KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY
Department of Elementary Education
ELU 520 – Folk Literature and Storytelling for Teachers of Elementary and Middle School
Children
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students will explore fables, myths and folk literature from various cultures around the world.
Both traditional literature and updated versions will be explored. Students will investigate how various illustrators have presented the same story and also explore the various techniques appropriate to the presentation of folk literature for students. 3 s.h. 3 c.h.
RATIONALE
2.
3.
In recent years the focus upon internationalizing the curriculum has become more intense.
Because of this it is important for classroom teachers to have a broader knowledge of folk literature than an undergraduate course in children's literature could provide. Since folk literature was an oral tradition, it is also necessary for classroom teachers to develop an array of techniques in storytelling. This course will address both the knowledge base of folk literature and the vehicles by which to present it to children.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of the readings and activities in this course, the students will be able to:
1. Describe the types of folk literature, which have origins in the various regions of the world such as: a. b. c. d.
Europe
Africa
The Orient
The Near East e. f. g. h.
North America
Latin America
Australia
Pacific Nations
Present folk literature to students in the most appropriate formats.
Discuss the original collectors of folk literature such as: a. b. c. d.
Charles Perrault
Joseph Jacobs
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Asbjornsen and Moe
1

4. Assemble bibliographies of collections of folk literature appropriate for elementary and middle school students.
ASSESSMENT
1.
Participation in classroom projects, book discussions and literature circles to be assessed through a checklist, rubric and or anecdotal record.
2.
Write response papers reflecting on current issues in folk literature based on assigned readings.
3.
Read and respond to a variety of assigned and self-selected books from various regions of the world.
4.
Performance assessment: Storytelling presentation using an appropriate technique and format.
5.
Oral and written presentation based on the folk literature of a particular culture.
6.
Compile a bibliography of folk literature for a specific culture.
7.
Document various genres of folklore by maintaining a journal.
8.
Compare and contrast variants of the same folk tale.
9.
Written test.
COURSE OUTLINE
I.
Fables and Jataka Tales
1. Jataka tales from India
2.
3.
Aesop's Fables
LaFontaine's translations of fables
II.
Mythology
1.
2.
3.
4.
Egyptian
Greek and Roman
Norse
Amerindian myths
III.
European Folk Literature
1. French - Charles Perrault
2.
3.
4.
German - Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm
Scandinavian - Asbjornsen, Moe and Dasent
English - Joseph Jacobs
5.
6.
Russian
Others
IV.
African Folk Literature
1. North Africa - Sahara
2. Central & Southern Africa
2

V.
Australian Folk Literature
1.
2.
Aboriginal tales
Animal tales
VI.
Oriental Folk Literature
1. China
2.
3.
Japan
Other
VII.
Jewish Folk Literature
VIII.
Arabic Folk Literature
IX.
Latin American Folk Literature
X.
Canadian Folk Literature
XI.
American Folk Literature
1. Variants of European Tales
2. American Tale tales
3.
4.
5.
Uncle Remus tales
Amerindian tales
Regional tales
XII.
Storytelling formats
1. Pantomime
2.
3.
4.
Puppets and Marionettes
Dramatics
Audio tapes and videotapes
5.
6.
Records
Microcomputer software
XIII.
Storytelling Techniques
1. Voice control
2. Characterization a. b. accents body language
3.
4. c. d. costumes props
Audience participation
Music a. songs b. instruments
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Instructional Resources
Anderson, Hans Christian. (1974). The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories.
Garden City,
NY: Doubleday.
__________. (1871). Stories and Tales . Beston, NY: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Anderson, Johannes Carl. (2004). Myths and Legends of the Polynesians . AMS Press.
Arbuthnot, May Hill. (1996). Time for Old Magic . NY: Scott, Foresman and Company.
Asbjornsen, Peter Christen; Dasent, George Webbe; Noble, Marty and Moe, Jorgen E. (1997).
East of the Sun and West O' the Moon, and Other Fairy Tales.
Dover Publications.
Asbjornsen, P. C. and Braekstad, H. L. (2002). Fairy Tales from the Far North.
Fredonia
Books.
Ausubel, Nathan. (1989). A Treasury of Jewish Folklore. NY: Crown Publishers.
Baker, Augusta. (1987). Storytelling: art and technique . 2nd ed. New York: Bowker.
Baring-Gould, Sabine. (1997). Curious Myths of the Middle Age.
Kessinger Publishing Co.
Barton, Bob. (1990). Stories in the classroom: storytelling, reading aloud, and roleplaying with children . Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
________, Marton, Jirina and Barton, Robert. (2003). The Bear says North: Tales from
Northern Lands . Groundwood Books.
Baudis, Josef. (2001). The Key of Gold: 23 Czech Folk Tales . Penfield Books.
Bauer, Caroline F. (1993). New Handbook for Storytellers with Stories, Poems, Magic and
More . Chicago: American Library Association.
Bett, Henry. (1992). English Myths and Legends.
From International.
Bettelheim, Bruno. (1989). The Uses of Enchantment.
New York: Vintage Books.
Brown, Carolyn. (1989). The Tall Tale in American Folklore and Literature . Knoxville, TN:
University of Tennessee Press.
Bruchac, Joseph; Ross, Gayle and Burrus, S. S. (1994). The Girl Who Married The Moon:
Tales From Native North America. New York: Troll.
Bruchac, Joseph and Fadden, John Hakionhas. (1991). Native American Stories . Fulcrum Pub.
Bullfinch, Thomas. (2000). Bullfinch’s Greek and Roman Mythology: The Age of Fable.
Dover Publications.
__________. (1998). Golden Age of Myth and Legend.
Wordsworth Editions.
Martin, Richards. (1991). Bullfinch's Mythology.
New York: Harper Resource Company.
Burrison, John. (ed.) (1991). Storytellers: folktales and legends from the South.
Athens, GA:
University of Georgia Press.
Campbell, Joseph. (1991). The Power of Myth.
New York: Doubleday.
_______. (1972). The Hero With a Thousand Faces.
New York: Princeton University Press.
Champion, T. B. (2003). Understanding Storytelling Among African American Children: A
Journey from Africa to America.
Mahwah, NJ: Laurence Erbaum.
Chasden, Sheldon. (1999). The Witch Must Die: The Hidden Meaning of Fairy Tales .
New York: Basic Books.
Clodd, Edward. (2004). Tom Tit Tot: An Essay on Savage Philosophy in Folk Tale.
Kessinger Publishing Co.
_______. (1998). Childhood of Religions: Embracing a Simple Account of the Birth and
Growth of Myths and Legends.
Kessinger Publishing Co.
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_______. (1997). Birth and Growth Of Myth and Its Survival in Folklore, Legend and Dogma. Kessinger Publishing Co.
_______. (1997). Magic in Names and Other Things.
Kessinger Publishing Co.
Cocchiara, Giuseppe. (1981). The History of Folklore in Europe.
Philadelphia: Institute for the
Study of Human Issues.
Cooper, J. Pamela and Collins, Rives. (1992). Look What Happened to Frog-Storytelling in
Education.
Scottsdale, AZ: Gorsuch Scarisbrick, Publishers.
Courlander, Harold. (2002). A Treasury of Afro-American Folklore.
Marlowe & Co.
Czarnota, Lorna MacDonald. (2000). Medieval tales: That Kids Can Read and
Tell. August House Publications.
Dadie', Bernard Binlin. (1987). The Black Cloth: A Collection of African Folktales.
Amhurst: University of Massachusetts.
DeRoin, Nancy (Editor). (1975). Jataka Tales . Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Degh, Linda. (1989). Folktales and Society: Story Telling in a Hungarian Peasant Community.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Delacre, Lulu. (1996). Golden Tales: Myths, Legends and Folktales from Latin America.
New York: Scholastic.
Dorson, Richard Mercer. (1973). America in Legend.
New York: Pantheon Books.
El-Shamy, Hasan M. (1995). Folk Traditions of the Arab World: A Guide to Motif
Classification.
Indiana University Press.
Garland, Sherry. (2001). Children of the dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam.
New York: Harcourt.
Gerson, Mary Joan and Gonzalez, Maya Christina. (2001). Fiesta Femenina: Celebrating women in Mexican Folktale.
Grimm, Jakob Karl Ludwig. (1986). About Wise Men and Simpletons.
New York: Macmillan.
Grimm, Wilhelm and Grimm, Jacob. (1993). Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales .
Gramercy.
Grimm, Jakob Karl Ludwig and Grimm, Wilhelm. (2001). Grimm's Fairy Tales.
New York: North Books.
Gruelle, Johnny and Zipes, Jack. (2003). The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm All
New Third Edition . New York: Bantam.
Guerber, Helene Adeline. (1990). Myths of Greece and Rome.
New York: Biblio-Moser.
_______. (1995). Myths of Northern Lands.
New York: Biblio-Moser.
Hamilton, Virginia. (1995). Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, And True
Stories. New York: Blue Sky Press.
_______. (1988). In the Beginning: Creation Stories From Around the World.
New York: Harcourt Brace.
Harries, Elizabeth Wanning. (2003). Twice Upon a Time: Women Writers and the History of the Fairy Tale.
New York: Princeton University Press.
Harris, Joel Chandler. (2002). The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
__________. (2003). Nights with Uncle Remus.
New York: Penguin.
Hartland, Edwin Sidney. (2003). The Science of Fairy Tales: An Inquiry into Fairy Mythology.
Kessinger Publishing Co.
_______. (2000). English Fairy and Folk Tales . Dover Publications.
Haviland, Virginia. (1995). Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Russia.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
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________. (1995). Favorite Folk Tales Told in Spain.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
__________; Perrault, Charles; Paterson, Diane and Ambrus, Victor. (1994). Favorite Folk
Tales Told in France . Boston: Beech Tree Books.
__________; Walker, Martha Ploetz and Ploetz, Martha. (1996). Favorite Folk Tales Told in
Greece. Boston: Beech Tree Books.
_________ and Guevara, Susan. (1996). Favorite Folk Tales Told in Italy.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
_________; Rosenberry, Vera; Old declan Frere, Marcy and Cohn, Amy. (1994). Favorite Folk
Tales Told in India . Boston: Beech Tree Books.
________ and Hariton, Anca. (1995). Favorite Folk Tales Told in Czechoslovakia.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
________ and Cook, Daniel. (1995). Favorite Folk Tales Told in Denmark.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
________; Pekerum, Diane; Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. (1994). Favorite Folk Tales Told in
Germany. Boston: Beech Tree Books.
________; Chambliss, Maxie and Jacobs, Joseph. (1994). Favorite Folk Tales Told in England.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
________ and Inouye, Carol. (1996). Favorite Folk Tales Told in Japan.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
________ and Cook, Joel. (1995). Favorite Folk Tales Told in Poland.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
________ and Shine, Andrea. (1995). Favorite Folk Tales Told in Scotland.
Bosteon: Beech Tree Books.
________ and Riggio, Anita. (1996). Favorite Folk Tales Told in Norway.
Boston: Beech Tree Books.
Hazen-Hammond, Susan. (1999).
Spider’s Woman’s Web: Traditional Native American Tales
About Women’s Power.
Perigee.
Hubbs, Joanna. (1993). Mother Russia: The Feminine Myth in Russian Culture.
Bloomington: University of Indiana Press.
Hyndman, Robert Utley. (1971). Tales People Tell in China . New York: Messner.
Iyo-Eweka, Ademola. (1998). Okhogiso: A Collection of Edo Folktales from Benin, Nigeria.
Ogiso Publications.
Jacobs, Joseph. (1994). Celtic Fairy Tales . Merchant Book Co Ltd.
__________; Batten, John and Batten, John Dickenson. (1993). English Fairy Tales.
Everyman’s Library.
Jason, Heda and Segal, Dimitri. (1977). Patterns in Oral Literature.
Chicago:
Aldine Publishing Company.
Johnson-Davies, Denys and Mossad, Tarek. (1993). Folk Tales of Egypt.
AMIDEAST Pub.
Jorgen, Moe and Asbjornsen, Peter Christen. (1992). Norwegian Folktales.
New York: Pantheon Books.
Kidane, Sahlu and Baxter, P. T. W. (2002). Borana Folktales: A Contextual Study.
Haan Assoc.
LaFontaine, Jean de. (1998). Fables . Paris: Dessain et Tolra.
Lester, Julius and Pinkney, Jerry. (1999). Uncle Remus the Complete Tales.
New York: Dial Books.
6

Livo, Norma. (1986). Storytelling, process and practice.
Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
_______ and Cha, Dia. (1991). Folk Stories of the Hmong: People of Laos,Thailand and
Vietnam.
Libraries Unlimited.
MacDonald, Margaret Read. (1993).
The Storyteller’s Start-Up Book: Finding,Learning,
Performing and Using Folktales: Including Twelve Tellable Tales.
August House Pub.
_______. (1982).
Storyteller’s Sourcebook.
Detroit, MI: Gale
Mandela, Nelson. (2004). Favorite African Folktales. New York: W. W. Norton.
Martin, Rafe and Kaplean, Roshi Philip. (1999). The Hungry Tigress: Buddhist Myths, Legends and Jakata Tales.
Cambridge, Ma: Yellow Moon Press.
_______. and Kiuchi, Tatsuro. (1996). Mysterious Tales of Japan . New York: Putnam
Publishing Group Juvenile.
The National Storytelling Association. (1994). Tales as Tools: The Power of Storytelling in the
Classroom.
Jonesborough, TN: The National Storytelling Press.
Nuwayhid, Jarrel Salim; Jayyusi, S. K.; Tingley, C. and Nuwaihed, Jamel Sleem. (2002).
Abu Jamel’s Daughter and Other Stories: Arab Folk Tales from Palestine and Lebanon.
Interlina Pub. Group.
Opie, Iona and Peter. (1992). The Classic Fairy Tales.
New York: Oxford University Press.
Orenstein, Catherine. (2003). Little Red Riding Hood Uncloaked: Sex, Morality and the
Evolution of the Fairy Tale. Basic Books.
O’Sullivan, Sean and Dorson, Richard Mercer. (1999).
Folktales of Ireland.
University of
Chicago Press.
Painter, William. (1990). Story hours with puppets and other props.
Hamden, CT: Library
Professional Publications.
Palmer, Judd. (2003). The Tooth Fairy: Preposterous Fables for Unusual Children.
Bayeux Arts Inc.
Parker, K. Langloh. (2003). Australian Legendary Tales . New York: Viking Press.
_______; Lambert, Joanna and Lambert, Johanna. (1993). Wise Women of the Dreamtime:
Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers. Inter-Traditions Intl. Ltd.
Patai, Raphael. (1998). Arab Folktales from Palestine and Israel: Introduction, Translation and Annotation. Wayne State University.
Perrault, Charles; Philip, Neal and Holmes, Sally. (1992). Complete Fairy Tales.
New York: Clarion.
Picard, Barbara Leonie and Cobbold, Julia. (1995). Selected Fairy Tales.
New York: Princeton University Press.
________. (1992). French Legends, Tales and Fairy Stories . New York: Oxford
University Press.
Pukui, Mary Kawena; Robinson, Don and Curtis, Caroline. (1996). Hawaii Island Legends:
Pikoi Pete and Others.
Kamehameha Schools Press.
Ragan, Kathleen and Yolen, Jane. (2000). Fearless Girls, Wise Women and Beloved Sisters:
Heroines in Folktales from Around the World.
New York: W. W. Norton and Co.
Ramirez Jr., Gonzalez and Ramirez, Jan Lee. (1994). Multiethnic Children’s Literature.
Delmar Publishers Inc.
Ransome, Arthur. (1989). Old Peter's Russian Tales . New York: Penguin.
Retzlaff, Kay. (2003). Women of Mythology.
Metro Books.
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San Soucci, Robert and Pinkney, Jerry. (2000). Cut From the Same Cloth: American Women of
Myth, Legend and Tall Tales. New York: Puffin.
Schwartz, Howard. (1991). Gates to the New City: A Treasury of Modern Jewish Tales .
Jason Aronson.
Selvi, Arthur Mark. (1997). Folklore of Other Lands: Folk Tales, Proverbs, Songs, Rhymes and Games of Italy, France, the Hispanic World and Germany.
New York: Omnigraphics Inc.
Sklar, Elizabeth S.; Hoffman, Donald L. and Lypack, Alan. (2002). King Arthur In Popular
Culture . McFarland & Co.
Tatar, Maria. (2003). The Hard Facts of the Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
New York:
Princeton University Press.
Tchana, Katrin and Hyman, Trina Schart. (2000). The Serpent Slayer: and Other Stories of
Strong Women.
New York: Little Brown and Co.
Tenggren, Gustaf and Osborne, Mary Pope. (2003).
Tenggren’s Golden Tales From the
Arabian Nights. Golden Books.
Tolken, B. (1996). The Dynamics of Folklore. (Second edition). Logan, UT: Utah State
University Press.
United Nations Women's Guild. (2000). Ride with the Sun: An Anthology of Folk Tales and
Stories from the United Nations.
New York: McGraw Hill.
Vlach, J. (1991). By the Work of their Hands: Studies in Afro-American Family Folklife.
Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press.
Warner, Marina. (1994). Six Myths of Our Time.
New York: Vintage Books.
Wiggen, Kate Douglas; Smith, Nora A. and Parrish, Maxfield. (1993). The Arabian Nights Their
Best Known Tales . Atheneum.
Yee, Paul. (1989). Tales form Gold Mountain: Stories of the Chinese in the New World.
New York: Macmillan.
Yolen, Jane. (2000). Touch Magic.
New York: August House Pub.
Yolen, Jane and Stemple, Heidi E. Y. (2000). Mirror, Mirror: Forty Folktales for Mothers and
Daughters to Share. New York: Penguin.
Yolen, Jane and Guevara, Susan. (2000). Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for
Strong Girls.
SilverWhistle.
Zeitlin, S., Kotkin, A. and Baker, H. K. (1992). A Celebration of American Family Folklore.
Tales and Traditions from the Smithsonian Collection.
(Second Edition).
Cambridge, MA: Yellow Moon.
Zipes, Jack. (2000). The Great Fairytale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile To the
Brothers Grimm.
New York: W. W. Norton & Co.
_______. (1994). Fairy Tale as Myth, Myth as Fairy Tale.
Lexington, KY: The University
Press of Kentucky.
______. (1993). The Trails and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood.
New York: Routledge.
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NON-PRINT RESOURCES
Aesop's Fables. (videorecording). (1980). New York: Mastervision. (AV2755).
American Storytelling. (videorecording). (1986). NY: H. W. Wilson Co. (AV289-
291, 1917, 4069-4070).
Anderson, Hans Christian. (1994).
Andersen’s Fairy Tales
. (sound recording). Franklin,
TN: Naxos Audio Books. (AV796)
Andersen, Hans, Christian. (1970). The Wild Swans . (sound recording). NY: Spoken Arts.
The Arabian Nights. (CDisc). (1995). Germany: Naxos Audio Books. (AV797).
Briar Rose. (videorecording). (1989). NY: Hi-Tops Video. (AV3155).
Cinderella. (videorecording). (1995). Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Home Video.
(AV4447).
Cinderella. (videorecording). (1986). Farmington Hills, MI: CBS/FOX Video.
Folktales Around the World. (videorecording). (1974). NY: Guidance Associates.
(AV4249-4251).
The Greek Myths, Part I & II. (videorecording). (1971). Chicago, IL: Encyclopedia
Britannica Educational Corporation. (AV472-473).
Hansel and Gretel (DVD Disc). (2000). Long Beach, CA: Pioneer Classics. (AV256).
Hansel and Gretel. (videotape). (1987). Farmington Hills, MI: CBS/Fox. (AV1489).
Hansel and Gretel, an Appalachian Version. (videorecording). (1975). Delaplane,
VA: Davenport Films . (AV292).
Just So Stories. (CDisc). (2002). Germany: Naxos Audio Books.
Larkin, Chuck. (1986). Tell Me a Story. (videorecording). Indianapolis, IN: Kartes Video
Communications. (AV242).
Mickey Mouse Monopoly. (videotape). (2001). Northampton, MA: Media Ed. Foundation.
Parabola (The Power of Myth). (videorecording). (1988). NY: Mystic Fire Video.
(AV2828-2823).
Sleeping Beauty. (videorecording). (1987). Livonia, MI: Playhouse Video.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. (DVD Disc). (2001). Burbank, CA: Walt Disney
Enterprises.
Snow White. (videorecording). (1987). Livonia, MI: Playhouse Video.
Snow White and Seven Dwarfs; Pinocchio. (sound recording). (198_). Glenview, IL: National
Recording Co. (AV1326).
Storyteller’s Collection: Tall Tales, Yarns and Whoppers. (videorecording). (1991).
NY: Atlas Video Inc.
Storytelling with Caroline Feller Bauer. (1986). H. W. Wilson Co.: Bronx, NY.
The Ugly Duckling and Other Classic Fairytales. (videorecording). (1989). Weston,
CT: Weston Woods Studios. (AV1481).
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm. (videorecording). (1989). Culver City,
CA: MGM/UA Home Video. (AV3951).
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WEB SITES
Carol Hurst Children’s literature Site: http://www.carolhurst.com
Provides book reviews, curriculum connections, themes and professional topics of interest.
The Children’s Literature Web Guide: http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/cinderella.html
Lists variations of the Cinderella story.
Exploring Everyday Folklore: http://www.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/folklore_what.html
Explores what folklore is, everyday folklore and how to write folklore. http://www.scholastic.com/writewit/storyteller/listen.htm
Introduces storytelling as well as how to do storytelling. An audio by the storyteller is available.
Grimm’s Fairy Tales: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/
Offers information on the Brothers Grimm and samples of their tales.
Hoopoe: http://www.hoopoekids.com
Traditional tales from Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East.
Kay Vandergrift: http://www.scilsrutgers.edu/~kvandewr/swbibliography1.html
Selected bibliography about Snow White illustration, Folklore and Fairy Tales.
Lady Pixel: http://www.ocbtracker.com/ladypixel/legend.htm
Information on Native American legends, folklore and stories (Legends of the Blackfeet and
Kiowa).
Marilee’s Native American Resource: http://www.marilee.us/nativeamericans/html
Tales and resources on various Native Americans.
Oyate: http://www.oyate.org
Links to Native American books to avoid and a catalog of Native American Literature for all ages.
Revised 8/2005
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