Folktales, Myths, and Legends

From Around the World

1. All folktales originally began as stories told by word of mouth.

What does this mean about the original form of the stories?

Three birds flew past Wheeling Middle at 5:00 pm. One said, “I wish I could swim in that river right now.” The other two replied, “Don’t be ridiculous.”

2. All folktales have a moral or teach a lesson.

What is a moral?

3. Many old folktales explain how something came to be. These are called “creation myths.”Before science could explain actions and reactions, storytellers would attempt to explain the unexplainable with folktales.

4. Characters in folktales are usually animals or people.Many old Native American myths use animals as characters to describe how things came to be.

Human characters in folktales can range from royalty to peasants, heroes to villains, princes to princesses.

5. Usually a character in a folktale must face an impossible test.

Name some stories you know where a character had to face an impossible test.

6. Many folktales contain the Rule of Three. Characters and events seem to happen in threes.

Name some stories you know where there are three things …

Types of Types of FolktalesFolktalesFairytales

Characters are usually royalty.Characters usually face a test.Setting is usually, “Once upon a time in a far off place.”Themes usually include good vs. evil and dark vs. light.

Types of Types of FolktalesFolktalesMyths

Characters are usually gods or god-like creatures.They usually explain how something came to be or how something was created.These are some of the oldest types of folktales.

Types of Types of FolktalesFolktalesLegends

Usually specific to a certain area, but some similar legends appear in different areas.Legends are usually based on fact but extraordinary details have been added.Different types include: urban legends, personal legends, local legends, and supernatural legends.

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