Introduction to Folklore

Defining Folklore Folk – derived from a Germanic noun “folka” meaning “people.” Lore - all traditions about a particular subject that have been accumulated over time. Folklore: stories and lessons that contain the traditions of a particular group or culture.

Folktales A story that is pure fiction and has no particular location in time or place. Usually, they don’t have an author.

The Oral Tradition Passed by word of mouth from one person to the next, one generation to the next. Never told the same twice.

Oral Tradition Continued Folktales, myths, and legends represent the wishes, hopes, and fears of many people rather than the concerns of one writer. They deal with universal human dilemmas that span across different ages, culture, and geography.

History of oral folktales The oldest documentation of folktales as oral tradition is 202 AD in China. The purpose of these tales was to teach lessons to warriors and other adults. The next major shift was in France in the 1700s. People began to write the oral folktales down, but they were still for adults.

History Continued… In Germany around 1800’s, the Brothers Grimm collected folktales and modified them for a younger audience (children).

History Continued… Dutch writer Hans Christian Anderson also published a collection of folktales and fairytales for children in 1835. These tales were still quite bloody and violent. They were meant to serve as a warning for children on what would happen if they didn’t behave.

History Continued… The next major shift occurred in the 1940’s with Walt Disney. Disney took these same tales and sanitized them into the ‘classic’ tales that we know today. He took out the violence and darker aspects of the stories. Examples: Little Mermaid, Cinderella

Folktales Recap All folktales have the following in common: Fictional Passed on by oral tradition Types of folktales: Parables Fables Fairytales Tall Tales Urban lore

Folktales: Parables and Fables A brief story that teaches a moral or religious lesson. Characters are everyday people. Realistic story that seems probable and takes place in familiar setting of life. Fables: The shortest of folktales. Features animals, mythic creatures, and plants as characters with human qualities. Teaches a moral lesson.

Examples Fable Parable The Boy who Cried wolf Tortoise and the Hare: “Tell the truth” Fable Tortoise and the Hare: “Slow and steady wins the race.”

Folktales: Fairytales Feature creatures like fairies, elves, goblins, gnomes, trolls, and dwarves. Add the element of magic and fantasy to stories. Often involve a far fetched plot. Closest cousin to the short story.

Folktales: Tall Tales American folktales: Borrows some elements of a legend Bigger than life – over exaggerated. Comes out of Old West. Examples: Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill

Folktales: Urban Tales Modern Folklore: aren’t true but are passed on as though they are true. Are sometimes repeated in news stories, and in recent years, by email. Prey on people’s fears Ex: The Kidney Heist, Bloody Mary, Bigfoot, Sewer alligator.