Genre: Folk Tale A folk tale is a story that has no known author and was originally passed on from one generation to another by word of mouth Usually dealt with ordinary people, or animals that act like people Often find the same motifs (characters, images, or story lines) in the tales of different cultures The “trickster” is one such character Change over time as the storytellers add, omit, or change details to suit their respective audiences Sub-categories include myths, legends, tall tales, fairytales, and fables. These subcategories can all include how-and-why stories, trickster tales, and tales of enchantment.

A few literary terms… Mythology: a story that explains something about the world and typically involves gods or other supernatural forces. These are society’s oldest stories. Myths reflect the traditions and beliefs of the culture that produced them. Almost all cultures have creation myths, or myths explaining different aspects of life and the natural world

A few literary terms… Legend: a story of extraordinary deeds that is handed down from one generation to the next. Most are based to some extent on fact, including real people and real events, but the abilities and achievements of these heroes often bear little resemblance to those of the people on whom they are based.

A few literary terms… Tall Tale: an exaggerated, far-fetched story that is obviously untrue but is told as though it should be believed Tall Tales, like myths, often tell of superheroes who create natural features of the earth or think up key inventions Fable: a brief story told in prose or poetry that contains a moral, or a practical lesson about how to get along Some of the most popular fables are attributed to Aesop, a famous storyteller of ancient Greece Morals are often stated at the end.

A few literary terms… Fairy Tales were either created or strongly influenced by oral traditions and feature stark conflicts between good and evil, with magic and luck determining the usually happy endings. Often find certain themes and motifs repeated across many cultures and time periods. Universal human emotions such as love, hate, courage, kindness, and cruelty often appear

Our Conceptual Lens for this nine weeks is Cultural Perspective. Folklore: Myths, Tall Tales, Fables, Legends, & Fairy Tales Our Conceptual Lens for this nine weeks is Cultural Perspective. As we read, consider the cultural values revealed through the literature. What current cultural values are revealed through literature? How are traditional stories changed to reflect these shifts in values? We’ll begin by reading classic literature, including Greek mythology, Arthurian Legend, and Grimm’s Fairy Tales. At the end of the unit, you will read a current novel based on one of these, and your Literature Circle will compare and contrast the values revealed through the two versions.