Folklore

• All forms of narrative, written or oral, which has been handed down through the years.

• Within a particular culture

• storytelling

Common Characteristics

• Short, fast-moving plots

• frequently humorous

• almost always ends happily

• good and just are eventually rewarded

• evil punished

• wishes come true, usually as a result of fulfilling a task or trial

Beginning - Ending

• Introduction - the characters, setting, and conflict in the first few sentences

• Conclusion - follows the climax very quickly

• few details

Characters

• Completely good• beautiful girl is also

virtuous, humble, patient, and loving

• hero is fair-haired, strong, virile, brave, kind and sympathetic

• poor are kind and generous

• Entirely evil• stepmothers are ugly,

cross, and mean• the rich are greedy,

hardhearted, and conniving

Setting

• Time and place established quickly

• time is always past

• “Once upon a time…”

• time passes quickly

• not a specific place, “In a faraway place...”

Plot

• Quick flow of action• simple and direct• repetition of

responses, chants or poems

Theme

• To tell an interesting story

• good virtues are rewarded

• values of a culture are written in folktales– kindness, patience, sympathy, hard work