Introduction to Folklore

Folktale- is a generic term for the various kinds of narrative prose literature found in the oral traditions of the world. One of the many forms of folklore, folktales are heard and remembered, and they are subject to various alterations in the course of retellings. As they are diffused (transmitted through a culture), some folktales may pass in and out of written literature (for example, the �Rip Van Winkle� story), and some stories of literary origin may cross over into oral tradition (for example, the anecdote about George Washington and the cherry tree). Nevertheless, an essential trait of folktales�and all folk literature�is their diffusion, and their passage from one generation to another, by word of mouth.

The principal kinds of folktales are myths, legends, and fairy tales. In common usage, these terms are interchangeable; they refer to any highly imaginative concept or narrative and usually carry an implication of falsehood and incredibility. To folklorists, however, each of the three represents a distinct form of the folktale. Other forms include animal tales and fables, tall tales, formula tales, jokes and anecdotes, as well as cante fables (folk stories partly in song or verse).

 

Introduction|Myths|Legends|Definitions|Myths of Gods|Cosmic Myths|Myths of Heroes|Legends|Robin Hood|Fairy Tales                   Jack and the Beanstalk