About Trickster Tales

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About Trickster Tales
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Trickster Tales

• A folk tale about an animal or person who engages
  in trickery, violence, and magic.

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•   Characters
• There are not many characters, usually two.
• One character is a good and clever trickster and
  one is a "bad" character.
• The animals have human characteristics.
• Talking animals are common in trickster tales.

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•   Setting
• The setting is often not important.
• It is not fully described.
• Time and place indicated with traditional
  phrases "In a far away land," "Once upon a
  time."

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• Problem
• A strong character takes advantage of a weaker
  character.
• The action may be repetitive, often in threes.
• The strong character remains confident until the
  end.

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• Solution
• The weaker character will play a trick.
• The solution is short and to the point.
• The story may teach a lesson.
• The story may explain why something occurs.