table

Grade 8 English Page

Folk Narratives

Definitions:

Märchen (Fairy Tales):

Linda Degh says a fairy tale is ". . . a magic story which cannot be true" and is known by its audience to be untrue and impossible, thus distinguishing fairy tales from legends, which may be true. Tolkien provides the following definition: ". . . fairy-stories are not in normal English usage stories about fairies or elves, but stories about Fairy, that is Faerie, the realm or state in which fairies have their being."

Myth:

An ancient story of a god, a hero, the origin of a race, etc. The story explains the origin of some aspect of the world.

Legend:

An unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be historical. An Urban or Modern Legend involves an incredible story told as being true. Also known as a "Friend-Of-A-Friend Tale" or F.O.A.F. tale.

Personal Experience Narrative:

A story one tells about one’s own experiences, or about the experiences of friends or relatives if there is first-hand knowledge of them (if the teller was there to experience all or most of the events).

Tall Tale:

Humourous narratives which exaggerate activities and accomplishments of fictional characters.

Ballad:

A narrative poem (tells a story), often of folk origin and intended to be sung, consisting of simple stanzas and usually having a refrain.

Fable:

Animal tales that are told with a particular moral lesson.
Many fables are said to be created by Aesop who may have lived in Asia about 600 B.C. these are known as Aesop’s Fables.

Characteristics of Folk Narratives

Genre	Belief	Time	Place	Attitude	Principle Characters	Form
Märchen	fiction	another time (once upon a time)	another place	secular (not religious or sacred)	human or non-human	story
Myth	fact	remote past (usually before recorded time)	other world or earlier world	sacred	non-human (gods or animals)	story
Legend	fact	recent past (historical past)	the world we know	sacred or secular	human	story
Personal Experience Narrative	fact	very recent past (during the life of the teller)	the world experienced by the teller	secular (usually)	the story-teller-human	story
Tall Tale	fiction	recent past	the world experienced by the teller	secular	human	story sometimes song or recitation
*Ballad*	fiction	recent past	the world we know	secular	human	song or poem
Fable	fiction	another time	another place	secular	non-human/ animal	short story

Examples of Each Genre:

Fairytale: "Cinderella" "The Golden Carp"

Myth: "Adam and Eve" "Narcissus"

Legend: "The Vanishing Hitchiker"

P.E.N.: "The time when I . . ."

Tall Tale: "Paul Bunyan" "Smokeroom on the Kyle"

Ballad: "The Unquiet Grave"

Fable: "The Fox and the Crow"