Folklore

and
Folktales
Folklore
 The term was invented by English scholar
William James Thomas in 1846.
 It denotes traditions, customs, and
superstitious of the uncultured people in a
civilized country.
 A science that embraces observances
and customs, notions, beliefs, traditions,
superstitions and prejudice.
Importance of Folklore
 Is important in explaining social history of
mankind.
 Is helpful in the study of comparative
mythology and science of religion.
 Helps in the understanding of the
relationship between races and on the
development of religion, beliefs, and
ceremonies.
 Folklore
is of great assistance to the
ethnologists, sociologists, historians and
students of comparative mythology and
science of religion.
Kinds of Folklore
1. Traditional Literature in narrative form
a. folk tales
b. hero tales
c. ballads and song
d. legends of places
2. Traditional customs
a. local customs
b. astrology
c. festival customs
d. games
3. Superstitious and beliefs
a. witchcraft
b. astrology
c. superstitious practices
d. superstitious beliefs and fancies
4. Folk speech
a. popular sayings
b. popular nomenclature
c. proverbs
d. jingles, rhymes, riddles
Folk literature
- Considered as the earliest forms of
literature Which has certain qualities:
1. Concerned with action rather than
reflection.
2. Concerned with physical heroism.
3. Concerned with mysterious and
powerful influences—gods, giants, heroes,
fairies, animals and other supernatural
beings.
Folktales
- Refers to a traditional narrative of
unknown authorship that has been handed
down from generation to generation
regardless of its content.
Origin of folktales
1. That all folktales originated in India in the
Sacred Books of Buddhism and were
transmitted by migrations of people by
crusaders and Hebrew gypsies.

2. That many of the tales arose

independently among people widely
separated geographically and
historically.
History of Folktales
 In 1697, a collection of tales “Comtes de
ma Mere L’Oye or Tales of My Mother
Goose” appeared bearing the name of
Frenchman Charles Perrault.
 Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm—made the
first real collection of old tales. They
gathered the tales they heard from old
folks throughout their travels in Germany
and published them between 1812-1815.
Characteristics of Folktales
1. Has no known individual author.
2. Has no fixed or original form.
3. Has a brief introduction.
4. Adapted to any age.
5. Has a simple plot that is easy to
remember.
6. Characters appeal to both children and
adults.
7. Has element of magic that appeals to
children.
Values of Folktales
1. Gives pleasure and enjoyment to children.
2. Stirs the imagination.
3. Gives insight into life.
4. Used for dramatization.
5. Used for illustration.
6. Develops ear training.
7. Plays a role in the emotional development
of children
8. Develops confidence and courage in
children against fear of the unknown.
Types of Folktales
1. Accumulative or repetitional Tale
- The simplest type of tale. Has a
simple plot and rhythmical pattern. Its
episode follow each other neatly and
logically in a pattern of cadenced
repetition.
2. Talking Beast Stories
- stories in which the animals talk and
not only talk with other animals but with
human beings. Ex: Three Little Pigs

3. Drolls or Humorous Stories

- stories about sillies and numbskulls
that are meant for fun and nonsense.
Ex: Lazy Jack
4. Myths
- a story that explains primitive man’s
idea of the origin of the universe, the
mysteries of natural phenomena, the life of
gods, goddesses, and other pagan
divinities, their contacts with each other
and their relation to man.
Ex: Greek, Roman and Norse myths
5. Epics and Hero Tales
- The story may be the exploits of a
hero, and his heroic acts embody the moral
code of a country or a nation.

6. Legends
- is an old story containing wonders
and miracles that was handed down
without any foundation in history but
popularly believed to be true.
7. Fables
- A fictitious story about an animal or
an inanimate objects which behaves like a
human being and has one dominant trait
and is meant to teach a lesson or moral.

8. Fairy Tales (Old)

- The term include a wide variety of
folktales. A large proportion of these stories
are based on the element of magic or the
supernatural.
9. Religious Tales
- Folktales using religious tales are
rarely found in children’s collection. These
are either comical or didactic and were
patterned after the morality plays of the
Middle Ages.

10. Romance Tales

- Romance in the folktales is remote
and impersonal. The characters are
stereotypes. Ex: Beauty and the beast
11. Realistic Stories
- Are stories that are improbable but
possible. Examples of this type of stories are
“Mr. Vinegar” and “Blue Bird”.
Folktales by Nationality
A. American (The Dun Horse)
B. Arabian (Aladdin)
C. East Indian (The Tiger, The Brahman and
the Jackal)
D. English (Jack and the Beanstalk)
E. French (Cinderella)
F. German (Hansel and Gretel)
G. Greek (Aesop’s Fables)
H. Norse (Boots and His Brothers)
Desirable Uses of Folktales
1. For entertainment
2. For illustration
3. For dramatization
4. For puppets
5. For storytelling
Source:

Parayno, Salud M. (1997). Children’s

Literature: Katha Publishing Company
pp.46-51