Folk Literature

1. Folk Literature Janet Lanham Fairdale Elementary janet/.lanham@jefferson.kyschools.us

2. Folk Tales The Oral Tradition • Not originally written down – no known author. • Handed down from generation to generation.Told over and over around the fire, at gatherings, or special occasions. • Predictable action and repeated words, phrases, or sequences make them easy to remember and retell. • So well-known to people who have a common culture that they feel the stories belong to them.

3. Why Are They Important? • Helped to explain things that were not easily understood in those times. • Helped to teach the rules of society. • Helped strengthen cultural ties. • Often related to spiritual beliefs.

4. Animal Tales Creation Stories Fables Fairy Tales Legends Myths Pourquoi Tales Tall Tales Trickster Tales Some Types of folk Literature

5. Folk literature Because stories change and grow over time with retelling, here is a some overlap in many of the types of tales. This means it can sometimes be tricky to tell the difference between a myth or a legend or a tall tale.

6. Where do we find them • Look in the 300 section of the library, because folk literature is part of a people’s culture. • The particular section of the 300’s for most folk literature is 398.2. • Stories especially related to religious beliefs, such as Greek and Roman myths, are located in the 200’s, at 292.

7. Webliography • "About Myths and Legends from E2BN." Myths and Legends from E2BN. 2006. E2BN - The East of England Broadband Network. 6 Jul 2008 <http://myths.e2bn.org/index.php>. • Brown Ph.D., Mary E.. "Web Page : Mary E. Brown." Web Page : Mary E. Brown. 10 Apr 2000. Southern Connecticut State University. 5 Jul 2008 <http://www.southernct.edu/~brownm/Gfol.html>. • Carter, Lori . "genrelist." book nuts reading club -- a book club for kids. 6 Jul 2008 <http://www.booknutsreadingclub.com/genrelist.html>. • Chen, Ph.D., Chi-Fen Emily . "Folk Literature." Children's Literature - Chi-Fen Chen. Mar 2008. National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology. 5 Jul 2008 <http://www2.nkfust.edu.tw/~emchen/CLit/folk_lit_char.htm>. • Cook, Kathy. "http://www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2225/2225_elementsfolktales_qualities.pdf." ARTSEDGE: Writing Folktales. Kennedy Center ARTSEDGE. 5 Jul 2008 <http://www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2225/2225_elementsfolktales_qualities.pdf>. • Hanlon, Tina. "Diagrams of Types of Folk Literature." General Guidelines for Teaching with Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, Fables, Ballads, and Other Short Works of Folklore . 17 Feb 2003. AppLit. 5 Jul 2008 <http://www.ferrum.edu/applit/studyg/folkdiagram.htm>. • "Introduction." Mythology: A crystal ball. ThinkQuest. 5 Jul 2008 <http://library.thinkquest.org/C005854/text/introduction.htm>. • Schlosser , S.E. . "American Folklore: Famous American folktales, tall tales, myths and legends, ghost stories, and more.." American Folklore: Famous American folktales, tall tales, myths and legends, ghost stories, and more.. 4 July 2008. americanfolklore.net. 5 Jul 2008 <http://www.americanfolklore.net/>.