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Myths
This is the Greek god Poseidon (Po-si-dun) attacking a ship.
Many folklorists, the people who study folklore, believe that myths are the oldest of all folklore stories. They might say that they are the foundation of all the ancient stories.
Even though myths often involve gods, the stories are meant to represent something important about people. Myths are found all over the world in every culture. The ones that we hear the most about in America are the Roman, Greek, and Norse myths. |
Click here for more myths and other folktales.
And click here to read legends and folktales written by 4th grade students.
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The Golden Touch
The Weaving Contest
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The Golden Apple
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Tall Tales “I was late doing my homework because my freezer wouldn't turn off. It just wouldn't stop pouring out ice. Soon the apartment was so cold that our pet parrot froze solid in flight. Then, when I tried to boil water on the stove, the bubbles froze in the pot."
According to Carolyn S. Brown in The Tall Tale in American Folklore and Literature, a tall tale is a fictional story which is told in the form of personal narrative or anecdotes, exaggerated details. When we think of tall tales, we usually think of the ones that were told in the United States by the settlers and pioneers, although people told tall tales in other places too. Tall tales share some similarities with other folk tales. At first, tall tales spread by word of mouth, just like fables. Also, most of the heroes were common people, not kings, presidents, and rich people. Later, they were written down, similar to fairy tales, and there are books of tall tales. Comparable to myths, people told tall tales to connect to their community, traditions and land. Tall tales were told so people would remember their heroes. Like the fairy tales, the main characters in tall tales were people that inspired their community to do great things. Many of these characters were real people who actually lived in the United States and were famous in their state, city, or town. Click on the file below to see the previous text with a graphic organizer comparing tall tales to other folklore.
Tall Tale Heroes The most famous tall tales had to do with well known American heroes of the frontier.
When tall tales were first created they were not very complimentary to minorities and women. But people who tell tall tales try to be much more respectful. |
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Fairy Tales
Fairy tales are folk tales that people decided were so much fun, or so important they wrote them down and passed them on in books. Some of the most famous books of fairy tales are the Brothers Gimm, but fairy tales have been collected from all over the world, and every culture has them.
They are very similar to fables, but are usually more complex. Click on the picture to see how fables
and fairy tales compare.
One of the most important ways fairy tales are different from fables is that fairy tales have more types of characters. To find out more about them, click on the character types, click on the link below.
They are very similar to fables, but are usually more complex. Click on the picture to see how fables
and fairy tales compare.
One of the most important ways fairy tales are different from fables is that fairy tales have more types of characters. To find out more about them, click on the character types, click on the link below.
Repeating Patterns in Fairy Tales
Of the things you should know about fairy tales is that they repeat certain elements in the story and then again across fairy tales. CLICK HERE to watch a presentation on repetition in fairy tales then skim and scan your own fairy tale text to notice similar patterns.
Document for Fairy Tale Character | |
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For Class Fairy Tale Character Types | |
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For Old Computers: Fairy Tale Character Types | |
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Jack and The Beanstalk: Part 1
Listening Questions: How did Jack's mother feel about the magic beans?
Jacks mother throws away the beans and they grow into a giant beanstock.
ONCE UPON A TIME there lived a poor widow who had an only son named Jack. She was very poor, and Jack was too young to work. Almost all the furniture of the little cottage had been sold to buy bread, until finally there was nothing left they could sell. Only the good cow, Milky White, remained, and she gave milk every morning, which they took to market and sold. But one sad day Milky White gave no milk.
"We must sell Milky White," said Jack. “Trust me to make a
good bargain." His mother gave Jack the cow and away he went to the market.
For some time he went along very sadly.
"I may as well ride the cow," he said. So, he jumped on her back, and was much happier. He went whistling along until he met a strange old man with a long beard.
"Good morning," said the old man.
"Good morning, sir," answered Jack.
"Where are you going ?" said the old man.
"I am going to market to sell the cow," said Jack.
"It's lucky I met you," said the old man. "You won’t have to go all the way to the town."
Then, he put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out five curious-looking beans.
"What do you think these are?" he said.
"Beans," said Jack.
Yes," said the old man, "Beans, but they're the most wonderful enchanted beans in the world. If you plant them overnight, by the next morning they'll grow up and reach the sky. But to save you the trouble of going all the way to market, I don't mind exchanging them for that cow of yours."
"What a great deal, I’ll trade you my cow for your magic beans!" shouted Jack, who was so excited with the bargain that he ran all the way home to tell his mother how lucky he had been.
But oh! How disappointed his mother was.
"Go to bed you little fool!" she cried; and she was so angry that she threw the beans out of the window into the garden. So poor Jack went to bed without any supper, and cried himself to sleep.
Part 1 Post Reading Questions
"We must sell Milky White," said Jack. “Trust me to make a
good bargain." His mother gave Jack the cow and away he went to the market.
For some time he went along very sadly.
"I may as well ride the cow," he said. So, he jumped on her back, and was much happier. He went whistling along until he met a strange old man with a long beard.
"Good morning," said the old man.
"Good morning, sir," answered Jack.
"Where are you going ?" said the old man.
"I am going to market to sell the cow," said Jack.
"It's lucky I met you," said the old man. "You won’t have to go all the way to the town."
Then, he put his hand in his pocket, and pulled out five curious-looking beans.
"What do you think these are?" he said.
"Beans," said Jack.
Yes," said the old man, "Beans, but they're the most wonderful enchanted beans in the world. If you plant them overnight, by the next morning they'll grow up and reach the sky. But to save you the trouble of going all the way to market, I don't mind exchanging them for that cow of yours."
"What a great deal, I’ll trade you my cow for your magic beans!" shouted Jack, who was so excited with the bargain that he ran all the way home to tell his mother how lucky he had been.
But oh! How disappointed his mother was.
"Go to bed you little fool!" she cried; and she was so angry that she threw the beans out of the window into the garden. So poor Jack went to bed without any supper, and cried himself to sleep.
Part 1 Post Reading Questions
- What character types are Jack, his mother and the old man?
- How do you know?
- Sequence the story so far.
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We're studying 4 Different types of Folk Tales. The first one is "fables".
Fables
Fables are stories from around the world meant to teach morals to children. Every culture has them. Some of the most famous came from a slave from ancient Greece named Aesop.
Here are some of his stories...
(and click here for more)
Click here to go to a list of morals and their explanation.
Here are some of his stories...
(and click here for more)
Click here to go to a list of morals and their explanation.
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The Lion and the MouseOne day a lion woke up from his afternoon nap and saw a group of mice scurrying all around him. His huge paw came down on one of the smallest mice with a loud SMACK! The mouse said, "Please, mighty lion! If you let me go, I will owe you a great favor. Mercy please! Don't eat us!" The lion took pity on the tiny mouse. Although he didn't see how a mouse could help him, the lion released the mouse and his family. A few days later, the lion became trapped in a hunter's net. His roar made the whole forest tremble, but he couldn't get loose. The little mouse whose life was spared came upon the lion in the snare and used his sharp little teeth to gnaw the strong ropes until the lion was free. The Moral: If you are good to others they might help you later. Expression: "One good turn deserves another." |
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The Dog and His Reflection
A dog was walking home with his dinner in his mouth. His dinner was a large meat bone. On his way home, he walked by a river. Looking in the river, he saw another dog with its own meat bone, that looked even bigger than his. "I want that meat, too," thought the dog, and he opened his mouth to take other dog's dinner. When he did, he dropped his own meat bone into the river. The Moral: Too much greed results in nothing. Expression: "The grass is always greener on the other side." |
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After Reading the fable, rank the expressions below. 1-4 (one is most fitting) Discuss and explain your ranking.
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The Fox and the Crow
A fox was walking through the forest when he saw a crow sitting on a tree branch with a delicious piece of cheese in her beak. The fox wanted the cheese and decided he would outsmart the crow. "What a noble and gracious bird I see in the tree!" proclaimed the fox, "What exquisite beauty! What fantastic glossy feathers you have! If your voice is as lovely as your beauty, you would have to be the jewel of all birds." The crow was so flattered by all this talk that she opened her beak to sing a song for the fox and show off her voice. "Caw! Caw!" she sang, and the cheese dropped to the ground for the fox to grab. He snapped up the delicious cheese and ran away laughing. The Moral: Beware of flattery (阿谀, dulación, лесть) |