FOLKLORE

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FOLKLORE
Folklore can be defined as all the traditions,
customs, and stories that are passed along by
word of mouth in a culture. Folklore includes
legends, myths, folk tales, jump-rope rhymes,
folk songs, and proverbs.
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FOLKLORE

• All the stories of folklore began as
  spoken, not written,
• language. Because these stories were passed
  along
• from teller to teller and from generation to
  generation, their
• starting point cannot be traced to any one
  person. A single
• story may change often as each story teller adds
  his or her
• special touch. Typically the stories are
  collected and written
• down only after they have been told for many
  years, perhaps
• centuries.

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FOLKLORE

• These tales-whether woven in the distant past
  or in
• modern times offer much to the reader
• entertainment
• introducing young people to history, beliefs, and
  religion of society
• teach lessons about human behavior and show
  qualities that are valued by the society, e.g.
  kindness and courage
• reveal negative qualities like selfishness and
  overconfidence

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FOLKLORE

• Very often the same basic story appears in
  different cultures. The similarities in these
  stories point to values that many cultures have
  in common.
• Folklore stories can be grouped into four
  major categories myths, folk tales, fables, and
  legends.

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Myths

• Myths are stories that
• Were created to answer questions about the world,
  gods, and human life
• Tell about events in the distant past
• Were considered truthful and sacred by the
  societies that created them

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MYTHS

• Myths offer explanations of for creation and
  for natural events
• Creation of the earth, human beings (almost all
  culture have them), the first spider
• The change of seasons, the movement of the sun

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MYTHS

• Myths usually tell about adventures of gods or
• of human beings who come into contact with
• them. These gods and goddesses had
• extraordinary powers. The gods of ancient
• Greece were immortal-they could not die.

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MYTHS

• Each god or goddess had his or her own special
• areas of power. Yet divine powers were not
  unlimited.
• Even Zeus, the ruler of the Greek gods, could not
• always get his way.

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MYTHS

• In the myths of many cultures, the gods
• possess all the emotions and personality traits
• of human beings. Greek myths tell about
• Heras jealousy
• Impatience of Poseidon
• Kindness of Demeter
• Like human beings, the gods usually
• combine a mixture of traits.

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FOLK TALES

• In contrast to myths, folk tales
• Are not about gods or the origins of the world
• Are told primarily for entertainment
• Are not taken as truthful or factual by their
  audience

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FOLK TALES

• Characters in folk tales are
• Ordinary humans and personified animals
• Humans are peasants or other people from lower
  classes
• Frequently portrayed as having better values than
  the rich and powerful

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FOLK TALES

• The tales are
• Told in a simple style
• Each character represents one human trait (one
  dimensional) greed, curiosity, kindness, evil
• Magic and enchantment play a key role

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Folk Tale

• Themes of folk tales are simple
• Reward of good
• Punishment of evil
• Exposing a fool
• Trickster tales
• Are comical and point out human weaknesses
• Found in most cultures
• A smart person or animal outwits or takes
  advantage of a fool

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FABLES

• Fables are
• Very short tales
• Have morals principals of right behavior
  clearly and directly stated
• Characters are usually personified animals

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LEGENDS

• Legends are
• Considered factual by those who tell them
• May have a basis in historical fact (Robin Hood
  is based on an outlaw who actually existed).
• Set in a past more recent than myths
• Include elements of magic and the supernatural