Folk

Tale
 HISTORY
• The word 'folklore' was first used by the English
antiquarian William Thoms in a letter published in 1846

• Johann Gottfried von Herder was the first to campaign

the deliberate recording.

• The preservation of folklore was to document the

authentic spirit, tradition, and identity of the peoples of
the world.
 DEFINITION

According to Hamilton and Mitch:

A Folk Tale is a story which has been handed down from

person to person for generations and generations.
Therefore, one of the most important identifying features
of a folk tale is that it belongs to an entire culture, rather
than to an individual.
 Description
Folktale is the body of expressive culture.
Folklore, in nature, is traditional. All the traditional
approaches of people of particular area are subject
matter of folklore. They include:

• Customs
• Beliefs
• Behavior
• Drama
• Dances
• Art
• Painting
• sculpture
 Description
• A folktale is a type of traditional story that tries to
explain or understand the world. Such stories
were initially passed down orally through the
generations. These stories feature morals or
lessons.

• The stories usually take place long ago in a

faraway place and are woven around talking
animals, royalty, peasants, or mythical
creatures.
 Nature
• In a folktale, goodness is always rewarded.
Heroes and heroines live happily ever after while
villains are suitably punished. Throughout the
generations, the story may change but its core
remains the same.

• Folktales usually have no identified author, but

they represent the values and culture of the
society from which they originated.
 Types of Folktales
Various types of folktales exist in the world today

1-A cumulative folktale:

A plotless story where events follow a repetitious pattern
Example:
• The House That Jack Built
• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

2-Animal folktales
Animals who speak like humans. These stories teach lessons about
the rewards of being brave, independent, and clever
Example:
• The Three Little Pigs
• The Three Billy Goats Gruff
 Types of Folktales

3- Humorous folktales
Silly stories about characters who do ridiculous things and make
funny mistakes
Example: (A good example of this type is the story )
Jack and the Three Sillies

4- A realistic folktale
Very little magic and features a realistic plot, setting, and characters
Example:
Blue Beard (is a prime example of this type).
 Impact
Reading a folktale provides a glance into cultures of world,
allowing the reader to gain insight into the values and
customs of the society that produced the particular oral tale.

Children and adults all over the world continue to enjoy

reading and listening to folktales because such stories
spark the imagination and transport their audiences to
distant lands.
ROMEO AND
JULIET

Author: William Shakespear

Heer Ranjha

Author: Syed Waris Shah

Sohni Mahiwal

Author: Fazal Shah

Laila Majnu

Author: Nizami (Persian Poet)