2. WHAT IS A FOLK TALE?
• “Folk” are people
• “Tales” are stories
3. KEY ELEMENTS:
• 1) Oral Tradition
• 2) Teach a lesson
• XYZ behaviors/attitudes result in ABC
consequences
• 3) Archetypal characters
• The liar, the thief, the clever child, the
stepmother, etc.
• 4) Dialect or slang (oral tradition)
• 5) Repetitive structure (oral tradition)
4. THE BEGINNING
• Many folk tales begin as a group’s attempt to
explain and understand the world around
them, both natural and spiritual.
• All cultures have folk tales.
5. FOLK TALES VS. FAIRY TALES
• Fairy tales usually contain an element of
magic, whereas folk tales usually don’t.
• Some folk tales are based on real people.
• Some real people become folk heroes.
6. FOLK TALES VS. TALL TALES
Tall tales are uniquely American and have:
1) a larger-than-life main character (superhuman) who has
a specific task
2) the problem is solved in a funny or outrageous way
3) details are exaggerated (larger than life)
4) characters who use everyday language (like folk tales)
**Many tall tales are based on actual people or on a
composite of actual people. Exaggeration is the major
difference between folk tales and tall tales.
