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Folktale Traits

“For most of human history, 'literature,' both fiction and poetry, has been narrated, not written — heard, not read. So fairy tales, folk tales, stories from the oral tradition, are all of them the most vital connection we have with the imaginations of the ordinary men and women whose labor created our world.” Angela Carter
Traits of Folktales
 

  1.  Strong characters

  2.  Simple setting

  3.  May have magic or fantasy

  4.  A problem that gets solved (Charecters must prove themsevles, good vs. evil)

  5.  Cultural clues (think about stories like Cinderella and The Rough Face Girl)

  6.  A message, lesson, or explanation

  7. Rule of 3 (or 7)

  8. Repeated phrases

 

Types of Folktales​
 

Trickster Tales

One character, usually the protagonist, is a clever trickster that causes problems for the other characters. They usually go unpunished.

 

Example “Trickster” Characters:

Anansi the Spider (Africa), Hare (Tortoise and the Hare-North America), Wolf (Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood-Europe)

 

Fables

These are stories that teach a lesson or have a moral. The main characters of Fables are usually animals with human characteristics

 

Examples of Fables:

Tortoise and the Hare,   The Ant and the Grasshopper

 

Pourquoi Stories

Explain WHY something is as it is, explains HOW something came to be, and it usually explains something in Nature

 

Examples of Pourquoi Stories:

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears,  How The Tiger Got It's Stripes 

 

Fairytales

Often begin with "Once upon a time" and include good and evil charecters. Many times there is royalty, a hero, and magic.

 

Examples of Fairytales:

Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty

 

What is a Folktale?
 

Folktales were passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, which is called oral tradition. They were made up to explain the wonders of the world or to teach morals and lessons.

Things to think about when writing a Folktale...
 

  • Remember that folktales are stories that are meant to be told.

  • Try writing your folktale as if you were telling it to a friend.

  • Many folktales use phrases that are easy to remember, like "once upon a time" or "in a land far, far away."

  • You might also come up with repeated verses or phrases like the ones in "The Three Little Pigs":

                         “Little Pig, little pig, let me in!”

                           “Not by the hairs on my chinny-chin-chin”

 

Helpful Resources
 
 

 

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