A folktale is "a tale circulated by word of mouth among the common folk". (Folktale). By that definition, written (literary) stories are not classifiable as folktales. I would that you do not presume a definition to be the final word in what makes a folktale; for it can be seen that most of all stories classified as folklore have one or more of several key characteristics. They prominently feature a strong moral value, or a recurring motif.
Folktales usually involve some key factors such as trickery, magic, monsters, or becoming rich. They also usually have some key characteristics such as beginning quickly, having uncomplicated characters, fast moving plots, and all questions answered by the end of the story. (Elements of Folktales).
Why is a folktale not a fairytale?
Folktales are very different from fairy tales in several ways. The primary difference between them is in their function. Fairy tales are a distraction from real life; a means of escape for the hopeless. Folk tales have real use and purpose behind their creation; they are meant to teach. Here is a quote explaining the differences:
Folk tales are the traditional beliefs, practices, lessons, legends, and tales of a culture or of a people passed down orally through stories. Fairy tales are fanciful and imaginary stories about people, faeries, animals, or things who have magical powers. Similarity: Every story has a problem and complication before the story is resolved. Difference: Folktales require that people use their brains to solve their problems while fairy tales require that people have magic to help them. (Fairy Tales).
What is the purpose of folktales?
Folktales are meant to teach a lesson to people of all ages...
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... Japanese Lullabies, Koto Music, Shakuhachi Music, Meditation Music, Healing,
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"Trivia Tidbit Of The Day: Part 142 -- U.S. Crime Rate." WILLisms.com. 18 Aug. 2005. Web.
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American folktales, tall tales, myths and legends, ghost stories, and more. American
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Homer, and Robert Fagles. The Odyssey. New York: Penguin Classics, 1999. Print.
Fairy tales connect to our owns lives, dreams, anxieties, and help us to consider what we would do in their shoes. Many cultures have their own spin on common fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty, with their own cultural flavor. We read those versions and know that we share something important and the hope for good to overcome evil.
US Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics. n.d. 13 February 2012 .
One folktale that has multiple versions is the story of “Cinderella/Ashenputal”. Each story contrast the two time periods and cultures of France and Germany. The story of Cinderella was written for royalty, while Ashenputal was written for peasants. In Cinderella is a much more gentler take on the story, suggest that it was written for the upper-class. It involves The King’s Ball, a fairy godmother, and all other actions to create a harmonious conclusion. In the end Cinderella also forgives her family for her mistreatment. She also wears glass slippers instead of gold because these would be only something you could get with great wealth.
Folklores are stories that have been through many time periods. Folklore include Legends, Myths, and Fairy Tales. Legends are traditional tales handed down from earlier times and believed to have a historical basis. Myths are ancient stories dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes. Fairy Tales are fantasy tales with legendary being and creators.
A fairytale is a fictional fantasy fable that passes through generations of children as source of interest to them. Though used for the intent of entertainment, fairytales often indirectly advocate a moral or message to readers (whom are usually children), in hopes that they will grow up to apply these ethics and lead a righteous life. This criteria, however, often originates from the occurrence of a magical transformation; it is this paranormality that introduces the characters of the story to a side of life far from what they have grown to know and learn to adapt to the dramatic amend in their life. This is evident in the characters in world-renowned tales such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.
Legends, Myths, and fairy tales are different types of stories called folklore. Legends are based on history. Myths deal with gods and religion. Fairy tales are completely make believe. Irish folklore is mostly fairy tales, but every culture has all of them. The Irish values of all aspects of a joyous life (nature, dance, humor, music, and beauty) are reflected in all parts of Irish lore because folklore is an expression of the culture itself.
Simple narrative typically of folk origin dealing with supernatural beings. Fairy tales may be written or told for the amusement of children or may have a more sophisticated narrative containing supernatural or obviously improbable events, scenes, and personages and often having a whimsical, satirical, or moralistic character. The term embraces popular folktales such as “Cinderella” and “Puss in Boots,” as well as art fairy tales of late...
Similarities between fairy tales are evident all throughout the tales. A specific similarity that I thought was important was the element of some kind of deal made between the protagonist and the antagonist of the story. For example, in Rapunzel, The Little Mermaid, and Jack and the Beanstalk. In Rapunzel, the two parents were stealing a plant called a rampion from an old witch and she didn’t like this. She made a deal with them that they could take as many plants as they wanted as long as when their first born child was born, they would give it to the witch. In The Little Mermaid, a mermaid named Ariel is sick and tired of living under the sea. She observes all the fun that humans get to have and she wants to be apart of it. She makes
Throughout history people have always been telling stories, whether it is how some ones day went or something strange they saw. One place that has a particularly strong connection with storytelling is Ireland. Telling stories in Ireland was usually for entertainment told at a bar or by the fire in a friend’s home to hear what someone else saw or experienced leaving one with new knowledge. Fairy- legends were stories that were told quite often in conversational type settings telling people something they had heard of experienced about the fairies. The people of Ireland used to strongly believe in the fairies during the nineteenth century. Fairies are not human but look somewhat similar to us except that are usually a lot paler. They live their
( Legends): Based on history (Myths): Based on religions, and (Fairy Tales): Fiction/ false/unreal Each of them have been passed down through the years and have had changes made to them to make them more interesting.
Folklore is a collection of stories passed down from generation to generation that includes Legends, Myths and Fairy tales. Legends are a semi-true story, which has been passed on from a person to another person that has an important meaning. Myths are a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon. A Fairytale is a children's story about magical which they have imaginary beings and lands. Hispanic Folklore is the traditional is mostly about beliefs, legends, customs and stories of the community of the hispanic culture. Hispanic or latino culture encompasses the traditions, language, religious beliefs and practices, legends, music and history.
G. (2016, September 4). Serial killer statistics. Retrieved November 11, 2017, from http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/serial killer information center/project
While fairy tales are entertaining stories and can be used to educate children of the normal social manners of reality; however, it can be used to entertain and educate people of all ages. It can be used as a method of escaping the real world or to teach valuable life lessons than just the normal social mannerisms of society.
Bureau of Justice Statistics, (1998, Dec.) National Crime Victimization Survey. Washington, DC: Department of Justice.
The second folk tale is titled From things fall apart. It is a story of a greedy manipulative turtle who tricks a flock of birds out of their feast in the sky, but he soon learns his lesson when the birds take away their feathers and he is forced to jump back to earth thus shattering his smooth shell. This story shows that this culture believes that if you do bad things you will eventually get what is coming to you.The third folk tale is called In the Land of the Small Dragon. This story has many similarities with Cinderella. It is the story of a beautiful young girl named Tam who’s beauty reflects her inner kindness and innocence. Her half-sister Cam is ugly, which reflects her bitter, jealous, and lazy personality. Tams stepmother treats her like a slave and lets Cam do whatever she wants. Later in the story Tam is given new clothes and a