Folktales:
Fairy Tales, Fables, Myths/Legends,
and Tall Tales
Definitions and Examples
Fairy Tales
• Characteristics:
–Make-Believe
–Happens Long Ago
–Has Magic
–Happily Ever After
–Good and Evil Characters
_Involve royalty or a castle.
Fairy Tales
• Examples:
• Cinderella
• Gingerbread Man
• Beauty and the Beast
• Jack and the Beanstalk
• Princess and the Pea
• Snow White
The Princess and the Pea
By: Hans Christian Andersen
• Once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a
princess; but she would have to be a real princess. He travelled all
over the world to find one, but nowhere could he get what he
wanted. There were princesses enough, but it was difficult to find out
whether they were real ones. There was always something about
them that was not as it should be. So he came home again and was
sad, for he would have liked very much to have a real princess.
• One evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and
lightning, and the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly a knocking
was heard at the city gate, and the old king went to open it.
• It was a princess standing out there in front of the gate. But, good
gracious! what a sight the rain and the wind had made her look. The
water ran down from her hair and clothes; it ran down into the toes
of her shoes and out again at the heels. And yet she said that she was
a real princess.
• Well, we'll soon find that out, thought the old queen. But she said
nothing, went into the bed-room, took all the bedding off the
bedstead, and laid a pea on the bottom; then she took twenty
mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty eider-down
beds on top of the mattresses.
• On this the princess had to lie all night. In the morning she was
asked how she had slept.
• "Oh, very badly!" said she. "I have scarcely closed my eyes all night.
Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something
hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It's horrible!"
• Now they knew that she was a real princess because she had felt the
pea right through the twenty mattresses and the twenty eider-down
beds.
• Nobody but a real princess could be as sensitive as that.
• So the prince took her for his wife, for now he knew that he had a
real princess; and the pea was put in the museum, where it may still
be seen, if no one has stolen it.
• There, that is a true story.
Fables
•Characteristics:
•Talking Animals
•Teaches a Lesson/Moral
•Usually Short
•2-3 Characters
Fables
•Examples:
•The Tortoise and the Hare
•Town Mouse and Country Mouse
•The Three Billy Goats Gruff
A Raven and a Swan
A Raven, which you know is black as coal, was envious of
the Swan, because her feathers were as white as the purest
snow. The foolish bird got the idea that if he lived like the
Swan, swimming, and diving all day long and eating the weeds
and plants that grow in the water, his feathers would turn
white like the Swan’s.
So he left his home in the woods and fields and flew down
to live on the lakes and in the marshes. But though he washed
and washed all day long, almost drowning himself at it, his
feathers remained as black as ever. And as the water weeds he
ate did not agree with him, he got thinner and thinner, and at
last he died.
The Bear and the Bees
A Bear roaming the woods in search of berries happened on a
fallen tree in which a swarm of Bees had stored their honey. The
Bear began to nose around the log very carefully to find out if the
Bees were at home. Just then one of the swarm came home from
the clover field with a load of sweets. Guessing what the Bear was
after, the Bee flew at him, stung him sharply and then disappeared
into the hollow log.
The Bear lost his temper in an instant, and sprang upon the log
tooth and claw, to destroy the nest. But this only brought out the
whole swarm. The poor Bear had to take to his heels, and he was
able to save himself only by diving into a pool of water.
The Fox and the Goat
A Fox fell into a well, and though it was not very deep, he
found that he could not get out again. After he had been in
the well a long time, a thirsty Goat came by. The Goat thought
the Fox had gone down to drink, and so he asked if the water
was good.
"The finest in the whole country," said the crafty Fox, "jump
in and try it. There is more than enough for both of us."
The thirsty Goat immediately jumped in and began to drink.
The Fox just as quickly jumped on the Goat's back and leaped
from the tip of the Goat's horns out of the well.
The foolish Goat now saw what a plight he had got into, and
begged the Fox to help him out. But the Fox was already on
his way to the woods.
"If you had as much sense as you have beard, old fellow,"
he said as he ran, "you would have been more cautious about
finding a way to get out again before you jumped in."
Myths & Legends
• Characteristics:
*Gives Explanations for how something came to be
• Example: Explains Why Something in Nature
Happens
• Example: Tells Why People Act Certain Ways
*Lessons About Good and Bad Behavior
*Involve Nature, Gods/Goddesses, and/or Heroes
Myths & Legends
•Examples:
•The Story of Arachne and Athena
•King Midas’ Gold
•How the Deer Got His Spots
•Why the Leaves Fall
Myth: The Myth of Midas
Midas was a king of Phrygia, a region nowadays part of Turkey. One
day some of his farmhands brought him a satyr they had caught
napping in the vineyard. This creature, part man, part goat, still groggy
and much the worse for wear, had been thoroughly trussed up to keep
him from escaping. Midas immediately recognized Silenus, right-hand
satyr to the god Dionysus, and ordered him set free.
Silenus explained that he and his master had just returned from the
East where they had been engaged in spreading the cultivation of the
grape. Dionysus had brought back a tiger or two, an ever-expanding
flock of followers and one very drunken satyr. Silenus had conked out in
Midas's vineyard to sleep it off. Now he was grateful to the king for
treating him with dignity, and so was Dionysus. The god was so pleased,
in fact, that he offered to grant whatever Midas should wish for.
Now, you didn't get to rule a kingdom in those days without a pretty
active grasp of what makes for a successful economy. Midas didn't have
to think twice. As the simplest plan for the constant replenishment of
the royal treasury, he asked that everything he touch be turned to gold.
Arching a godly eyebrow, Dionysus went so far as to ask if Midas
were sure. To which the king instantly replied, "Sure I'm sure." So
Dionysus waved his pinebranch sceptre and conferred the boon.
And Midas rushed back home to try it out. Tentatively at first, he laid
a trembling fingertip upon a bowl of fruit and then a stool and then a
wooly lambkin. And when each of these had been transmuted in a trice
into purest gold, the king began to caper about like the lambkin before
its transformation.
"Just look at this!" he crowed, turning his chariot into a glittering
mass of priceless-though-worthless transportation. "Look what daddy
can do!" he cried, taking his young daughter by the hand to lead her
into the garden for a lesson in making dewy nature gleam with a
monotonous but more valuable sheen.
Encountering unexpected resistance, he swung about to see why his
daughter was being such a slug. Whereupon his eyes encountered,
where late his child had been, a life-size golden statue that might have
been entitled "Innocence Surprised".
"Uh oh," said Midas, and from that point on the uh-oh's multiplied.
He couldn't touch any useful object without it losing in utility what it
gained in monetary value, nor any food without it shedding all
nutritional potency on its leaden way down his gullet.
In short, Midas came to understand why Dionysus had looked
askance when asked to grant the favor. Fortunately, the god was a good
sport about it. He allowed Midas to wash away his magic touch in the
river Pactolus, which ever after enjoyed renown for its shimmering
deposits of gold.
Legend: How Kangaroo Got his Tail
A long time ago, some animals looked different to the way they look now.
Kangaroos had no tails and wombats had high, round heads. Mirram the
Kangaroo and Warreen the Wombat were good friends. They lived together
in a hut that Warreen had built from tree bark. They liked being with each
other, but Mirram liked to sleep outside at night and he made fun of
Warreen who always wanted to sleep inside.
"Come, Warreen, sleep outside with me" said Mirram. "It's much better to
look up at the stars at night and listen to the fresh wind in the trees." "It's
too cold outside" snuffled Warreen, "and sometimes it rains. I might get wet!
I like sleeping in my hut with a nice fire to keep me warm."
Mirram the Kangaroo would not accept this. "Your bark hut is dark and
smelly. It is much better to sleep out in the clean air under the bright stars!"
"No, thank you" said Warreen. "I will stay in my hut where I am
comfortable."
Mirram was impatient. "You are too scared to sleep outside with me. You
are frightened to feel a little wind." "I'm not frightened" snuffled Warreen. "I
just like sleeping in my bark hut!“ Mirram kept on taunting Warreen, until
one night the wombat agreed to sleep outside. During the night he got really
cold and waddled back inside the hut. Kangaroo laughed at him.
All summer they played together as friends, but Mirram sometimes still
made fun of Warreen's hut.
Things changed when winter came. The wind became colder at night while
Mirram slept outside. At first he didn't mind. He snuggled up to a tree to
protect himself, and laughed at the thought of Warreen in his smelly hut.
"Wombat would not brave the wind like me" he said to himself.
The wind became stronger and colder. Mirram curled himself into a tight
ball, hugging his tree.
He told himself that the wind couldn't hurt him - he wasn't afraid. When it
began to rain, he muttered "a little wind and rain won't hurt me. I'm not
afraid."
One night, blasts of wind lashed the kangaroo with raindrops that felt like
icy needles. Mirram was so wet and cold, he couldn't take it any longer. He
struggled onto his hind legs and blown by the wind, hopped slowly towards
the bark hut.
"It is me!" screamed Mirram, banging on the door. "Now, let me in!" "No!"
yelled Wombat. "There isn't enough room."
Mirram's teeth were chattering. He became very angry and pushed hard
at the door until it opened. "I'm inside now - and you aren't big enough to
throw me out!“
"H'mmph" snorted Warreen. "Well, sleep over there - in the corner. You're
all wet and I don't want cold rainwater dripping on me." Wombat stretched
out near the fire again and went back to sleep.
Mirram lay down in the corner, but there was a hole in the wall of the hut
and the wind and rain came in. He couldn't dry himself or get warm. The fire
went out, but Warreen didn't notice. He snored as he slept and laughed
every now and again, enjoying a nice dream. This made Mirram more angry
In the morning his body was stiff and sore. He hobbled outside and picked up a
large rock. When he came back, Warreen was stretching and yawning as he woke
up. Mirram dropped the rock on Warreen's head, flattening his forehead and
making his nose curl around.
"This is for not helping me get warm and dry" said Mirram. "And from now on,
you will always live in a damp hole. Your flattened forehead and cold home will
remind you of last night.“
After that, Warreen and Mirram didn't speak to each other or play together and
Warreen planned revenge.
He made a big spear and waited until Mirram was busy washing himself.
Then he threw the spear with all his strength and it hit the kangaroo at the base
of his spine. Mirram yelled in pain and tried to pull the spear out, but it was stuck.
"From now on, that will be your long tail" yelled Warreen, "and you'll never have
a home to live in!"
That is why wombats now have flat foreheads and live in dark, damp burrows
underground and why kangaroos have long tails and always sleep outside, under
the stars.
Tall Tales
• Characteristics:
*Characters are larger-than-life or superhuman
*A problem that is solved humorously or
outrageously
*Include exaggerated details that describe things
larger or stronger than they really are
*Uniquely American
*Characters use everyday language
Tall Tales
• Examples:
*Paul Bunyan
*Johnny Appleseed
*John Henry
Paul Bunyan
Paul Bunyan was a hero of North America’s lumberjacks, the workers who cut
down trees. He was known for his strength, speed and skill. Tradition says he
cleared forests from the northeastern United States to the Pacific Ocean.
Many years ago, Paul Bunyan was born in the northeastern American state of
Maine. His mother and father were shocked when they first saw the boy. Paul
was so large at birth that five large birds had to carry him to his parents. When
the boy was only a few weeks old, he weighed more than forty-five kilograms.
As a child, Paul was always hungry. His parents needed tens cows to supply
milk for his meals. Before long, he ate fifty eggs and ten containers of potatoes
every day.
Young Paul grew so big that his parents did not know what to do with
him. Once, Paul rolled over so much in his sleep that he caused an earthquake.
This angered people in the town where his parents lived. So, the government
told his mother and father they would have to move him somewhere else.
Paul’s father built a wooden cradle -- a traditional bed for a baby. His
parents put the cradle in waters along the coast of Maine. However, every
time Paul rolled over, huge waves covered all the coastal towns. So his
parents brought their son back on land. They took him into the
woods. This is where he grew up.
As a boy, Paul helped his father cut down trees. Paul had the strength of
many men. He also was extremely fast. He could turn off a light and then
jump into his bed before the room got dark.
Maine is very cold for much of the year. One day, it started to snow. The
snow covered Paul’s home and a nearby forest. However, this snow was
very unusual. It was blue. The blue snow kept falling until the forest was
covered.
Paul put on his snowshoes and went out to see the unusual sight. As he
walked, Paul discovered an animal stuck in the snow. It was a baby
ox. Paul decided to take the ox home with him. He put the animal near
the fireplace. After the ox got warmer, his hair remained blue.
Paul decided to keep the blue ox and named him Babe. Babe grew very
quickly. One night, Paul left him in a small building with the other
animals. The next morning, the barn was gone and so was Babe. Paul
searched everywhere for the animal. He found Babe calmly eating grass in
a valley, with the barn still on top of his back. Babe followed Paul and grew
larger every day. Every time Paul looked, Babe seemed to grow taller
In those days, much of North America was filled with thick, green
forests. Paul Bunyan could clear large wooded areas with a single stroke of
his large, sharp axe.
Paul taught Babe to help with his work. Babe was very useful. For
example, Paul had trouble removing trees along a road that was not
straight. He decided to tie one end of the road to what remained of a tree
in the ground. Paul tied the other end to Babe. Babe dug his feet in the
ground and pulled with all his strength until the road became straight.
In time, Paul and Babe the Blue Ox left Maine, and moved west to look
for work in other forests. Along the way, Paul dug out the Great Lakes to
provide drinking water for Babe. They settled in a camp near the Onion
River in the state of Minnesota.
Paul’s camp was the largest in the country. The camp was so large that a
man had to have one week’s supply of food when walking from one side of
the camp to the other.
Paul decided to get other lumberjacks to help with the work. His work
crew became known as the Seven Axemen. Each man was more than two
meters tall and weighed more than one-hundred-sixty kilograms. All of the
Axemen were named Elmer. That way, they all came running whenever
Paul called them.
The man who cooked for the group was named Sourdough Sam. He
made everything -- except coffee -- from sourdough, a substance used in
making sourdough bread.
Every Sunday, Paul and his crew ate hot cakes. Each hot cake was so
large that it took five men to eat one. Paul usually had ten or more hot
cakes, depending on how hungry he was. The table where the men ate
was so long that a server usually drove to one end of the table and stayed
the night. The server drove back in the morning, with a fresh load of food.
Paul needed someone to help with the camp’s finances. He gave the job to a man
named Johnny Inkslinger. Johnny kept records of everything, including wages and the
cost of feeding Babe. He sometimes used nine containers of writing fluid a day to keep
such detailed records.
The camp also was home to Sport, the Reversible Dog. One of the workers
accidentally cut Sport in two. The man hurried to put the dog back together, but made a
mistake. He bent the animal’s back the wrong way. However, that was not a problem for
Sport. He learned to run on his front legs until he was tired. Then, he turned the other
way and ran on his back legs
Big mosquitoes were a problem at the camp. The men attacked the insects with their
axes and long sticks. Before long, the men put barriers around their living space. Then,
Paul ordered them to get big bees to destroy the mosquitoes. But the bees married the
mosquitoes, and the problem got worse. They began to produce young insects. One day,
the insects’ love of sweets caused them to attack a ship that was bringing sugar to the
camp. At last, the mosquitoes and bees were defeated. They ate so much sugar they
could not move.
Paul always gave Babe the Blue Ox a thirty-five kilogram piece of sugar when he was
good. But sometimes Babe liked to play tricks. At night, Babe would make noises and hit
the ground with his feet. The men at the camp would run out of the buildings where
they slept, thinking it was an earthquake.
When winter came, Babe had trouble finding enough food to eat. Snow
covered everything. Ole the Blacksmith solved the problem. He made huge
green sunglasses for Babe. When Babe wore the sunglasses, he thought the
snow was grass. Before long, Babe was strong and healthy again.
One year, Paul’s camp was especially cold. It was so cold that the men let their
facial hair grow very long. When the men spoke, their words froze in the
air. Everything they said remained frozen all winter long, and did not melt until
spring.
Paul Bunyan and Babe left their mark on many areas. Some people say they
were responsible for creating Puget Sound in the western state of
Washington. Others say Paul Bunyan and Babe cleared the trees from the states
of North Dakota and South Dakota. They prepared this area for farming.
Babe the Blue Ox died in South Dakota. One story says he ate too many hot
cakes. Paul buried his old friend there. Today, the burial place is known as the
Black Hills.
Whatever happened to Paul Bunyan? There are lots of stories. Some people
say he was last seen in Alaska, or even the Arctic Circle. Another tradition says he
still returns to Minnesota every summer. It says Paul moves in and out of the
woods, so few people ever know that he is there.