Mongolian Folktales
In Mongolia the oral tradition of songs and tales has been and still is very important. Until the beginning of the 20th century the ability to read and write was mostly reserved for the lamas, the buddhist monks, and the khan's (the Mongolian prince's) writers. Written literature didn't play that important a role as it did in Europe. In return there is all the more orally traditional literature. In that category belong besides songs and epics the folktales.
There are uncountable versions of the tales. And the Mongolians say: There are as many versions of a story as there are tongues telling it. Every narrator embroiders the tale a little bit more and on the other hand maybe forgets a detail orignally belonging to the tale. Or only part of a much longer and more complex story is told. When in the 16th century the lamaism, the Tibetan version of buddhism, at last spread out across Mongolia, many tales were altered to better reflect the new view of the world.
But of course, there are also common characteristics which are typical for the Mongolian folktales. Like the sense of humour. Also the Mongolian tales are not as moralic on the surface as are some European tales. Whic is good, at least in my humble opinion. :-)
But I guess, it would be best, if you just read a few tales yourself thus forming your own opinion. And if you just need to share that opinion, feel free to do so and write me an email at: