TRADITIONAL

LITERATURE
(Children and Adolescent
Literature Report)

SUBMITTED BY: Shane Alba

Laica Casipe
Kurt Aaron Gatbonton
SUBMITTED TO: Prof. Alistair Selorio
I. INTRODUCTION
Traditional literature is literature that has no known author and

stories that have been handed down orally from one generation to the

next, with each storyteller adding slight variations. These stories often tell

of a culture's customs, values, and beliefs. It is for this reason that they

are included in the nonfiction section of the library under the Dewey

classification 398.2. These stories include folk, fairy, and tall tales, myths,

legends, and fables. They were used to teach children important lessons

in life and prepare them for society

Traditional literature is a genre of stories passed down through

many generations by word of mouth. At some point, these stories take

a fixed form in one or more kinds of storytelling, such as with fairy

tales, whose details have been altered to make them more appropriate

for children. Traditional literature includes a variety of story types such

as legends, fables, riddles, myths, epics and tall tales.

II. HISTORY/DEVELOPMENT
It is constituted by the body of ancient stories and poems that are

from the oral tradition of storytelling before being written down; they:
  are from different parts of the world

 have no identifiable author

 come from oral origins

 were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth

Historical Overview

Traditional Literature’s Origins (Theories):

A. Single Origin (monogenesis)

- All tales come from a single ancestral group

B. Many Origins (polygenesis)

- Plots developed in different ancestral groups

III. TYPES OF TRADITIONAL

LITERATURE AND ITS
CHARACTERISTICS
1. Fable is a literary genre: a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse,

that features animals, legendary creatures, plants, inanimate objects,

or forces of nature that are anthropomorphized, and that illustrates or

leads to a particular moral lesson (a "moral"), which may at the end be

added explicitly as a pithy maxim or saying.

 A fable is intended to provide a moral story.

  Fables often use animals as the main characters. They are

presented with anthropomorphic characteristics, such as the

ability to speak and to reason.

 Fables personify the animal characters.

Ex. The Tortoise and the Hare

2. Myth, a symbolic narrative, usually of unknown origin and at least

partly traditional, that ostensibly relates actual events and that is

especially associated with religious belief. It is distinguished from

symbolic behaviour (cult, ritual) and symbolic places or objects

(temples, icons). Myths are specific accounts of gods or superhuman

beings involved in extraordinary events or circumstances in a time that

is unspecified but which is understood as existing apart from ordinary

human experience. The term mythology denotes both the study of

myth and the body of myths belonging to a particular religious

tradition. (Britannica Classic: The Greek Myths)

 A myth is a story that is, or was considered, a true explanation

of the natural world and how it came to be.

 Characters are often non-human and are typically gods,

goddesses, supernatural beings or mystical “fist people.”

  Setting is typically ancient, or prior to the time when actual

records were kept. Myths are typically set in a world very similar

to our own, but with supernatural monsters or areas.

 The plot of a myth may take place between a supernatural world

and our present day world. Myths do this to highlight the basic

human behaviors that are essential in any setting.

 Myths possess events that bend or break natural laws. This is

often done to magnify the “super-naturalness” of the mythical

world.

Ex. Odyssey

3. Folktales are stories that grew out of the lives and imaginations of

the people, or folk. They have always been children’s favorite type of

folk literature. Their popularity springs from their imaginative

characters, their supernatural elements, their focus on action, their

simple sense of justice, their happy endings, and the fundamental

wisdom they contain.

Ex. Jack and the Beanstalk

4. Fairy Tales a fairy tale is a story, often intended for children, that

features fanciful and wondrous characters such as elves, goblins,

wizards, and even, but not necessarily, fairies. The term “fairy” tale

seems to refer more to the fantastic and magical setting or magical

influences within a story, rather than the presence of the character of

 a fairy within that story. Fairy tales are often traditional; many were

passed down from story-teller to story-teller before being recorded in

books. https://literaryterms.net/fairy-tale/

 Frequently begins with “Once upon a time…” or “Long, long

ago…”

 Imaginary characters and events who must overcome a task or

challenge

 Magic is used to solve problems

 Good conquering evil

 Frequently ends with “… and they lived happily ever after”

Ex. Cinderella

5. Legends is a traditional story or group of stories told about a

particular person or place. Formerly the term legend meant a tale

about a saint. Legends resemble folktales in content; they may include

supernatural beings, elements of mythology, or explanations of natural

phenomena, but they are associated with a particular locality or person

and are told as a matter of history.

https://www.britannica.com/art/legend-literature

 A folk story set in the present or the past based on real events

or people

 Stories about people and their actions

  Stories are told for a purpose and are based on facts but are not

completely true

 Stories often explain the reason for a natural occurrence

Ex. Fountain of Youth

6. Tall tales a story that may or may not be true, but

that contains details that are hard to believe.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/tall-tale

 Humorous stories that feature superhuman accomplishments

and may be based on a real person’s life

 Containing exaggeration

Ex. Pecos Bill

7. Proverbs is a brief, simple, and popular saying, or a phrase that gives

advice and effectively embodies a commonplace truth based on

practical experience or common sense. A proverb may have an

allegorical message behind its odd appearance. The reason of

popularity is due to its usage in spoken language, as well as in folk

literature.

https://literarydevices.net/proverb/

Ex. “Actions speak louder than words”

8. Nursery Rhymes also known as Mother Goose rhymes, can be

broadly defined as short songs and verses often read or sung to, or by,

young children. Generally, these verses are anonymous, although the

 term nursery rhyme has also been applied to works written by known

authors. Many familiar nursery rhymes are centuries old and originated

as part of a long oral tradition. Others first appeared as written works,

although the authorship of these works is not always known

https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/

 Rhyme, rhythm, repetition, alliteration, humor, exaggeration

 Told to young children

Ex. Jack and Jill

IV. Why is Traditional Literature

important?
Helps children to understand the personal dimension and

standards of behavior of a culture and at the same time reduce

stereotypes. Traditional literature is something as adults we

experienced growing up, and can now share with our children.

Much of traditional literature was initially told orally and written

down later on. Because of this, the stories are often altered slightly in

each retelling. ... The purpose of traditional literature is having the

story be relatable to everyone. For this reason, universal themes are

important to the genre