Myths,Folk Tales,Fables, andFairy Tales

What is a myth?A myth is a make believe story that tries to explain the existence of a

natural phenomenon. For instance, a myth might try to explain how fire or rain was made, why there are waves in the ocean or how a zebra got its stripes. Often times, myths are closely tied to a certain culture and

sometimes they have some kind of God or divine being.

Examples of Myths

• Arrow to the Sun

• Hercules

• Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ear

What is a Folk Tale?

• A folk tale is a story with no known author. Folk tales are passed down from one generation to another by word of mouth.

Examples of Folk Tales

• Martina the Beautiful Cockroach

• How the Snake Got Poison

• Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

What is a fable?

• A fable is a very brief story in prose or in verse that teaches a moral or a practical lesson about how to succeed in life.

Examples of Fables

• The Crow and the Pitcher

• The Tortoise and the Hare

• The Boy Who Cried Wolf

• The Country Mouse and the City Mouse

What is a fairy tale?

• A fairy tale is a type of imaginative writing that carries the reader into an invented world where the laws of nature, as we know them, do not operate.

Examples of Fairy Tales

• Cinderella• Snow White and

the Seven Dwarves

• Ella Enchanted• Beauty and the

Beast

Quiz Time!

• Which genre teaches a moral at the end?

• What are two examples of myths?

• What is a story with no known author?

• What are three examples of folk tales?

• What kind of story is Little Red Riding Hood?