folktales, myths, and legends
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Folklore and Traditional Literature
Folklore consists of a people group (or “folk”) and all of its accumulated facts (“lore”) including: traditional customs, beliefs, knowledge, values, and attitudes of the ordinary people.
Folk + Lore = Folklore
A folk's lore is communicated by word of mouth until it is transcribed (written down); this is called “oral tradition.” Before people groups had written languages, oral tradition was the only means of preserving the history of a people and its culture.
TRADITIONAL LITERATURE
Folktales, myths, and legends are only one part (the literary part) of a folk's lore. Folktales are a society's narratives, stories, and literature. They are the stories that have been handed down from generation to generation.
The science of folklore was born when collectors ("folklorists") began collect-ing items to preserve the lore and his-tory of various people groups. The birth of this science began in the early 19th century and is most often attributed to the Brothers Grimm, known best for their collection of what are now well-known fairy tales: Red Riding Hood, Snow-White, Hansel & Gretel, Rapunzel, etc.
EXAMPLES OF FOLKLORE
How do you cure the hiccups?
What do you do at a birthday party?
What is done with the bride’s bouquet at a
wedding?
How can you “magically” predict the gender
of an unborn baby?
EXAMPLES OF FOLKLORE
How do you make s’mores
(“somemores”)?
How do you build a snowman?
What do you say when you smile for a
picture?
WHAT IS A FOLK TALE?
A folk tale is a story with
no known author that
usually teaches a lesson.
Examples of American
folktales include: Brer
Rabbit, Paul Bunyan,
Three Billy Goats Gruff,
etc.
A myth is a story that
usually explains
something about the
world and involves
gods and other
superhuman beings.
Examples include:
Medusa’s Head,
Prometheus Bringer
of Fire, Iliad &
Odyssey
W H A T I S A M Y T H ?
WHAT IS A LEGEND?
A legend is a story often
believed to be true and in
which the characters are
usually considered
historical by some.
Examples include Robin
Hood, King Arthur, and
Pecos Bill.
MOTIFS IN TRADITIONAL LITERATURE
A motif is a recurring thematic element. lt is the smallest element in a tale having the power to persist in tradition. ln order to have this power, it must have something unusual or striking or universal about it.
THREE WAYS MOTIFS APPEAR IN LITERATURE:
Characters
Example: The "underdog" brother (or
sister), Prince Charming, the damsel in
distress, etc.
THREE WAYS MOTIFS APPEAR IN LITERATURE:
Plot lncident
Examples: The magic kiss, the long sleep,
the journey, the difficult task, etc.
THREE WAYS MOTIFS APPEAR IN LITERATURE:
Objects
Examples: Hair, ring, water, magic cooking
pot, flying carpets, etc.
VoiceThread Questions
Do to-day’s youngpeopletellstories?
Dochildrenstillenjoyhearingstories?
Do youthinkthese people are telling stories orjust goofing around & partying?
Is this story tell-ing? Why or why not? How doesit differfrom faceto facestory tell-ing?
What about myths…
folktales…legends…
As a culture, do we still
believe them? Tell them?
Pass them on to other
generations? Should we?
Why do we or don’t we?
“Myths are stories, and we find
meaning in our lives through
the stories we tell.
Myths are not true or untrue—
they're living or dead.”--Phil Cousineau
Once & Future Myths
DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE? WHY?...
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