Types of Literature - Folktales

Folktales, the stories handed down, often orally, from one generation to the next, reflect a people's view of themselves and their beliefs and concepts about the world. Every culture has a developed folklore through which we can begin to develop an understanding of the people and environment from which the stories originate. Through folklore we can begin to understand that all people share a common human experience.

ELEMENTS OF FOLKTALES

Character: Characters in folktales are often stock characters, either good or evil, wise or foolish, powerful or weak. Can be human, animal or invented creatures. There is usually little or no character development.
Setting: Folktales often take place in the past with the period and place unspecified. "Once upon a time in a land far away..." May include a vague setting like “in a castle” or “a cottage in the woods.”
Plot: The conflict is introduced quickly and ends with a brief conclusion. Common elements include events happening in threes or sevens, magic objects that protect the main character, good rewarded and evil punished, completion of quests or tasks, magical transformations, granting of wishes, cleverness or trickery.
Theme: Universal themes and values particular to a culture are expressed in folklore. Humility, kindness, patience, sympathy, cleverness, hard work and courage are often virtues that are rewarded. A major theme in folk literature is the power of love and kindness. The theme is usually revealed through a character's actions.
Point of View: The point of view is usually omniscient. The writer narrates the action but does not enter into the minds of the characters.

TYPES OF FOLKTALES and Suggested Books

CUMULATIVE TALES: Each episode is built upon the previous one with a predictable, repeating structure. The House That Jack Built is a good example.

○ Aylesworth, Jim. The Mitten. Scholastic Press, 2009

○ MacDonald, Margaret Read. The Squeaky Door. HarperCollins, 2006.

○ Swanson, Susan Marie. The House in the Night. Houghton Mifflin, 2008.

○ Taback, Simms. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. Viking Juvenile, 1999.

TRICKSTER TALES: Tricksters are clever or wise and may be shape changers, animals, humans or even spirits. They may be small and defenseless, relying on their wits to survive. Anansi, the spider trickster of the Ashanti people of Africa, is shown as a man in some tales and as a spider in others. The trickster tale relies on a trick or joke as the solution to the problem and often ends in a surprising or unusual twist.

○ Dembicki, Matt. Tricksters Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection. Fulcrum Pub., 2010.

○ McDermott, Gerald. Pig Boy : A Trickster Tale from Hawaii. Harcourt 2009.

○ Morales, Yuyi. Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. Roaring Book Press, 2008.

○ San Souci, Robert. Sisters Tricksters; Rollicking Tales of Clever Females. August House Little Folk, 2006.

FABLES: Fables are brief stories with an abstract moral or lesson. The characters are often animals and are not named or developed. Often one character depicts the desired behavior or trait and another the bad behavior or trait. Although fables appear to be simple tales, they often have layered meanings.

○ Carle, Eric. The Rabbit and the Turtle. Orchard, 2008.

○ Palatini, Margie. Lousy Rotten Stinkin ’Grapes. Simon and Schuster 2009.

○ Pinkney,Jerry. The Lion and the Mouse. Little Brown, 2009.

○ Rocco, John. Wolf Wolf. Hyperion Books for Children, 2007.

○ Shannon, George. Rabbit’s Gift. A Fable from China. Harcourt 2007.

POURQUOI TALES: These entertaining tales explain the origin of certain characteristics such as how the rabbit got long ears and why the bear has a stumpy tail. Trickery is often an essential element of the plot.

○ Bruchac, Joseph. How Chipmunk Got His Stripes. Dial 2001.

○ Hurston, Zora Neale. What’s the Hurry Fox? and Other Animal Stories. Harper Collins. 2004.

LEGENDS AND TALL TALES: Every society has legends which often involve heroes and their mighty deeds. Unlike myths, these tales are often set in an historic time and place and in a recognizable world. Legends are sometimes based on real people although their lives and deeds are embellished and exaggerated so that they become larger than life. Tall tale heroes such as Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill and Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett accomplish amazing feats like lassoing a tornado. Legends may come from various cultural groups (High John the Conqueror from the African American tradition), occupations (Casey Jones, a railroad engineer), or a region (Jack from the Applachian region of the United States). Legends may also tell about people who meet supernatural creatures such as fairies, giants, ghosts or witches.

○ Demi. The Legend of Lao Tzu and the Tao Te Ching. Mcelderry 2007.

○ Lorbieki, Marybeth. Paul Bunyan’s Sweetheart. Sleeping Ber Press 2007.

○ Morris, Grerald. The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great. Houghton Mifflin 2008.

○ Nolen, Jerdine Thunder Rose. Harcourt 2006.

○ Pinkney, Andrea. Peggony-Po: A Whale of a Tale. Hyperion 2006.

○ Root, Phyllis. Paul Bunyan. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009.

○ Isaacs, Anne. DUST DEVIL. Schwartz & Wade, 2010.

○ Kajikawa, Kimiko. TSUNAMI! Philomel Books, 2009

MYTHOLOGY: Myths are an ancient people's explanations of the mysteries of life and the natural world. These tales are told as fact to explain the origin of the world. The tales are set in the distant past when gods lived on earth. Gods and goddesses can appear as men and women but they are immortal and possess supernatural powers. By studying mythology, we can learn how societies have developed various customs, values and social systems.

TYPES OF MYTHS:

Creation Myths: Explain the beginning of things such as how the sun, moon and stars were formed.
Nature Myths: Explain seasonal changes, animal characteristics, formation of mountains and rivers, and the movements of the sun and moon.
Hero Myths: Relate the deeds of a hero such as Hercules.

○ Bruchac, James & Joseph. The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folktales. Sterling, 2008.

○ Rylant, Cynthia. Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greek Myths. Harcout, 2009.

○ Karas, G. Brian. Young Zeus. Scholastic Press, 2010.

○ Lunge Larson, Lise. The Adventures of Thor the Thunder God. Houghton Mifflin, 2007.

○ Lupton ,Hugh. The Adventures of Odysseus. Barefoot Books. 2007.McCaughrean, Geraldine. Perseus. Cricket Books, 2005.

○ Storrie, Paul. Hercules the Twelve Labors. Graphic Universe 2007.

WONDER AND MAGIC TALES: Traditional fairy tales with quests, impossible tasks, romance, adventure and happy endings

○ Fleischman, Paul. Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella. Holt, 2007.

○ Daly, Niki. Pretty Salma: A Little Red Riding Hood Story from Africa. Clarion, 2007.

○ Cousins, Lucy. Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales. Candlewick Press, 2009.

○ Ally, Zoe. There’s a Wolf at the Door. Roaring Brook Press, 2008

○ Cech, John. Jack and the Beanstalk. Sterling 2008.

○ Isadora, Rachel. Hansel and Gretel. Putnam 2009.

○ Kimmel, Eric A. The Frog Princess: A Tlingit Legend from Alaska. Holiday House, 2006.

MOTHER GOOSE AND OTHER NURSERY RHYMES, CHANTS AND SONGS: These popular verses for children were first carried on through the oral tradition. They include lullabies, counting rhymes, finger plays, songs and chants. Many come from adult sources such as peddler's cries, street chants and popular songs. Nursery rhymes contain internal and end rhymes, assonance, onomatopoeia, alliteration and repetition.

○ Engelbreit, Mary. Mary Engelbreit’s Mother Goose. HarperCollins 2005.

○ Baker, Keith., illustrator. Hickory Dickory Dock. Harcourt 2007.

○ Hoberman, Mary Ann. You Read to Me I’ll Read to You : Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together. Little Brown 2005.

○ Potter, Giselle. Wynken Blynken and Nod. Schwartz and Wade 2008.

○ Ross, Tony. Three Little Kittens and Other Favorite Nursery Rhymes. Henry Holt and Co. 2009.

Lessons:

Updated by Jenahlee Chamberlain and Chelsea Sims
February, 2011

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This page was last updated on February 08, 2011.