett -John Henry Folk Tales: -Jack and the Beanstalk -The Boy Who Cried Wolf -Aunty Misery (pg.726) -Achenputtel (pg. 747) -The Ugly Duckling Fables: -The Tortoise and the Hare -The Fox and the Crow -The Emperor’s New Clothes